Preach of Christ

"And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." (2 Nephi 25:26)

In mere months I will be a missionary with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I will be serving wherever the Lord wants me to serve, and I know he will send me somewhere I will be the best missionary I can be. I know God has a plan for me and He loves me. He loves me so much He sent his Only Begotten son to suffer for my sins and weaknesses, die, and live again all for me. He lives so that I may also live. I talk of Christ, rejoice in Christ, preach of Christ, and prophesy of Christ that He will come again, and in His grace we are made whole. I bare testimony that God has not left us, and that it is our job as missionaries (or at least soon to be ones) to flood the earth with this knowledge. The Holy Ghost will guide you if you let it. I leave these things with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Scripture Nerd!!

In the King James Bible there is a total of 783,137 words and can be read in 70 hours. In the Book of Mormon there is a total of 268,163 words and can be read in 22 hours. In the Doctrine and Covenants there is a total of 134,804 words and can be read in 14 hours. In the Pearl of Great Price there is a total of 30,362 words and can be read in 4 hours. That's a total of 1,216,466 and 109 hours or 4.5 days, and that comes from 5 books if you count the Old and New Testament as separate books.

Now let's compare with some other series. The Lord of the Rings series consists of the Hobbit (95,022 words or 11 hours), the Fellowship of the Ring (177,227 words or 19 hours), the Two Towers (143,436 words or 17 hours), and the Return of the King (134,462 words or 18 and a half hours). This series has a total of 550,147 words and 65.5 hours or 2.7 days, and this comes from 4 books.

In the Harry Potter series there is the Sorcerer's Stone (76,944 words and 8.5 hours), the Chamber of Secrets (85,141 words and 9 hours), the Prisoner of Azkaban (107,253 words and 12 hours), the Goblet of Fire (190,637 words and 20.5 hours), The Order of the Phoenix (257,045 words and 29.25 hours), the Half-Blood Prince (168,923 words and 18.5 hours), and the Deathly Hallows (198,227 words and 21.75 hours). With a total of 1,084,170 and 119.5 hours or 5 days, and this comes from 7 books. 

Still think seminary and institute students don't deserve the honored title of "nerds" or belong to their own bonafide fandom? In order to get the Moroni award or the Christus award the seminary students have to read each book of scripture through the whole school year (and I'd like to say that most students read the selected book of scripture anyway, but I don't know for sure, I know did though). In order to pass institute the students much read the respective book within that school year. 

I have such a strong testimony of the scriptures and I am so grateful for my wonderful seminary teachers who raised the bar for me. Sister Cogdell, Sister  Sarah Westbrook, Sister Wright, and the long-term substitute Sister Cross are the wonderful women who helped shape my love for the scriptures. Through seminary I learned more than just facts, stories and doctrines. I learned patience, leadership, writing skills, critical thinking, and charity (the pure love of Christ). 

I bear my testimony that I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is God's church. I know that the scriptures are true and that Joseph Smith Jr. was a prophet of God who translated the Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price, and received much of the revelation in the Doctrine and Covenants. I leave these things with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

Charity

I was actually a pretty bitter and angry teenager for a long while. I was not nice and I just thought it was honesty. It started in 11th grade when I started to become nicer and more considerate of others very very slowly, but really it started my senior year when my seminary teacher gave our class a motto, Moroni 7:45-48. I thought it was meant for some of the other students in my class, but I came to realize that it was for me. I began to take it to heart and I tried to love those around me more.

I still struggle with pride, but it's easier to be kind and have charity towards those around us when we try and think good things about them. Today I heard something very profound: be kind to those around you, even if they are mean, because a lot of the time they do not know kindness because they aren't taught it at home. This is a great quote on charity in my opinion. When others do not know the pure love of Christ, but we do, we should show them. Sometimes the pure love of Christ is tough love and love from afar, but sometimes it's a hug or listening or even just speaking softly towards someone. I admit, I am not perfect, and I still struggle with this, but it's come a lot easier and if I work on it I can develop charity more and more. 

I testify that Jesus Christ lives, and loves me, and each and every one of you. If we work to love our brothers and sisters, friends and neighbors, enemies and family, then we will become more and more like Chrsit. I believe this with all of my heart. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

Our Greatest Resources: Family and People

Yesterday, I was able to go visit my great great aunt Rainy, she is my grandma's mom's sister. I got to sit in with the adults (I guess I am one now, aren't I?) and listen to her talk about her life. She grew up a nonmember, in a home of five or six siblings.  She did not have a happy childhood, her father was physically abusive to her brothers and her mother, they were very poor most of her childhood. Aunt Rainy said she didn't like to talk about it, but stories like hers need to be heard. She was an amazing woman who sounded like a wonderful mother to her children.

I loved listening to her stories and what she knew about her family history. I loved finding out more information about the people who wrote the letters I have at home (some are written by her brother Porter, who died in WWII). 

She is so full of charity, the pure of Christ, that I just wanted to keep talking to her. She is such a loving person; she doesn't judge anyone. I loved talking to her and listening to her stories. Her patience and love made me want to become like her one day. She came to her challenges, and used them to springboard into becoming the wonderful woman she has become. I want to come see her again, but this time with my my mom and dad, and siblings. They will love her and she will love to hear from us.

I bear my testimony that families are eternal. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Giving and Taking and Changing

Anyone who knows me well knows that I have a temper. There are a few things that get me really worked up, some are politics (please don't ask what party because if you can't see through the lines of my last post, then that's your mystery), when someone picks on my friend or sibling (seriously, don't go there, I have barely restrained myself in times past), and a couple of people who know exactly to get under my skin (seriously, one or two people on the planet). For a while I had let my temper and my mouth run the way it wanted go, I just didn't care. But, at a certain point I got sick of myself. I really just got tired if how heavy it was to carry around all of that anger and care-not-for-you attitude, anger is putting it mildly but I suppose it's the only word that fits.

Another turning point was when my seminary teacher created a class motto. It was Moroni 7:45-48. 

"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."

(http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/moro/7?lang=eng)

What a beautiful scripture! It was when I started to take this to heart was when I felt myself change for the better. People began to see a difference in me, a real difference in my countenance. 

And then one of those two people came into my life again. I had pushed them out time and time again for my own sanity. But they just popped up again every few weeks/months. It just wasn't fair! Why did they have to come stomping back into my life? Why did I have to deal with them again? Hadn't I suffered enough? But I recently realized that I was thinking all about myself. I hadn't even tried to put myself in their position. I am trying, and so far it's going alright.

For the longest time I had prayed for a missionary opportunity, but Heavenly Father was preparing people for me at that time. At the time I obviously wasn't prepared to answer the questions I would need to answer and I didn't have the patience I would need. I didn't have the charity I needed to be a good missionary.

Finally when Heavenly Father knew I was ready he sent me one, then two, then three, by the last day of school I had given out four Books of Mormon and one friend had started reading the Book of Mormon all on her own. The love I have for these sisters,these fellow children of God is what drove me to continue answering their questions instead of brushing them off and changing the topic the way I used to. I LOVE them. They are the sweetest young women I have ever met and I look forward to being their friend and seeing their progression in life.

The Lord gives and takes in his own time and in his own way. What a glorious blessing He is! It is our responsibility to pay attention and endure the giving and taking he does and do our best with it. I bear my testimony that the Book of Mormon changes lives and helps develop charity and love towards our fellow man. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.