We did a training in Mojave this week with ALL of the Zone Leaders and District Leaders in the mission! It was so fun to come together and discuss how we can better help our brothers and sisters come to Christ. There was definitely a powerful spirit there. It is not very often in life that you get to be in the presence of such a large group of consecrated missionaries ready and willing to do whatever it takes to please the Lord.
We discussed a lot about how important it is to deliver messages to your stewardship clearly. I didn't think my testimony about the Restoration could grow while training about leadership but it has. The Gospel was changed and lost when passed poorly from person to person. The telephone game should in reality be called the apostasy game! haha If President Wilson gives the Assistants his vision and then we do a poor job at explaining what it is... then the whole mission will dwindle and perish. We always need to be pointed in a direction and we often need reminding about that direction! Can you imagine the chaos and confusion we would be in if we didn't have a living prophet and twelve apostles to follow?!
I gave a talk in Sacrament meeting today... It was the first time in my life that I was the last speaker. I've seen a huge change in my confidence from the beginning of my mission with public speaking. I actually really really enjoy doing it. I love being able to share what I know to be true. I'll put my talk in the email so you can see what it was on.
Talk
Isaiah 55:8-9How can our ways and thoughts become the same as the Lord’s ways and thoughts?
1 Nephi 10:19
The Holy Ghost is God’s messenger to teach us truth and change our hearts. If we didn’t have the Holy Ghost we could never learn God’s ways. It is only through recognizing the promptings of the Holy Ghost and Following them that we can become the person God wants us to become.
I was Asked to speak about how the spirit will convert us and help us to become the tool God needs us to be.
If the spirit is vital in learning truth from God, then it is vital we learn how the spirit speaks to us individually.
I’d like to share my brother’s example of how he has felt the spirit. This is taken from a few paragraphs of a book he is writing.
Story
I love this example because I remember my brother being on the roof all the time and every time he would come down he seemed to be much more calm and happy.
As I have felt the spirit more and more, I’ve realized that the spirit is the ultimate comforter… this is explained well in…
John 14:26-27
Before my mission I felt the spirit comforting me differently. Actually, the spirit made me feel uncomfortable at times. I was always nervous to go to firesides or youth conferences because I always felt a similar feeling. I felt the need to stop doing something I knew I shouldn’t be doing. The spirit was telling me I needed to repent.
2 Corinthians 7:9-10
The spirit will make you feel Godly Sorrow so that you recognize what you are doing is wrong. This is not to be confused with worldly sorrow. Worldly Sorrow is the feeling of hopelessness, the inability to change, and worthlessness. Heavenly Father would never give us those kinds of feelings. Those feelings come from the Devil.
The reason I bring this up is that if we are a broken tool, then Heavenly Father can’t use us to do His work! The spirit can heal us through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, but only if we heed those promptings from the sprit that tell us what we need to repent of.
I’ll use a simple example….
If someone went out hunting but they took a gun that was broken or jammed… They would have no success trying to shoot a deer. They would have to take the time to fix the broken pieces or unclog the jam. It is the same with us…… If we are broken or jammed because of sin, Then Heavenly Father can’t use our full potential. We must repent and forgive so that the Atonement can Heal us. When we do this we are able to become the tool Heavenly Father needs us to be.
Alma 34:31-32
The very instant we turn to Christ is the same instant he begins to change us.
One thing that is emphasized often by our Heavenly Father and his prophets is missionary work. The most important tool you can be in Heavenly Father Hand is to be a missionary. Whether that be a full-time missionary or a member missionary. Heavenly Father wants and needs his Children to hear his message.
Doctrine and Covenants 4:3-4
3 Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;
4 For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;
I know through my own experience of being on a mission… that if you want to have the spirit more in your life, you must share the Gospel. When you share the Gospel to your friends a few things are happening.
First, you are showing Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ that you love them. “If you love me, feed my sheep.”
Second, you are showing your friend that you love them!
Third, you are bringing salvation to your own soul.
Lastly, you are giving the Holy Ghost the opportunity to testify of truth. When you tell a friend that you know the book of Mormon is true, or you bear your testimony about how Jesus Christ can forgive sins… The Holy Ghost will always be present to confirm what you’ve said. The more eternal truths you share each day… the more uplifted you will feel by the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.
Testimony.
Hope you
enjoy it and can picture me delivering it with a smile and of course eye
contact;) haha
Here is a
quote I heard this week that I love..."Jesus had not finished his work when his body was slain, neither did he finish it after his resurrection from the dead; although he had accomplished the purpose for which he then came to the earth, he had not fulfilled all his work. And when will he? Not until he has redeemed and saved every son and daughter of our father Adam that have been or ever will be born upon this earth to the end of time, except the sons of perdition. That is his mission."-D. Todd Christofferson
Shout out to My grandparents! Yesterday was grandparents day and I love you all!!
Love Elder Crandall the Vandal
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