So first of all, thanks for the letters I got this week--I'm glad that a couple of you are finally using the DearElder for me! :) I love hearing from you all! Although a warning... DearElder doesn't print out the Spanish accents correctly... just a heads up for those who write me in Spanish. And even though I had to look up about one in 10 words that Sister Chipman wrote me, I understood the jist of it all on my own! I think THAT is PROGRESS!!! :)
So this week... LOTS of excellent meetings. Saturday we had Mission Conference, where we had some incredible talks. Our mission president spoke about the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and it was wonderful to remember so vividly my experiences and lessons learned in Jerusalem. Speaking of Jerusalem, someone told me it got bombed... is that true? Just curious... I still have so many friends there... :( ANYWHO, God is good, and I'm too busy to worry about it. But will someone please send me a debriefing on that? Bob is probably a good candidate... haha ;)
We also had a wonderful fireside on Sunday with Stephen B. Allen again, the managing director of the Missionary Dept. His wife spoke about being a "finisher," based on a talk President Monson gave a couple years ago. He then spoke all about our expectations as missionaries. He discussed how we need to make our expectations the Lord's expectations, because we are on HIS mission, and we are doing HIS work. How do we do that you ask? Well 2 Ne. 31 explains to us what Heavenly Father's expectations for each of us individually, and us as missionaries are: the Doctrine of Christ. When I know the Doctrine of Christ so well that it becomes who I am and what I expect, then my Will will be aligned with the Will of the Father and I will be successful in whatever I do. I think it's safe to say that the same goes for each of you. It's also really helpful that the Doctrine of Christ IS my purpose as a missionary. So you should all study Preach My Gospel and read 2 Nephi 31. :)
Our devotional on Tuesday night fit really well into this. It was Elder and Sister James M. Dunn, Emeritus Seventy. There were some really wonderful things shared by each of them, but the three things that are coming to my mind most right now are these: 1. Do God's Work in God's Way. Don't think that you have a better way to do it. You don't. He's God. (I may have put this into my own words... haha). So how do I learn His way of doing missionary work? Study the Bible and the Book of Mormon and find out! So that's exactly what I'm going to do! 2. Don't take people for granted. Share your message with them without judgment, and let them exercise their agency to choose whether or not they'll accept it. This is an important lesson that I learned several years while working for Simon... that if I knew someone well enough, I couldn't help but love them. And if I love them, I want to share the gospel with them. Well, God DOES know them. Perfectly. And HE wants me to share the gospel with them. So who am I to question if that's right? Yeah, I'm nobody... that's who! So BE BOLD BLACKBURN!!! (I have to remind myself of this occassionally... but I'm getting better! haha) 3. Be a 24/7 Missionary. There are no lunch breaks as a servant of the Lord. I should always be doing what a missionary should be doing, when I should be doing it. If I am obedient, the Lord will work miracles in my life as a missionary. The same goes for each of us. If you are obedient, you will see the Lord work miracles in your life. So how can we be obedient? 1. Have faith in Jesus Christ. 2. Repent of and abandon our sins. 3. Be baptized into the LORD'S true church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by someone having the proper priesthood authority of Jesus Christ--which authority God restored to the earth through Joseph Smith. 4. Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. 5. Endure to the End Happily by continuing to be obedient to the commandments of God which He reveals through His prophets, serve well, love much, and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost as you remain worthy of that constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. 5 Easy Steps to be able to live with God, Jesus Christ, and our families in eternity. Sign me up PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!
Ok, so for any of you that are thinking I'm way too preachy... that might be true. However, I have been set apart to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to all who will listen. I take my calling very seriously, because I am on the Lord's time here!! And I couldn't be happier! I love this gospel with my whole heart. I've been studying this week about various aspects of the Atonement... particularly the Redeeming and the Enabling powers of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. How they differ, how they apply to me in my life, and also how I can apply them to my friends I get to teach about the gospel--currently David, Mike, Angel, Brendon, and Susannah... I have LOVED studying redemption and grace this week. I've learned a ton!
My Spanish is definitely coming along. We started playing a game called "El Nativo." One missionary in my district--we don't know who-- is supposed to be the native Spanish speaker this week, meaning they speak only Spanish. However, the rest of us are trying to speak as much/more Spanish than the unknown native so that by the end of the week our district will vote that we were the native. Does that make sense? Basically I'm just only speaking Spanish now... so my vocabulary is limited, but it's coming along. And I'm practicing asking better and more questions... Inspired Questions as Hermano Gillis calls them. So good. Not too much to share aside from that. My time is almost up. I love you all!!
Hermana Blackburn
p.s. Eryn, SO glad you survived the surgery!! Thanks for all the pictures!!
Tanner-what the heck?! WRITE ME!!
Erika... I only got half of your dearelder, which was really tragic b/c it ended not so well... :( Write me!
Mom, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'll try to send some pictures home next week. I have to get a shot today. :( Ok... loves loves loves!!!
30 March 2011
24 March 2011
Week 5
So, this week has been even CRAZIER than the last if you can imagine that, but so much better in a lot of ways! I still can't really say much in Spanish, but I am having lots of opportunities to serve. I was assigned to be the new coordinating sister for my zone. This means I'm in charge of making sure all the other sisters in my zone are happy, healthy, etc... I have 10 sisters in my zone, 3 leave next week. But their have been some issues with a couple of them so I've spent a lot of my time this week helping them with their own individual struggles. This has taken me out of class several times, so my Spanish is really suffering. But Like Aunt Jan wrote me, when I'm on the Lord's errand, I cannot fail. So I'm going to take that one to the bank. :) We were assigned a solo sister for a couple days, and we had to accompany her to a doctor's appt. off campus yesterday... yeah. You heard me. THE REAL WORLD. It was so great! We practiced contacting all sorts of people in the dr. office, made lots of new friends, and even practiced our Spanish on a few people. I read a book to a 4 yr old named Santiago... yeah, it was a Dora and Diego book. :) hahaha So great! Anyway, this was all a great experience, but I realized I still have a LONG way to go... and only 3 1/2 weeks to do it! So I really need to buckle down. As mom so thoughtfully said, "Work harder!!!!!!!" hahaha... I'll see what I can do... And more good news, I finally got Hermana Ponaveitongo to sleep through the night and keep all her food down for 2 days straight!!! I consider that quite an accomplishment! She is doing much better. Hermana Randall and I wore all black with her for a week to help honor her family and cultural traditions. But yesterday she gave us permission to wear color again. Good thing, too. I hardly have any black clothes. And I was REALLY missing my bright colors!! Thanks for all your prayers on her behalf. We had Elder and Sister Claudio Costa of the presidency of the Seventy speak to us at our devotional on Tuesday. It was so great. He shared his experience of joining the church when he was 28 years old, and how he's allowed the Lord to use him in his life ever since. He said something that really struck me: "When someone is truly converted by the SPIRIT, he will do ANYTHING to serve the Lord." We have definitely seen this to be true with our investigators this week. Remember how I told you about Mike and David last week? Well Mike is still progressing. He was able to witness the power of the priesthood work in his life and in his family. He now has a testimony for himself that God really has restored this power to the earth because He LOVES US. It's incredible to watch someone come to a personal understanding and begin to have experiences with the Spirit on their own. He hasn't finished hearing the lessons yet, but he is determined to still be baptized on April 1 like we originally planned. He want to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost in his life, and he wants to receive the priesthood so that he can help his family. He is truly being converted to the Lord by the Spirit, not us, and it is miraculous to watch his mighty change of heart as the prophet Alma teaches about in Alma 5. David is going home for Springbreak this week, and we'll see how things go with his mom (who has threatened to cut him off financially if he joins the church). But he, too, is experiencing a mighty change of heart. He loves his family so much and would do anything for them. But he is starting to recognize that perhaps the best thing he could do for them is to go ahead and be baptized on April 10 as planned and be that light and example to his family. He wants an eternal family, and he is realizing that he can only have that if he acts in faith on the things he's learning by being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end happily. He now understands that by him doing these things, he can one day help to bring his family to the gospel and eventually have this eternal family that he wants so deeply. We gave him Ether 12 to read, all about faith. When we taught him earlier in the week, I thought it was great that his favorite verse was verse 4 (sorry you'll have to look it up on your own...), because he DOES hope for a better world, and he needs a solid anchor in his life. This kid is only 19 years old. Wisdom beyond his years! How much we ALL NEED an anchor in our lives, which we find in our Savior Jesus Christ, and the true gospel which He has blessed us with to help us all return to live with Him and our Heavenly Father!!!! The most important thing I have to say to anyone is to become and remain worthy to keep the Holy Ghost with you at all times. It is the most precious gift we could ask for in this life... a member of the Godhead to be with us CONSTANTLY... There are not words in the English language for me to be able to emphasize enough how crucial this is. The gospel is true, and Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. All we have to do is turn our hearts to Him, repent, be baptized, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end happily. Then, we will get to live with God and our families forever. It really is just that simple. I love you all!!! Be good. Love, Hermana Blackburn
17 March 2011
Week 4
So. PHEW. Where do I even begin? I guess at the beginning...
What would I ever do without the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life? Because I know the truth, I can get through anything! I can DO HARD THINGS! I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. And so can all of you!
So we had an awesome Sunday Fireside by the administrative director of the MTC here... it was about the journey of conversion. So good. Monday night I had a pow wow with my two wonderful Jerusalem friends--Kelsey Berrett, who will be serving in Brazil, and Michelle Neeley who will be serving in Guatemala City. Sister Neeley left on Tuesday for the Guatemala MTC, so we spent her last night together enjoying each other's company. SO good to be with these wonderful sisters and catch some glimpses of my life "before" haha. It sounds so cheesy, but it's really hard to even remember it some days! Tuesday night we had a fantastic devotional by Elder and Sister Richard Maynes of the 1st Quorum of the Seventy. SO good. One thing that really stuck out to me that I can recall in this moment was to "be the missionary your mother imagines you are..." and I extend that to "be the missionary that everyone you touch imagines you are..." That means all of you. So thanks for all of your encouragement and for giving me a reason to try even harder to be even better.
This week has been a huge rollercoaster ride though, as I imagine many of the next 18 months will be...
Monday my companions and I were able to grow ever more united during a fantastic companionship inventory... which is like a DTR for our companionship. haha But seriously... SO GOOD. The Spirit was so powerful and it was exactly what we needed to grow even closer. We decided to change our teaching tactics in order to facilitate the Spirit better. Monday afternoon we go to teach a man named Mike, and he doesn't want to let us in. He is crying and asks us to come back in a few days. We asked to pray with him before we left--he let us in, and after we prayed, he began to unload his burdens onto us. His son and grandson were in a car accident and aren't expected to live. After my two companions bore their testimonies about God's Plan for us, I was able to bear my testimony of Jesus Christ. I read to him Alma 7:11-12, and I told him of how I personally knew that Christ could fix anything if we let Him, and if we did what He asked us to do, such as being baptised by the proper priesthood authority which is once again on the earth, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost to be our constant companion and comforter. I prayed again with him before we left and he accepted my invitation to have a couple priesthood holders come and give him and his son and grandson blessings. The Spirit was so powerful as we bore witness to these eternal truths and the hope that we can all find in coming unto Christ. All three of us sisters left bawling...
Tuesday we show up to teach David, a 19 year old college student who is living away from home, and he says he doesn't want to meet with us anymore. We inquire about what happened, and he says his mom has threatened to cut him off financially if he continues to meet with us. Then, my dear sweet companion, who has faced similar family challenges but over came them, bore her testimony. He allowed us in to pray with him, and after we prayed we each bore our testimonies and we gave him Ether 12 to read and to pray about how he could apply it to his life. Again, the Spirit was very powerful, and we all left crying...
So why should it come as ANY surprise that Wednesday would hold its own challenge? It shouldn't have... Hermana Ponaveitongo got called to the office to call home.... never a good sign. She calls home and talks to her mom, and she is told that her grandfather passed away. For some this might not be a big deal, but it definitely is different in the Tongan culture. She is the oldest grandchild, so she is supposed to be in charge of the funeral... her not going home for the funeral is the biggest dishonor that she could give to the man who raised her. Heartbreaking for her. As the only member in her family, her mom just screamed at her telling her she's living in a fantasy land thinking that she will ever see her grandfather again. She also said that if she didn't come home for the funeral (April 1), that she would be cut off from her family forever. She just kept bearing her testimony to her mom. This young woman is so strong, and as her faith is being tried, the Lord continues to strengthen her. It is customary for them to grow out their hair and cut it when someone dies... So last night she had me chop all of her hair off... If I've sent you pictures then you can see how long and gorgeous her hair used to be... I'll send more pictures later so you can see the difference. So hard for her, and for us to watch her grieve. Not only for her grandfather who raised her, but also for her whole family who truly might not ever talk to her again. But Luke 9:57-60 has given her strength to keep her resolve of staying here. What an incredible example she is. I love her! Please pray for her and her family though!
The temple was amazing and definitely much needed today. 16 family names all received initiatories... such a wonderful experience.
Mom, Dearelder DID work. Write me more!!
Well, it's flashing only 1:25 left, so I better send this off. I love you all so very much!!
Hermana Blackburn
What would I ever do without the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life? Because I know the truth, I can get through anything! I can DO HARD THINGS! I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. And so can all of you!
So we had an awesome Sunday Fireside by the administrative director of the MTC here... it was about the journey of conversion. So good. Monday night I had a pow wow with my two wonderful Jerusalem friends--Kelsey Berrett, who will be serving in Brazil, and Michelle Neeley who will be serving in Guatemala City. Sister Neeley left on Tuesday for the Guatemala MTC, so we spent her last night together enjoying each other's company. SO good to be with these wonderful sisters and catch some glimpses of my life "before" haha. It sounds so cheesy, but it's really hard to even remember it some days! Tuesday night we had a fantastic devotional by Elder and Sister Richard Maynes of the 1st Quorum of the Seventy. SO good. One thing that really stuck out to me that I can recall in this moment was to "be the missionary your mother imagines you are..." and I extend that to "be the missionary that everyone you touch imagines you are..." That means all of you. So thanks for all of your encouragement and for giving me a reason to try even harder to be even better.
This week has been a huge rollercoaster ride though, as I imagine many of the next 18 months will be...
Monday my companions and I were able to grow ever more united during a fantastic companionship inventory... which is like a DTR for our companionship. haha But seriously... SO GOOD. The Spirit was so powerful and it was exactly what we needed to grow even closer. We decided to change our teaching tactics in order to facilitate the Spirit better. Monday afternoon we go to teach a man named Mike, and he doesn't want to let us in. He is crying and asks us to come back in a few days. We asked to pray with him before we left--he let us in, and after we prayed, he began to unload his burdens onto us. His son and grandson were in a car accident and aren't expected to live. After my two companions bore their testimonies about God's Plan for us, I was able to bear my testimony of Jesus Christ. I read to him Alma 7:11-12, and I told him of how I personally knew that Christ could fix anything if we let Him, and if we did what He asked us to do, such as being baptised by the proper priesthood authority which is once again on the earth, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost to be our constant companion and comforter. I prayed again with him before we left and he accepted my invitation to have a couple priesthood holders come and give him and his son and grandson blessings. The Spirit was so powerful as we bore witness to these eternal truths and the hope that we can all find in coming unto Christ. All three of us sisters left bawling...
Tuesday we show up to teach David, a 19 year old college student who is living away from home, and he says he doesn't want to meet with us anymore. We inquire about what happened, and he says his mom has threatened to cut him off financially if he continues to meet with us. Then, my dear sweet companion, who has faced similar family challenges but over came them, bore her testimony. He allowed us in to pray with him, and after we prayed we each bore our testimonies and we gave him Ether 12 to read and to pray about how he could apply it to his life. Again, the Spirit was very powerful, and we all left crying...
So why should it come as ANY surprise that Wednesday would hold its own challenge? It shouldn't have... Hermana Ponaveitongo got called to the office to call home.... never a good sign. She calls home and talks to her mom, and she is told that her grandfather passed away. For some this might not be a big deal, but it definitely is different in the Tongan culture. She is the oldest grandchild, so she is supposed to be in charge of the funeral... her not going home for the funeral is the biggest dishonor that she could give to the man who raised her. Heartbreaking for her. As the only member in her family, her mom just screamed at her telling her she's living in a fantasy land thinking that she will ever see her grandfather again. She also said that if she didn't come home for the funeral (April 1), that she would be cut off from her family forever. She just kept bearing her testimony to her mom. This young woman is so strong, and as her faith is being tried, the Lord continues to strengthen her. It is customary for them to grow out their hair and cut it when someone dies... So last night she had me chop all of her hair off... If I've sent you pictures then you can see how long and gorgeous her hair used to be... I'll send more pictures later so you can see the difference. So hard for her, and for us to watch her grieve. Not only for her grandfather who raised her, but also for her whole family who truly might not ever talk to her again. But Luke 9:57-60 has given her strength to keep her resolve of staying here. What an incredible example she is. I love her! Please pray for her and her family though!
The temple was amazing and definitely much needed today. 16 family names all received initiatories... such a wonderful experience.
Mom, Dearelder DID work. Write me more!!
Well, it's flashing only 1:25 left, so I better send this off. I love you all so very much!!
Hermana Blackburn
12 March 2011
Week 3
So I tried to cheat and type up my email in the TALL program and copy/paste it... but it was a no go... soo this will still probably be pretty short. Send me emails throughout the week on Dearelder.com though and I will have more time to respond on email! ;)
Ok so this last week was probably the most significant one I've had so far. I was really sick so that was lame, but I kept on going. I did everything but go to gym and the temple since they don't want you spreading germs... Needless to say, that get well package from mom was heaven-sent. Thank you so very very much!!! Everything was absolutely perfect!! I am proud to say that I am now getting 8 hrs of sleep every night with my new fancy pink earplugs!!! :) haha But seriously... it makes life SO much easier when you're trying to learn a new language 12 hrs a day on a full night's rest.
Last Friday I had an interview with one of my teachers (like every week), and as I was explaining my frustrations with myself of not being able to comprehend let alone remember anything I was learning, he told me he'd been watching me closely from the beginning and he was 100% positive that I was doing everything in my power to learn and speak Spanish. He promised me that if I kept doing exactly what I was doing, then God would step in and make up the difference. He told me that God was not going to ask any more of me and to just keep going and wait on Him. That made me feel so much better because I really have been working as hard as I can and doing everything I can think of to understand and remember Spanish. Well, his promise is coming true, and my prayers are being answered. I'm understanding, I'm learning more, I'm REMEMBERING the Spanish I'm learning! Seriously, I went from being able to maybe say a few sentences in Spanish last week, to now having contacted and taught 3 lessons in complete Spanish. In a week. God is so good and so very merciful. I know He's answering my prayers and all of yours. So thank you!!!
On Tuesday our devotional speakers were Elder and Sister Kent F. RIchards, from the 2nd Quorum of Seventy. Sister RIchards shared a scripture with us--Hebrews 12:2-- where it talks about how everything Christ did for us was "for the JOY" and then went on to talk about how we can find joy in anything and everything. She said the two words that she hopes will characterize every one of our missions is "hard and Happy." I'm sure she'll be right! Elder Richards also had an awesome talk about how we are to teach by the Spirit, to the understanding, with the tongues of angels, in order to invite everyone we meet to come unto Christ and receive the blessings of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was absolutely fantastic, but I don't have time to get into it. Lo siento.
I am so grateful for the gospel in my life. On Sunday, our district leader, Elder Mark Gantt, found out that his mother was diagnosed with cancer last week. Boy, did that those words take me back in the blink of an eye to how my life changed forever the day I was told about dad's cancer. We held a district fast for them and I just ask each of you to please keep them in your prayers. I know that God will bless his family the same way He has ours!
Today I got to go to the temple and do baptisms and confirmations for family names. 15 more family members received the opportunity to accept the restored gospel and progress in eternity. I can't even begin to tell you what a powerful experience it was to help them with that today. I promise that as we each use the resources the church has for us to do family history, we will know greater joy than we've ever comprehended before. I love the temple and the promise that families are sealed together forever inside. That promise alone makes everything worth living righteously for!
I know that IF we open our mouths more and have that same love and respect for our family and friends in our lives right now to share with them that we KNOW God has a living prophet on the earth today, that We KNOW Jesus IS the Christ because the Book of Mormon is another testament of it, and that we KNOW we can be with our families together forever through making covenants and living the restored gospel, THEN God will bless us with peace and joy. He will bless those of you in the Indianapolis area with the promise of a temple to be built swiftly, without delay. But those blessings are up to whether or not we will share. So OPEN YOUR MOUTHS!!!! Go to the temple! Do family history work! BE GOOD!
The Gospel is true, and Jesus is the Christ. I love you all!!!
Hermana Blackburn
p.s. Tricia Saylor... please get me some addresses for you all in Mississippi so I can write to you! Loves!
Ok so this last week was probably the most significant one I've had so far. I was really sick so that was lame, but I kept on going. I did everything but go to gym and the temple since they don't want you spreading germs... Needless to say, that get well package from mom was heaven-sent. Thank you so very very much!!! Everything was absolutely perfect!! I am proud to say that I am now getting 8 hrs of sleep every night with my new fancy pink earplugs!!! :) haha But seriously... it makes life SO much easier when you're trying to learn a new language 12 hrs a day on a full night's rest.
Last Friday I had an interview with one of my teachers (like every week), and as I was explaining my frustrations with myself of not being able to comprehend let alone remember anything I was learning, he told me he'd been watching me closely from the beginning and he was 100% positive that I was doing everything in my power to learn and speak Spanish. He promised me that if I kept doing exactly what I was doing, then God would step in and make up the difference. He told me that God was not going to ask any more of me and to just keep going and wait on Him. That made me feel so much better because I really have been working as hard as I can and doing everything I can think of to understand and remember Spanish. Well, his promise is coming true, and my prayers are being answered. I'm understanding, I'm learning more, I'm REMEMBERING the Spanish I'm learning! Seriously, I went from being able to maybe say a few sentences in Spanish last week, to now having contacted and taught 3 lessons in complete Spanish. In a week. God is so good and so very merciful. I know He's answering my prayers and all of yours. So thank you!!!
On Tuesday our devotional speakers were Elder and Sister Kent F. RIchards, from the 2nd Quorum of Seventy. Sister RIchards shared a scripture with us--Hebrews 12:2-- where it talks about how everything Christ did for us was "for the JOY" and then went on to talk about how we can find joy in anything and everything. She said the two words that she hopes will characterize every one of our missions is "hard and Happy." I'm sure she'll be right! Elder Richards also had an awesome talk about how we are to teach by the Spirit, to the understanding, with the tongues of angels, in order to invite everyone we meet to come unto Christ and receive the blessings of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was absolutely fantastic, but I don't have time to get into it. Lo siento.
I am so grateful for the gospel in my life. On Sunday, our district leader, Elder Mark Gantt, found out that his mother was diagnosed with cancer last week. Boy, did that those words take me back in the blink of an eye to how my life changed forever the day I was told about dad's cancer. We held a district fast for them and I just ask each of you to please keep them in your prayers. I know that God will bless his family the same way He has ours!
Today I got to go to the temple and do baptisms and confirmations for family names. 15 more family members received the opportunity to accept the restored gospel and progress in eternity. I can't even begin to tell you what a powerful experience it was to help them with that today. I promise that as we each use the resources the church has for us to do family history, we will know greater joy than we've ever comprehended before. I love the temple and the promise that families are sealed together forever inside. That promise alone makes everything worth living righteously for!
I know that IF we open our mouths more and have that same love and respect for our family and friends in our lives right now to share with them that we KNOW God has a living prophet on the earth today, that We KNOW Jesus IS the Christ because the Book of Mormon is another testament of it, and that we KNOW we can be with our families together forever through making covenants and living the restored gospel, THEN God will bless us with peace and joy. He will bless those of you in the Indianapolis area with the promise of a temple to be built swiftly, without delay. But those blessings are up to whether or not we will share. So OPEN YOUR MOUTHS!!!! Go to the temple! Do family history work! BE GOOD!
The Gospel is true, and Jesus is the Christ. I love you all!!!
Hermana Blackburn
p.s. Tricia Saylor... please get me some addresses for you all in Mississippi so I can write to you! Loves!
03 March 2011
Week 2
Ok, well, I have even more emails to read than last week, so I'm going to keep this short. So this is why you should write me on DearElder.com... so I get it the SAME day and can respond to you all! ;)
Our devotional speaker this week was Bishop Richard C. Edgley and his wife, of the presiding bishopric. It was fantastic.
Our RS speaker was Sister Ann M. Dibb of the General Young Women's presidency and the daughter of President Thomas S. Monson... you know... the prophet. Yeah Her talk was awesome. And afterwards, she opened up a Q&A session for all the sisters to ask anything about her parents. So fun.
My Spanish is still coming slow... very slow. But I am making progress! Yesterday my companions and I contacted in total Spanish... that's like a 5 minute conversation all in Spanish. And I understood about 80% of what the contactee said back! hahaha... I guess since 2 weeks ago I could understand 0% of anything in Spanish, that's pretty good! I'm still accidentally spewing German when I go to say something in Spanish, so that's irritating. Hopefully it will stop soon. I'm seriously remembering all sorts of German I never even knew that I knew... WEIRD.
2 of Our roommates went to the Spain MTC last week, and the other one moved into a new room to be with her new companion. So we got 2 new sisters yesterday. They are both going to the Philippines, so they're learning Tagalog. One of them is also Tongan (but from SLC), so Hermana Ponaveitongo is having fun speaking Tongan in her own room!
I'm sick. So is Hermana Randall. So we didn't get to go to the Temple today. I basically have no voice. And I spent most of the day yesterday in class trying not to vomit all over my dear companions. So that's fun. But I'll get better soon. Just pray harder for me! ;)
Well, that's pretty much all I'm going to say. I love you all. The church is true. The Spirit is powerful. Get in your life and keep it there.
Loves loves loves!!!
Hermana Blackburn
Our devotional speaker this week was Bishop Richard C. Edgley and his wife, of the presiding bishopric. It was fantastic.
Our RS speaker was Sister Ann M. Dibb of the General Young Women's presidency and the daughter of President Thomas S. Monson... you know... the prophet. Yeah Her talk was awesome. And afterwards, she opened up a Q&A session for all the sisters to ask anything about her parents. So fun.
My Spanish is still coming slow... very slow. But I am making progress! Yesterday my companions and I contacted in total Spanish... that's like a 5 minute conversation all in Spanish. And I understood about 80% of what the contactee said back! hahaha... I guess since 2 weeks ago I could understand 0% of anything in Spanish, that's pretty good! I'm still accidentally spewing German when I go to say something in Spanish, so that's irritating. Hopefully it will stop soon. I'm seriously remembering all sorts of German I never even knew that I knew... WEIRD.
2 of Our roommates went to the Spain MTC last week, and the other one moved into a new room to be with her new companion. So we got 2 new sisters yesterday. They are both going to the Philippines, so they're learning Tagalog. One of them is also Tongan (but from SLC), so Hermana Ponaveitongo is having fun speaking Tongan in her own room!
I'm sick. So is Hermana Randall. So we didn't get to go to the Temple today. I basically have no voice. And I spent most of the day yesterday in class trying not to vomit all over my dear companions. So that's fun. But I'll get better soon. Just pray harder for me! ;)
Well, that's pretty much all I'm going to say. I love you all. The church is true. The Spirit is powerful. Get in your life and keep it there.
Loves loves loves!!!
Hermana Blackburn
25 February 2011
Week 1
WOW. Hard to imagine that it's only been a week here at the MTC. I have learned SO much already! THank you so much to everyone who has written & sent me packages this week!!! I can't tell you how loved I've felt from all of you, so thank you thank you thank you!!!
Well, I'll start off at the beginning. I have two companions here. Hermana Ponaveitongo (pronounced Bone-a-vay-tongo, where the "ng" sound is said as in "tongue") is Tongan and from Hawaii. Her family is full-blooded Tongan and very true to their culture, so I'm LOVING learning about those fun things with her. She speaks ENglish, TOngan, Hawaiian Pigeon, Samoan, and now Spanish. It's awesome. SHe is a convert to the church, 3 years ago to the day we entered the MTC. She is the only member in her immediate family, and they have mostly disowned her entirely. Her faith, I have no doubt, can move mountains. She is incredible & adds a wonderful spirit to all our lessons. I love her! My other companion, Hermana Randall, is from Orem, Utah. Her father is not a member, and her mother has been inactive most of her life. Her older brother is on a mission in Tennessee speaking Spanish, and her younger sister will put in her papers about the same time as Tanner. She is a bright young woman who isn't afraid to work hard. Her dedication to the Gospel and her purpose as a missionary is a great example & encourages me to be better. Both of them are delightful & have truly enriched my life in just one short week. They are both serving in California Ventura, which is just to the west of my mission.
We are in small groups called districts, with several districts making up a zone. My district consists of us 3 sisters, and 6 elders... 4 from Utah, 1 from Boise, and 1 from Austin, TX. They are all going to be serving in the Mexico City South mission. They are all definitely 19 years old, but they have their moments when they amaze me. It's especially fun to role play & be taught by them. God is truly qualifying each of us for this calling. I am the only one in the district that has never had any Spanish, but I'm working hard to learn. Whenever I can't think of a word in Spanish though, it always comes to mind in German, which I find especially irritating! Between the German, Arabic, Japanese, & English words all floating around in my head, Spanish is having a hard time finding a place to move in and unpack. Progress is slow. But to think that a week ago I could only say #1-6 in Spanish, and now I'm praying, teaching, and reading--at least partially--in Spanish, truly the Gift of Tongues & Interpretation of Tongues is alive and well in Christ's true church on the earth.
The MTC is proof that God is directing His work on the earth. The Spirit here is incredible. I have so much more to tell you about these things. The fireside on Sunday was a musical fireside. AWESOME. THe devotional on Tuesday was given by Elder and Sister Patrick Kearon of the Seventy. They are incredible. I really wanted to tell you all about what they had to say, but I'll have to write that out by hand and have Erika post it on the blog or pass it on to you somehow. I don't have much time left. Just know that the Spirit is palpable here in every meeting. I LOVE IT!
I thought I was just going to "deal with" the role-playing part of class, but I actually L-O-V-E IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You just can't NOT feel the Spirit when you are bearing testimony of eternal truths. I know that I still have a LONG way to go with my Spanish, but there has never been a single missionary reported to have not learned the language they were assigned to speak. So I know it will come if I keep being obedient!
I love this work and I'm SO excited to be a part of it. I love that my role as a missionary is to invite and assist others to come unto Christ, to make eternal covenants with God, and to endure to the end happily. I feel now more than ever just how happy God wants EVERY son and daughter of His to be. I love you all! The work is true!
Hermana Blackburn
P.S. Please write me on dearelder.com instead of email me from now on... I don't have enough time to read all your emails AND write everything I want. Thanks! Loves loves loves!!!
P.P.S. God is waiting to bless our whole family on my behalf. Pray for those blessings. Expect miracles. And then look for His hand in your life. I promise you it will be there!
Well, I'll start off at the beginning. I have two companions here. Hermana Ponaveitongo (pronounced Bone-a-vay-tongo, where the "ng" sound is said as in "tongue") is Tongan and from Hawaii. Her family is full-blooded Tongan and very true to their culture, so I'm LOVING learning about those fun things with her. She speaks ENglish, TOngan, Hawaiian Pigeon, Samoan, and now Spanish. It's awesome. SHe is a convert to the church, 3 years ago to the day we entered the MTC. She is the only member in her immediate family, and they have mostly disowned her entirely. Her faith, I have no doubt, can move mountains. She is incredible & adds a wonderful spirit to all our lessons. I love her! My other companion, Hermana Randall, is from Orem, Utah. Her father is not a member, and her mother has been inactive most of her life. Her older brother is on a mission in Tennessee speaking Spanish, and her younger sister will put in her papers about the same time as Tanner. She is a bright young woman who isn't afraid to work hard. Her dedication to the Gospel and her purpose as a missionary is a great example & encourages me to be better. Both of them are delightful & have truly enriched my life in just one short week. They are both serving in California Ventura, which is just to the west of my mission.
We are in small groups called districts, with several districts making up a zone. My district consists of us 3 sisters, and 6 elders... 4 from Utah, 1 from Boise, and 1 from Austin, TX. They are all going to be serving in the Mexico City South mission. They are all definitely 19 years old, but they have their moments when they amaze me. It's especially fun to role play & be taught by them. God is truly qualifying each of us for this calling. I am the only one in the district that has never had any Spanish, but I'm working hard to learn. Whenever I can't think of a word in Spanish though, it always comes to mind in German, which I find especially irritating! Between the German, Arabic, Japanese, & English words all floating around in my head, Spanish is having a hard time finding a place to move in and unpack. Progress is slow. But to think that a week ago I could only say #1-6 in Spanish, and now I'm praying, teaching, and reading--at least partially--in Spanish, truly the Gift of Tongues & Interpretation of Tongues is alive and well in Christ's true church on the earth.
The MTC is proof that God is directing His work on the earth. The Spirit here is incredible. I have so much more to tell you about these things. The fireside on Sunday was a musical fireside. AWESOME. THe devotional on Tuesday was given by Elder and Sister Patrick Kearon of the Seventy. They are incredible. I really wanted to tell you all about what they had to say, but I'll have to write that out by hand and have Erika post it on the blog or pass it on to you somehow. I don't have much time left. Just know that the Spirit is palpable here in every meeting. I LOVE IT!
I thought I was just going to "deal with" the role-playing part of class, but I actually L-O-V-E IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You just can't NOT feel the Spirit when you are bearing testimony of eternal truths. I know that I still have a LONG way to go with my Spanish, but there has never been a single missionary reported to have not learned the language they were assigned to speak. So I know it will come if I keep being obedient!
I love this work and I'm SO excited to be a part of it. I love that my role as a missionary is to invite and assist others to come unto Christ, to make eternal covenants with God, and to endure to the end happily. I feel now more than ever just how happy God wants EVERY son and daughter of His to be. I love you all! The work is true!
Hermana Blackburn
P.S. Please write me on dearelder.com instead of email me from now on... I don't have enough time to read all your emails AND write everything I want. Thanks! Loves loves loves!!!
P.P.S. God is waiting to bless our whole family on my behalf. Pray for those blessings. Expect miracles. And then look for His hand in your life. I promise you it will be there!
13 February 2011
My Farewell Talk
Well, the Lord works by mysterious ways, and I didn't actually end up giving the talk I prepared. But I felt like I should have it posted on my blog, so I guess someone out there needs to read something in it. That person just might be you... I'm just sayin... :) I normally don't write out my talks word for word, but maybe I did with most of this one because it was meant to be read here rather than heard in church.
Sister Dana Blackburn
13 February 2011
Mission Farewell
My life has changed because I gained a testimony.
Introduction
My life has changed because I gained a testimony of…
•Prayer: I can’t even remember a time when I didn’t know what prayer was, how to pray, or that God really does answer my prayers. Because my parents were so diligent in teaching and showing me how to pray, I never doubted the importance of praying to my Heavenly Father. And now, many years and adventures later, I still know where I can always go for answers, guidance, love, comfort, and hope. Through prayer I have built a relationship with my Heavenly Father and I have come to know Him, but maybe more importantly I have learned just how well He knows me.
o I remember very few specific prayers that I’ve said throughout my life, but the feeling of my prayers being answered is something that will always stick with me.
o When I was about 4, my family was enduring one of our infamous cross-country road trips, and my parents decided to make this one a Church History road trip. One of the places we stopped at was the John Jonson farm in Hiram, Ohio. Since most of you probably aren’t quite as nerdy and obsessed with Church History as I am, I’ll remind you that this is where Joseph Smith received many revelations, including Doctrine & Covenants 76. Part of the tour includes the account of Joseph and Sidney Rigdon receiving this vision and their testimonies.
Now, I’m going to stop here and confess that God did not show Himself unto me that day, nor did His Son, or any angels. I must admit some initial dismay at this, though in jest I’ll blame it on my mom who decided to sneak back in the room with her video camera. There’s nothing like a home video to prevent a heavenly manifestation. But in all seriousness, why did this experience not ruin my testimony of prayer forever? It was because my parents made the effort to teach me about God and His ways.
God didn’t answer my prayer in the way that I was expecting, but through my parents He was able to teach me what I needed to know. I learned that day, and I continue to learn even now, that if I will live my life in accordance with the Gospel and always strive to do God’s will, that not only will I be able to see Him and His Son, but I’ll be able to live with them again one day. I’ve also been able to learn that by doing these things, God can use us to help His children no matter who we are. Now I know that I don’t have to see my Savior in order to testify that He lives, and He does live.
o A few years ago while my father was very ill, I spent a lot of time on my knees with the Lord. I found prayer to be a strength and comfort to me, and I found that the more I talked with God, the more He would talk with me. My father was undergoing a very risky lung surgery to remove the cancer, and I was so worried about what would happen that I was frozen in fear. I felt humbled by circumstance and I turned to my Heavenly Father in prayer. As I pleaded with Him that night for my dad’s life to be preserved and for the surgery to go smoothly, I heard myself say “if it be Thy will.” And as I finished my prayer, I felt the love of my Heavenly Father envelop me and the Spirit whispered “Dana, I know it will be hard, but I need him here now. I have a work for him to do, which no other can. It will be a short time, and then you will be with him forever.” I cannot deny that this answer came from God, because though it was exactly what I didn’t want to hear, I felt at peace and knew that the Lord would be with me to help me through.
Imagine my surprise then, when I got a call early the next morning from my mother telling me that the operation had gone better than expected and my father was doing great. I thought that maybe I had made up the experience the night before, but of course a few months later when we learned that the doctors had missed some of the cancer and that my father would not be with us much longer I knew why the Lord had told me when he did that he needed my father to serve a mission on the other side. This testimony borne to me by the Spirit in answer to my prayers is one that offers continuous comfort to me, and strengthens my testimony that Christ rose from the grave and lives again.
My life has changed because I gained a testimony that…
• Christ lives: If Christ lives, then He has overcome death, sin, pain, sickness, and all manner of afflictions. If Christ lives, then I can have faith in His Gospel. If Christ lives, then He can restore His church to the earth. If Christ lives, then I can repent and be made clean. If Christ lives, then I will see my father again. If Christ lives, then I can have an eternal family. So you can see just how much of my life depends upon my testimony that Christ does live. Christ is the cornerstone of our religion, and the foundation on which we are all invited to build.
o Helaman 5:12
o When Joseph Smith was asked what the fundamental principles of our religion are, he responded:
Suffice it to say that without this testimony, my life would be completely unrecognizable to myself and those who now know me.
My life has changed because I gained a testimony that…
• Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God called to restore the fullness of Christ’s Gospel to the earth: I have always had a deep love and reverence for the Prophet Joseph, and there were many times growing up that I felt strongly that what I was learning about the Restoration and Joseph Smith were true, and I never had any cause to doubt those impressions. But as I grew older, I desired a witness from the Spirit that I would not be able to explain or think away. I firmly believed, but I lacked confidence that I knew Joseph to be a Prophet of God. This witness came on Christmas Eve when I was 14 years old. I was feeling pressures in all aspects of my life, and I felt too weak to succeed in anything. I turned to God in prayer, and I waited for an answer. Well, as I shared earlier, sometimes God doesn’t answer immediately, and this was one of those occasions. My sister had recently sent me a musical program about Joseph and the events of the Restoration, so I turned that on and lay on my bed to listen. While listening to this, the Spirit filled my room, and I felt the distinct impression that I had always known Joseph was a Prophet of God, and now I know that I know, in a witness so powerful that I can never deny it.
While in Carthage yesterday, one of the missionaries said, “If you want to know if God and Jesus Christ really appeared to Joseph Smith that day in 1820, just ask God. He was there.” The glorious thing about the Gospel is that God invites each of us to know for ourselves. “Ask, and ye shall receive. Seek, and ye shall find. Knock and it shall be opened unto you.” This is the scriptural injunction most often repeated in the scriptures. God wants each of us to know for ourselves that He loves His children on the earth today just as much as those who lived in Ancient Israel.
o Amos 3:7
Because I know that Joseph Smith saw what he said he saw and that he was a Prophet of God, I know that He really did restore the fullness of Christ’s gospel to the earth. And, if Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, then the Book of Mormon is true.
My life has changed because I gained a testimony of…
• The Book of Mormon: To gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon, you have to read it, and then pray about it. Just hoping to one day know if it is true just isn’t going to cut it. If the Book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith really is a Prophet of God. If the Book of Mormon is true, then Christ really does live. If the Book of Mormon is true, then Christ’s Gospel really is for all of God’s children at all times and in all places throughout the earth’s history. It is another testament of Christ, a companion to the Bible, and evidence of the Restoration. My life changed because I read the Book of Mormon on my own, cover to cover, and then prayed to know if it is true. The warmest feeling of peace came over me, and my heart burned with the Spirit testifying of its truthfulness. I was 12 years old when I finished reading it on my own for the first time, and because I gained a testimony early on, it has shaped the last 12 years of my life. I have continued to read it cover to cover many times in those last 12 years, and still I just can’t get enough. For me, reading from the Book of Mormon feels like I’m drinking from the Fountain of Living Waters, always changing, and yet joy and nourishment I receive is always the same. Because I know that the Book of Mormon is true, I know that I must share it, for after its role as second witness to Christ’s Atonement, the Book of Mormon teaches us to share the Gospel with all of God’s children.
• Because I’ve gained a testimony of prayer, Christ, Joseph Smith, and the Book of Mormon, my life has changed, and now I must share it.
o Luke 8:39
o My family has helped prepare my brothers and I to serve missions because we have been a missionary family, and that we owe all to our parents. There are lots of things that we can do in our families to encourage one another to just open our mouths and let our lights shine. These are some of the things that have blessed our family and encouraged us to be more generous with who we share the gospel with.
o What kind of effort is the Lord going to require from the Westfield Ward before he’ll bless you with full-time missionaries again?
• The Indexing efforts of the Indianapolis North Stake directly resulted in a temple being announced in Indianapolis. Missionary efforts in our stake and in the Westfield Ward will directly result in the miracles needed to accomplish the building of that temple in a timely manner.
Closing
Sister Dana Blackburn
13 February 2011
Mission Farewell
My life has changed because I gained a testimony.
Introduction
My life has changed because I gained a testimony of…
•Prayer: I can’t even remember a time when I didn’t know what prayer was, how to pray, or that God really does answer my prayers. Because my parents were so diligent in teaching and showing me how to pray, I never doubted the importance of praying to my Heavenly Father. And now, many years and adventures later, I still know where I can always go for answers, guidance, love, comfort, and hope. Through prayer I have built a relationship with my Heavenly Father and I have come to know Him, but maybe more importantly I have learned just how well He knows me.
o I remember very few specific prayers that I’ve said throughout my life, but the feeling of my prayers being answered is something that will always stick with me.
o When I was about 4, my family was enduring one of our infamous cross-country road trips, and my parents decided to make this one a Church History road trip. One of the places we stopped at was the John Jonson farm in Hiram, Ohio. Since most of you probably aren’t quite as nerdy and obsessed with Church History as I am, I’ll remind you that this is where Joseph Smith received many revelations, including Doctrine & Covenants 76. Part of the tour includes the account of Joseph and Sidney Rigdon receiving this vision and their testimonies.
And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of Him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of Him: that He lives! For we saw Him, even on the right hand of God, and we heard the voice bearing record that He is the Only Begotten of the Father—That by Him, and through Him, and of Him the worlds are and were created and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God. (D&C 76:22-24)As a 4 yr. old, this testimony pierced my heart, and I had the greatest desire to see what Joseph and Sidney saw. I asked my mom how I could see the Savior and my Heavenly Father, and she told me to pray and ask if I could see them. Because I had gained a testimony of prayer early on, I had no doubt that what she told me to do was correct. So I decided that if that room was good enough for Joseph to see the Savior in, that it would work for me, too, and I waited for everyone in the tour to move to the next room. I knelt down and I prayed with all the faith and hope of a child to ask Heavenly Father if I could see Him and His Son, so that I, too, could bear a testimony that would help bring others unto Christ.
Now, I’m going to stop here and confess that God did not show Himself unto me that day, nor did His Son, or any angels. I must admit some initial dismay at this, though in jest I’ll blame it on my mom who decided to sneak back in the room with her video camera. There’s nothing like a home video to prevent a heavenly manifestation. But in all seriousness, why did this experience not ruin my testimony of prayer forever? It was because my parents made the effort to teach me about God and His ways.
God didn’t answer my prayer in the way that I was expecting, but through my parents He was able to teach me what I needed to know. I learned that day, and I continue to learn even now, that if I will live my life in accordance with the Gospel and always strive to do God’s will, that not only will I be able to see Him and His Son, but I’ll be able to live with them again one day. I’ve also been able to learn that by doing these things, God can use us to help His children no matter who we are. Now I know that I don’t have to see my Savior in order to testify that He lives, and He does live.
o A few years ago while my father was very ill, I spent a lot of time on my knees with the Lord. I found prayer to be a strength and comfort to me, and I found that the more I talked with God, the more He would talk with me. My father was undergoing a very risky lung surgery to remove the cancer, and I was so worried about what would happen that I was frozen in fear. I felt humbled by circumstance and I turned to my Heavenly Father in prayer. As I pleaded with Him that night for my dad’s life to be preserved and for the surgery to go smoothly, I heard myself say “if it be Thy will.” And as I finished my prayer, I felt the love of my Heavenly Father envelop me and the Spirit whispered “Dana, I know it will be hard, but I need him here now. I have a work for him to do, which no other can. It will be a short time, and then you will be with him forever.” I cannot deny that this answer came from God, because though it was exactly what I didn’t want to hear, I felt at peace and knew that the Lord would be with me to help me through.
Imagine my surprise then, when I got a call early the next morning from my mother telling me that the operation had gone better than expected and my father was doing great. I thought that maybe I had made up the experience the night before, but of course a few months later when we learned that the doctors had missed some of the cancer and that my father would not be with us much longer I knew why the Lord had told me when he did that he needed my father to serve a mission on the other side. This testimony borne to me by the Spirit in answer to my prayers is one that offers continuous comfort to me, and strengthens my testimony that Christ rose from the grave and lives again.
My life has changed because I gained a testimony that…
• Christ lives: If Christ lives, then He has overcome death, sin, pain, sickness, and all manner of afflictions. If Christ lives, then I can have faith in His Gospel. If Christ lives, then He can restore His church to the earth. If Christ lives, then I can repent and be made clean. If Christ lives, then I will see my father again. If Christ lives, then I can have an eternal family. So you can see just how much of my life depends upon my testimony that Christ does live. Christ is the cornerstone of our religion, and the foundation on which we are all invited to build.
o Helaman 5:12
And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
o When Joseph Smith was asked what the fundamental principles of our religion are, he responded:
“The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it. But in connection with these, we believe in the gift of the Holy Ghost, the power of faith, the enjoyment of the spiritual gifts according to the will of God, the restoration of the house of Israel, and the final triumph of truth.”–TPJS, 121
Suffice it to say that without this testimony, my life would be completely unrecognizable to myself and those who now know me.
My life has changed because I gained a testimony that…
• Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God called to restore the fullness of Christ’s Gospel to the earth: I have always had a deep love and reverence for the Prophet Joseph, and there were many times growing up that I felt strongly that what I was learning about the Restoration and Joseph Smith were true, and I never had any cause to doubt those impressions. But as I grew older, I desired a witness from the Spirit that I would not be able to explain or think away. I firmly believed, but I lacked confidence that I knew Joseph to be a Prophet of God. This witness came on Christmas Eve when I was 14 years old. I was feeling pressures in all aspects of my life, and I felt too weak to succeed in anything. I turned to God in prayer, and I waited for an answer. Well, as I shared earlier, sometimes God doesn’t answer immediately, and this was one of those occasions. My sister had recently sent me a musical program about Joseph and the events of the Restoration, so I turned that on and lay on my bed to listen. While listening to this, the Spirit filled my room, and I felt the distinct impression that I had always known Joseph was a Prophet of God, and now I know that I know, in a witness so powerful that I can never deny it.
While in Carthage yesterday, one of the missionaries said, “If you want to know if God and Jesus Christ really appeared to Joseph Smith that day in 1820, just ask God. He was there.” The glorious thing about the Gospel is that God invites each of us to know for ourselves. “Ask, and ye shall receive. Seek, and ye shall find. Knock and it shall be opened unto you.” This is the scriptural injunction most often repeated in the scriptures. God wants each of us to know for ourselves that He loves His children on the earth today just as much as those who lived in Ancient Israel.
o Amos 3:7
Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.If He blessed His children in former times with prophets, then He will do the same for us today, and He has. From Joseph Smith to Thomas S. Monson, God has called and will continue to call prophets to lead His Church in this final dispensation. Christ showed us The Way, and He has given us the scriptures to help us stay on this straight and narrow path to tell us of permanent features in the landscape along the way. However, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, He also has given us Prophets as Watchmen along the way, to give more immediate guidance for the times in which we live, warning of unique dangers that we may encounter along the path.
Because I know that Joseph Smith saw what he said he saw and that he was a Prophet of God, I know that He really did restore the fullness of Christ’s gospel to the earth. And, if Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, then the Book of Mormon is true.
My life has changed because I gained a testimony of…
• The Book of Mormon: To gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon, you have to read it, and then pray about it. Just hoping to one day know if it is true just isn’t going to cut it. If the Book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith really is a Prophet of God. If the Book of Mormon is true, then Christ really does live. If the Book of Mormon is true, then Christ’s Gospel really is for all of God’s children at all times and in all places throughout the earth’s history. It is another testament of Christ, a companion to the Bible, and evidence of the Restoration. My life changed because I read the Book of Mormon on my own, cover to cover, and then prayed to know if it is true. The warmest feeling of peace came over me, and my heart burned with the Spirit testifying of its truthfulness. I was 12 years old when I finished reading it on my own for the first time, and because I gained a testimony early on, it has shaped the last 12 years of my life. I have continued to read it cover to cover many times in those last 12 years, and still I just can’t get enough. For me, reading from the Book of Mormon feels like I’m drinking from the Fountain of Living Waters, always changing, and yet joy and nourishment I receive is always the same. Because I know that the Book of Mormon is true, I know that I must share it, for after its role as second witness to Christ’s Atonement, the Book of Mormon teaches us to share the Gospel with all of God’s children.
• Because I’ve gained a testimony of prayer, Christ, Joseph Smith, and the Book of Mormon, my life has changed, and now I must share it.
o Luke 8:39
Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.o Luke 22:31-32
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift the children of the kingdom as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.o John 21 The Savior asks that if we really love Him that we feed His sheep.
o My family has helped prepare my brothers and I to serve missions because we have been a missionary family, and that we owe all to our parents. There are lots of things that we can do in our families to encourage one another to just open our mouths and let our lights shine. These are some of the things that have blessed our family and encouraged us to be more generous with who we share the gospel with.
• Praying for and writing missionarieso As a full-time missionary, our call is to teach. Your call as members is to invite people to be taught by us.
• Giving missionaries referrals
• Teaching investigators in our home
• Saving early for missions
• Parents both serving missions
• 3 brothers serving missions
• Dad now serving another mission
• Home Teaching & Visiting Teaching
• Preach My Gospel classes
• OPEN YOUR MOUTH
o What kind of effort is the Lord going to require from the Westfield Ward before he’ll bless you with full-time missionaries again?
• The Indexing efforts of the Indianapolis North Stake directly resulted in a temple being announced in Indianapolis. Missionary efforts in our stake and in the Westfield Ward will directly result in the miracles needed to accomplish the building of that temple in a timely manner.
Closing
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