Going "Batty" for the Plan of Happiness

BOOOOOOOMMM DIAAAAAAA!!!

What a week.

My girl Amanda got baptized this week so that was probably the highlight. She´s awesome! And her baby is probably the cutest thing ever (only because my nephew, Nuggie, isn´t officially born yet). She gave me a ring with a donut on it. #birthdaydonut? 

Amanda's been through it. She´s gone through lots of hard things and it makes me see how God gives us commandments to protect us. Sometimes they´re annoying or don´t make sense to us, but He´s the supreme creator. He knows us perfectly, and He knows how we need to live to achieve the maximum possible happiness. While reading Jesus The Christ this morning, I found this great quote from a talk given by James E. Talmage regarding pleasure versus happiness:

“The present is an age of pleasure-seeking, and men are losing their sanity in the mad rush for sensations that do but excite and disappoint. In this day of counterfeits, adulterations, and base imitations, the devil is busier than he has ever been in the course of human history, in the manufacture of pleasures, both old and new; and these he offers for sale in most attractive fashion, falsely labeled, Happiness. . . .

Happiness includes all that is really desirable and of true worth in pleasure, and much beside. Happiness is genuine gold, pleasure but gilded brass. . . . Happiness is as the genuine diamond, which, rough or polished, shines with its own inimitable luster; pleasure is as the paste imitation that glows only when artificially embellished. Happiness is as the ruby, red as the heart’s blood, hard and enduring; pleasure, as stained glass, soft, brittle, and of but transitory beauty. . . .

Happiness leaves no bad after-taste, it is followed by no depressing reaction; it calls for no repentance, brings no regret, entails no remorse; pleasure too often makes necessary repentance, contrition, and suffering; and, if indulged to the extreme, it brings degradation and destruction.”

The commandments help us to achieve long lasting happiness, if we will live them. They´re really cool.

In other news a bat flew into our apartment this week. We caught him and kept him as a pet for like 40 minutes.

Also when rude people don´t want to give us the time of day I´ve got Miley Cyrus in the background reminding me to forget the haters ´cause somebody loves ya. #HeavenlyFather. Who knew Miley sang about doctrine?

I had to give a talk in sacrament meeting yesterday. That was terrifying. Haha. And to think I used to get nervous to speak in public in English. LOL

I think it´s like monsoon season or something because it has been POURING rain. I´m all over this rain. I´m digging it. It's kind of weird trying to walk around in it (have you ever taken a shower in your clothes?) but it keeps things interesting :)

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! IT´S SO COOL! WOW!

That´s all. I love you!!

Love from Brasil,

Sister Chamberlain