Hey we put Paige on Date!! It was an awesome lesson we
had inside a members home! Sister Alley is a convert so she relates to
Paige really well! We had a testimony meeting and it was a perfect way
to invite the spirit and use that as a gateway into the baptismal
invite. Invites can be awkward but the spirit gave me everything I needed
to say so it actually wasn't awkward at all. She seems very committed
and she said that she is going to pray about the date we set for her. She doesnt think it is a coincidence that we got an answer to our
prayers about this date. We put her on date for the 25th of February!
Izzy's Birthday hahaha! Celebrating Izzy's birth and Paige's rebirth so
quite the theme going on that day! So exciting gave me a lot more
energy!
Anyway there are 2 things that have really sparked my testimony
about leaving on a mission. I thought back to an experience I had back
in high school. You may not remember this but one night Tyler Thomas was
having a bonfire at his house for his birthday. Everyone was sober
there and nobody was planning on having alcohol there. A lot of people
were there but more and more started coming along. Then somebody brought
a couple of cases of alcohol. I remember you telling me that night that
I could go and stay for a little but to be home by 11 because I had to
get up early for something. That plays a role later in the story. I
continued on talking to people at the party and even to the people that
were drinking because I didn't want to ignore them just because they
were drinking. I actually went inside because Alex was in there and a
couple more friends just to see and I started talking to people in
there and I was having a good time, so leaving to be home by 11:00
didn't resonate with me too well. But as I was downstairs and was
looking at the clock which I actually remembered to do I felt a
prompting to get out of there and leave and be home by 11:00. Surprisingly
I haven't felt such a strong warning or spiritual prompting. I still
didn't want to leave but I finally got to the car and left. Alex said he
was leaving in like 5 minutes anyway so that made me feel a lot better.
At the time as I was driving home I thought to myself why did the
spirit prompt me to leave, was it to be obedient to my parents or
whatever other reason I couldn't really think of. So I was kind of was angry
and frustrated. I wanted to come home and talk about how all my friends
parents don't care they can stay out as late as they want because they
have their parents trust, and I have never drank or done anything to
bring dishonor to my family and yet they still don't trust me enough to
stay........I get a call a minute later from my Alex. He said are you
driving home I said yes, he then told me to pull over and listen. I pulled
over and he tells me whispering the cops showed up and he snuck around
back and got in his car and kinda sat and watched as the police busted some kids there for alcohol and even the kids that weren't intoxicated. I
thought about that story and the role the spirit played. I felt a
prompting to leave. I didn't know what for in the moment but I realized
that after I left and got a call from my cousin that they caught a few there.
What I took from that
lesson were two things. Listen to the promptings of the spirit, but I can
relate it to why I decided to serve a mission. Because sometimes we
don't quite understand why we do certain things in the moment. Growing
up in the church I always understood the importance of going on a
mission and that it was a pretty big deal. My biggest issue was being
worthy to enter the mission field. but another big concern I had was
that I didn't understand why I should go on a mission. I didn't really
pray about going, and I didn't really get a super strong spiritual push
to serve a mission. But I thought back to that experience I had leaving
Tyler's party. Sometimes we don't know why we leave but we see the
blessings from leaving. I have seen numerous blessing from leaving and
being on a mission. I have truly learned the meaning of work, I have
truly seen the meaning of patience, I have truly seen the meaning of
humbling yourself before the Lord and asking him how to direct your path
because I am weak and through him I can be made strong. I have learned
how to talk to people and turn my feelings into words. I have seen the
blessings of the Lord in other people's lives including less actives
investigators and active members. I have seen the blessings from the
scripture in D&C , "If you have a desire to serve God, ye are called
to the work." You don't have to be a spiritual powerhouse to enable you
or grant you the opportunity to serve a mission. If you truly love god
and want to show your love for him you are qualified for the work. Some
people have to pray and ask God if this is right for them because they
doubt or they fear and that's okay because everyone is different. I have
been the type to always recognize when you put your trust in the Lord
and follow him there is nothing to be scared of. To the youth of
Lancaster I want to say this. " I will go and do the things the lord
commands, I know the Lord Provides a way he wants me to obey" it is said
simply in the well known primary verse. The Lord will provide a way, he
will shape you and mold you as you serve a mission. Don't be scared, it
is scary but it is not impossible. Truly, with the lords help
everything is possible...he will provide a way. Serve a mission do it!
It will be one of your lifes greatest blessings, because you have the
opportunity to change others lives and at the same time and more
importantly your life will be changed. It has changed mine. It has given
me capabilities..... I didn't even know I had. I was Moses, I was slow
of speech but when I opened my mouth the words came out. I have been
able to speak and express my thoughts and feelings. That is such a huge
blessing to me because I could never do that at home. I had to think
about things for a long time before I could express what I felt. Now it
is no longer an issue. The Lord will mold you I will say it again! He
will shape you because as you serve God with all your Heart Might mind
and Strength, he will recognize your effort and faith and in return give
you power. This truly is the Lords church and it is run by the Priesthood authority the only authority directly given to a modern day
prophet and given to every worthy male! The Book of Mormon is true. As
you read from the Pages more and more it will teach you and strengthen
you so that when you bare testimony of it, the spirit will be even more
powerful! And it is the evidence that all that I said is true. That
Jesus Christ is the savior of the world. That we have a living Prophet
on the earth who holds the keys to run his church. This gospel is for
us! It is apart of our lives, live it, and see the blessings and the
fruits that come. So youth 3 things to do to prepare for your mission.
1.) read the scriptures. 2.) humble yourselves before the lord and
repent of all your transgressions. Then 3.) Go, serve a mission! That is
my testimony.
My Jesus moment!
I hope this is okay dad, share that with the youth
word for word, I feel prompted that something I said is what some kid
needs to hear.
Dinner at the Condie's
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