My name is Emma Beazer, I was called to serve in the England Birmingham mission and served there for 18 months. Check this blog out to read about all my experiences, and here is my new blog to read about what is happening NOW. https://emmabeazer3.wixsite.com/letters -the link is also down below, entitled "letters"
So on Monday night, Sister Lowder wasn't feeling so well so we did daily planning early and she headed to bed - I just wrote in my journal for a bit cause I had been slacking on that.
Tuesday - Sister Lowder had an awful cough, but we pushed through and went out street contacting and visiting investigators and some members. She just continued to get worse, so we came home out of the rain and worked on our progress record and some ward list things we had to do that we could do out of the cold so hopefully she would get better.
Wednesday - I woke up with a cough and was super congested, and Sister Lowder was AWFUL. She was so sick. So we continued to push through cause we wanted to work, but we just did secret acts of service and work to try and not get others sick. We got blessings that night which were really good, but not that we would be healed immediately which is I think what we were hoping for...
Thursday - We were both SUPER SUPER SUPER sick. So hence, the mission presidents wife and our district leader told us to stay in bed and get better. I don't think I have ever slept so much in my life. At this point I was super nauseous as well....Thursday was a rough day for both of us. Cause we wanted to be out working but knew we had to get better! It was rough. I'll explain more of my emotional state at this time in a minute.
Friday - we had zone meeting, were both pretty sick, but feeling better than Thursday, so I got to go and play the organ for the meeting and the president and his wife came (which is weird for zone meetings, but since he is new I think maybe they wanted to get to know the areas as well? I am not sure.) It was really good though. All about the importance of church and the Sabbath day. I loved it :)
Saturday - we taught a couple lessons - one to one of the Lisa's and one to Rosemary, who is the most darling recent convert EVER. She is OLD and hilarious. She told me how much she wanted me to play the organ again on Sunday which really helped my mood.
Sunday was a blessing. So much of a blessing! I am so grateful that I was able to have the Sabbath day. BOTH of our Lisas came to church and felt the spirit so strongly! They loved it. One of our lisas is on a date for September 19th, and she just quit smoking last sunday and hasn't smoked ALL WEEK so if she continues she will be totally ready!!!! I AM SO EXCITED!!!
Ok, so about my emotions this week...I was REALLY frustrated. Being sick is really hard on the mission cause you feel useless and don't want to take the time to get better. And then being stuck in the flat all day really helps you realize all the little things that annoy you....you realize ALL of them. And that doesn't help the mood. So this week was hard until about Friday, when we had zone meeting and I was spiritually uplifted and reminded to focus on the good. So I am grateful for this week as it was such a learning experience. Hopefully now I don't get sick again for a long long long long time. We are taking vitamins every day and hopefully that helps (it is recommended by the mission president. Cause there is no sun here and the cold and wet makes it easy to get sick in the winter)
But honestly, this week has been good. Hard days will come but they will also pass. Refer to 2 Nephi 4 - we are surrounded by trials and afflictions but when we trust in the Lord we can ALWAYS get through and he will strengthen us (Philippeans 4:13). I know I can do ALL things through Christ. He will always help me. My faith has been strengthened so much this week.
Thank you for the pictures from Henderson! I miss the sun and the mountains - could you send me some pictures of Waterton? I also want to show my companion where I am from. I do love Wales and the rain but there is just something about mountains...Make sure to appreciate them for me!
GOOD LUCK WITH SCHOOL! School starts this week here as well, which makes it hard to teach with members but we are working on it! I am sure school will go great this week - tell the kids good luck and I love all of you!
Send pictures whenever! I can see them throughout the week!
Sooo....where am I? I bet you all want to know :) I AM IN WALES!!!! (wait what? Yeah I said Wales). My area in is Rhiwbina, which is in Cardiff, which is the capital of Wales. WALES IS BEAUTIFUL!! They say there are more sheep than people here, but I would say there are more giant slugs than people.....I don't want to count how many I have accidentally crushed whilst biking. Oh yeah, and this is a biking area!! Soooo I bike every day. In a skirt or dress. Let me tell you....it is a challenge. Not flashing people whilst biking in a skirt is difficult. BUT I am doing good!
My companion's name is Sister Lowder and she is from ARIZONA!! She said that she wants to visit Canada and so when the missions are done our families should visit each others homes. Which would be lovely because I KNOW dad would love to go to Arizona :)
She is amazing. She has only been out for 6 months, and I am her first trainee but she is incredible. She loves the gospel and loves the people here and I am SO grateful she is my trainer. Even though she made me do the longest bike ride (about 45 minutes one way) on the very first day.
Also, did I mention Wales is completely HILLS? Yeah. Biking up and down hills every day whilst carrying scriptures and books. So fun. So so so fun. But I am learning to love it!
We have a couple really SOLID investigators. They want to get baptized in September and I think it is a very real possibility. Smoking is a HUGE thing here, so that is the main problem for pretty much everyone we teach. But our 2 solid investigators are Lisa and Lisa (there are SO many Lisa's here. Like 4 investigator Lisa's right now actually). And they are amazing! They both have such a testimony that God loves them and that they want to be baptized. we just have to get them to wake up for 9 o'clock church and to stop smoking! But they are progressing AMAZINGLY!
I have a bit of a spiritual thought to share. I tend to be hard on myself (something President Preston and I talked about at the MTC), and the first couple days here I was really hard on myself cause I was TERRIFIED of talking to people on the street. I still did it, but was terrified. And I was frustrated cause I felt like I shouldn't be frustrated (weird cycle, I know) and It was hard. BUT I started reading in the hymns, and read hymn #166, and verse 3 really stuck out to me.
It says :
"I need thy presence every passing hour. What but they grace, can foil the tempters power. Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be? Thru cloud and sunshine Lord, abide with me."
And Then I was reading the scriptures that go along with the song, John 15:4-12 and verse 7 hit me especially hard. It says " If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."
BAM. I didn't need to be frustrated. I just needed to draw closer to my Saviour and pray and trust in Him, and ask for strength. And even if I am scared, as long as I keep talking to people and doing service and doing my best, I will be blessed. I have already seen evidence in that in the 5 days I have been here.
I love that we are always helped by the Saviour and don't have to rely on our own strength. If I had to do that, I wouldn't even be on a mission. I wouldn't have finished first year engineering. I wouldn't have done a lot of things. But I know that " I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13). And I know that I can.
On Sunday I got to play the organ here! They hadn't had an organist for YEARS (they just used their piano) and I got to play the organ and the ward was SO THANKFUL! And I loved it :) I love using music to help people. I think that is part of the reason I am here. So that was really cool and amazing. And I have gotten to sing to quite a few investigators/less actives during lessons. I love music and the spirit it brings :)
If you send mail, send it to this address whilst I am here in Wales so it comes faster (I will be here for AT LEAST 12 weeks so yeah)
Sister Emma Beazer
44E Heol Llanishen Fach
Cardiff, Wales
CF14 6LE
United Kingdom
Love you!
Sister Beazer :)
emma.beazer@myldsmail.net
Sister Lowder and Sister Beazer
My companion, me . . . . AND ELDER HUNTER and his companion!
I saw Elder Hunter at transfers and we chatted for a bit.
It was SO cool but so weird to see a familiar face here.
So weird. We both had weird looks on our faces when we saw
each other the first time haha. Wouldve been a perfect picture moment I think.
We did a photo hunt at the MTC one day as an activity, and this was my group (notice me standing awkwardly to the side - I didn't know what to do with all these Elders)
Teacher #2 - Brother Hardman (from England)
My teacher #1 -Sister Alston (from Magrath)
My MTC District
My MTC District
companions!!
The Preston Temple - one of my favorite places on Earth!
Oh my goodness I have SO MUCH TO TELL YOU!! Keep in mind as I email, that even if I don't respond to everything each of you has said, I HAVE read everything. I just don't have a lot of time to email.
Know that I love you all and I keep you in my prayers every day. (and I pray a LOT so that is a lot of prayers). Oh and the missionaries here all pray for all of our families and friends so you are getting prayers from a bunch of MTC missionaries too. Your support is so important to us.
Also, we got my paper from Aunt Verena so PLEASE tell her thank you so so so so very much! Without that, my visa would have expired in a week and I would've had to go home, and get a new one and wait to finish serving. So thank you thank you thank you to her.
So the MTC! I am going to try and write a timeline basically of what we do every day, so the kids (and my friends) can see how it is here!
So our regular days pretty much go like this
6:30 - wake up, shower, pray, get ready for the day
7:00 - breakfast
7:30 - personal study/comp study for 15 minutes if we need it
8:30 - teaching investigators (who are actually our teachers, but it makes it more real)
10:10 - exercise
11:30 - lunch
12:20 - companion study/teaching investigators
2:00 - lessons with teachers about various things
3:30 - more lessons or maybe teaching
4:40 - dinner
5:10 - study again
6:00 - more lessons/teaching/study depending on the day
7:00 - study or lessons, or district meetings
8:00 - usually lessons with teachers, lots of practicing teaching
9:00 daily planning
10:30 - bedtime!
So you can get the idea that we are SUPER booked up for time. Some days dinner can go for longer during which me and my companions ALWAYS have like a 10 minute nap or we prepare for a lesson if we are teaching right at 6. Sleep is super important here - making sure you always go to bed on time and waking up on time. We are exhausted all the time but it is a wonderful kind of exhaustion!
To explain teaching, our teachers here in the MTC act as someone they know very well who isn't a member of the church - a family member, best friend, etc - and we teach them as thought they were them. It is really cool actually. We are teaching 4 progressing investigators right now, Paul, Tanya, Falon, and Adam. I think Tanya is the one who is the most open to learning. Paul kind of is - his sister died in a car crash a year ago so he is open to learning about how families can be forever but just isn't sure if God completely cares about him and his family. But wants to believe He does. Falon is a referral from her friend who has been a member her whole life..her lessons was actually really cool cause all the Elders in our district taught her before we did, we were last on the schedule and none of them could get her to want to pray or to know if God existed really. She was kind of interested in what her friend believed but that was it. And when we taught her...idk, we explained prayer in such a way that she actually did pray to God to ask if He had a plan for her and what to do! It was REALLY cool!!! The Spirit acts in such a cool way.
So a bit about my companions. For some reason, I don't think we can send pictures here in the MTC so unless somehow someone figures it out or we find out if we can, then I'll do that. I have some BEAUTIFUL pictures of us by the temple (it is like a 2 minute walk from here) and so if I can I will send those. If not, it'll have to wait till next week when I am in the field.
About my companions. Sister Grand is from New Zealand. She is REALLY splendid. She loves the gospel, but is a bit shy about sharing it..which we are working on! But I love her to death and I love being her companion. Sister Fromgren is from Norway, she speaks English, Swedish and Norwegian (SHE IS AMAZING) and she is probably the most beautiful person I have ever met. EVER. I love her. She is absolutely lovely and kind and sweet and caring.
She has struggled a bit the past week because of feeling frustrated and angry that her English isn't that good (I think she does wonderful though) but we had a talk yesterday with President Preston (the MTC president) and I think it has helped her a lot. And she got a blessing from him as well. So hopefully she feels better. She told Sister Grant and I that she appreciated our love to her to much because in Norway, all the girls were snobby and mean to her when she moved from Sweden and she was worried that ALL girls were like that, but we just loved her and talked with her and she said how much she loved us for it (She and I were both crying as she said this, we are the emotional ones in the trio.
Sister Grant is like solid rock of New Zealand amazingness).. But they are both absolutely wonderful and I love them so much! I didn't realize how much love I could have for people till being here in the MTC. It can be hard though...I struggled a bit this week cause I just want everyone to be doing well and feeling great all the time and I cant help everyone and be perfect (which is unfortunate) but I had a talk with President Preston as well and he just told me that as long as I'm doing my best the Lord helps. And its when people are pushed to their limits that God can really help us.
Other things about the MTC. We are learning proper English hear, as the english call it...so you can tell Kate that yes, I am learning English at the MTC. We aren't supposed to say 'awesome' or 'cool' or anything like that. So we say lovely, splendid, marvelous, wonderful, amazing, etc. It has definitely made me sound more intelligent. And I have started to pick up various accents. I can imitate the typical British accent we think of in Canada very well now, and a Norweigan accent (thanks to Sister Fromgren) AND even a bit of a New Zealand one. Its like and Austrailian accent but much prettier I think. I don't know how else to explain it.
They feed us VERY VERY well here at the MTC. I think they are trying to make us fat actually. The gluten free food is splendid over here, I've never tasted anything like it. I don't know how I am going to come home and eat any of the food there now...but I shall have to try I guess.
The temple....so we are going this afternoon, I was hoping to email after so I could tell you about it but that will have to wait till next week I suppose. But I have been outside the temple and on the grounds so I will tell you about that! I wish pictures would work on these laptops but....they don't, everything is locked up really tight so all we can access is the missionary portal and nothing that is plugged in or anything. so I shall just explain about it. The temple here along with the gardens is the most lovely place I have ever been to in my entire life. Including Waterton I think. I cant even explain it!! I love it SO SO SO very much. On Sundays we get a bit of personal time, during which my companions and I just walked through the temple gardens and on the temple grounds and just enjoyed the peace that is there. Pictures don't even do it justice but it is just so perfect and beautiful here. I love it. If it would be possible for me to get married in this temple, I think it is the temple I would choose. It is amazing.
I am so grateful that I went to mission prep for as long as I did and that I studied the scriptures so much. It has helped me SO SO much here at the MTC. Many missionaries don't read or study preach my gospel hardly at all before they come and it makes it so much harder. But I am so blessed.
Oh also just some random things I guess. So my district is the three sisters (me, sister Fromgren and Sister Grant), and then Elder Parkinson is our district leader, he is from Kaysville (I don't know how to spell it) which is kind of cool. He knows some people I know from EFY. He is a spectacular district leader. He shows all of us how much he loves us and helps us learn so much so I am really grateful for that. His companion is Elder Tolk, also from Utah. Then there is Elder Palfrey and Elder Brosnahan (From Canada (bc) and then New Zealand, I'll let you guess who is from where). Then there is Elder Williams and Elder Clayton, also from Utah. Our district is fabulous. We sing all the time even though some of the Elders are tone deaf but it is still fun. I love them all to death and we learn so much together.
Speaking of singing, I had to sing in a sisters quartet on Sunday, and this next Sunday I was asked to sing so Sister Berrett and I (I am sitting by her in the photo the MTC put up I think, she has brown wavy hair and might is super tiny) are going to sing a duet I think. I brought some sheet music so we might sing Peace Be Still or the Olive Tree. Who knows! Whatever the Spirit tells us to sing. I have had to play the piano multiple times here, and also accompany someone who was doing a musical number so THANK YOU for forcing me to take piano lessons because it can help others so much.
I haven't really gotten homesick, which I think is a blessing from God but do know that I do miss you all and love you! I hope your trip is still going wonderfully! And HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD for your birthday since you wont hear from me again till after it :) We have got 6 more days here in the MTC including today (we leave next Wednesday) so hopefully it goes by fast but I can still learn a lot! I am so excited for this!! I love the MTC but cant wait to see how the real mission field is and to learn and grow and cry and laugh and everything! It will be hard and amazing. Also, since we are leaving next Wednesday
I am not really sure when we will email next exactly so just know that I love you and will write to you when I can :)
We arrived this morning around 11 England time, and I am EXHAUSTED. I've been awake for over 24 hours. So that is interesting. But while I am exhausted I still feel super awake and excited about the next two weeks here! The MTC president here is Emma Bevan's old mission president, and he is the nicest man I have ever met! His wife is wonderful too. I just had my interview with him and his wife. I think they are going to make me sing at some point cause I put on the form that I can sing...so that'll be interesting. He wants me to sing solo so that will be even more interesting *gulp*. But they also are going to have me play the piano for our Saturday meeting I think which I am excited for! I do love playing the piano. And if my musical talents help in any way with helping others feel the spirit, I am excited about that!
All my flights went well, there was one (in Toronto) where we had to run to catch the flight but we made it! And the airport in Germany was like a castle it was so fancy. Elder Harker and I were the only missionaries on all of our flights...so that was interesting. But I talked to a few people I sat beside, one German man and I had a good conversation (at least I think it was good, he was hard to understand) about my mission and stuff. He had seen a presentation some missionaries did and so thats all he knew about the church. I hope meeting me was a good experience. There are only 3 Canadians here at the MTC so far, so that is kind of cool! Also, this group reporting to the MTC is the biggest group EVER apparently! Which is really cool. I love everyone I've met so far and I cant wait to find out who my companion is tonight! Right now we are just supposed to be updating you with how we are doing quickly, so hopefully this email is good.
The MTC is BEAUTIFUL! Actually all of England is beautiful. Its pretty cloudy and grey but the trees and grass are green and beautiful! I think I get to take a walk around the temple later this afternoon so I am excited about that! About 10 minutes after we got here it started to POUR rain which I guess is normal here, but it was awesome!
Just so you know, I think P days here are on Wednesday, so you'll get to hear from me again in a week!
I am feeling excited about learning this week, my goal is to be teachable and humble and just let the Spirit guide me to learn what I can do to become the best missionary I can be! I also want to love everyone. One of the Elders was worrying about how he was going to deal with people he didnt get a long with, and it made me think...I know there are people who I will struggle to be companions with, but I just want to love everyone I serve with. So my goal is to just pray to have charity and work my best to love everyone as Christ would!
I love you all, I am so grateful for your support and I hope you know how much I love you! Give everyone a big hug from me (even Jack, although he might cringe).
Well this is it, I leave in 2 days to serve in the England Birmingham Mission!! (the EBM - Earth's best mission according to President Johnson)
I am so excited for this chance to serve the Lord as a missionary!
If you want to contact me for the next 18 months, here is how:
by email, which I can respond to once a week, so feel free to email me whenever and I will get back to you when I can. My email while I am gone will be emma.beazer@myldsmail.net
by actual real mail, I would LOVE to get letters whenever you have time to send some, letters are a beautiful thing and it will feel like a bit of home so send them if you can! My mailing address for letters is
Sister Emma Taylor Beazer
England Birmingham Mission
187 Penns Lane
Sutton Coldfield
West Midlands B76 1JU
If you want to send packages, please send them to this address
Sister Emma Taylor Beazer
England Birmingham Mission
187 Penns Lane
Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands
England B76 1JU
United Kingdom
Thank you everyone for your support and I go and serve a mission for 18 months! Feel free to write to me in any way, I would love to hear updates on life and everything! My parents will update this blog with my emails so feel free to read my updates :)
I know this gospel is true. I have spent a long time gaining a testimony and really working on knowing, and I can tell you with all my heart that I know. I have felt the spirit testify to me while reading the Book of Mormon and while praying, and I also know the Book of Mormon is the word of god. Joseph Smith, through the power of God translated the Book of Mormon so we could have it at this time, because it is meant for us. If we study and read it every day, it will strengthen our relationship with our Saviour SO MUCH. I know Jesus Christ lives and He loves us so very much. He died for us, suffered for our sins and pains and afflictions just so that we could live with Him again. I know that if we are struggling with ANYTHING, He knows what we are going through and if we pray we can receive strength and blessings. I know our Heavenly Father sent us to this Earth so we could reach our full potential and live with Him again, all we need to do is strive our best to keep the commandments. I love this gospel with all my heart, and try to live it the best I can every day. I know that as we strive to live the gospel and strengthen our relationship with Christ, we will be able to return to live with Him again. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. See you in 18 months! - Sister Emma Beazer :)
10 days until I leave to serve a mission in England! This day has been coming for a LONG time. From the time I got my call to when I was supposed to leave, I had to wait 122 days which seemed like FOREVER but here it is! Only 10 days left and they will go by fast.
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 byCecil 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.
“And by the power of the Holy Ghost
ye may know the truth of all things” (Moroni 10:4–5).
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 saysin 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, whyshould 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.
