Chin Up

"No more bandaids on my heartaches

No more smoke when I burn the pancakes 

No more drowning in my sorrow

With my chin held up there's always better luck tomorrow" ~Mindy Gledhill

This last week I have been faced with a lot of things that could potentially make one very sad, and disheartened, but I decided to live the week with a song in my heart, and only worry about the people, and God. Like President Uchtdorf talked about in this last conference life is is SOOOO much better when you strive to have true gratitude. It also is good to look for the little things, the beautiful, hard to see, good things and moments. Without the little things life really would be no good. I mean what would keep you going on a rainy day in a super dirty city if it were not for the bright little flowers in someones garden, or a good friend who invites you in for hot cocoa? Sometimes its hard to keep positive when everything else in the world seems to be going wrong, and everything around you seems ugly, but we have the ability to choose to see the good, and glory those things. 

A good friend once told me to control the controllable, and this week thats what I determined to do, and I was happy through all the lame stuff that got thrown at me. I just told myself all that matters is what God asks/thinks of me and I strived to do those things he would want me to do, and life was better. We were able to resolve problems that needed addressed and help more people. God is good!  

Something I hate is how the devil knows our week spots, who knows how to push our buttons, he puts temptations in our way, brings up old scars, and does everything he can to bring us down. It hurts like heck, but we have to keep going and put it all aside, and remember our purpose. For me that's to put myself aside and serve the Lord as a full time missionary here in Mexico, but in the end it's for me to have an eternal family and then one day return to live with my Father in heaven and my Savior Jesus Christ. We can do it though, there are trips and hard decisions along the way way, but with Christ anything is possible. LOL, this all kinda reminds me of Charlotte's Web "Chin up, chin up, nobody likes a frowny face! LOL

This week we ended up teaching a family who is having a real hard time, but it was really neat as you could see understanding come to their minds and peace to their hearts. They are a part member family and I really hope to see the whole family come to church and be baptized, so that they can enjoy the same joy I enjoy with my family. 

We also had a surprise on Sunday when some of our investigators who we believed to be out of town came to church on their own. And it's really neat because we have only met with them twice, but they already have such strong testimonies especially of The Book of Mormon. I can't wait till they can become full members.

 A mission and life in general is hard, but just keep smiling, praying, dancing, and singing, and in the end everything will turn out right! Trust in the Lord to provide miracles and amazing things will happen, often small, but good will come! 

 ""I've got a head full of songs, a heart with wings

You couldn't tie me down to anything and that's enough for me

I've got a pocketful of poetry" ~ Mindy Gledhill

Well Love y'all! Hermana Shingleton

P.S. Yesterday I got to talk to my family and that was amazing! It was SO good and needed to see their faces and hear their voices. It's crazy because I have only been gone like what four months and they are all changed! It was funny because at the start I forgot my family speaks English and I started talking to my mom in Spanish! HA! Then my companion asked me why I was speaking Spanish to my family, and I was like oh crud, yeah, English. WOAH! It ended up being the longest conversation I have had in pure English since I left. Love ya family!