May 26, 2014

Wow. What a week! Miracles all around us!

First off C got BAPTIZED!!!!  It was certainly the crazy process to get her there, to work out everything with her and her family, and the ward. But it did happen and that’s all that matters. It was a beautiful baptism. Her whole family were there which is always nice to see. I love the wonderful spirit that is always there. I felt such a strong love for her and I’m so grateful that the Lord blessed me to be able to witness her baptism.

Another miracle happened in us being able to attend the temple! I haven’t been to the temple for such a long time, and it felt like home. I love that immediately when you walk in the spirit is there. I really wanted while I was in there to talk to Heavenly Father. I wanted to know what His will was for me, and what I could do more to show him my dedication and consecration. It was really amazing to me as we sat in the session how all these little things stuck out to me, things that I normally would look over. I had been thinking over the past year and a half how many different times I’ve gone to the temple, and how every time I go new things stick out to me. I have learned so much in attending the temple and I know that it is the Lord’s house.

Throughout my mission I have always tried to be obedient and to consecrate myself to the work of the Lord. I wanted to be a missionary who served with all my heart, might, mind and strength. While I’ve been in the field I have definitely seen times when that has occurred, when I had given all that I could. But it hadn’t been the whole time. And one of the things I wanted to understand better, while I was in the temple, was how I could deepen my level of consecration. And the answer that I received was that I already knew how. I’ve been taught my whole mission to be obedient to live the commandments/mission rules, to follow the spirit and to follow at my best the counsel of my mission president and I would have peace knowing I was doing the right thing. It felt such a strong spirit in that moment. I felt that for the last while on my mission I will do nothing but be consecrated, to serve the Lord with my heart, not just my head, to give my life to these people and to my Heavenly Father. I feel that before I started my mission and even into my service, I was being selfish. I was thinking about myself and what my mission had for me, but I have come to realize that a true consecrated missionary doesn’t ask what do I get from it, but what can I give!

The Lord has taught me how to be what He wants me to be, and as long as I continue to do that all will be well. But it doesn’t end there, after we are taught, we apply and then we keep going. We keep learning, we keep progressing. We never stop, nor should we ever stop. The Savior never stopped. He didn’t die on the cross until He knew it was over. He served until the end. He gave His life voluntarily and that is what true consecration is. We are consecrated when we go beyond our limits, when we serve beyond the natural capacity and give all of our heart.

 Another miracle this week was seeing the Lord helping me to develop yet another powerful attribute of Charity. I don’t know what was going on this week, but I felt so much love, from so many different sources this week. But more then that I felt myself giving more love to people, more then I ever had before. Before my mission, I was very closed off. I wasn’t willing to open my heart, because I had fear of rejection, of getting hurt, of putting myself out there. But my mission has helped me to really overcome that barrier. I was given a priesthood blessing a couple of months ago, and I was promised that I would be able to show more love then I ever had before. I didn’t realize that it meant here and now. I didn’t realize that the Lord was just preparing me to serve in this area. In Moroni 7:45-48 it says:

45 And charity‍ suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth‍ not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

 46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

 47 But charity‍ is the pure love‍ of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

 48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray‍ unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers‍ of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be‍ like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified‍ even as he is pure. Amen.

 These verses speak of charity and all the attributes of it and if you really look at it, all of those things are things you go through on your mission. And that is how you deepen your level of conversion/consecration. When you have charity you become like the Savior and you serve with your heart. Which is the most important.

When people feel loved they want to change. When they feel like you are there to help them not to teach them the Gospel, but to help them to come to Christ, then they want to change. That is when I wanted to change. I wanted to change on my mission and in life, when I learned that God really cared for me, that He was there and that He knew me.

When we treat others this way then we will see them desire to change, because that is what it is all about. Its not about us being prideful and striving to be a successful missionary to get gain for our own selves, its about loving yourself and others enough to come unto Christ and become a true disciple.

I love being here and learning all that I am. I feel my Heavenly Father all around me. I see it in those who I get to serve with and it certainly is a pleasure. I’m grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that we have this beautiful opportunity to serve.