Longest email ever... SORRY! 4-7-14

> Can we just talk about how amazing conference was for a second? Holy cow...
> If you didn't get a chance to watch it. No worries! It's online! Think
> about it, If Adam, Noah, Abraham, Issac, Moses, or Jesus Christ himself
> was broadcasting His words to the world would you listen? I know that may
> seem a little bold, but These men hold the same authority as prophets and
> apostles of old and this past weekend they spoke to the world about
> problems we face today! SO stinkn' cool!
>
> Side note before I continue telling you how amazing I think conference
> is... Some of you get emails from a certain missionary in Africa and last
> week he tried to justify why he has almost died on his bike like a zillion
> times. I just want to point out that I am combating a bunch of SUPER OLD
> people that still have drivers license!!! One of our members is 98, can
> hardly walk or see, has almost killed us like 10 times and STILL has a
> license! Seriously, I think everyone over the age of 80 should have a
> personal driver provided by the state... It would save SO MUCH MONEY AND
> LIVES!!! I just can't wait till they all go back up north for the summer.
> Randy and Colby can have all their old Canadian people back!!! However I'm
> sure it's hard in Africa... I mean they have like wild chickens and
> stuff... ;P How much more of a brat can I be? Maybe this is why President
> calls me feisty...
>
> Anywhooo okay back to something that actually matters....
>
> I was really impressed with the messages of conference. Particularly Elder
> Holland's talk from the Saturday morning session. He talked about how
> sometimes we expect God to be easy and kind and lovey dovey all the time.
> Well, He does love us and he is kind all the time, but Elder Holland
> reminds us if we don't expect God to put us through hard things and ask us
> to stretch then we don't fully understand our relationship to God. Christ
> himself told the rich man who had kept the commandments from his childhood
> that it wasn't enough. He asked him to give everything. All his wealth. The
> thing is though... He really doesn't ask much of us at all because when we
> do stretch and sacrifice for Him he blesses us more than we could have ever
> imagined and gives back 10X what we gave.
>
> I also loved Elder Packer's and Elder Scott's talk. Many of the speakers
> talked about their conversion to the gospel. I think sometimes we get stuck
> believing that people who have a strong faith were just given it. They both
> reassured us that they too had to pray and ask if the things they were
> being taught were true. They truly wanted to know so they studied it out
> and then asked. Another speaker pointed out some of the hesitations we may
> have to asking about something is that we are afraid to change. We know it
> will stretch us and that isn't comfortable. I had an experience last week
> that kind of made this talk hit home for me.
>
> We had interviews with our Mission President and in the interview he looked
> at me and said, "Sister Upshaw, You are an obedient missionary, but I want
> more, the Lord wants more. He wants EXACT obedience." I was kind of stunned
> by his statement and didn't really respond. He went on and talked about
> something else, but for the past two weeks I have been thinking about what
> he said. How the heck can I be MORE obedient? I am already following all
> the rules... He challenged me to find rules that were more suggestions than
> actual rules and follow them. He promised blessings in the work if I would
> do it. Unfortunately I decided that he had misjudged me and thought I
> wasn't as diligent as I felt I was. So I continued on exactly as I was
> doing before. I knew following his council would bring the blessings he
> promised, but I was prideful and I knew it would stretch me. I didn't want
> to change. Now it's not like I am going apostate over here. As he admitted
> I am already doing much good, but there is even more the Lord wants for me
> and the people here. President Cusick told me to test it out for 2 weeks
> and if I don't notice a difference then I can do whatever I want because
> clearly the promise wasn't true. There is a catch though. I have to do it
> without holding anything back! AKA "having real intent" haha
>
> It's the same with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Just
> test it out! Start by watching some of the videos from conference, or
> reading a little in the Book of Mormon, or even just going to church on
> Sunday. Then pray about it. It almost sounds too simple. It does take work.
> It requires effort, but it is so worth it. Think about it. Just like
> President Cusick challenging me to add to the blessing I am already
> receiving, that's what the Lord does. He just asks us to add to the faith
> we already have.
>
> Sorry this is like the LONGEST EMAIL OF MY WHOLE LIFE!! If you don't read
> anything else... then just watch these conference talks! They're awesome!
>
> Elder Holland's talk! -So good!
> President Uchtdorf's -on how to be HAPPY! Who doesn't want that?
> Aidukaitis (sp) -His is awesome if you can get past the accent. I just kept
> thinking about Gru from despicable me! haha
>
> I love you all so much! Seriously like a zillion times 10!
>
> -Sister Upshaw

From the balcony of someone they were teaching

I guess this was so that Dylan could see how rough she has it