Being here has been such a learning experience for me in what is important in life. Its obviously been a learning experience in many things. But I’m very thankful for the perspective I’m gaining with respect to my long term goals in life and what I want to accomplish and have and all.
But I also seem to get caught up in all these personal “fruits” of missionary service. Many of them are just things that happen as one serves the Lord, but I often get too focused on them and myself than the real task at hand. Forgetting oneself is such a crucial thing as a missionary, and I’ve had great experiences with it as I’ve been out here. I guess it all comes line upon line. Here a little there a little. I learn some things, have some experiences, and find myself at a new level, then go at that for a time, usually forget a bunch of things and have to be reminded of them (that’s gotta be one of the most frustrating things ever!), fall down, start climbing again, and hopefully get a little bit higher than I was before. Something like that. Forget myself. A little bit at a time. The scriptures are full of things that can be brought back to service. How important it really is. Forget yourself and get lost in selfless service to others. It can be a tough thing to do. But there must be an opposition in all things, right!
The gospel we have is incredible. Its mind blowing. If there is a God in heaven, then this is His way. If all we had was the Bible (which is sadly what so many people believe) we would be so lost! And again, unfortunately that is what so many people are. But nobody really realizes it. Its strange…when you have the truth, its much easier to see what is false. We have such a greater larger picture. And its interesting to me how few people really think long and hard about things like purpose. There is so much that doesn’t add up in my mind if all you have is a Bible. Or especially if you don’t have a Bible. If all you do is sit and think about existence… how all these things come and work together in such perfection. To me that surely shows that there is a God.
The way we function, the way we can feel, the way other people can have such an impact on each other…there are so many amazing things about existence. And there are so many things that amaze me. Religion is a wild and crazy thing sometimes. If I wasn’t born into this church, I would be afraid for myself because so much of it (religion) does not make sense sometimes. I don’t know if I could follow the Bible if I didn’t know there was more. Its interesting to me how people can love their churches so much and do so many things with so little to go off. Maybe their faith is stronger than mine I suppose. Yet many people call themselves believers and do nothing but say they believe. That’s too bad.
I don’t know what I’m trying to say by all this, I could get into much more details, I’ve just been thinking a lot lately. I just find it peculiar what people will say and do sometimes, in connection with religion and God and all. The philosphies of men are abound in the land and they truly do lie and deceive many. The bible does say a lot of good and correct things, that’s for sure, but most people don’t have a clue about it all. What a blessing it is to have prophets and apostles and modern day revelation! To really have access to the Holy Ghost! To know real truth and to be able to feel it and have our own witness of it! There are many things we don’t know and won’t know while were here, but geeze, compared to pretty much everyone else, we know everything. We are so lucky!
I really could go on forever about some of these things I’ve mentioned. All I can say is that I know that what we have is real and true and wonderful! It does not come from man, its is not someones best guess, it is not made up. Its all way too perfect. And it is such a shame that people forget these things. “If any man will do His will, he will know of the doctrine. Whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” If we don’t DO the things were supposed to, we will forget. If we slowly stop doing even small things, we won’t have as great of a spiritual witness of their truth. We learn by experience, and if we aren’t experiencing again and again, we begin to forget. So keep experiencing the fantastic fruits of the restored gospel, because they are plentiful and delicious!! Better than Utah peaches this time of year that I want SOOOOO BADDDDDD!!
Ha, did you all enjoy that sermon? I don’t know where it came from, but I guess that’s what you get from me today. It’s a different place around here. Different challenges. Its hard. I worry a lot about reaching my potential. Thank the Lord for the Atonement, even though I don’t understand it at all most of the time! There is much comfort in the scriptures and the words of the prophets. Again, we are so blessed to have these things.
Love you all!
David
