This week has been wonderful and so hard all at the same time! First of all, having the opportunity to watch Meet the Mormons this week was wonderful and so inspiring. I loved it. It was so well done and I don't know how you cant walk away from watching that without a desire to do better and be a better person! Its so wonderful! :-)
Before I go on.....I just have to say that Sister Boucher is INCREDIBLE!!! I just love her. She is a phenomenal missionary....no one can meet her and just not absolutely fall in love with her! I definitely have! :-) She is doing very well too! She is ready to continue to take Waycross by storm with the lucky next companion! :-)
Monday evening was absolutely miraculous. Our dinner appointment fell through and we are so grateful that it did, not only because we were both so very full from lunch, but because we then decided to go check our emails just before P-day was over and ended up in McDonalds and this lady Roberta was there, who had been bringing an older member of the church to Sacrament each week. Checking our emails was completely put out of our mind as we sat down and talked with her. We were able to teach her the first lesson. It was a good lesson, but also a bit frustrating as she believed the The Book Of Mormon is the word of God, but she could not accept that Joseph Smith was the Prophet, she just believed he was an inspired man. It was really sad that she felt that way, but we were able to commit her to read and pray to know for herself if Joseph Smith was a prophet. Right after that we were able to catch this man at home we have been trying to see for weeks. We were actually trying to contact his mom, but we found him on the porch and found out that she had been put in a Nursing Home because her Alzheimer's was getting bad. He was so great and talked to us for a bit and we were able to leave the Restoration Pamphlet and the Book of Mormon with him to read over the weekend. He loves to read and has always wondered why his mom didn't have more "Mormon Books." He and his five siblings had been raised baptist. It was such a wonderful opportunity to speak with him and feel of the Saviors love for this man. We have a lesson with him TONIGHT!! :-)
THEN....we had an interesting lesson with this part member family. Kathy, the non member wife had read through the beginning of the Book of Mormon and read through all of the Joseph Smith History, this brought about a lot of questions. I learned from that lesson that we DONT have to answer all objections...I kind of had forgotten about this in my zeal to answer her questions because we could...and because I love this woman and want her to have the answers. This thought was confirmed to me the next day in my studies as I was reading from Preach My Gospel in Chapter 5, Use the Book of Mormon to Respond to Objections, it talked about how "All objections, whether they be on abortion, plural marriage, seventh day worship, etc., basically hinge on whether Joseph Smith and his successors were and are prophets of God receiving divine revelation. The only problem the objector has to resolve for himself is whether the Book of Mormon is true. For, if the Book of Mormon is true, then Jesus is the Christ, Joseph Smith was his prophet, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true, and it is being led today by a prophet receiving revelation. Our main task is to declare the gospel and do it effectively. WE ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO ANSWER EVERY OBJECTION. Every man eventually is backed up to the wall of faith, and there he must take his stand. (pg. 108-109)"
Monday evening was absolutely miraculous. Our dinner appointment fell through and we are so grateful that it did, not only because we were both so very full from lunch, but because we then decided to go check our emails just before P-day was over and ended up in McDonalds and this lady Roberta was there, who had been bringing an older member of the church to Sacrament each week. Checking our emails was completely put out of our mind as we sat down and talked with her. We were able to teach her the first lesson. It was a good lesson, but also a bit frustrating as she believed the The Book Of Mormon is the word of God, but she could not accept that Joseph Smith was the Prophet, she just believed he was an inspired man. It was really sad that she felt that way, but we were able to commit her to read and pray to know for herself if Joseph Smith was a prophet. Right after that we were able to catch this man at home we have been trying to see for weeks. We were actually trying to contact his mom, but we found him on the porch and found out that she had been put in a Nursing Home because her Alzheimer's was getting bad. He was so great and talked to us for a bit and we were able to leave the Restoration Pamphlet and the Book of Mormon with him to read over the weekend. He loves to read and has always wondered why his mom didn't have more "Mormon Books." He and his five siblings had been raised baptist. It was such a wonderful opportunity to speak with him and feel of the Saviors love for this man. We have a lesson with him TONIGHT!! :-)
THEN....we had an interesting lesson with this part member family. Kathy, the non member wife had read through the beginning of the Book of Mormon and read through all of the Joseph Smith History, this brought about a lot of questions. I learned from that lesson that we DONT have to answer all objections...I kind of had forgotten about this in my zeal to answer her questions because we could...and because I love this woman and want her to have the answers. This thought was confirmed to me the next day in my studies as I was reading from Preach My Gospel in Chapter 5, Use the Book of Mormon to Respond to Objections, it talked about how "All objections, whether they be on abortion, plural marriage, seventh day worship, etc., basically hinge on whether Joseph Smith and his successors were and are prophets of God receiving divine revelation. The only problem the objector has to resolve for himself is whether the Book of Mormon is true. For, if the Book of Mormon is true, then Jesus is the Christ, Joseph Smith was his prophet, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true, and it is being led today by a prophet receiving revelation. Our main task is to declare the gospel and do it effectively. WE ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO ANSWER EVERY OBJECTION. Every man eventually is backed up to the wall of faith, and there he must take his stand. (pg. 108-109)"
That was exactly how we ended the lessons, which was good, but the lesson could have been a lot shorter and more spirit driven even though it was something we emphasized throughout the entire lesson. By the end of the lesson though, by letting her know that she needed to read and pray to know for herself, she had basically resolved to do it herself before we recommitted her to it. We definitely could have left some of the questions to be answered once she has come to understand the truth. It was definitely amazing though to see that a question that I had searched out and got an answer for in my studies that morning I was able to use and answer for her through the scriptures. I believe that question was definitely something that needed to be answered because of that. The spirit was definitely there and by the end of the Lesson Kathy knew that she needed to fully read from the Book of Mormon, set Joseph Smith aside for a just a minute and find out for herself if the Book of Mormon is true first! I love the Lord and am grateful that I was able to share those things and that my companion and I are learning so much from these experiences. :-)
GUESS WHAT?? Kathy came to the last session of General Conference on Sunday! It was wonderful! She wasn't going to be in town and also told us she wasn't quite ready to come to church yet. BUT SHE DID!! She came with her husband James....it was perfect and she liked it! We are having a lesson with them tomorrow night and are excited to commit her to be baptized :-)
My last Zone Meeting was this past Tuesday, it was PERFECT for me! Watching Meet the Mormons was great, but the answers that i received during the training's were amazing! I have been struggling a bit lately with knowing if I have done everything I could do during my mission. I
felt an undeniable feeling of peace and off comfort, knowing that i have. I felt like the Lord was answering my prayers letting me know that my mission has been acceptable to him. One of the training's was on 1 Nephi 17, talking about Nephi preparing the tools to build the ship that would take them across the waters. We, as missionaries, out here in the field are learning how to make and use the tools that we need, all throughout our missions, to then help us build our ship, OURSELVES, all throughout our lives. That is what my mission has been for me. The Lord has shown me the way and then I have had to work to put these tools to good use in my life, and now i feel like I can go home with the tools necessary to build my ship that I might be able to
make it to the "promised land" and take others with me. With this knowledge I can go forward with confidence that all things will work out, I have the tools necessary to build my ship. Not that more tools wont be made available as time goes along, but the tools that are necessary for moving forward in my life at this time have been given to me and I just need to remember them and to use them. The second training given about Obedience solidified this idea of consistently using the tools that the Lord has given us. Showing our love to the Lord by using those tools to not only bless our lives, but to bless the lives of others.....to build your ship to help others to cross the waters as well. Because building your ship and then getting on and going to the promised land by yourself would be lonely and have no joy. We must build our ship so that others, especially those that we love, can come with us and want to come with us....if your ship has holes in it or made too small, no one will want to come with you and follow you. We must build our ships with the proper tools, the proper materials, and following the plan that God has established or it will never get you or those you love with you to the promised land :-)
On Wednesday of this week we had a lesson with Mrs. Alisa. She has now been to church twice and to the General Womens Meeting and has loved it. We FINALLY had the first lesson with her and she accepted the invitation to be baptized on October 25th! It was one the greatest and most spirit filled lessons i have had since coming to this area. We were out on her porch, but it was so peaceful, it was like the spirit just brought down a little bubble around us that blocked out bugs, noise, and anything else distracting as we shared that first vision! WOW!! We were so excited and she was so excited! Then the hard part of the week happened the next day, when out of the blue Mrs. Alisa text-ed us the simple sentence "No more visits..." My heart sank, the car went silent, and then my companion burst into tears. We were just in shock. She wouldn't answer our text messages really, but we were able to get a facebook message from her that said that She "was just raised differently," that she had already been baptized and that she had the faith in God that he would never leave her. --It still didn't answer our question as to what brought all this on after a very powerful lesson and her even bearing her testimony of the Spirit the night before. We have yet to be able to fully contact her since Wednesday, but Sister Boucher and I have been praying and have felt a very sweet spirit of peace come over both of us as we have prayed for her. Something has happened....whether she is just overwhelmed by all that she has felt or heard, or if she is being influenced by someone else....we KNOW that things will all come around. I just have so much love for this woman. She is one of those people that I just have a "connection" with, like a connection that started before we ever met! My heart broke on Wednesday, but through the Savior and his sweet loving and confirming spirit has put it back together :-) I am grateful for this!
I had another "awakening" moment this week as Sister Boucher and I had a discussion during one our companion studies, working through a challenge that presented itself for us as a companionship. Because of this discussion D&C 88:119 and Mosiah 4:27 has a whole new meaning for me.
D&C 88:119
"Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of ORDER, a house of God;"
Mosiah 4:27
"And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in ORDER."
So let me tell you what i have learned and why this is important. So thinking first about how we are temples of the Lord, Houses of the Lord (1 Cor 3:16-17). With this understanding we take D&C 88 and see that God wants us to not only prepare our homes, but to prepare ourselves as we are "his house." We must establish our minds and hearts as a mind and heart of prayer, fasting, faith, learning, glory, order, and mind and heart of GOD!
Throughout my life, my mind and my heart has often been place of fasting, prayer, and faith, and even learning, but not always a place of Glory and order....which would keep it from being a place for God. I have a mind that has often run at a million miles a minute and have always thought that was a "talent" or skill to be able to multitask and do a bunch of different things all at the same time. Come to find out, after some prayer, study, and lots of help from the Holy Spirit working through my companion during our companion studies, I have found that this is not the best! Indirectly, to me, but I am sure was very directly to the Lord.....He has been teaching me the power of a sound and ORDERLY mind. Taking things one step at a time. I have control over my mind. I am the one who decides what is on the stage of my mind and what is not. I must keep it filled, because there is no such thing as a blank mind. But no one can watch a show that is
playing both the first and second act at the same time and really understand what is going on. Right? You would have characters running into each others and part of the story just getting lost all together within the craziness of it all (this mental image is just hilarious to me having been in many plays and theatrical productions)....I can only imagine! With this understanding II have been focusing more on my thoughts and taking things one at a time. I have been learning to "compartmentalize." So if something is not quite as important as another thing, I put that idea or thought in a box and set it on the shelf to be taken care of later. Its been amazing to not only see, but to feel the difference in my life. I am so much calmer. I really enjoy life a little bit more from moment to moment, because I am focusing on the hear and now and not what needs to happen in 20 minutes from now....unless it is absolutely important to be thinking of that, of course. As I have created this place of order within my own mind, I have noticed that my whole world is becoming, naturally, a place of order. It is much easier to keep my closet and desk clean. I am much less stressed getting out of the apartment in the morning because everything just comes together like it should (mostly...lol). The day runs a bit smoother and my companion seems a lot more at ease because I am not talking really fast and spouting out a bunch of different thoughts all at the same time to her. :-) LOL
It is just so great to be a missionary. The Lord is constantly teaching and lifting and I LOVE IT!!
I wanted to share this last little personal thing with you about an even better understanding I came to and the peace that the Lord placed in my heart concerning my mission. I don't know why I have been questioning my mission experience and if I made a difference, or if I did everything that the Lord wanted me to, but i have.....but I question NO MORE!!!
My last Zone Meeting was this past Tuesday, it was PERFECT for me! Watching Meet the Mormons was great, but the answers that i received during the training's were amazing! I have been struggling a bit lately with knowing if I have done everything I could do during my mission. I
felt an undeniable feeling of peace and off comfort, knowing that i have. I felt like the Lord was answering my prayers letting me know that my mission has been acceptable to him. One of the training's was on 1 Nephi 17, talking about Nephi preparing the tools to build the ship that would take them across the waters. We, as missionaries, out here in the field are learning how to make and use the tools that we need, all throughout our missions, to then help us build our ship, OURSELVES, all throughout our lives. That is what my mission has been for me. The Lord has shown me the way and then I have had to work to put these tools to good use in my life, and now i feel like I can go home with the tools necessary to build my ship that I might be able to
make it to the "promised land" and take others with me. With this knowledge I can go forward with confidence that all things will work out, I have the tools necessary to build my ship. Not that more tools wont be made available as time goes along, but the tools that are necessary for moving forward in my life at this time have been given to me and I just need to remember them and to use them. The second training given about Obedience solidified this idea of consistently using the tools that the Lord has given us. Showing our love to the Lord by using those tools to not only bless our lives, but to bless the lives of others.....to build your ship to help others to cross the waters as well. Because building your ship and then getting on and going to the promised land by yourself would be lonely and have no joy. We must build our ship so that others, especially those that we love, can come with us and want to come with us....if your ship has holes in it or made too small, no one will want to come with you and follow you. We must build our ships with the proper tools, the proper materials, and following the plan that God has established or it will never get you or those you love with you to the promised land :-)
On Wednesday of this week we had a lesson with Mrs. Alisa. She has now been to church twice and to the General Womens Meeting and has loved it. We FINALLY had the first lesson with her and she accepted the invitation to be baptized on October 25th! It was one the greatest and most spirit filled lessons i have had since coming to this area. We were out on her porch, but it was so peaceful, it was like the spirit just brought down a little bubble around us that blocked out bugs, noise, and anything else distracting as we shared that first vision! WOW!! We were so excited and she was so excited! Then the hard part of the week happened the next day, when out of the blue Mrs. Alisa text-ed us the simple sentence "No more visits..." My heart sank, the car went silent, and then my companion burst into tears. We were just in shock. She wouldn't answer our text messages really, but we were able to get a facebook message from her that said that She "was just raised differently," that she had already been baptized and that she had the faith in God that he would never leave her. --It still didn't answer our question as to what brought all this on after a very powerful lesson and her even bearing her testimony of the Spirit the night before. We have yet to be able to fully contact her since Wednesday, but Sister Boucher and I have been praying and have felt a very sweet spirit of peace come over both of us as we have prayed for her. Something has happened....whether she is just overwhelmed by all that she has felt or heard, or if she is being influenced by someone else....we KNOW that things will all come around. I just have so much love for this woman. She is one of those people that I just have a "connection" with, like a connection that started before we ever met! My heart broke on Wednesday, but through the Savior and his sweet loving and confirming spirit has put it back together :-) I am grateful for this!
We had a miracle happen, one of the great things about following promptings. We were in this store called Piggley Wiggleys (I know funny name for a store...but apparently it was the FIRST grocery store chain in the US or something like that) in Blackshear on Monday, doing our Shopping for P-Day. I have been striving to follow my first impressions. While walking down one isle, I saw one of the workers, he was busy putting things on the shelves and I was just going about trying to find something. As my companion and I were leaving the isle, something told me to go back and give him a card. For a second I resisted, but then in the spirit of talking with everyone no matter what the situation and doing what first comes to my mind....i think I confused my companion as I said we needed to go back....I gave him that card. He didn't say anything and we went on. That evening he texted us, "What is your church all about?" WOW!! He actually contacted us! We were able to have a lesson with him in between sessions of conference this weekend and he committed to be baptized on November 8th! We are so excited for Jacob and I am so grateful that I followed that prompting! :-)
Conference was incredible! There are so many things that I learned, questions that were answered, and beautiful light and truth shared! Its all so fresh in my mind that it is hard to pick a "favorite" from all who spoke. I
I had another "awakening" moment this week as Sister Boucher and I had a discussion during one our companion studies, working through a challenge that presented itself for us as a companionship. Because of this discussion D&C 88:119 and Mosiah 4:27 has a whole new meaning for me.
D&C 88:119
"Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of ORDER, a house of God;"
Mosiah 4:27
"And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in ORDER."
So let me tell you what i have learned and why this is important. So thinking first about how we are temples of the Lord, Houses of the Lord (1 Cor 3:16-17). With this understanding we take D&C 88 and see that God wants us to not only prepare our homes, but to prepare ourselves as we are "his house." We must establish our minds and hearts as a mind and heart of prayer, fasting, faith, learning, glory, order, and mind and heart of GOD!
Throughout my life, my mind and my heart has often been place of fasting, prayer, and faith, and even learning, but not always a place of Glory and order....which would keep it from being a place for God. I have a mind that has often run at a million miles a minute and have always thought that was a "talent" or skill to be able to multitask and do a bunch of different things all at the same time. Come to find out, after some prayer, study, and lots of help from the Holy Spirit working through my companion during our companion studies, I have found that this is not the best! Indirectly, to me, but I am sure was very directly to the Lord.....He has been teaching me the power of a sound and ORDERLY mind. Taking things one step at a time. I have control over my mind. I am the one who decides what is on the stage of my mind and what is not. I must keep it filled, because there is no such thing as a blank mind. But no one can watch a show that is
playing both the first and second act at the same time and really understand what is going on. Right? You would have characters running into each others and part of the story just getting lost all together within the craziness of it all (this mental image is just hilarious to me having been in many plays and theatrical productions)....I can only imagine! With this understanding II have been focusing more on my thoughts and taking things one at a time. I have been learning to "compartmentalize." So if something is not quite as important as another thing, I put that idea or thought in a box and set it on the shelf to be taken care of later. Its been amazing to not only see, but to feel the difference in my life. I am so much calmer. I really enjoy life a little bit more from moment to moment, because I am focusing on the hear and now and not what needs to happen in 20 minutes from now....unless it is absolutely important to be thinking of that, of course. As I have created this place of order within my own mind, I have noticed that my whole world is becoming, naturally, a place of order. It is much easier to keep my closet and desk clean. I am much less stressed getting out of the apartment in the morning because everything just comes together like it should (mostly...lol). The day runs a bit smoother and my companion seems a lot more at ease because I am not talking really fast and spouting out a bunch of different thoughts all at the same time to her. :-) LOL
It is just so great to be a missionary. The Lord is constantly teaching and lifting and I LOVE IT!!
I wanted to share this last little personal thing with you about an even better understanding I came to and the peace that the Lord placed in my heart concerning my mission. I don't know why I have been questioning my mission experience and if I made a difference, or if I did everything that the Lord wanted me to, but i have.....but I question NO MORE!!!
Here is an excerpt from my journal from just a few days ago, its not much, but it was a lot to me....and I feel impressed to share it....:
(October 4)
As I was sharing my studies with Sister Boucher today the words and feelings that came to me were overwhelming as all my thoughts, written and not written, all came together. It was quite the spiritual and emotional experience. :)
First off, Faith is everything and I can now see how my faith has grown, even though it still has a ways to grow. I have grown so much closer to my savior in the process! My heart was a little heavy this morning thinking about Alisa (our investigator) and wondering when she will come around. My heart has been breaking and it has had Heartbreaks throughout my mission that I don't think I ever fully acknowledged-- with various investigators not fully accepting, especially after you know they have received a witness and are denying it-- it has brokens my hear. My "anxiety over the welfare of their souls" and the souls of others is great this day....which is something I have been praying for, but am not quite so sure about it now that I have it. Throughout my mission I have wanted to feel, as many prophets have felt before the "anxiety for the welfare of the souls who know or God"-- with that being the only thing that causes me sorrow and grief. I think now that I have moved beyond myself this has become possible. The lord confirmed to me that is exactly what I am feeling. I am finally really feeling! I am not only feeling this on a daily basis for those that I see (not even necessarily for only those Iam able to talk to)-- and I have been feeling for those who have "already passed through"my life that I never really felt for before.
As I was pondering on this and the feelings of my heart, I began to hear music and words in my head, at first I didn't recognize the woods- but as I began to write I did. It was from the song Beautiful Heartbreak" by Hilary Weeks.
First off, Faith is everything and I can now see how my faith has grown, even though it still has a ways to grow. I have grown so much closer to my savior in the process! My heart was a little heavy this morning thinking about Alisa (our investigator) and wondering when she will come around. My heart has been breaking and it has had Heartbreaks throughout my mission that I don't think I ever fully acknowledged-- with various investigators not fully accepting, especially after you know they have received a witness and are denying it-- it has brokens my hear. My "anxiety over the welfare of their souls" and the souls of others is great this day....which is something I have been praying for, but am not quite so sure about it now that I have it. Throughout my mission I have wanted to feel, as many prophets have felt before the "anxiety for the welfare of the souls who know or God"-- with that being the only thing that causes me sorrow and grief. I think now that I have moved beyond myself this has become possible. The lord confirmed to me that is exactly what I am feeling. I am finally really feeling! I am not only feeling this on a daily basis for those that I see (not even necessarily for only those Iam able to talk to)-- and I have been feeling for those who have "already passed through"my life that I never really felt for before.
As I was pondering on this and the feelings of my heart, I began to hear music and words in my head, at first I didn't recognize the woods- but as I began to write I did. It was from the song Beautiful Heartbreak" by Hilary Weeks.
Here is what came to my mind: .
I never dreamed my heart would make it, I thought about turning around
BUT Heaven has shown me miracles I never would have seen from the ground.
Now I take the rain or the sunshine
Cause there is one thing that I know...
He picks up the pieces along each broken road.
Every fear
Every doubt
All the pain I went through..
Was the price that I paid to see this view
But now that I'm here, I would never trade...
The grace that I feel and the faith that I find
Through the bittersweet tears and the sleepless nights
I used to pray He'd take it all away.
But instead it became
A BEAUTIFUL HEARTBREAK!
God has truly lead me to this place that I am at and picked up the pieces along the way. He has picked up the pieces I have missed with these people, and myself. THEN....after pondering on this song more a minute I opened up the scriptures to Mosiah 5 and my whole heart began to swell with gratitude and I began to cry as I shared vs 2-3 and how it was a beautiful spiritual confirmation from the Lord--the MOST powerful I have had so far about this-- saying that my mission was of worth. It was at this point that I really truly realized that although there has been good that i have done on my misison, this experience was for me to help me become a disciple of Jesus Christ and to help others become that throughout the rest of my life.....For I have come to know for a surety of the reality of my Savior and His love "which has wrought a mighty change in [ME], or in [MY] heart, that [I] have no more disposition to do evil but to do good continually. And [I, MYSELF], also, through the infinite goodness of God, and manifestations of his PSirit, have great views of that which is to come."
My thoughts that followed these versus is that my mission has changed me. My heart truly has been changed--I can stand and say with the utmost confidence that my very disposition has changed. Then as I was thinking about vs 3 my thoughts went back to the song... "every fear, every doubt, all the pain I went through, was the price that i paid to see this view." I have GREAT views of that which is to come!
Continuing with the Lyrics...."And now that I am here, I would never trade the grace that I feel and the faith that I find through the bittersweet tears and the sleepless nights. I used to pray He'd take it all away. But instead it became a beautiful Heartbreak!"
I indeed used to pray He would take it all away, but I am so glad he didn't. Because of all I went through (and mind you....it hasn't been all that much), I can feel within my heart that through the covenants i made and am striving to keep all through these hard things I have been spiritually born of Christ, being His Daughter! (vs 7) Because I have been changed my "heart has been changed through faith on his name, therefore [I] am born of Him and have become HIS."
And because of this I AM MADE FREE! Knowing the name by which I am called!
I continued to share this all with Sister Boucher and the tears just flowed...and didn't stop there.
In verse 12...I used to wonder if I would KNOW His voice. Really know it! But I can now say that my mission has helped me to see that i have as I have remembered him and written his name on my heart and have HEARD his voice. I can now confidently say that YES! I know His voice!
I then expressed my love for 13 and how this is truly how I came to KNOW HIS VOICE....
"For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger to him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?" I didn't really know the master before, because I never fully served him....putting the THOUGHTS and INTENTS of my heart on myself and other trivial matters. I see now that my mission has helped me to point my thoughts and intents of my heart towards Him. Service goes far beyond the act, but penetrates the deepest when it is done with the heart! This is how you come to know Christ! There is still so much that i have to learn about him and I will forever be strengthening my relationship with him, but I do KNOW them!!
And FINALLY....the last verse of Mosiah 5, left me with the encouraging words to continue forward and be STEADFAST AND IMMOVABLE with this knowledge that I have obtained! :-)
I know that my Savior lives and He loves me. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that is how He speaks to us, if we will just open our spiritual eyes and see! I know that missioanry work is the lifeblood of the church. I know that Joseph Smith is the prophet of the Restoration of the fullness of the Gospel here on the earth today. I know that President Thomas S. Monson is the current Prophet of the church today. I know that prayers are answered everyday! And all these things I leave with you in the name of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, Amen!
Love
Sister Heckel
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