Today we had a fabulous Sacrament Meeting because we had 2 return missionaries reporting. The thing that made it even more special is that they are brother and sister and the children of the Bishop and his wife. They both served their missions in Germany, and ended up in the same mission for the last few months because the 5 German Missions were condensed into 3. How cool is that? They even ended up flying home on the same flight and team taught the woman sitting near them!
They both gave such fabulous talks. They are clearly glowing with the Spirit and oozing goodness.
- Lauren said that when she felt overwhelmed or frustrated she was envision the scene at the airport at the end of her mission, coming down the escalator and into the arms of her family. She knew she wanted the feeling of returning with honor, and said this got her through all the tough times. (I think this is brilliant and totally applicable to all of us as we make our way through our mission in life.)
- She also said that she felt like her entire mission was an unveiling, because everywhere she went she knew that the Lord had prepared the way, so it wasn't a situation being created it was an experience being unveiled.
- The Lord loves to bless us.
- Proverbs 3:5-6
- As they prayed for the Lord to pour out His spirit upon the people of their city they saw more and more tender mercies each day.
- "Prayer is the key to missionary work and to life really."
- When you're humble enough to pray, it will change your life.
- "I love putting things in God's hands, I'm just glad he's on our side."
- When we pray, the Lord answers.
- "The scriptures open my eyes."
- We are here to bring souls unto Christ.
- Sometimes the Lord is just waiting for us to ask Him for His blessings. (I found this reassuring and exciting, and made sure to ask when I said my prayer last night.)
- The Lord puts us in the right place at the right time, and often His plans are very different than ours.
Today was also special because it was Landon's first time passing the Sacrament! Our chapel was packed with tons of friends and family for the return missionaries (including their aunt Sister Beck) so it was a big crowd for his first day. He did great, looked very dignified and reverent (especially in his new suit jacket), and took his job seriously.
He also had his first temple recommend interview, and will be going with the youth to do baptisms there early Thursday morning.
**Thoughts??**
Comment Window Tidbit: I was so grateful it was Sunday today. I desperately need to regroup and replenish my soul.
9 comments:
What beautiful thoughts. I love the image of coming home with honor and think that should be my FHE message this week!
No worries about the sun today. It is still August- right?!!
What a parent payday. I'm glad it paid the whole congregation, too.
When Abe returned from his mission, Ty was leaving so they both spoke at the same meeting and it also happened to be my birthday. Sometimes the timing is so perfect on some things, you know there is no way it is coincidence.
This does sound like a wonderful meeting. Realizing the Lord is just waiting to have us ask and wants to bless us with ideas and help has been a huge aha moment for me lately. Obviously I knew this but I have been applying it with new understanding lately and it's been life changing! It has taken away a lot of anxiety I had experienced in the past. I truly know that I'm not alone in my problems.
What an amazing Sunday! Those missionaries sound awesome and it was Landon's big day. He looks so nice in his new suit. Our youth do baptisms on Thursday mornings too so we might see him there. We go at 5:30 am (yikes!) but I am usually working at 6 am so I can't go.
I too love the idea of the Lord wanting to bless us and waiting for us to ask. And the idea of returning with honor.
I just can't believe that Landon is passing the sacrament! How can he be old enough to be a deacon? But then I can imagine him passing the sacrament, because he is such a truly good young man and I know he would take his responsibilities seriously. But going to the temple? Nope, I can't believe that!
I'm so very glad that you felt replenished by your meetings.
"It wasn't a situation being created it was an experience being unveiled" Wow, I absolutely love this. What an incredibly insightful girl.
What a great meeting! And Landon looks so handsome in his suit!
Landon looks so dapper in his suit! I hope he really loves the temple. It's my favorite place in the world.
I think the Lord's plans are always different. Realizing this has helped me 'bridge' over to another level of understanding over the past year or so. For better or for worse, I'm not in control of what pops up on my life's landscape. I've missed out on things, lost opportunities, never been offered some, and this will continue throughout my life. But it's okay because that's what needs to be. Mortality is meant to be a storm. But, it ends.
I'm trying harder now to let go of expectations because they only hold me back. What can I do to get what I want? Well, sometimes there isn't anything to do. But we are promised that in the next life everything will be restored/given to us. I don't know if that means we will 'get' the things we wanted here, or that we'll just feel at peace about all our losses, but I'm fine with either. I believe in arriving at that place one day.
We have to trust the Lord. The real point of mortality is not to prove that we're good enough to live with Him again, or not just to prove that, but, most importantly, to prove that we are capable of BEING like Him one day. That's another breakthrough I had. We aren't trying to secure a spot in an awesome place of paradise, we're trying to become as He is. That's the end, end goal. To continue on in His path, which means that we have to gain experiences here that will make our goodness stronger, and chip away at our rough edges. We have to prove to Him that we can handle a lot of bad stuff happening at once, incredible sadness, losses, disappointments, etc., because that's what someone in Christ's position deals with all the time. It's about gaining capabilities in the work of a god. When I think this way, it elevates me above the mess on the ground level. I'm not jumping through hoops to prove that I can hang out in the VIP club eternally. If that were the case, you know what, keep for VIP pass, I'll make my own eternity somewhere else. I'm slogging through this all so that I can build the capabilities of Christ, and eventually help others the way He is now helping us. It's about keeping the work moving forward. One day, there will be trillions of souls that depend upon someone who knows better to lead them. How can we do that if we have no 'knowing' to share with them?
I love what the thoughts that Lauren gave about "returning with honor" and having her family waiting for her at the end with open arms...
Landon looks so dapper in his suit!
How cool that Sister Beck was there that day...what a neat memory!
Beautiful Sunday!
Germany is a great place to serve! I was in Berlin.
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