I want to post my farewell talk here, for those who weren't able to make it and because it pretty much explains WHY I want to go on a mission. I'm not going because its the thing to do, or because a lot of my friends are going. I'm going because I have been converted to this gospel and I want to share it with the world.
Here is my talk:
What is the “gospel” that we
talk about? The word gospel means good news. In true to the faith, the gospel
is defined as our Heavenly Fathers plan of Happiness. So…the gospel is good
news that brings happiness. HOW is the gospel good news? How can we learn for
ourselves what the gospel is and how it brings us happiness?
When I was about 14 I felt
restricted by the standards we were asked to live. I wanted to do what I
wanted…pretty much all the time. Most of the time what I wanted was within the
standards but when it wasn’t I felt like I didn’t have a choice. (although
really, we always have a choice). I went to church but felt bored almost with
what we were learning….I felt like since I couldn’t do what I wanted, it just
wasn’t necessarily for me.
Then, in the summer of 2012 I
went to EFY, which is a church organized camp for a week. We get separated into
groups on this camp, with two young adult counselors. One of my counsellors had been baptized into the church about a year before
coming and being a leader at this camp. Every time she talked about the church
and the gospel and about Jesus Christ, her face just lit up! She seemed so
happy and content and almost excited about going to church and learning about
the gospel, which was something I didn’t really understand, but that I wanted
to understand. One day she was talking about her conversion, and about why she
wanted to serve a mission, and she explained how she’d had an LDS friend for
years who invited her to stuff and was just an example to her in the way that
he lived. she shared a verse that really made her realize she needed to get baptized, its in Alma 32:16
16 Therefore, blessed are they who humble themselves without being
compelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed is he that believeth
in the word of God, and is baptized without stubbornness of heart, yea, without
being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know, before they will
believe.
As she read this verse
and explained how she needed to learn to become humble, I thought about my own
life. The main reason I was having issues paying attention in church or really
putting in any effort to learn if it was true, was because I wasn’t willing to
humble myself to try. So, as we got a challenge to read our
scriptures every day that week, I decided I’d take it. Cause I might as well at
least learn if the gospel was true. The difference I felt in my life that week
was AMAZING. So when I left EFY, I stuck with the challenge, and read my
scriptures every single day. The biggest
part of living the gospel, is doing the small and simple things. As Alma said
to his son Helaman,
“Now ye may suppose that this is
foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things
are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth
confound the wise.
“And the Lord God doth work by means
to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord
doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls” (Alma 37:6–7).
So I just kept on reading.
I felt a difference in my life when I was reading constantly every day, but
still wasn’t sure if the church was true or not. I was starting to feel the
happiness that comes from the gospel l, but didn’t quite have a testimony yet. But
I wanted one…
In a talk by Cecil O. Samulson, Entitled “Testimony”, he
talks about how to get a testimony, and what it is.
“In our Latter-day Saint context, we
refer to our testimonies as our sure witness of the truthfulness of the gospel
of Jesus Christ.
While a testimony is simple and clear
in this defining declaration, arising from this declaration are several
potential questions, such as: Who is entitled to have a testimony? How does one
obtain the necessary revelation? What are the steps in obtaining a testimony?
Is gaining a testimony an event or an ongoing process? Each of these queries
and others have their own subsets, but the fundamentals of gaining and
retaining a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ are straightforward, clear,
and within the capacity of every person.”
how does one obtain the necessary
revelation, and what are the fundamental steps to achieve it? The pattern has
been clear and consistent throughout the ages. The promise given for obtaining
a testimony of the Book of Mormon also applies generally:
“And when ye shall receive these
things”—meaning you have listened, read, studied, and pondered on the question
at hand —“ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things
are not true”—meaning you will pray thoughtfully, specifically, and reverently
with a firm commitment to follow the answer to your prayer—“and if ye shall ask
with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will
manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
The “question at hand” for me, was “how do I
know if the gospel is true”. So I read my scriptures and started praying, and
was attending Seminary (which is a church organized class). I did this for
weeks, then a month, then a few months…..and nothing came. I still felt good
when I went to church, but just wasn’t sure. Then one day in Seminary, my
teacher, brother Eaton, was teaching a lesson about 2 Nephi 4. He played a song (which is actually going to
be sung after my talk)*, that uses the words from this chapter, and is set to
the tune of Be still my soul. In this chapter, Nephi’s father, Lehi has just
given blessings to his children and then dies. After his death, Nephi says “
15 For my soul delighteth
in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the
learning and the profit of my children.
16 Behold, my soul
delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon
the things which I have seen and heard
(talk about how I felt
about the scriptures)
17 Nevertheless,
notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and
marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart
sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.
18 I am encompassed about,
because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.
19 And when I desire to
rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins;
(and then!! He says) nevertheless, I know in
whom I have trusted.”
And who is it who Nephi has
trusted? He says in the next verse that
“
20 My God hath been my
support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath
preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.
Later on in the chapter he
kind of explains why trusting in god has helped him get through his trials…
27 And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations,
that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my
soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?
28 Awake, my soul! No longer
droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my
soul.
29 Do not anger again
because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine
afflictions.
30 Rejoice, O my heart, and
cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul
will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
Now, thinking back to
my counsellor. She seemed to “rejoice” in the gospel as it says in here. In this
moment, my heart was full of feelings and I was just crying. I could feel the
joy that the gospel brings into my life, as I read the scriptures and studied
and prayed every day. And in this moment I got the answer to my prayer, I knew
that this gospel was true. And I still know, and believe with all my heart that
it is true.
One you feel of the joy the
gospel brings into your life, you just want to share it! I now understand why
my counsellor wanted to serve a mission – because she had something in her life that
brought her SO much joy and happiness, and she wanted to share it with anyone
who wanted to listen. I wanted to do the same thing.
How can we share the
gospel?
Dallin H. Oaks said “
As I have prayerfully studied and
pondered over how we can share the gospel, I have concluded that we need three
thing. First, we need a sincere desire to share the gospel. Second, we
need divine assistance. Third, we need to know what to do.
If we are to become more effective
instruments in the hands of the Lord in sharing His gospel, we must sincerely desire
to do so. I believe we acquire this desire in two steps.
First, we must have a firm testimony
of the truth and importance of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
Second, we must have a love for God
and for all of His children. In modern revelation we are told that “love, with
an eye single to the glory of God, qualify [us] for the work” (D&C 4:5). The early Apostles of this dispensation were told that their
love should “abound unto all men” (D&C 112:11).
I like to refer to missionary efforts
as sharing the gospel. The word sharing affirms that we have something
extraordinarily valuable and desire to give it to others for their benefit and
blessing.
I hope no person we approach with an
invitation to hear the message of the restored gospel feels that we are acting
out of any reason other than a genuine love for them and an unselfish desire to
share something we know to be precious.
We also need divine assistance to
guide us in sharing the gospel. Just as our desires must be pure and rooted in
testimony and love, our actions must be directed by the Lord. It is His work,
not ours, and it must be done in His way and on His timing, not ours.
Otherwise, our efforts may be fated to frustration and failure.
We know from countless personal testimonies
that in His own way and His own time the Lord is preparing persons to accept
His gospel.
When we have a sincere desire to
share the gospel with others, and when we have sought divine assistance in our
efforts, what should we do? How do we proceed? We begin by beginning. We should
not wait for a further invitation from heaven. Revelation comes most often when
we are on the move.
From this time on, I decided
to prepare to serve a mission, and to share what I loved with anyone who wanted
to listen. I did this in various ways, by attending the mission prep class,
sharing quotes and pictures on facebook, and talking to anyone about my beliefs
who wanted to learn. I also tried to be an example of what I believed by living
the standards that we choose to live – not drinking, swearing, things like
that. I feel that as I lived all of these standards and tried to do my best to
become like Jesus Christ, I was about as happy as I could be. This doesn’t mean
that it wasn’t HARD. As I have tried to share the gospel, I have had so much
temptation and opportunities to change my mind about a mission, about the
church, and about everything that has made me happy. However, I know that
living the gospel is the one thing that can make you truly happy forever.
Since the time when I started
preparing to go, and now, I have since put in my mission papers, received a
call, and will be leaving to serve in the England, Birmingham mission in 17
days. I could not be more excited for the chance I have to share what I love
with anyone who wants to learn about it.
TESTIMONY IN SIGN LANGUAGE
I would like to bear my testimony. I know the church is true. I believe there is a prophet
on the earth today. He speaks to God. I believe the Book of Mormon is true. I
know Jesus Christ died for us. He loves us and wants us to be happy. I love my Savior. He is my best friend. I am excited to be
a missionary and teach the gospel. I love the gospel with all my heart.
In the name of Jesus
Christ, Amen.
*Here is a video of the song that was sung*
