Hola familia y amigos. Te amo mucho.
(Feel free to forward this to anyone)
It is day 4 here in the MTC and I am loving it. That might be an understatement. I was thinking about just making a blog post but to be honest… I’m not sure how to or if it is against the rules. (Someone check and get back to me on that por favor).
Anyways, I just wanted to share some of the things I have learned. It is too good not to share and I wish everyone was in the MTC with me to see how powerful this is. I know everyone is very busy (believe me, I get it 😂) but please, humor yourself, and take the time to read this message. (How do I share what I’ve learned in the past 60+ hours in 4 days?) If you don’t have a lot of time skip to the end (but don’t skip any) and read where it’s bolded “The rest of this scripture is really important.“
THIS IS NOT FOR ME BUT FOR THEE.
One thing I have learned is that, this is His work and these are His children. “Christ, ask me to bear testimony, I will bear. Ask me to invite and I will invite. Ask me to give everything, and I will give it all. This is not for me but for Thee.” - An excerpt from my study journal.
TRUE TO THE FAITH
On page 121 it reads, “Never give in to the idea that you are not worthy to pray to God. That comes from Satan. (2 Nephi 32:8). If you don’t feel like praying, pray until you do feel like praying! I have set a goal to keep a constant prayer in my heart. In Alma 34:27 it says to cry unto the Lord and to have a prayer in your heart for your welfare and for the welfare of those around you. Even if you are not kneeling down, always keep a prayer in your heart.
SERVICE
Hermana King made a great comment in class yesterday. “We gain the most in the service of others. We find ourselves in the losing ourselves in the service of others.” Now the challenge for us all is to find the balance on this pendulum. On one end there is serving and being a friend with no agenda. And on the other it is inviting others to come unto Christ. We want to find that sweet spot in the middle. We must love and serve everyone just as the Savior did, but we must also love them enough to invite them to come unto Christ. The key word is “invite” this is an action meaning to make a polite or friendly request. This does not mean force. No one is forced in this gospel. Everyone has their own agency to choose for themselves what they will accept. That is the beauty of The Plan. Though we can choose our own actions, we cannot choose our consequences.
IDENTITY IN THE GOSPEL
The world has distorted the idea of authenticity. If you think your identity and the “expression” of yourself lies in your fashion or appearance, you are wrong. Your identity is so much deeper than that. The idea is not to be grand but to be common. (Modesty) The Savior’s life was not rich, grand, or adventurous. He was poor and had no place to call “home.” The goal is not to become stereotypically identical members of the church. No, in fact the meaning of “losing life” is losing the possessive pronouns “his” “my” that limit life to a single person.
A person who is a disciple of Christ does not want to tell stories of themselves; they want to tell stories of the God that loves them because that is who they are. They want to tell stories of the people they love, because that is who they are.
Here’s a powerful quote:
“Who am I? I am the people I love and who love me. Who am I? I am the God I love and who loves me. Who am I? I am a vessel of God’s sanctifying grace.” - Samuel M. Brown, Where the Soul Hungers
You will be at your best when you forget yourself in the sacred love of a broken soul hungry for the presence of God. We will be blind as long as we stare into mortal mirrors.
NONE OF US IS BEYOND GOD’S POWERFUL LOVE.
No one is beyond redemption. Here’s some powerful imagery: The one who suffered for us. The one who tread the winepress ALONE. Christ came to live life with us and for us. “Let us abide more often in the presence of God, even if our chins tremble and our cheeks get wet.” Samuel M. Brown.
I have seen so many miracles this week. If you think you’d be missing out on “life” to give everything to this gospel, imagine missing out on God’s perfect love, the redeeming power of the atonement, and eternal life. What a promise that is you know?
Anyways, there is loads more I could share and there always will be. But for the sake of your time and attention span, I will conclude.
The picture attached to this email is important.
The rest of this scripture is really important.
28 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am the life and the light of the world.
29 I am the same who came unto mine own and mine own received me not.
30 But verily, verily, I say unto you, that as many as receive me, to them will I give power to become the [children] of God, even to them that believe on my name. Amen.
I invite you to evaluate your life. Ask yourself, are you one of the world who receives not our Savior? Are there moments throughout your day where you choose not to receive him?
What can you do TODAY to receive Jesus Christ? Maybe you read the Book of Mormon, serve a friend, or maybe… you kneel down and pray and talk with your Father in Heaven in the name of His son Jesus Christ.
I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father and we are his children. He wants to hear from us and he wants us to receive Him. I know that reading the Book of Mormon and praying with a sincere heart with real intent will invite the spirit to testify the truth of these things.
If you got this far, congrats. You will be blessed for the sacrifice of your time. On my p-day (saturday) I will write a better email filled with experiences and updates but for now, the Lord just told me to share with my loved ones what I have learned.
No need to worry about me. The MTC schedule is actually perfect for my personality type. This is the environment that I thrive in. So ya… don’t worry about me but do pray for me because I pray for all you you. (My prayers have gotten quite long😙) I know the Lord will deliver me from my trials, pains, and weaknesses… but if not… I will continue to trust and obey… that is Faith.
P.S. go read the talk called “But if not” by Elder Dennis E. Simmons. Hopefully there’s no typos.
