So these past couple weeks, I have had so many testimony building experiences it is unreal! For starters, most of you know that I am taking my second class this summer, English 102, and it has been a rough ride so far. It is very stressful and a lot of material and homework in such a small time space, but I'm getting through it! But last week I was in class and we are studying poetry (I'm terrible at poetry too by the way) and we were reading the poem "Out, Out-" by Robert Frost and we were discussing the different meanings of the peom and possible 'hidden' meanings and my teacher just said something about our lives and how we don't know the reason we are here and what we are supposed to do here on earth. When he said that it just hit me like a ton of bricks and I wanted to shout out, "But we do!!!" That truly was an eye opener how blessed we are as Latter-Day Saints to know the truth that this life here on earth is not just something to do and after we die that's it...We do have a purpose and a reason for being here!!
And secondly, last thursday night I had the opportunity to go with the missionaries and the ward mission leader to give the second new member discussion to a recently baptized girl in our ward. It was on the Plan of Salvation, and I just loved every minute of it! This was the second time I was able to sit in on a missionary discussion and I have always thought of the possiblility of serving a mission myself and both times with the missionaries, I just think, "I want to do that!! I want to devote a year and a half of my life completely to the Lord and his Gospel!!!" During the lesson, I just listening to the Plan of Salvation and The Atonement and I almost wanted to cry just because It hit me how blessed I am!! My Savior died for me!!! My Heavenly Father has a Plan for me to return to him one day!!! And listening to Jessica (the new member) bear her testimony how she knew it was true, was a testimony builder for me. Jessica has had a rough time, the day she was baptized, her mother flew into town and tried to stop it all together and she had family calling her trying to talk her out of it! How strong she was and strong her testimony was to know that she had to do this for herself? She knows her Savior and Father in Heaven loves her and she knew that it was true!!!
And lastly, friday night I was able to go to Mesa with my friend Mary Anne and stay the night with the McNeils, my friend Lyndee was already in Mesa. Saturday morning the three of us girls went to the Mesa Temple to do some baptisms and earlier last week, Kathy called me and said that she had a friend that had about 29 family names that needed to be baptized for so we were pretty excited for that. So we got to Temple and after waiting awhile because it was busy, we were able to be baptized for this woman's family. And everytime I go and do baptisms, I like to look at the year the person was born and where they were born (It was something I was told when I first went to the Temple, to see how long these people have been waiting for this day and that has just made it more personal for me) well after about 2 names, I finally opened my eyes and I almost wanted to cry!! Half of the names that we were baptized for were born in the 1800's in Wisconsin!!!! It really hit home for me and made it so much more special for me! I truly know that my Heavely Father knows the desires of my heart and it was not an accident that we were able to do these baptisms.
I do know with all my heart that this Gospel is True and everything in it is true! I love my Savior and I know he loves me and that he died for me and has felt all that I have felt. I know that my Father in Heaven loves me and has a Plan for me and hears and answers my prayers! I know that my Father in Heaven has given me these experiences along with so many others, to help me and to build my Tesitmony and I am so grateful for that! I know that President Monson is truly called of God and loves each and every one of us! I love this Gospel and and am so blessed to have it in my life!!!
4 comments:
Oh Jen, my heart is full! You dont' realize how wonderful it is to hear you express your love for this gospel and to say that you know that the Savior lives. It was so awesome reading your blog, it strengthens my testimony as well. I know our Savior lives too! We have the gospel on the earth today and we are so so blessed to have that, I can't imagine our life without it. The same goes for temples as well, just wait...it gets even more great... when you're able to be sealed to your eternal companion and family...its so awesome! So good to hear that you're having those wonderful experiences...love you hun! PS...copy, paste, and print your blog and put it in your journal.
Jen, you are an amazing girl. Your testimony is so beautiful and so true. I hope you DO serve a mission and get to feel the joys that come from that not just for eighteen months either--the blessings continue. Especially that very gift of TESTIMONY that you so strongly have. Thanks for this post. It's so refreshing to read such beautiful words. That same thing happened to me after I returned home from serving my mission in WI (obviously) but while we were doing baptisms for the dead in the cardston alberta temple I realized all the people I was just baptized for were all born in Wisconsin. It was a very special moment for me! It's almost like at that moment you know them and you feel close to them! Thanks again for this wonderful and powerful post. I am so glad you got to have each of those experiences and thanks for sharing them and your testimony. You are one awesome girl and AZ is lucky to get to have you there. I hope you get the chance to share the gospel with people you meet there.
you are awesome, thank you so much for sharing your testimony with us. I am always reminded strengthened by others testimonies.
by the way how is your calling going? I am sure you are doing a fabulous job.
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