And Mother, oh how much I appreciate the constant work that you so earnestly did for us as children. Of course unfortunately we don't realize how much you do until later in life, and truthfully we probably never will completely understand until we have children of our own. I admire your efforts and sincere desire to be the best mom anyone can ever have. What you are doing now is hard in multiple ways, but you are doing it because the Lord has asked you to. Keep up the good work and remember. All the running around you do is for a larger picture end result.
Wow, I must say that General Conference was fantastic. I learned so much from what was said and also the spirit. This week was a good week of learning to just keep pushing through for Elder Chan and I. We had a number of experiences and challenges with investigators that helped us learn and grow and become better for the future. We were both excited for the end of the week because of General Conference and it was one of the things that helped me push through the trials. I thoroughly enjoyed General Conference this time around. As a missionary I was able to see more of how the messages were specifically for me to hear as well as the investigators that we are teaching. It just opened my mind into how inspired these men called of God are. Their talks are so simple yet so very powerful as to the convincing of men of the truthfulness of their words. I am so grateful for the church and the leaders that help us so much to realize our divine potential and plan.
The whole Conference I was on the edge of my seat anxiously waiting for yet another one of my problems and concerns to be either solved or answered. I couldn't believe how much I was learning from each speaker. In the past I have made the huge mistake of only paying super close attention to the Quorum of the Twelve and the Presidency while putting the 70 or others on the back burner. I learned that all men or women are asked to give a talk for a very specific reason.
The three talks that I enjoyed and learned from the most were President Uchtdorfs talks together about not living under our priveledges and also not waiting too long on our own personal road to damascus. Both of those talks were heart prickers for me and the spirit let me know that I have much progress to make in order to be the tool Heavenly Father wants me to be. Also Paul V. Johnsons talk on pain. I titled it the Refiners Fire. The pain that we go through in this life is a test yes, but more importantly it is taking out the impurities that we have and forming us into something that will be very valuable and useful in the future. Lastly the talk that I enjoyed the most was Elder Bednars about Personal Revelation. For some reason his talks are always on the top of my list.... Maybe because he is from Arkansas. :)
One of the major questions I had going into conference was about my personal testimony and how I thought it was not where it should be as a servant of the Lord. Honestly sometimes I lose a little faith and have doubts, something I am not proud of at all. To this he answered me specifically. Doubts and fear are natural and normal, but if you continue living the way you have been taught to live and follow the plan set before us, you will find that your faith has been strengthened and your doubts have been cast aside. I have been one of those people who have cloudy day revelation. I have it but don't actually notice it at the time, but looking back realize that my testimony has grown and the revelation from the spirit has come. I hope you enjoyed Conference as much as I did this Spring.
This week I was studying more of the Christlike attributes but most specifically Patience and Love. As a senior companion I have learned how important having love is. Charity as was mentioned many times in General Conference is so important and one of the main motivating factors in the acts that we do. I have learned that without true love in a companionship, the companionship truly can not be unified and united. Charity is loving someone no matter who they are or what they have done because they too are a son or daughter of God and he loves them. "Love is one of the chief characteristics of Deity and ought to be manifest by those who aspire to be the sons of God." Oh how true this quote by Joseph Smith is. When we learn love, all other things fall into place. Love is always the first step.
This week some of our challenges have come from one of our investigators Sun Wei Di. He truly is amazing and wants to learn more, or at least he has that important desire. The only problem is that because of the end of the school year business it has been hard for him to consistently meet with us. He sets up appointments and then cancels an hour or so before. This has taught me yet another principle of patience. I understand more than ever the agency factor in the work. Oh how easy it would be to force people into the gospel. I mean, it would be a good thing to force them into, but as we know they would learn nothing for themselves. Thus patience comes in. It is helpful to see that our father in heaven has so much patience with us and all the mistakes that we make in our lives. No matter what we do, his hand is always there to help us up. This gives me another example that I can follow in order to become better in this work. Patience and Love.
I would like to close just by sharing my testimony of how true this Gospel is and how great this work is. I feel so honored to be among the Lords servants proclaiming the gospel to all people at all times. This experience is sculpting me into something I didn't konw I could become and I am so greatful for that. I love you all and wish you the best in your own personal trials and afflictions. Keep up the work and the Faith. Onward & Upward.
No comments:
Post a Comment