Dear Family,
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Life has been good. We've been chugging along as usual. :) I can't remember much about this week except for Sunday. Sunday was a really hard day, we had so many goals that we were trying to meet and we seemed to not be able to meet any of them and I was just plain frustrated. It was hard but I realized that I needed to try working harder and to trust God more. So after a pretty dismal afternoon and a difficult conversation with someone who is Extrememly opposed to the church... we just wanted to go home BUT, Heavenly Father knew it would be a difficult day so He blessed us with a Mission President's Fireside that night. It was truly a tender mercy. We got there and were able to practice the song we were singing that night, and immediately we started feeling better. However the best part of the whole thing was when President got up and bore his testimony. He talked about the spirit we felt as we listened to the music and the testimonies and then said "so what?" What will we do now that we've felt that spirit? When Elder Zwick was here, his main question was "Am I Willing?" Am I willing to change? What am I willing to change? He told us that if we are willing to change, we will have the Spirit. If we are Not willing to change, we won't have the spirit. So what are we willing to change? It was an eye opener for me. Recently I have been a bit stubborn with the way I do things in my work. I want to do it my way at my own leisure and that's just not how it works. So I realized I needed to change to have the Spirit with me in my work, I need to be More willing to do God's will and not my own.
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President also mentioned the power of the Atonement, that we can change, that because of the atonement we have the opportunity and ability to change and become more like our Father in Heaven. I didn't really understand that until yesterday morning when I felt very overwhelmed during study. I felt like I'm not trying hard enough, that I haven't been a good example because we haven't been able to find Anyone in a few weeks. I was so frustrated with myself and Sis. Turner piped up and said "do you remember what President talked about last night? The Atonement can help us in this predicament too. We don't have to continue feeling like we can't do anything and that we're hopeless and helpless. We don't need to feel like we're bad missionaries. Because of the Atonement we can put the past behind us and start clean and fresh Today!" I had to laugh about that because that's what I'm teaching everyone but I apply it to sins of commission and in this case I guess we've been guilty of sins of omission. But regardless of what the case may be we can be forgiven. We can start fresh and clean! The weight was lifted off my shoulders and I realized just how important this gospel is. That we can't receive the fullness of the Atonement's effects without baptism by the Priesthood authority of God. What does that mean? we must be baptized by someone who holds that Priesthood to truly have a remission of sins. Yes, we feel better but the weight cannot be taken away without access to that atoning grace. I understand that now and I'm so grateful that I have that in my life and that I was able to feel that yesterday morning. :) I know this church is true. I know the Savior did perform that Atonement, purely out of love for us and for our Father in Heaven. That Atonement covers Everything we do if we follow His example, are baptized by those holding the Priesthood power and allow the Atonement to work in our lives by having faith and repenting. It is necessary for those feelings of guilt and shame to be gone. I love my Savior! I'm so grateful for all He has done for me and I hope and pray that I can share even a bit of that truth with others. :)
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I love you all! Thanks for letting me share my experience, not that you had any choice in the matter... ;) But I truly do love the Lord and this Gospel and I know He loves each and every one of us! :)
Keep setting wonderful examples and let the Atonement work in your life by being "willing to change" always.
Love you,
Love Sister Maureen Davis
PS Happy Early Birthday Mom!
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