Hey, Mom!!
How are things going this week? I am sorry to hear that your health has not been doing well as of late. I hope that things have been a little bit better this week and that they continue to improve as you follow the counsel that you received at General Conference. Listen to all of the promptings that you receive, no matter how small or how strange they may seem. :)
This has been a good week! Busy, busy, but really good. As for a quick rundown of the mundane things before getting into details and things like that I had a normal P-Day last week, and then I had a zone meeting on Tuesday (which means that we are in charge of planning and facilitating the entire thing as zone leaders). That actually went really well, and then I went on splits to Kawasaki. So that was fun! It was great to work with an Elder Jenner in our zone, and I was once again reminded of the importance of just giving your all to the Lord, and holding nothing back. After that, I returned to my area for a night, and then the next day we went to MLC in Kichijoji. I was in charge of a musical number, so I put together a little 6 person choir-ish thing to sing Come Come Ye Saints. It actually ended up being really really good. Then, I stayed in Kichijoji for Splits with the Assistants. That went well, although it was super busy and we didn't get that much time to find. We did teach one lesson though, and I was able to go to the Kichijoji District Meeting, so it was good to hear about those things that are going on well with the district that I loved so much! Then I went back to my area, and then we had a good rest of the day. We finished off with a good Saturday just playing some basketball in the morning, and then teaching a few people and doing what we could to find some new people. It was good! :) Then yesterday! I aged so much yesterday.... ;D haha It was good though! I'm 20 mom.....I'm not a teenager....it is so weird. I feel like that is the weirdest thing. Just that I can't be tagged as a teenager anymore. I became an adult for the second time in my life! ;D haha (20 is when you become an adult in Japan). :) And church was so good. I will talk about that in a minute though. That will be more my spiritual part of the email today. :) haha and then QS and SK actually came and picked us up (our area borders Hodogaya) and took us over to their house for dinner! haha :) It was super good, and they are doing great. He may even start taking lessons seriously soon (that is what we committed him to do). They gave me a whole bunch of Yokohama Marinos paraphernalia so that is fun. :) Sadly, neither your package nor Jenna's have arrived (funny right? It reminds me of the birthday letters being written by a certain Elder......). However Yosh is going to give me the package on Thursday, and I should hopefully be able to get Jenna's tomorrow....we will see if it arrived in time. :) haha
But, about church yesterday.
So, I decided since it was only my second week in the ward, as well as fast Sunday (our general conference is a week later, so no spoilers!), as well as my birthday, it would be a great opportunity to get up and to bear my testimony. :) So I did. I will be honest, I was trying so so hard to figure out what to say (there was a line to bear testimonies, so I had a lot of time to wait and think), and I just decided to bear simple testimony about the Restoration of the church, and what it really means to have Jesus Christ as our Savior. And I thought about it. I thought about how to explain why listening to lessons would be good for absolutely anyone, and I came to a conclusion. :)
If there really is a God, and He came to Earth, wouldn't that be the most important thing ever?
If He made it possible to overcome our mistakes, wouldn't that be the most important possibility ever?
What if He left for a time, but came back and delivered a message to a boy? What if?
No matter who you are, or what religion you believe in, if there was a .5% possibility that was true, it would be the most important message that this world could ever contain. And that is the message that I was able to share. I just bore simple testimony for a couple of minutes, and I sat down.
Mom, I know that Joseph Smith, as a 14 year old boy, went into a grove and saw Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. I know that he was called of God to be the prophet to open this last dispensation. I know that Christ fulfilled all that the Father needed Him to. There was not one thing that was left uncovered by the Atonement which He humbly performed on our behalf. He sacrificed for us, and we can overcome our sins and our weaknesses because of that sacrifice which he made for us. How often do you think about what that really means for you? Do you think about how it changes your life? I hope that you do, at least once a week as you partake of the only ordinance that you repeat for
yourself over and over again. Christ lives. I know it. Heavenly Father lives, and loves each one of us. I know it. I hope that you know it, and that you frequently feel His influence in your life. That is my biggest desire. It truly would be life's greatest achievement to become 100% under the influence of our Father in Heaven by virtue of the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Do not take that gift for granted. It is so powerful, and will never direct us wrong. :)
I am so proud of you and Dad, and everyone at home for all of the incredible things that you do! You are such a support and a strength to me. :) I love you so so much. You are the best. :) Keep hanging in there. All things will be for your good, and I promise that. That is what the Lord promised Joseph Smith, and it extends to each and every one of us. And though the Earth and Heavens pass away, His word will not, so hold onto those promises that you have. :) I love you!!! <3
Love,
Elder Livingston
No comments:
Post a Comment