Thank you to all who came and supported me this weekend! I am overwhelmed and so very grateful for the love and encouragement I have felt and will continue to feel during my 18 months of missionary service. Below is a copy of my talk and I want to thank everyone for such positive feedback regarding it. I know that while writing it there were times when it wasn't me that was typing it, it was the Spirit guiding me, and I am in awe at the power of the Holy Ghost and the way the gospel is for and about everyone. I love you all and cannot wait to hear from you and have you be a part of the spiritual adventure I am about to embark on.
Y'ALL BETTER KEEP IN TOUCH!
Good afternoon Brothers and Sisters,
Wow, I have imagined this day for as long as I can remember, and I am so grateful and excited that it is here! Many of you know of the deep desire I have always had to be called to serve as a missionary for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Well, in August I opened a letter that has made that desire a reality. I am called to serve in the Tennessee Knoxville Mission. I report to the Mexico MTC on Tuesday, which yes that means I will be preaching in Spanish, and no I do not know what Spanish with a Southern flair will sound like. I assume something like hola y’all.
In the Women’s Conference this year there was one talk that stood out to me in particular and I am so grateful that it is my topic for today, it is titled “Fourth Floor Last Door,” by President Uchtdorf. I had a past Sunday school teacher who ranked his favorite apostles and general authorities in what he called an “apostle all-star team” and I would have to say that personally on my team President Uchtdorf would be my MVP, and this talk is one of the reasons why.
The basis of his talk is to address women who sometimes feel that they are not women of faith. He testifies about what faith is, how it is received, and what blessings come when it is acted upon. Faith is something that is so important to me, and when I think of it a few things come to mind. I remember that it is the first value we learn and recite in the Young Women’s theme, it is the first value I completed in my Personal Progress book and it is the reason why I stand here today. Faith is a motivator, it is an action word, and because I have it I want all around me to have it too. I remember sitting in a Sunday school class one day when the teacher walked over to the light switch, flipped it off and then taught something simple yet profound. He asked the class “Class what will happen when I flip this switch?”
Of course when you are in Sunday school it’s not possible or cool to answer very quickly so after everyone studied the carpet for a minute someone finally spoke up and said, “The lights will turn on.” My teacher said, “How do you know that? You can’t see that they’ll turn on, yet you know they will?” He then explained that it takes faith to flip a light switch. You can’t see that lights will come on, yet you act, you flip the switch, and they do. That was such a simple example of faith but it honestly flipped a switch in my mind and helped me apply and understand what faith is. It is something you cannot see… yet you believe in it, you act on it, and soon it becomes second nature. After all, I would doubt that many of us walk into a room and hit the light switch while thinking “Man I don’t know if this will work this time…”
Growing up in the area we do it was not unfamiliar to be asked the question in primary: “what is your favorite scripture story?” I remember being very young and answering that question with “I love the story of the Anti-Nephi-Lehis.” After thinking about it and experiencing teaching primary I now understand why that may have been a shock to my teachers that out of all scripture stories that one was my favorite. It’s much more common to hear: Ammon because he cut off a bunch of dudes arms, or Nephi when he broke his bow and they almost died, or Abinidi when he burned at the stake. I guess it is also puzzling after knowing my dad and his career path how a story about burying weapons in the ground could be my favorite, but it’s not the literal act it’s the principle that inspires me. The story of the Anti-Nephi-Lehi’s was and continues to be my favorite because I admire their incredible faith. For starters they were brought to the knowledge of the gospel through an amazing missionary named Ammon, who yes is the same guy that cut off a bunch of dudes arms. I respect Ammon and his strength, endurance, and willingness to put his trust in the Lord when he decided to put his life on the line and teach a people who seemed to have no need for the missionaries or God in their life. But the Anti-Nephi-Lehi’s did need God in their life and it was the missionaries who flipped the switch and added light into their lives. The Anti-Nephi-Lehi’s weren’t just converts though… they were active, they were motivated, and they were faithful to the gospel they knew to be true. So much in fact, that they buried their weapons in the ground and covenanted that they would never again fight and shed the blood of their brethren. The faithful people literally buried their old ways in order to live a better life, a more Christ centered, faithful life. Alma 24:19 says: “And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to the truth, they were firm and would suffer even unto death rather than commit sin and thus we see that they buried their weapons of peace or they buried their weapons of war for peace.” I cannot imagine the amount of faith a promise like that would take, to put your life on the line in a covenant with God. However at the same time it applies today. When I head to Tennessee I will be asking the people there to put their life on the line. The behaviors that are a part of their lives that aren’t aligned with that of the gospel I will ask them to sacrifice, to bury them deep within the earth never to be dug up again. I hope I can use the story of the Anti-Nephi-Lehi’s to inspire them and testify that it may not be easy but it will always be worth it. Because the faith of the Anti-Nephi-Lehi’s was most certainly tested… when their brethren the Lamanites came upon them to battle they had to submit to the Lord’s will and remember their covenant to not fight, even when swords were drawn and the Lamanites began slaying so many of their people. Likewise when the people I teach decide to remove and bury bad behaviors in their lives they will encounter opposition. Their sacrifices might seem crazy, it might seem life ending, and they might wonder why they ever thought it was a good idea, but it is and always will be the right choice. Finally I can’t forget to mention the incredible posterity of the Anti-Nephi-Lehi’s, the two thousand stripling warriors. Those young men were amazing examples of faith due to the conversion of their parents. They too put their lives on the line to defend their people and their religion. Alma 56:47 reads: “Now they never had fought yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives, yea they had been taught by their mothers that they did not doubt, God would deliver them.” further in verse 27 Helaman in talking about these young men said “Now this was the faith of these whom I have spoken; they are young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust in God continually” This causes me to think of my many amazing friends who I cannot wait to join out in the mission field. We too are young, but our minds are firm, and our trust is in God continually. I want to take a minute and speak to those preparing to serve missions I know that it isn’t always an easy choice to make, and sometimes the choice is made for you. I am lucky because I have always wanted to serve however I also can relate to conflicting feelings about serving. You might feel like a mission is too big of a sacrifice, or that you won’t be good enough, or that there are so many other things you’d rather do at this stage of your life. But I can stand here and sincerely testify that even though I’m not even gone yet I already know I’ll never, ever, ever, regret this decision. Because I’ll have the chance to find people like the Anti-Nephi-Lehi’s who are looking for the truth but do not yet know where to find it. I’ll be able to be like the stripling warriors who fought for their families and beliefs. And I’ll be able to rejoice in the friends I have made, both in this life and in the life to come. So after all that I hope you now see why I love the Anti-Nephi-Lehi’s… because ultimately what I love from this entire story is that faith changes lives, faith changes families and faith has changed me.
Which brings me back to a portion of President Uchtdorf’s talk titled: Just Keep Knocking.
He says “faith comes to those who pay the price for faithfulness.” He tells of two Elders serving in Europe who were tracting through a multiple story apartment building. The first floor they knocked at every door with no luck. However when many would lose their faith and hope and decide to move on, the elders decided instead to move up. They knocked all the doors on the second floor, with still no success. They moved up again and knocked on all the doors on the third floor, not one was opened. Finally, at the very last door on the very last floor, a little girl opened the door and invited them in telling her widowed mother that these young men were very nice and deserved to share their message. The young mother promised to read a little bit of the book they gave her and ended up reading it cover to cover within a few days. That young family was baptized and when they went to their ward in Frankfurt Germany one Sunday, a young deacon noticed the dark haired little girl and thought to himself: “wow those missionaries are doing a great job!” That young deacon was President Uchtdorf and Harriet the dark haired little girl grew up alongside him and eventually became his wife. The power of faith that those two elders had as they continued to knock changed lives. It united families, and contributed to the success of the church. We simply cannot underestimate the influence our actions and our faith can have on the lives of others, both now and forever. I know that I am going to devote my next 18 months to knocking, seeking, and sharing and that there will be times when my faith will be shaken, when I will reach the first floor with no success and have to decide to move on or move up. I want to commit to my family, all those who are here supporting me, and to Heavenly Father, that I will not give up I will continue seeking until I have reached the fourth floor, last door.
I want to add that I know and understand that sometimes serving a mission is all about planting seeds. Referring back to the book of Alma the well-known verse in chapter 32 states that faith is like unto a seed. In primary we sing: “if planted it will grow” Going back to President Uchtdorf’s talk, one thing I love is that he focuses a portion of it on the power and limits of faith. He says there are two things that faith cannot do. One is it cannot violate a person’s agency, and two is it cannot force our will upon God’s. I have seen many examples of agency and the consequences of it throughout my life. I have a testimony that you cannot pray it away, wish there was more defined boundaries, or use it for someone. I know that instead we can pray for better discernment, base all our decisions on a foundation of faith in Christ, and hope and pray that those around us will make right choices. But there will be disappointments, and we cannot let those disappointments deter or sway us but rather touch us to assist and help as much as possible. I also know that our will is selfish, flawed, and so very imperfect but God’s is selfless, flawless, and so very perfect and that when we align our faith and our wills with His we will find that we are headed down the right path and that our faith is strengthened and is what is motivating us to keep moving forward. Because of these limits of faith I know that my mission might not be measured by baptisms and or temple trips but instead by seeds planted, visits made, and love extended. For after all that was Christ’s mission, He taught and planted seeds of faith, and then always let the people choose whether to act on his admonitions and teachings. I have seen in my own life that conversion is a process and that agency is always involved. I do not know if I will see when the people I teach make the choice to be committed to the gospel and committed to finding and strengthening their faith. What I do know is that I will never regret the time I spend completely devoted to Christ and His gospel and that my faith will grow when I put my trust in Him and align my will with His. I want to bear my testimony that I know this church is true, I know that Heavenly Father is mindful of his people in whatsoever land they may be in, and that He is certainly mindful of me. I know that my call to serve in Tennessee is perfect even though I am not. I know that there are specific people that I am meant to cross paths with, both for my benefit as well as theirs. I am so excited to get out and share the knowledge I have with the people I do not yet know, and that through my faith they can see the light and build their own faith.
I am so grateful for leaders who taught me lessons on faith and demonstrated their faith by the lives they lead. I am grateful for friends who strengthen my faith, encourage me to press on, and love and support me no matter what. I am grateful for my family who has taught me to embrace the gospel, count my blessings, work to achieve my goals, laugh things off, and be a good Hermana. Most importantly I am grateful for Christ, it is on His doctrine and His sacrifice that my faith is grounded, and I know that when the storms come, the tempests swirl, the language is hard, doors are slammed, people seem faithless, I will be faithful to Christ who has never lost faith in me. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
