Well this week was certainly interesting, full of learning
and heaps of miracles.
My core experience with God this week was learning how to be
a visionary missionary. I feel that this is something that I have lacked for
most of my mission. It has been hard for me to see a vision of what I
personally can become and for others as well. I knew the steps that people needed
to take for conversion, I knew what needed to happen, but I just couldn’t
picture it in my own mind. But this week the Lord helped me as I really put
forth the effort to be able to see a vision of what I can become.
We had district meeting this week and we spoke about
extraordinary missionaries and some of the qualities that they have. We talked
about how we can better emulate them and then we were asked to think of the
extraordinary qualities that we would like to possess, or to create a vision
for the rest of our mission. I really wanted to do this, I really wanted to see
what the Lord wanted me to do for the rest of my mission. I was praying and I
was trying to listen to the spirit and this scripture in Alma 7 really stuck
out to me.
22 And now my beloved brethren, I have said
these things unto you that I might awaken you to a sense of your duty to God,
that ye may walk blameless before him, that ye may walk after the holy order of
God, after which ye have been received.
23 And now I would that ye should be humble,
and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and
long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the
commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in
need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for
whatsoever things ye do receive.
25 And may the Lord bless you,
and keep your garments spotless, that ye may at last be brought to sit down
with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the holy prophets who have been ever since
the world began, having your garments spotless even as their garments are
spotless, in the kingdom of heaven to go no more out.
As I read this I saw the line awaken you to a sense of your
duty to God, that ye may walk blameless before him. What I saw from this and
from the rest of the verses is that it is my duty to God to return to live with
him again. It is my duty to strive to live the commandments faithfully at all
times, to be submissive and gentle, easy to be entreated, full of patience and so
many other things. Heavenly Father wants us to return to Him, in fact he asks
us to return to Him, so in so doing making it a commandment. He puts all these
things in our path to aid us. He knows the perils of this world, He knows how
hard it is to be a missionary, to be a good strong faithful member of the
Church, so He draws lines. He puts things in our path to make sure that we have
all we need to return to Him.
Of course it is our choice, but this is where the line is
drawn. It is our duty to return to Him because He gave us all of this, we chose
from the beginning to do this and if we follow exactly the plan He has laid out
for us then we will receive the promise in verse 25, “that ye may at last be
brought to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the holy prophets who
have been ever since the world began, having your garments spotless even as
their garments are spotless, in the kingdom of Heaven and go no more out.”
The Lord wants me to serve with all my heart, striving to
become like Him, but not only that He wants me to do that for the rest of my
life. To go on the path of discipleship and stay on the path, until I make it
to the end.
I needed that reminder this week, I needed to remember how
merciful the Lord is and how much He loves me and all of us. I needed to
remember the reason that I am here, because only in and through His grace can I
return. I’m not a perfect missionary. I wish I could say I was, but where is
the fun in that! But I know that I’m here because I needed to change, to learn
and to grow.
My experience as teaching as Jesus Taught was with some of our
investigators. This family is amazing. We taught them a
couple of weeks ago about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and talked about Baptism
and they both said they had never been baptized by water, but they felt they
needed to be. So we invited them to be baptized and committed them to pray about
the things we had discussed. Then we had a couple weeks break from them because
our schedules kept conflicting, but we got to meet them this last Friday on my
birthday. Their lesson was the best birthday present I could ask for. We
followed up with their prayers about baptism and they said they had discussed
it and they felt they needed to be married before they would get baptized. I
love when investigators just already know what to do. We then taught the
Restoration. It was so powerful. One of the most powerful lessons I have
probably ever been a part of. We taught and they were responding really well.
But my favourite part was when we spoke of the Book of Mormon and they were
just in awe of it. She even said, “I’ve got butterflies. Imagine if there
is record of these people, there probably could be even more that we don’t know
about.” Ahh. He said the prayer at the end and he asked to know that it was
all true the things that we had talked about.
And to make it even better they came to Church on Sunday and
they loved it. They were so happy when they left. They were so excited to see
us again and it was wonderful. I love when Heavenly Father leads us to those
who are ready and prepared to receive the Gospel.
This week Sister L and I did a lot of evaluation on
our companionship. We wanted to teach powerfully together and carry the spirit.
We wanted to make sure we were being obedient and doing our best so that we
wouldn’t hinder heaven from pouring down blessings upon those that we are teaching.
But because I’m natural and still striving, I got a little
impatient. We weren’t really getting down to the core of what we needed to
change. And we weren’t being unified in our vision. I felt a little helpless,
because I felt like I had done all I could. But then I had this thought, “Sister
Benjamin, have you really done all you could?” I then remembered that we hadn’t
turned to the Lord yet. We were just discussing things without Heavenly Fathers
help and that doesn’t work out. So we said a prayer together and then because
of the inspiration from the spirit, our District leader called and said he had
felt very strongly to call us and work with us on our companionship. My
goodness, Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. We were able to really
come up with some things that we could do better and I felt at peace.
I don’t share this experience to say that I don’t love my
companion or that we aren’t working together, I share this to help you to see
how we overcome the problems that we face. I do love Sister L, she is
wonderful, and she is exactly what I have needed this transfer.
After this I was studying in the New Testament and these
verses really jumped out to seem to describe exactly how I was feeling.
3 For we ourselves also were sometimes
foolish, disobedient,
deceived, serving divers lusts
and pleasures, living in malice
and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
5 Not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to his mercy
he saved us, by the washing
of regeneration, and renewing
of the Holy Ghost;
This week I was just a little bit foolish, and natural, but
because of the love and mercy of the Savior, we were still able to work out the
things that we needed to. And I love that no matter the problems we face, His grace
will be with us.
I know that this Church is true, I know that this is the
Lord’s work and I’m grateful to be His servant.
Love you
Sister Benjamin
No comments:
Post a Comment