This past week my heart has
been filled with such gratitude for everything in my life. I am so grateful
that the Lord in his great mercy has been bringing back to my remembrance the
things he has done for me and those whom I hold dear in my life. There is so
much beauty in the family and it is no wonder to me why the family unit is
central to the Lord's plan for his children. It is a place where we can learn,
grow and develop in a loving atmosphere and where we are surrounded by those
who only want us to succeed. So I am very grateful for my wonderful family and
everything that each individual brings to the table to add their own insight on
things.
This last week there was a lot of great things that happened.
We met with Kayla and actually are practicing for an inter-faith musical event
coming up. We are doing "I Need Thee Every Hour," and she is playing
the guitar and her boyfriend is singing with Elder Jones and I. I am a little bit
nervous because there will be a lot of really good performers there, but it
is ok because we will bring the Spirit with us! When we have the Spirit with us
it doesn't matter if we sing horrible or not... Haha, but honestly we are not too
bad.We were able to visit with a referral we received from a member, with the member there, and it was an amazing 1st lesson. The spirit was very strong and we were able to teach in unity and love. Her name is Flor and we are excited to be teaching her.
We also met with a less active family that we have been working with for a time, whom I really have come to love so much and found out another one of their needs for sure, something we have thought, and so we have been basing our lessons around, and they finally just opened up and said, we believe this church is true and that Joseph Smith was a Prophet, but we don't believe in the Book of Mormon. So, we brought back to their remembrance some of the wonderful experiences we have had with them from reading from the Book of Mormon and how they felt the Spirit testifying to them and explained more about the Spirit and how it cannot testify of something false. It was a wonderful visit and we shared many things through the Spirit and committed them to read the Book of Mormon and keep praying until they receive an answer. Before they only prayed once or twice and expected it right then. We have them on a reading schedule to finish it in 100 days to fit with their schedule.
A lady in our branch gave birth to a baby boy the other day and he has heart issues. They were separated for a day or two because they sent her home and he stayed in the hospital, but now they are re-united. We visited them last night and he is so precious. She wanted us to give him a blessing and asked me to give it. It was a very touching experience for me to give that blessing and afterward my companion and I felt such great peace, love and gratitude for everything, especially the Priesthood and to be able to hold it worthily.
On Friday we had a baptism for an 8 year old girl named Rachel Marquez. It went very well, but let's just say that the day was insane, so many things went wrong, but there was a lot of laughter a long with it so let's just leave it at that..... Haha.
Yesterday I gave a talk in sacrament pretty much on the fly. I was told to have something prepared just in case some one didn't show up. I had about 30 min., but the Spirit guided me in what I needed to talk about and what scriptures to use and everything. I wasn't even nervous. I remember in Exodus 4 that when Moses was told to go forth and preach he was very nervous and doubtful because of he was slow of speech and didn't think he was fit to do the Lord's errand. The Lord showed him signs that really all is possible through him, but he still doubted. This is the conversation between him and the Lord-
10 ¶And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of aspeech, and of a bslow tongue.
11 And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who amaketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I the Lord?
So verse 11 has been in my mind a lot with the language and has been a great source of help to me. I remembered this and went forward with faith. During sacrament I felt the Spirit completely envelope me and then the speaker before me I could understand pretty much perfectly. After she was done I then got up and spoke about the Atonement and how that applies to missionary work. I did it with no notes or anything, just completely relying on the Spirit, the scriptures I planned on sharing I felt I shouldn't and so shared others that came to mind. It truly is amazing how the Lord works by the faith of the children of men. The spanish that rolled off my tongue came naturally and the rest of the day I could understand most of everything that was going on.
So, for those who may be wondering how the guitar learning is going. I have learned, "I Need the Every Hour;" "How Firm a Foundation," and I am currently working on, "The Spirit of God," which I have down, just not too quick at it yet. It is amazing how much we can truly fit into our schedules when we just plan properly and space things out smartly.
For lack of time I have, I strongly encourage you all to read and feast on the word's of Enos in the Book of Mormon because there is so much wonderful information in that chapter on how we can truly keep our baptismal covenant we made with the Lord; to stand as a witness of Jesus Christ at all times and in all places. I have come to love this chapter more and more and I have pondered it.
I would like to bear my testimony on the Atonement of Jesus Christ and I pray that the Holy Ghost will be with me as I do so and carry this testimony to your hearts for truly it is the most important event that ever has happened or ever will happen in all time and eternity.
For I know that it is the source of all joy and a well of living water for us. It is the fruit that Lehi saw in the vision about the tree of life. It is the very bases of all Christian beliefs and doctrine.
All those reading this, I want you yo know that I know with all my heart that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the World. He is the Messiah, which means the anointed one. He was chosen to be the Savior of the children of men and he is the only one who could have done what He did, which was to take upon himself, not only the sins of the whole world, but also the sicknesses, infirmities, and everything that we go through in this life that just is not right. Whether that be sadness, depression, anger, pain and whatever else affects our happiness. This burden was so intense that it "Caused himself, even God the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit- and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink-." I know that this event happened because I have used the Atonement in my life and have felt the love of God, which love causeth my soul to rejoice and share this wonderful message with others. For it is not only for our sins, but to receive the grace or the enabling power in order to continue on in our journey in this life until we can once again return to live with our Heavenly Father and become like Him.
I know that Jesus Christ lives and because He lives we can do all things through Him for truly "I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me."
It is my prayer that those of you who have felt the redeeming power of the Savior to always remember how that feels. Remember that overwhelming sense of joy and peace of knowing you are clean and I promise you that as you remember these experiences and the greatness of God and your own nothingness (recognizing you dependence on God) you will feel an overwhelming desire to keep your baptismal covenant to stand as a witness of God at all times and in all places. This my friends is the greatest source of Joy we can receive. To use the Atonement to become clean, to use the Atonement in all things that we endeavor to do, praying with all our hearts and souls for the grace or enabling power of our Savior.
For all of you who feel your testimony in Jesus Christ is not as strong as it once was or that it is not as strong you would like, I invite you to remember your prier experiences and move forward with faith, remembering daily these things and clinging to the power of the Atonement; relying wholly on the Lord in all that you do.
For those of you that feel lost and that you cannot feel this joy of which I speak, I testify as a representative of Jesus Christ Himself that you can come to feel this great peace and joy once again in your lives as you humble yourself and turn to the Lord and apply the Atoning blood of Jesus Christ to your life. We are truly never to deep or too far gone to where the Lord's arm cannot reach us.
Of these things I solemnly and gratefully testify, in the sacred name of our Lord, and Savior, even Jesus Christ, amen.
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