Blog #5: My Brother's Mission Call

My brother got his mission call today! I have been so nervous and so excited, so when I found out it finally came I was so happy. My brother is only 16 months older than I am, and we are very close. This whole experience has meant so much to me because my brother is such an awesome example. He got his call to the Russia, Rostov mission. This meant a lot to me and my family because when I was six my dad was called as a mission president to Moscow, Russia. My family and I lived there for three years, so Russia has a very special place in our hearts. Rostov is just south of Moscow, so he will be very close to where we used to live. This whole experience has really made me appreciate missionary work more and increased my desire to serve. I have always known that I wanted to serve a mission, but it seemed to me a huge sacrifice. The timing with school and my plans for the future seemed very inconvenient. However, I have really come to realize that when it comes to doing God's work, nothing is truly inconvenient. I would be so ungrateful if I was not willing to give up some of my time to the Lord, because the Lord has given me all. Why should I be selfish with what is truly His? I have covenanted with the Lord that I would do my part to build the kingdom of God. Part of my duty is to serve a mission. I think of all the people who are wandering through their lives without guidance, not knowing their purpose or their mission. The thought of living my whole life without the Church makes me cringe. I want others to be able to partake of the light and knowledge I have. I can see some of God's plan for me, and He continually helps me along the way, step by step. Those who have no greater picture can simply see a life, followed by death, followed by no more. That must cause so much pain and confusion. People must be constantly looking for something more, something to add meaning to this mortal existence. I have that something. I want to let others partake of that something. I want others to know of Christ's love for them, as I know of His love for me. So plain and simple I will serve a mission. I will help people come to their Savior and I will watch the happiness and the meaning enter their lives as they discover who they really are and what they are to do.

Blog #4: General Conference Part 2

This conference was absolutely amazing! So many wonderful talks and so many new insights. A talk from the Sunday afternoon session that struck me so hard was given by Elder Holland. He is one of my favorite speakers, because he has such strong faith and such a good knowledge of the gospel, but he puts everything in very blunt, straight terms so that anyone can easily understand his message. This talk was no exception. He talked about the Book of Mormon, and how people cannot honestly diminish the strength of its testimony and power. People have tried for years to disprove its divine origins, but as Elder Holland pointed out they cannot because the book is of God. He also talked about the Book of Mormon being one of the most scrutinized and inspected books in history, and yet the power from that book still is converting millions to the gospel. There is no way for men to interfere with the mission of the Book of Mormon, because God will not let them. It is His book, and He will do with it what He wants done. I really felt my testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon grow from Elder Holland's talk, and I hope that his added support and emphasis will help others come to Christ through the Book of Mormon, because it is the only book that contains the fulness of the gospel. I love the Book of Mormon, and I hope all people will have the opportunity to read it and to feel of its light and power. I hope that those of us who already know and love the Book of Mormon will do what we can to bring it to those who have not had the opportunity to read it, because we all should want the blessing of the Book of Mormon to penetrate the lives of everyone.

Blog #3: General Conference

Today a talk from general conference that really struck me was given by Elder Scott. He talked about revelation from the Lord and what we do with that revelation. What really hit me hard was when he said that if we are not receptive to the Spirit, act on revelation, and write down what inspiration the Lord gives us, we are not prepared to receive further, more important, revelation. That was a major wake up call to me. I have often tried to maintain a journal of insights I receive, but I have never been very successful. I know that it is important, and I have even felt major promptings to keep a journal. However, it has never seemed all that important to me, so I have not kept up. The idea that not recording this revelation may lead to spiritual impairment never crossed my mind, but it makes perfect sense. If we disregard promptings and revelations, or if we deem them not important enough to be recorded and remembered, why should the Lord trust us with further revelation. By showing the Lord we don't care enough to record His word, we make ourselves ineligible to hear the rest of what He has to tell us. I am sure that if the Lord spoke to us face to face we would all record His words and want to remember them forever. Why is His talking to us through the Holy Ghost any different? It isn't, and I know that I will no longer treat it that way.