Rejoice in the giver

Hello everyone!! I made it to my new area and i am now in Martinsville, Virginia! My new companion is just the sweetest cutest thing ever. Her name is sister Maughan! She is from Draper, Utah! Our drive to our new area was like 5 hours away and poor sister maughan got car sick on the windy virginia roads and threw up on her first day haha. I felt so bad but it was pretty funny. I already love my new area and I know we will see miracles here! I also saw fireflies and it made my heart so happy. My siblings and I used to thrive off of catching fire flies when we lived in Virginia. 

We were aloud to have in-person district council the past two weeks which was funny because we have all become socially awkward while in quarentine apparently. It has been fun to be in a new area cause we literally dont know ANYONE so we have so many people to talk to and meet. (Over the phone of course). And the best part of it all - I HAVE A CHICKFILA. We get to go do service this week and there is a place here where we get to go play with baby camels and shave llamas so I'll have to keep you updated about that hahaha. 

This week I studied mercy. As i read the book of mormon each morning, i was touched by his merciful and loving, outstretched arms. In alma 26:15 it talks about the "matchless bounty of his love". Matchless bounty means - incomparable generosity, evidenced by a willingness to give freely. I LOVED THAT! God will give FREELY to all who come unto him. His love and mercy is given willingly. 

Elder Holland said, "The thing God enjoys most about being God is the thrill of being merciful, especially to those who don't expect it and often feel they don't deserve it". 

Alma 33:11 says, "And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my sincerity; and it is because of thy Son that thou hast been thus merciful unto me, therefore I will cry unto thee in all mine afflictions, for in thee is my joy; for thou hast turned thy judgments away from me, because of thy Son".

The reason that God is merciful is because of his Son! The Son that took upon him our sins and deepest sorrows. The Son that descended below all things, so that we could rise above them. The Son that suffered our afflictions, so that he would know how to succor us. As we turn to God in our afflictions, we will find JOY in him and he will show us mercy.

But there is one more thing that we must understand. 

Alma 33:16 
"For behold, he said: Thou art angry, O Lord, with this people, because they will not understand thy mercies which thou hast bestowed upon them because of thy Son".

If you think you are unworthy of God's love and mercy, then you do not understand the atonement. It covers every sin, every mistake, every regret. It is an infinite and eternal atonement that covers. It envelopes. It reaches. It encompasses. It expands. It is for YOU and for ME. When we don't use the atonement, we are throwing away a gift that has been given to us freely. We are rejecting the savior and all that he did for us. We must RECIEVE the gift and REJOICE in the giver. I am forever grateful for the matchless bounty that has been given to us by a loving heavenly father, through the gift of his Son. 

"Cry unto him for mercy, for he is MIGHTY to save".

Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your love! I love each and every one of you! Couldn't do it without you!
Sister Brinton