Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Tough Week
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I've been thinking a lot about my mission experience recently. I've been serving for twenty months. I return home to Orem, Utah in March. It is dificult to describe my mission. It has meant so much to me. Serving the Lord has changed my life in so many ways.
Every day, I meet new people. I've encountered what seems like every situation, yet each new person I meet has a new unique story.
This last week was one of the toughest I have had. Every individual we contacted, in one way or another, discontinued their connection with us.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Online Missionary: Elder Lanham
I about fell out of my seat when I heard. Missionaries online? Really?
I thought we were just attending a standard missionary meeting to discuss issues and help refocus on the work. But when our mission president announced the new online missionary program, I was quite surprised. Since then, missionaries in eight missions have begun blogs, started up facebook accounts, and created personal profiles on mormon.org. I sign on to facebook and Blogger each day, and see in my chat box about thirty other missionaries at one time, all trying to spread the gospel. It's quite amazing.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Fear Not Reviling
It seems that whenver there is something good going on, there is something bad there to oppose it.
There is a reason these verses were included in the Holy Bible:
Acts 5: 34-39
34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;
35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.
36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.
37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
It's interesting how many today spend so much effort trying to debase and harrass, instead of focusing on building up and strengthening. Really, the best way to move the gospel forward is to preach it and share it, not to try to tear down the opposition. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a huge example of this. The Church spends no time contending with others; Every effort is spent inviting all to come unto Christ.
What would Jesus Christ have done?
There is a reason these verses were included in the Holy Bible:
Acts 5: 34-39
34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;
35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.
36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.
37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
It's interesting how many today spend so much effort trying to debase and harrass, instead of focusing on building up and strengthening. Really, the best way to move the gospel forward is to preach it and share it, not to try to tear down the opposition. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a huge example of this. The Church spends no time contending with others; Every effort is spent inviting all to come unto Christ.
What would Jesus Christ have done?
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Finding a Family
Yesterday, my companion and I woke up, looked at eachother, and said, "Today is the day we find our family." That may sound like a funny phrase to some. What I mean by that is, we were determined to locate a family that is interested in learning about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
I can't explain the feeling that came over us that day other than to say it was the Spirit of the Lord. We just knew we were going to find a family.
Everything we did during that day was focused on finding the family that we knew was waiting for us. We had scouted out two streets earlier that week, looking for houses with objects or clues to indicate a young family living there.
We began to knock on the doors, having mild success, when we felt we needed to ask a local member of the church who she knew on the street that we could contact. She began to talk about the neghbors around, giving us an idea of who would be good to go see. No one she described sounded particulary open to our message, but we were grateful for the help, and we determined that we would go and visit the families she suggested. Then, just as we were about to go, she remembered a special friend of hers who had been having troubles and who she felt would love the message we share. Her face lit up as she spoke.
A feeling of urgency and excitement filled my companion and me.
I can't explain the feeling that came over us that day other than to say it was the Spirit of the Lord. We just knew we were going to find a family.
Everything we did during that day was focused on finding the family that we knew was waiting for us. We had scouted out two streets earlier that week, looking for houses with objects or clues to indicate a young family living there.
We began to knock on the doors, having mild success, when we felt we needed to ask a local member of the church who she knew on the street that we could contact. She began to talk about the neghbors around, giving us an idea of who would be good to go see. No one she described sounded particulary open to our message, but we were grateful for the help, and we determined that we would go and visit the families she suggested. Then, just as we were about to go, she remembered a special friend of hers who had been having troubles and who she felt would love the message we share. Her face lit up as she spoke.
A feeling of urgency and excitement filled my companion and me.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Hope
Hope gives us the power to endure the challenges of life.
Life is hard. Life is a test.
The gospel is simple.
We only have two choices:
Follow Christ, and have peace, power, light, and joy;
or go some other way,
any other way,
whatever other way,
and go it alone, in confusion and emptiness.
This perspective can greatly simply our lives. I know that if we choose to follow the things we know are right, we will be happy. If we choose not to, we will be unhappy.
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