Preaching The Gospel Through Service

I recently read the First Presidency Message for this Month that was given by President  Uchtdorf. In his message President Uchtdorf talks about things that we can do as members of the church to follow the commission of the Savior to preach the gospel unto every creature. One of the ways that President Uchtdorf say’s we can preach the gospel unto every creature is by radiating the light of the gospel by having intergrity and live consistently by our standards.  President Uchtdorf say’s “Everyone wants to be happy. When we members of the church radiate the light of the gospel, people can see our happiness and sense of love for God filling and overflowing in our lives. They want to know why. They want to understand the secret. That leads them to ask question such as “why are you so happy?” or “Why do you always have such a positive attitude?”The answers to these questions of course, lead perfectly unto converstions about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ." (First Presidency Message)

These and many other questions like these are some of the great questions that we as missionaries are able to help people with every day. There are many reasons of why we are so happy and why we as members of the church always have such a positive attitude that we can share with people. And like President Uchtdorf say’s these questions lead perfectly into the Restoration of the Gospel.
One of the reasons I think we are so happy is because of the plan of Salvation that was restored to us in these days. The Plan of Salvation helps us understand where we came from. That we lived with our Heavenly Father before we came to this earth and that He loves us. It also answers the question of why we are here. What is our Purpose here on this earth? And where are we going after this life? All of these great questions can be answered because of the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through His Prophet Joseph Smith.

There are many different ways that we can share that light and knowledge that we have from God with others around us. Someone that I know that is a great example of sharing the message of the restoration and the happiness that it brings to her shares it by posting small messages on Facebook of the joy’s of going to the temple brings to her or sharing words from the prophets. Elder Ballard of the quorum of the twelve apostles said “Now, may I ask that you join the conversation by participation on the internet to share the Gospel and to explain in simple and clear terms the message of the Restoration.”

One of the greatest ways that we can be a light to everyone around us is to give service. Jesus Christ is the greatest example of someone who gives service to all those around Him. In King Benjamin’s address to his people he say’s “Behold, ye have called me your king; and if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to serve you, then ought not ye to labor to serve one another? And behold also. If I whom ye call your king, who has spent his days in your service, and yet has been in the service of God, do merit any thanks from you. O how you ought to thank your heavenly King!" The same question is given to us from our King who is Jesus Christ. He has spent all of his days in our service to bless us and to help us in our lives. And if He being our King has served us we thank him by following his teachings and example. King Benjamin goes on to say “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” (Mosiah 2:17) I know that the times where I have found most joy in my life are the times when I have been serving someone else. The best way that we can share the message of the Restored Gospel is through our service and example.  

The greatest and most memorable experiences that I have had have been when I have been serving someone else. Of those experiences one of the ones I remember the most is giving service to a neighbor that was older and not able to get around to do work outside. During the winter when it was snowing my brothers and I would always go out to shovel the snow off of her drive way. It was something so simple and easy for us. But to her it was something big and something that helped her a lot. And it isn’t the rewards that we get or the recognition that we get from others that brings us happiness as we serve others but it is the feeling you have knowing that you have helped someone else in need and you stood in the saviors place to do what He himself would do if He were there.  That is how I have been able to follow Jesus Christ and His example to help others. And I know that if we do that it can bless the lives of others and ours.

And If Thou Endure It Well, God Shall Exalt Thee On High

One of the many blessings that have come to me as I have been serving my mission is the awesome people that I get to meet and teach. A year ago I had the chance to meet one of those awesome people. Her name is Alexandra. As many of you know it is not easy to be a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. But as Alexandra has gone through hard times she has also come to know the wonderful blessings that come to those who follow God’s commandments. And her testimony in the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ continues to grow. And I would like to share with everyone her wonderful Testimony:

After graduating from university, I felt lost and without control.  I knew what I wanted to do next but actually doing it was a completely different thing.  I decided I needed to step back from life for a while and ended up going to Hawaii with my mother to visit family.  On the morning of July 24^th, I woke up and realized that I needed a change in my life.  What I didn’t know at the time was that July 24^th is known as Pioneer Day, and archaically it has been known as the Day of Deliverance.  It also happens to be my birthday.  On that day I felt an assurance that I would somehow be delivered out of the dark fog that was surrounding me.  I didn’t know what was coming, but I couldn’t wait to see what it would be.

            August 9^th, sixteen days after my birthday, I had one of those days that made me remember why I went on vacation in the first place.  I don’t remember why I was so busy but this I do remember: that was the night that changed my life.  Despite my exhaustion, I somehow ended up on a website called Mormon.org.  I don’t know how I ended up on that page or why I filled in that form but something in my brain told my fingers to do and my fingers willingly obliged.  I remember staring blankly at my screen wondering if I should click the “start chat” button to talk with missionaries.  It was 9:30 at night, I was exhausted and clearly unaware of what I was doing and I had no idea what to expect or what I hoped to gain from talking to a missionary.  But after a few minutes (though it seemed like an eternity) I started that chat.  As I waited to be connected I began to have my doubts and started to question if I should really be doing this.  Before I could even try and close the chat window a message popped up saying:

Agent [Troy] is ready to assist you.

Testimony of Jennifer!

Jennifer is someone that came on Mormon.org to chat with the missionaries and we were privileged to have been able to talk to her. When Elder Spencer and I started talking to Jennifer, we could tell that she had been prepared by the Lord to receive His Gospel. After we talked to her on Mormon.org, we started teaching her over the phone. We also contacted the local missionaries so they could visit her. After several visits and lessons over the phone, Jennifer quickly gained a testimony of the Gospel and was later baptized. When ever we would talk to Jennifer she was always positive about everything. She was always happy and excited to learn more. I always love sharing the testimonies of those we teach; Jennifer was kind enough to share her amazing conversion story and testimony for us:

The story of my conversion really starts as an infant. I was born into a very catholic family as a rule all children were baptized as an infant. So as little as 3 months old I was catholic. I don't know what happened and why my family stopped practicing but that was all the religion that I had been a part of until I was a teenager. When I was a teenager I had a best friend who was a Christian and sometimes I would go to church with her. I never felt like that was something that I wanted or I could understand. 15 years would pass until I would step foot into another church. When I was 22 I got married and thought this was going to be the way my life was until I died. I thought I was going to live with this person and have a family but as most of you know life doesn't go according to how we plan. About 5 years into my marriage I wanted to start a family but I was alone in that thought, so I put those thoughts in the back of my head and said maybe one day. At that time I would frequently pass my local catholic church and think I wonder if there is something I'm missing in my life. I would often think about going but yet again I was alone in that thought. So again I pushed those thoughts to the back of my head.  March 12, 2010 on the day I turned 29 my husband walked out on and that would be the last day he would ever live in our house.

The Book Of Mormon Is True!

While serving my mission in the Referral Center I have been ask many times why I am a Member of this church, and why I believe in the book of Mormon.  There have been many people who have tried to convince me that this church isn’t true and that the book of Mormon isn’t true.  And ask me to give them some kind of evidence that it is all true. My answer to those people is simply that I know that the book of Mormon is true because I have read it and prayed to ask God if it was true. And I have received an answer and I know that it is true. I know that anyone who reads the book of Mormon with real intent, having faith in Christ can also come to know it is true. I love the powerful testimony of Elder Holland. I know that he was called of God to testify of Christ and the truthfulness of His Gospel and of the Book of Mormon.

 In the Introduction of the book of Mormon in the second to last paragraph is say’s: “We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is his revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s Kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the second coming of the Messiah.”  I know that the book of Mormon is true!  I know that by reading it, it can change people’s lives, and it has, and it has and will help people come closer to Jesus Christ.

A Fresh New Start!

Since I have been here I have met a lot of great people and have been privileged to have been able to help teach them. One of those great people is Megan When I got to my mission Elder Spencer had already been teaching her and helping her understand the Gospel better. And I have been greatly privileged to have been able to help teach her. The people that we teach have always strengthened my testimony as they share their testimonies with us and there great stories of how they came to know of the church and the great faith that they have. Megan was recently baptized and is now a member of the church. I could try to tell about her conversion story but I think that it is better for her to tell it in her own words. She was kind enough to write out her testimony for us, but, before I would like to share my testimony also.

 I know that this church is true I know that the book of Mormon is true, and because I know that the book of Mormon is true I know that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints was restored back to this earth by our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith. I know that we can come to know if these things are true by reading the book of Mormon and by praying and asking God if they are true. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God that leads this church today.  And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. And now here is Megan’s testimony.

 As little as nine months ago, I would have described myself as a devout atheist.  Having been raised by my two young parents and an Irish Catholic grandmother, I had many confusing, conflicting, and harsh feelings surrounding religion, faith, and God.  Going to church was always seen as a chore that was saved for rare holidays where we were forced into it by our grandmother.  Most of what I knew of God, Christ, and religion had to do with guilt, constant sin, and feeling afraid.  Needless to say, I did not relate well to this and clung to both my logic, scientific inclination and my compassionate, humanistic feelings.  

Do Our Steps Match Up?

These past couple of weeks Elder Spencer has been teaching me how to put together a Rubik’s cube. There are many steps to putting a Rubik’s cube back together so that all the colors are matching up. As you are doing one of the steps if you make one wrong move and you keep going it can ruin the whole thing, so you have to stop and look at what step you did wrong and go back and fix it right away. And then keep going. If you don’t go back to fix what you have done wrong the problem can get bigger.  As I was learning how to put the Rubik’s cube together I would always mess up and have to stop and find out what I did wrong and fix it and then keep going to the next step and as I kept messing up a thought came to me of how putting the Rubik’s cube together is like Repenting. I know it is a weird way to think of it but let me explain.

The Blessings Keep Coming!

”Because I Have Been Given Much” is one of My favorite Hymns.  When I sing this song or read the words, it reminds me of everything that the Lord has blessed me with. I love the first part of the song. “Because I have been given much I too must give; Because of thy great bounty, Lord each day I live.” I was born with spinabifida and so I have had to have a lot of surgeries and see a lot of doctors. And the Lord has blessed me so much as I have gone through everything. And He continues to bless me, I know that I have been given much and because I have been given much I too must give.   And I know that the way that I can give back to the lord is by serving Him and by teaching others about Him.  And I know that as I serve Him that He will continue to bless me. This past couple of weeks He has blessed me so much, He has bless us with great people that we were able to find and teach.

One of the blessings that we had is Elder Spencer and I, were able to move to some apartments. It was a big change from living in the MTC to moving out of the MTC, in D&C 82:3, It say’s “For of him unto whom much is given much is required.” Living in the apartments has been a great blessing and since we have been living in the apartments we have had more responsibilities like cleaning the dishes, vacuuming and cleaning the bathroom.  I am so grateful for all the blessings that Heavenly Father has given me and that He continues to give me. I know that as we always try to repent and try to become like Jesus Christ, we will be blessed!