Murray Parkway Stake 2005
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is known around the world for its missionary program. Millions of dollars each year are given freely for everyone of God’s children in hopes that they can have the opportunity to hear the incredible message of the gospel of Jesus Christ . Let me stress, It is so important to our savior that everyone of us has the blessing to understand as much as we can about him. Did you know that the church spends more money on the youth of the church then it does on the missionary program! Why? because we are the future leaders of God’s church and of the world. We are not ordinary people. We bear the name of the savior through our baptism and the sacrament that we partake of every week. The world looks to us. We are the chosen generation saved for these days. How are we suppose to endure to the end if we don’t have a knowledge of our savior. It is in these ,our learning years, that we need to ask ourselves Do I know who I am? Do I know where I am going? Do I know what I should do? Not only do these questions need to be answered but they also need to be applied. Proved to ourselves. Dolly Pardon once said, “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” These are the years to do so. That is why the church puts them in such high priority.
There are many distractions that can keep us from finding out who we are.“ We live in a complex world, one filled with choices and opportunities and also with confusion and conflicting voices, It is a world that increasingly doesn’t know God and certainly doesn’t know how ( or even to believe it is possible) to communicate with God; a world where conspiring and confused men and women call evil good and good evil; a world where many have lost sight of values and don’t even believe a code of ethics is realistic anymore. “ These are the words Sheri Dew used to describe the conditions of our world. We need protection. She then said………………………..Even Elder Neal A. Maxwell promises, ”though we have highly applauded our ancestors for their spiritual achievement…Those of us who prevail today will have done no small thing. The special spirits who have been reserved to live in this time of challenges and who overcome will one day be praised for their stamina by those who pulled handcarts.” (notwithstanding my weakness, 18)
In 3 days and 18 hours, the biggest learning period of our lives will be beginning to end. Graduation. That’s a scary thought for me. One that I know will bring tears to my eyes, but relief to my heart. We are growing up, we are moving on. We are facing a time in our lives where our faith will be of extreme importance, it will be evermore tested. But remember Faith is not knowing what the future holds but who holds it. You need to say to your self every morning, “ Help me Lord; to remember, that nothing is going to happen to me today that you and I cant handle together.”
Daily scripture study. Daily personal prayer. These are preparations we need to be avid about. Obviously our savior feels the same, seeing as he gave us seminary and institute. A place where we went and will go each and every day, or should, to say a prayer, to read some scripture, and learn farther about our savior. I know that seminary and institute are blessings that will, “Put a shield of protection around you to keep you free from the temptations and trials of the world,” explains Elder Tom Perry. It makes the day more bearable. It gives you 45 min or more to remember who you are and what choices to make throughout your day. Because every day is a choice of multiple choices that we get to make which determine whether we feel closer or further away from our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Our beloved Prophet puts it this way,“ The course of our lives is seldom determined by great, life-altering decisions. Our direction is often set by the small, day-to-day choices that chart the track on which we run. This is the substance of our lives-making choices.” Professor Dumbledore tells Harry Potter “It is our choices ,Harry, that make us who we are, far more then our abilities.” Our choice “to successfully negotiate this spiritual mine field called mortality improves dramatically if we are clear about who we are and what is important.” (Sheri Dew) Seminary and institute are vital. Daily studying of the scriptures is so needed for us youth. It teaches discipline, and can also help us know the Holy Ghost. Because of seminary, during the day time and school lessons I had help, to knew who I was, what choices were right and to withstand the temptations of Satan.
A lot of the things I learned in seminary were new to me. I didn’t know a lot about the gospel growing up. I learned a lot from my mom and my family. I would never EVER be where I am today without them. Everyone says my mom and I are so much alike. And I see it too. But gospel principles were not something that was taught to me. It is their free agency not to believe. And it is mine to know with my heart that I KNOW the truth of them. And it is mine alone to learn of the gospel myself. That is why seminary was so important to me. It taught me the basics and the details so that I could further know.
We hear the stories from the scriptures. We know the ancestry of the pioneers. We remember the legends of Jesus Christ. But is that what they truly mean to us? Just stories, just legends, even just tales? When we were younger it was easy to think of these as fairytales. We didn’t fully comprehend. So how do we gain more? How do we know they are the truth? In Jacob 4:13 we read………………..! By the sprit, that’s how. Only when we have the spirit do we know the truth because the spirit is God’s only perfect teacher. Seminary taught us to recognize the spirit. The spirit was a light shown into our hearts through our teachers. Those amazing men and women who spend so much time preparing the knowledge needed to answer our questions and to provide us a way to learn more about our savior. As well as how to apply those learning’s so we could know who we are. Where we are going. What we should do. They were trained for that purpose on earth and in heaven because they truly are the instruments of our heavenly father. Ex. 31:3.…………..
I know that my seminary teachers have been wonderful examples, beacons of light, for me. It seems everyday of those years was a new trial. I needed advice here and there. I know the Lord was there for me, why? I found out a lot about the choices some of my friends were making, the people they are becoming. There were times I sat there each day with them trying to keep their secrets from me. Its hard, it hurt. But when I walked into that seminary building I was exposed to a positive spirit and honest friends. Seminary teachers who were there for advice and to be examples. Then lesson that were exactly what I needed to hear, needed to learn to not only get me trough that day, but to be the best friend and the best example I could be to help them if they were willing to let me. Very fitting for me was the seminary theme this year. 1 Tim 4:12. I know Carol has explained it to you but I would like to read it again……………………. Don’t just be an example to grow for yourself but be an example that makes them better too. The words of Sheri Dew reminded me of this challenge. She said………………. The Lord hears our prayers, he knows when we are hurting and he uses his instruments, his tools, people around us, to help us. What better definition then that can be found for a seminary teacher?
We have faced heartbreaks, disappointments, trials, tribulations, and punishments. We have made mistakes, we have watched friends make mistakes. We have learned, we have lost, we have gained Lorenzo Snow said ………………… “How do we know if we can bear up under challenge and trial, unless we have challenge and trial.” (Sheri Dew, No doubt about it, pg. 10)With those hard ships we have answered many of the “why” questions we wondered as children. All of this within about 6 years. With those hard ships we have been blessed with the support of family and friends. I am not alone and I thank my Heavenly Father for those people who have come my way to strengthen me on my way when the path seems so hard and dark, and to expand my joy when is it is so sweet and bright.
Max Lucado says “God loves you just they way you are, but he refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus,” He will help you rise to your potential. For all of my friends with me I use word‘s from the prophet “Go forward with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, but with great and strong purpose in your heat” “You are creatures of divinity; you are daughters [children] of the almighty. Limitless is your potential. Magnificent is your future, if you will take control of it.” He also said this……………
Who I am? Where I am going? What should I do? Seminary was a leading factor in making me who I am right this minute, who I will be next fall, who I will be when I get married in the temple, who I will be as a mother, and who I will be when I meet my savior! I am so grateful for the examples I have had and the lessons I have learned that have not only taught me about my self but also my big brother, Jesus Christ… I know that he was there to help me trough those years as will be in the years to come….. Testimony…..!!!Amen
.
No comments:
Post a Comment