Well, I'd just like to start off by telling you all that this church is so TRUE!! I am so grateful that through the prophet Joseph Smith that the fulness of the gospel has been restored to the earth at this time...and that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we don't have to miserably just wait for this life to finish, but that we can live each day with hope and the eternal perspective that each day in this life we walk another step closer to reaching our divine potential as sons and daughters of our Eternal Heavenly Father. We are so blessed.
I say that because we were blessed to have a couple of really neat lessons this week. As I was sitting there listening to the concerns of the people...their doubts, questions and obvious concern about the future...I was so comforted by the knowledge that because of the restored gospel-that I've been so blessed to have in my life-I already know what my purpose is in this life and becuase of the knowledge of the eternal plan of happiness that God has for us, I don't have to spend this time being miserable! I can just put my trust in him, and keep working my best each day to be worthy of His kingdom, and live this life in JOY!! (see 2 Nephi 2:25)
This week, Hermana S. and I have worked so hard. It's sometimes a little bit dissapointing to know how much we've been doing and still see that our numbers are so little, but I'm comforted to know that my Heavenly Father has seen all of the work that we've put in, and that's all that really matters. I am so grateful for my companion. She is the complete epitome of a Preach My Gospel missionary, and has taught me so much. It's so easy to be strictly obedient with her because we're both on the same page working toward the same goal. It's always so interesting to me just how different every companion is, and how much each missionary has to offer to this work, in so many different ways. It's pretty easy, since I've been in this area for a while, to forget about contacting because first of all it seems like we already know everyone (which is totally false) and second of all because I get so focused on getting in all of our appointments that I always put contacting in second priority. But wow. Hermana S. is the contacting QUEEN! I'm so grateful for her example. President Rowley is always telling us how important it is for us to contact every day...but she's really helping me to apply that goal! It's so amazing how much every one we meet could benifit so much from the gospel.
Another thing we really focused on this week is less actives. Sometimes I see these families of returned missionaries, couples that have been sealed in the temple and have lived such faithful lives and I ask myself, where did they go wrong? As I have mentioned before, it goes back to something that I learned my freshman year of HS in seminary...it all depends on the basics. Reading the Book of Mormon EVERY DAY, praying EVERY DAY, and going to church EVERY WEEK. I know that it is so easy to think "I'm really busy today...I have so much to do...there's no way I have time to read the Book of Mormon. But tomorrow I don't have to do [...] so I'll have more time." PLEASE don't let Satan trick you that way. I know it's so easy, but that is how he gets us. What it says in Alma 37:6-7 that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass is extremely true...for both good things and bad things. I promise each and every one of you that if you put these three things first in your life, not only will you have time to do everything else that you need to do, but you'll be better prepared to meet the other challenges you might encounter in your everyday life, and you'll be able to resist the temptations of Satan that could lead you to where these families we're working with right now are. We are in the latter days people. Your family is in danger in every moment. The only way to stay protected is by giving these commandments from God the importance they deserve.
Okay, okay, enough with the lecturing. :) We really did have a really great week. It's amazing how there are so many people in this world who need the gospel in their lives, but they just don't know where to find it. Think about how many people you get the opportunity to come in contact with every day. Have they heard of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ? Do they know that God's plan for us makes it possible that they can be happy in this life, despite all of the trials that they might have? Never forget the importance of the responsibility that you have as a member of this church to share what you've been blessed to learn.
I love you all so much and I hope that you've had a wonderful, safe week. You are always in my prayers! Never forget that this church is TRUE!
Love,
Hermana Garner
No comments:
Post a Comment