Good Sunday

Today Josh gave his homecoming remarks. His brother was the youth speaker. I took notes. 

Let God prevail 

We must not give our choice to God, we must strengthen our connection to Him. Nephi received the power to seal the heavens. Let God prevail. Fellow shipping. Being involved in missionary work as a family. 

God knows and trusts us. How can He use such broken tools? 

Boaz’s talk was awesome. We had people come and say they were going to have to ponder agency again. 

Josh started off by acknowledging that he was coming home to a ward he had never been in before. He told them he was called while we were in California, he left from Colorado, and he came home to Idaho. Transfers were not really as hard because he was used to moving. 

Mission report

Lessons that I learned. The stories that define me. 

Lima Peru MTC. Most of the missionaries bore their testimonies. Spirit was so strong that I could not doubt the words that came out of my mouth. Missionaries purpose - doctrine of Christ. Testimony is essential to that purpose. 

Homesickness. Capability. Wonder what my role was in that purpose. God gives us our agency and expects us to use it. (Quotes from Boaz, who spoke truth.) Learn from my decisions. Some of those would be mistakes. And that is okay. Book of Mormon. Elder Gong - BoM is the promised instrument for the gathering of God’s children. 

BoM helped me come closer to God. It carried me in those first hard months in my mission. Also in SLC. Woman who experienced stress. Found the missionaries a year before Josh got there. A step toward God was a step away from her family and friends. BoM was the focus. Miracle of growth. More willing and able to listen to the Spirit. Golden investigator. Feel godly sorrow in her repentance. 

Listen to the Spirit. With a plan in mind, set out to do the best I can. Time and time again my plan was interrupted by a impression to go somewhere else. Nephi to get the plates. Nephi had a plan. Plan A - Laman. Plan B - exchange. Then led by the Spirit. Planning is essential. Even if it doesn’t go according to plan. 

Greatest successes. First area. Referral from grandma. Family had some knowledge of the gospel. Older brother, younger sister. Scared of the water. Older brother offered to get baptized with his sister to help her feel comfortable. 

The Spirits words that came from my mouth. 

A mission is an exercise in obedience training. Obedience brings blessings. Exact obedience brings miracles. President Nelson

Secretary. Lost a pday. Didn’t have a chance to do the chores. 6-9 critical proselyting  time. Prep time extended. Not the best use of time, even with President’s permission. First obedience is to the Spirit. 

Wonderful opportunity I have of bearing witness of the Son of God. I am a witness of the power of the BoM in changing hearts. I am a witness of the Spirit. The Spirit has led me to places I have never thought to go. Saying things that I never thought I would say. I am a witness to the power of obedience. I bear my witness that is is the true Church. 

It was such a great day. 

I stayed late to do Primary chores. Josh went to the Spanish Branch. They had already started, Josh gave his talk again. The Branch President was happy to see him come. Josh was thinking it would be next week. Crazy.