It has been a beautiful week! I have the nastiest foot tan
ever (it is already looking darker and better than last years and it is only
May!). We have knocked on what seems like 2 billion doors and talked to many
both strange and wonderful! We have had some miracles! We have had some disappointments.
We have had even more laughs! And even more blisters! Lots of weird/silly
things have happened, but unfortunately they are not things I can really share
(a bit too weird/silly to share......gotta keep the missionary work uplifting
and dignified!).
So what is a girl to do when she has no epic mission stories
to indulge you all in? Spiritual thought of course!
My favourite thought recently?! .....is actually a video!
http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages
Wrong Roads by Elder Holland AND Patterns of Light (a 3 part
message!) by Elder Bednar.
These apostles of the Lord put things so simply and beautifully!
Faith is so important in the process of living our lives! How often do we feel
like we are walking through the fog of life and instead of stepping forward and
trusting, we freeze! How often do we allow the world to convince us that faith
is for the weak? How often do we convince our own selves to not do righteous
things! I have felt that recently! That nagging voice in my head that tells me
that I shouldn't bother opening my mouth! That 100 people previously said no,
so he/she will too! What is faith?!
Faith is stepping BOLDLY forward and trusting that if it is
a good thing, if it is from God; that it will work out and one day turn into
eternal, lasting, perfect blessings. And what if it doesn't?! Then we have
found a wrong road (as Elder Holland explains). End of the world? Panic? Cry?
Have a melt down? Absolutely not!! Jesus Christ suffered all and sacrificed
everything so we could make corrections in our lives daily! So we could feel
loved and lifted up when we feel the agony of defeat or failed hopes and
dreams! So we could have an example to draw from when we are lifting our faces
up from the dirty and dusty ground of hurt, fatigue and dissapointment and
trying to muster up the strength to stand up and keep walking!
How often is your fear stopping you from doing what you know
deep down you should be? Specifically in missionary work! Have you invited
someone recently to learn of the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ? No?!
Why on earth not?! We create fear in our own minds! I have learned this in this
past year! Why am I scared to talk to that man on the bus? .....exactly! WHY?
He isn't going to shoot me with a gun. He isn't going to pick me up and throw
me off the bus (hopefully)! 90% of the time he will be a nice person and if he
doesn't want to talk about Jesus Christ, worst case he will be happy to talk
about football, the weather and family and friends. What did I gain from that?
I met a new person! I grew in my faith! Courage! Resolve to follow the Lord's
command! I learned something by interacting with another child of God! And I
feel happy and have no conscience of guilt! No worries that I didn't do my
part! Do we all feel that daily! Do you go to sleep at night and know that you
did absolutely all you could! If not, where is thy faith?
James 2: 17-18, 24
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being
alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works:
shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not
by faith only.
Stand up! Change something today! Remove the weight that
sits on your shoulders by doing HIS WORK with the hands he blessed you with!
That home or visiting teaching list? That nagging guilt that tells you you are
supposed to be sharing the blessings of the gospel with others! That small pang
of dissapointment that you failed to say a prayer, to do a good deed, to open
the scriptures. They can be eliminated! Set life's priorities with faith at the
centre! God will compensate ALWAYS for the other things you sacrificed to do
so. I have seen this! I feel it daily! This is how eternal life and the
blessings of heaven are found in our day to day lives! Stand up and do
something now (literally now! Go watch a mormon message! Read a verse of
scripture! Send an uplifting text to someone! Just. Do. Something!). You have
all the tools to do so! God literally can talk to you! Revelation is a power
channel for change and daily miracles! Go out and discover that today!
I love you all! I pray that you will grow in faith! Be
happy! Uplift others! Do good things! That is why we are here! To change, grow,
and to lift up others and help them to do the same! I pray you see miracles as
you do these things! I pray that people will be mindful of others! June is a
month of invitation in England (not sure if it is everywhere else as well!). We
are focussing on inviting people to come to church! I dare you to do it! Are
you up for the challenge!? Do you trust that it will work out? Does a bit of
fog scare you?! Take that step and you will quickly watch the fog of life burn
off, as the beautiful strength of the God's sunlight penetrates and pushes away
the distractions and doubts of our lives!
Until next week!
I hope the time goes quickly for you and slowly for me!
Xoxoxoxo Sister Martin!
 |
| English Rapper Outfit |
 |
| Liverpool Beach |
 |
| Butty Bar aka Sandwich Shop |
 |
| Cozy car ride to stake conference - Tiny English cars equal feeling of being in a clown car! |
 |
| Tracting in the English countryside |
No comments:
Post a Comment