We have been working on a list of people that are members that aren't coming to church. It was a really edifying experience and made me think about how I am viewed in the church. Everyone of the families when we talked about the ward showed genuine excitement to hear who is the Bishop. He's someone that's normal like anyone else that gets called and set apart for something special. What would happen if I get called to this position what would I do and what would people do?
So this week I started to plan a talk about what it means to be a Disciple of Christ and to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ. I was thinking a lot about a talk given by Elder Holland, Inconvenient Messiah. He talks about the fast of Jesus Christ and how his life wasn't easy and how can we as his disciples think that our lives our going to be easier than his. Christ had the power to do anything that he wanted to do but when he was tempted he chose to not act because he believed that there is a time and place for all things. I have fallen in love with a scripture that is in D&C 64:32-33 because it tells us that we can have faith in the timing of the lord without stopping and waiting for him to do everything for us.
32 But all things must come to pass in their time.
33 Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.
Sometimes we get complacent as members or think that what we are doing isn't making a difference but that just isn't true we are making a huge difference by doing the little things that the lord wants of us. The adversary is going to attack us in ways that we don't expect by making us think that what we want will come easy or that we cant do it at all, that's a lie from the father of lies!
Belief, testimony, and faith are not passive principles they take acting, sharing, and progressing. I really like what my mission presidents wife said the other day, Your words tell people what your thinking but your actions tell people what you believe.
I have felt that we as missionaries really don't do anything..... we study, practice, and work so that God can work through us to do what He wants done. I really like a scripture that is 2 Nephi 27:21 about how God will show that He can do what He wants in His way. To have faith show that you have faith in His plan and His timing.
I love you all!!
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In thinking about Elder Packham's email this week and doing some study to share with him, I found this:
Elder Dallin H. Oaks (1932- ) served as president of BYU from 1971-1980. He was then appointed as a justice of the Utah Supreme Court, and resigned when he was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1984.
"If we have faith in God and if we are committed to the fundamentals of keeping His commandments and putting Him first in our lives, we do not need to plan every single event—even every important event—and we should not feel rejected or depressed if some things—even some very important things—do not happen at the time we had planned or hoped or prayed.
"Commit yourself to put the Lord first in your life, keep His commandments, and do what the Lord's servants ask you to do. Then your feet are on the pathway to eternal life. Then it does not matter whether you are called to be a bishop or a Relief Society president, whether you are married or single, or whether you die tomorrow. You do not know what will happen. Do your best on what is fundamental and personal and then trust in the Lord and His timing."
- Dallin H. Oaks, "Timing," BYU devotional address, 29 January 2002; see Ensign, Oct. 2003, pp. 10-17
Click here to read the full talk
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