because he first loved us

Twelve days ago I got something very important in the mail.  It was a big white envelope that held inside the place I would be going to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I was anxious and excited and dying to know where the Lord needed me.

After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, I gathered with friends and family via skype and opened that big white envelope.  And I read that I was going to... Brazil Sao Paulo West!

I was so happy and excited and confident that that is where I need to be.  And I still am!  BUT  I must admit that another big emotion I felt at that moment was fear.

I was afraid to learn Portuguese.  Afraid that I would not be able to speak well or communicate with the people I need to teach.  Afraid that I would not be an effective missionary.  Afraid to go straight to the missionary training center in Brazil where I don't know the area, or how many people will speak English.

All of these things will be challenges for me, I'm sure.  But when I pay attention to these fears and let them take away from the joy that I should be feeling, it's almost like I stop trusting God.  Brazil is where He called me to serve, and I need to have faith that He will help me through my struggles.

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment.  He that feareth is not made perfect in love.  We love him, because he first loved us" (1 John 4:18-19).

Before we even thought about loving God, He loved us.  We love Him because he first loved us!  When we really understand how much God loves us, then we will not fear the future!  We will always have challenges, but we will not be afraid, because the perfect love God has for us will cast out our fear!  We must know that He has a plan for us and that he will see us through any trial we have.

If we understand that God's love is limitless, and reflect that love back to Him and to everyone around us, then we will have no reason to fear.

faith and works... working together

When I was in junior high, I went to the Minnesota state fair (go MN!) with two of my best friends.  We were enjoying the rides, the cheese curds, and funnel cake (okay, so mostly the food) when a man approached us and introduced himself.  Now, I don't remember at all who he was, but he began by asking us: "Do you think you will go to heaven?"  We all hesitated, and I probably let out an "I sure hope so!"  He then asked us if we had faith in Jesus Christ, to which we all said yes.  He told us with a smile on his face that we were absolutely going to heaven!  That all we must do is declare our faith in Christ and we are set to go!  After he had spoken his peace we politely smiled, nodded, and walked away.

I must say this man was an example of one of the nicest people I've ever had random religious talk with.  Most of them tell me that I'm going straight to the opposite destination when they hear I'm Mormon (HA!), so this was a nice change.  But I will say now that I disagree with what he said.

Declaring your faith in Jesus Christ is absolutely important and good.  But that does not mean we are done there.

"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.  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" (James 2:17-18).

If we truly have faith in God and in Jesus Christ, we will not stop there.  Our faith will motivate our works. It will motivate us to act.  My faith in Christ is what makes me want to serve others and do good works.  I strive to show my faith by my works and my actions.

Just declaring our faith is not good enough.  In fact, I think the more faith we have in Christ, the more we are expected to do something about it.  The more faith we have, the more we are expected to serve our fellow man just as Christ served us.  We must live lives that demonstrate our faith.

"For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (James 2:26).

Be Bold

When I make mistakes, sometimes it can be hard for me to face God.  I feel bad, guilty, and ashamed.  I know better, and yet, I consistently do stupid things.  It can be difficult for me to speak to Heavenly Father after I have made a mistake, because I don't really feel worthy to.  And perhaps not even worthy of His  forgiveness.  But this Scripture from Hebrews 4:16 really opened my eyes.  

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."  

God knows we are imperfect, but He wants us to come unto Him nonetheless.  We will obtain mercy and grace in time of need when we boldly ask for it.  Blessings of the atonement are there for us when we have the courage and faith to take advantage of them!  

Perhaps I will never be deserving of all the grace and mercy and forgiveness God has given me in my life.  But it is such a tremendous blessing to know that even still, He will help me.  God loves us.  And not on the condition that we are perfect.  He loves us infinitely, and I think that He just might want to help us.  So let's be bold, and ask Him.    

Follow the Prophet

Eastern winds!  Perilous voyages!  Shipwreck!  Deception!  Endangered Lives!  ...What am I babbling on about, you ask?  Just Acts 27.  It's a pretty cool story and all of the above mentioned exclamations are included.  Check it out.  Tell your friends.  

It all started when Paul and company were sailing toward Rome, and they landed in a place called the fair havens.  They were going to continue their voyage, when Paul gave this prophecy and warning:

"Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives" (Acts 27: 10). 

Did the centurion listen to Paul?  Spoiler alert, they didn't.  They listened to the master of the ship instead.  Longish story short, a soft wind blew and they had almost made it when along came a storm.  They had to lighten the ship and endure great tempests.  Paul came out after awhile and told them to be of good cheer, that no man would lose their life.  

But... they still didn't really buy it.  The centurion eventually started to listen to Paul and stayed on the boat.  Paul prophesied that they would lose the ship, but all 200 some people would survive.  When all seemed lost, they cast themselves into the sea and every one of them escaped safe to land, fulfilling Paul's prophecy.  

Paul made 4 prophecies in this chapter and every one of them came to pass.  These men went through a perilous voyage and almost lost their lives.  But they were able to make it through with the help of a prophet of God.  

Sometimes we too have eastern winds blowing at us.  Life is hard.  But God hasn't left us in this tempest alone.  We too are blessed to have a prophet of God here on earth today to guide us through.  This man is Thomas S. Monson.  Sometimes the prophet's direction does not seem likely or logical (Paul's predictions may have been hard to believe), but it is always for our good, and it is always from God.  This chapter teaches me to follow the prophet.  And when I do, I can be of good cheer :)  

if you're having a hard time

My relationship with God is something I hold very close to my heart.  I know that He hears my prayers and that He knows me very individually.  This testimony brings me more comfort and peace than perhaps anything else.  The knowledge that when I feel alone, or sad, or have messed up, that God will always love me and will always be there is powerful.  This week I read Romans chapter 8.  My professor expressed to us that when he is having a hard time, this chapter is something that he always turns to.  And when I read it, it was clear to me why.  Hear is one of my favorite excerpts:

"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Romans 8:26).

Wow.  When I am on my knees in prayer, not knowing how to express my thoughts or concerns to the Lord, the Spirit can do it for me.  Heavenly Father knows me and he knows my heart, even when I am unable to find words for Him.  

And another gem:

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).

Beautiful.

Mmmm, Lemonade

This week I happened upon a very cheesy looking magazine article about taking lemons and making lemonade.  (Or rather, I creepily peaked at it from my periphery as the person next to me read the article.  I was bored?)  The author talked about making the best out of your life and your challenges.  This is a lesson I have heard over and over and over again.  Be positive.  Learn from struggles.  Yay! Trials are blessings!  *commencing eye roll sequence*

However, as I read, I was intrigued by the way the woman put it.  She had recently found out her marriage was over.  She had to face her children, family, and peers. And one thing she said in particular was simply that, yes, the situation sucked.  Yes, she was heartbroken.  But she had seen people in her past let ordeals make them angry and hardened.  She wrote that she would not allow this challenge to make her bitter.  

I have so much admiration for this woman.  I think it is easy to say that you know trials can be for your good.  But when I am in the middle of one, it is very easy to forget that I control how the situation affects me.  I control how it shapes me.  And I cannot allow the trials I face make me bitter either.

2 Corinthians 4:17-

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."  

I'm understanding more and more as time passes that every detail of my life has shaped who I am. Every happy moment, and every tragedy.  We each have experiences and perspectives that are truly unique.  And many of them come from the unique challenges we have faced.  

The wise, Brigham Young once said:

"Every trial and experience you have passed through is necessary for your salvation."

Whoa!!!! EVERY trial?!  If every trial and experience I pass through is leading me toward salvation, then sure.  I say, bring it on.  Because I have the faith that a path is being laid before me, and that if I face my challenges with my God and those I love, it worketh for me "a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."

charity never faileth

Happy Valentines Day(ish)!  Today I'm writing about l-o-v-e.  <3.

More specifically, a perfect love.  The pure love of Christ.

"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vauteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemingly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

To have charity is something I think we all strive for.  But we discussed in class that it is a concept that is a bit misunderstood.  When we try to have charity, we try to love others, we try to serve them.  But this is not charity.  Charity is the pure love of Christ.  It is specifically and exclusively Christ's love.  His love for us.

I cannot generate charity, but I can try to reflect it.  I don't have the capacity to perfectly love, but Christ perfectly loves me.  My actions can reflect that love.  My attempts to serve others are efforts to become more like Christ.

True charity was only seen on this earth once.  In the life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

I look around me and observe my life and the people in it and I feel so much love.  Christ loved us all so purely that he gave His life for us.  I want so badly to be deserving of that love, and I want to reflect His love to everyone around me.