My Last Missionary Blog...

From when I first started my mission

     As I look back on the past couple years, it seems to have flown by like it was nothing, and yet has felt like being able to be here sharing the gospel for the past lifetime.  One thing that is comforting, is knowing with how much I have learned here, is that you don’t have to have the tag on to do missionary work and to share the gospel with so many of those around us each day. It has been of the greatest blessings to be here, and getting to especially do the work in a way never done before.  I don’t know many missionaries who have had the blessings who have had the blessing to reach those of our Heavenly Father’s children on every continent (minus Antarctica of course haha).  I understand a lot more now after these 2 years, of what

***Testimony Thursday!!!***

This is from a way sweet girl, Jacky, that was baptized last year!  She is stellar!!

You know that feeling when you've been staring at a math problem for hours on end? Completely stuck on one step? Not moving forward towards the answer, but not wanting to give up quite yet despite the feeling that you want to slam the book shut and toss it out the window? That's been my relationship with Heavenly Father for as long as I can remember. I know its there. I can almost grasp the concept, but I'm missing one tiny piece of the puzzle. Despite the size of the last missing piece, it's the most important and integral part to the answer. Without that, you're not quite complete. You're not quite finished. I've spent my entire life starting blankly at a page that has all of the work done until the very last part. I wanted so badly to give up but something kept gnawing at my soul. I knew that I wasn't complete without that last teeny tiny piece of myself.

Testimony Thursday!!

This is from Shanon, an awesome convert from England!:

 It was Monday 9th November 2009 and my sister Charlotte dared me to call the Leeds 3 missionaries and talk about irrelevant things, so i did and Elder Thorpe invited me to go along to a family home evening, so I quickly got ready to go, had to rush round. I really didn't want to go but I thought I would give it ago when the lesson started it was amazing I really enjoyed it. I prayed that I would get an answer that the book of Mormon was true and that Joseph smith was a prophet who restored the book of Mormon. After nearly no time of thinking it was stupid I started to believe it. Then I find myself wanting to know and learn more. I went to two more family home evenings, one on Tuesday and one on Friday, then the missionaries came to our house on Saturday. 

Testimony Thursday? =)

Remember, often how God speaks to us, is through what
He inspires others to say for our benefit...

So now I am companions for teaching, with Elder LeeMaster, and there is a good thing that he has been doing that I'm going to adopt.  Once a week, he posts testimonies from people that have learned about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have asked a few recent converts if they would be comfortable writing that for other people to see.  I have seen how much I have been able to grow by having the testimonies of others, and see how the gospel and their Heavenly Father has blessed them in their lives.  So here is one for today.  This is from Gail, an awesome lady that I taught who lives in British Columbia (beautiful place!!), and she was baptized about a year ago, and wrote this up a few days ago for me to post, thanks Gail!!:

What is love...?

Christ cleaning the disciples feet

There are many things that God has taught, that can be a blessing for us, that can help us to feel of His love, and to come closer to Him.  One of the biggest things that God taught all throughout history, and that Christ emphasized, was to love one another; to have charity, and to respect.  When we look back on the life of Christ, there are many examples of that, through which we can learn and apply to our own lives.
He often showed His love for all of the people around us, and strived to

The Speed of Change...

Standing in the 6 inches of snow

It seems that change is always an interesting thing to ponder and to view.  In the midst of it, it is nearly unnoticeable, and makes a gradual impact, to an eventual realization of what happened.  And other times, change can come so quickly, that we are shocked at what is found. One example, is something that I have found while being here on my mission, in Utah.  It is most quite often, far below freezing here during the winter months, but I am still shocked some days at the speed of change.  An example of that, was just a couple of days ago, wherein about six inches of snow fell during the night and into the morning, and come late afternoon, you would have never guessed, with there being nearly nothing left on the ground.  And what surprised me the most,

Lost Yourself Lately?...

Don't be a hater......

There is an author that I have enjoyed reading throughout my life, who tends to have amazing insights and ways to describe aspects of life, while looking through different religious views. This author to which I refer, is C. S. Lewis, one of the most prominent Christian writers and intellectuals of the twentieth century. One of my favorite books he has written, is entitle "The Screwtape Letters", of which many of you know.  The basis of the book is the correspondence between a senior tempter (Screwtape) in work for the devil, to his young nephew (Wormwood) that is assigned to tempt an ordinary young man.  In it, Screwtape is telling Wormwood of things that he needs to know about how to secure the damnation of this man, and how to use the world against the plan that the Enemy (God) has for all humans. I really enjoy some of the ways that "Screwtape", in his letters, tells of what God wants us to become, and how it is that He desires for us to "lose" ourselves. Here are two different excerpts from the book here talking on that subject;

Who are you reppin'?

Green Bay Packers fan

Most probably remember days back in high school, and having "spirit" day.  And as time goes on, for sporing events (whether collegiate or professional), supporters of each team, dress in a fashion so as for any onlooker to know what it is that they represent, who they are a "fan" of. The world has many things, that come from may angles and aspects in our lives, to try and gain the support of people, to have them thus represent whatever is desired.  As the world tries to put this forth, however, there is another, Whom is constant, and that desires for us to have joy in our lives, as well as to find a sure foundation whereon we can "represent"...

The child of a king...

Children of God

So I have heard this story a few times throughout my life, and just the other day, Elder Sabin brought it up, and I decided to put it up here for you to see as well.  It was told by Bishop Vaughn J. Featherstone in 1975.
"Many years ago I heard the story of the son of King Louis XVI of France.  King Louis had been taken from his throne and imprisoned. His young son, the prince, was taken by those who dethroned the king.  They thought that inasmuch as the king's son was heir to the throne, if they could destroy him morally, he would never realize the great and grand destiny that life had...

What difference does it make?...

Laying a foundation

When people look at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, too often, they do not see any difference. I am asked more times than I could possibly count, "what makes the Mormon church different from any other Christian denomination?"  And the answers to that question can be given in relatively short descriptions, but the deeper meaning cannot fully done justice through the answer that many desire.  There are things that set apart the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from any other church on earth, but to understand that, some of the points that do make the difference, must also be truly understood. I think as well, one important thing to realize, said by the prophet Joseph Smith, is that "The fundamental principles of our religious are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it." Central to all that we believe, the very church and gospel itself, the foundation of all of it, rests on "Jesus Christ, Himself being the chief cornerstone." (Ephesians 2:20). Now in our day, ...