The Universal Valentine

Whether I like it or not my mission is coming to a close.

With just about three and a half weeks left

I've been thinking a lot back on my mission

and am coming to realize what truly has mattered to me.

The People.

From a green meal on my first Monday at the Owen's,

to attending the open house for the now Elder Steven Cordon,

to sharing meals with friends,

to training Elder Van Wagenen.

It has always been the people that have made it so special.

I know that my mission call was less about the geography

and more about the relationships.

It's the moments I spent one-on-one

with those who were in desperate need of Christ's grace.

It's the moments that I saw Christ's grace

work miracles in others lives.

It was the moments when I didn't know if I could continue on

and then His love and mercy were manifest through

an inspired person who knew Him as their savior. 

It's those moments that brought me to know

that Christ is truly our savior.

It was the moment when a man turned his life around

and found himself worthy to be sealed to his now wife.

It was the moment when a man bound by addiction

broke free and thanked his Savior for the power to do so.

When we realize how much we need Him

He shows us how much He loves us.

Whether you have a valentine or not

you know someone loves you.

You have the best valentine anyone could ask for.

Look for it in those you love.

Look for it in those who will reach out to you today.

and most importantly,

Show it to those who may have forgotten this perfect valentine:

that is given to all of us,

personally.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

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Right Time, Right Place

The Lord is always aware of where we are and what we need.

Driving home from playing ultimate frisbee

we hit traffic and slowly rolled passed an accident.

The accident had happened not too long before.

Passing the man who was directing traffic I hit the gas pedal and went on our way home.

Then a voice comes from the backseat saying that we know those people that were in that accident!

I turned into the next parking lot and flipped around.

We got out and walked over to the car.

They were fine physically but definitely shaken up.

Even though we were in t-shirt and gym shorts we asked if they needed a Priesthood blessing

and gladly gave them one.

Being blessed to be the one voicing the blessing,

I couldn't help but feel a strong feeling that God was very much aware of this person.

Closing the blessing, and making sure there was help coming,

we jumped back into our car and left just as the police arrived.

It was not by chance that we were there at that time.

God works miracles through us.

He has blessed us with the means to work miracles in other's lives.

Your Heavenly Father is aware of you.

He knows your needs, wants, desires, deepest sorrows, and your most joyful moments.

Your Father in Heaven knows you perfectly.

Just like he put us,

four imperfect young adults,

in the path to be his instrument and hands in blessing the lives of those in need,

He will always send someone at the right time, and at the right place.

Never doubt that His hand is in your life,

because through His Son, nothing is impossible to Him in this world.

Seek him out.

Feel His loving embrace pour into the seemingly empty voids of a sorrowful soul,

and amplify the powerful emotions felt in the Joyous soul. 

 

In the name of our Savior and Elder Brother, Jesus the Christ, Amen.

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Vestibulitis

I couldn't help but cry in frustration as we drove away from yet another doctor's appointment with questions unanswered.

For nearly two months I had been nauseous and dizzy enough to keep me out of school and laying down with little to no energy.

I had become discouraged.

Missing school and being house ridden was taking it's toll.

Hopping from doctor to doctor, medication to medication, the problem continued and the questions remained unanswered.

Then the miracles began.

My dad happened to have a connection to a doctor that was willing to see me on such short notice.

The doctor worked in a pretty prestigious hospital and it was a miracle she had the time to see me.

We baked them a plate of cookies as a small token of our gratitude.

Within 10 minutes she diagnosed my problem.

Vestibulitis.

The treatment was to attend physical therapy sessions.

A physical therapist who happened to just get through schooling for treating vestibulitis, happened to live in my home town.

The exercises were simply looking at the ceiling, then at the floor, ceiling, floor.

At first my attitude was a bit skeptical, but I did what I was told.

I remember after my first session I went home and passed out from exhaustion.

Those simple movements were the beginning of my journey back to health.

Soon I was able to read the math board again without nausea occurring.

I was able to do the work that was missed and catch up well enough to pass that semester.

All throughout I was blessed with inspired teachers that were willing to work with me at home

and inspired people to lift my spirits.

I think back to that car ride leaving the doctors office and that feeling of despair.

When we go through trials that seem never ending it's hard to see the light that is illuminating our way.

However, after the trial, we often look back with joy and see we were led every step of the way.

Our Heavenly Father's hand is in every detail.


Every encouraging letter.

Every smile.

Every ray of sunlight.











He will not forget you,

If you will not forget him.

There is never an excuse to forget our Father in Heaven.

There is never any trial or mistake that we can make that causes us to not be worthy to get down on our knees and seek his comfort.

Seek for his love!

He is the perfect Father.

In the name of His son, who overcame all trials and sorrows, even Jesus Christ, Amen.

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Well it's Snowing...

It snowed! :D It was really exciting!

 Then it snowed again.

 and again.

  Then it got cold.

Can you feel the excitement diminishing?

However it made for a great conversation starter,

"So, what do you think of the snow?"

I've gotten a wide range of answers, there were two answers that reached the two ends of the spectrum however.

It's dandruff falling from the sky and it's angels feathers falling from heaven.

Pretty opposite huh?

However it's the same snow storm.

How do we see the snow? How do we see the events in our life?

True happiness doesn't come from changing events, but rather changing how you view them.

Be thankful for who you are and that YOU, YES YOU! Has a Heavenly Father that knows you and loves you.

He has a hand in our lives and always will lead us towards true happiness if we let him.

Most of us, who seek after good, do a pretty good job at this.

But do we thank him for it?

Do we thank him even for the snow storms?

Tonight, when you're on your knees, thank him and let him know how much you appreciate him.

He is our Father and loves to hear how much we appreciate him. We are his work and glory!

Let's take time this season and give Thanks.

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Hope, Even When All Hope is Lost

I was sitting in church and was trying not to be discouraged as none of the people that the missionaries had been teaching came that Sunday.

About half way through the first meeting my attention was diverted as someone came and sat down next to the missionaries in front of us.

One of the missionaries leaned back and asked us to save the seat  next to us so when their investigator came, he would have a place to sit.

I was stunned.

It was half way through the meeting and this missionary kept the faith and hope that he was going to show!

He never did show and I never did see that missionary become discouraged from it. She kept the faith and hope until the very end. And then when it didn't pan out, transferred that hope and faith to the fact that he will come next week.

We pray for things.

We hope for things.

We have faith that things will happen.

But when they don't it seems like the world is crashing down and we allow ourselves to get frustrated at our Heavenly Father.

He knows much more than we do and a lot of times tests us and directs us to reach our full potential.

Keep the faith and keep the hope.

As long as you are taking care of what He wants you to, everything will work out for the best.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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Fast Sunday Miracle

Once a month the LDS church has fast Sunday, in which we don't eat or drink for 24 hours or two meals.

As a kid I tended to dread fast Sundays because of the torturous pantry that would taunt me all day.

However being out on a mission it has changed my view quite dramatically.

This last Sunday was fast Sunday and I made it a point, the night before, to kneel down and begin my fast with a true heart and a reason to fast. With those I'm fasting for in mind I went to sleep that night.

I woke up and used the extra hours in the morning to study a few verses.

Dinner time was beginning to loom over us as we realized our meal appointment that night canceled.

Our stomachs weren't looking forward to our own cooking, we kept a bright outlook and moved on with faith!

As we were talking to people after church we had someone walk up to us and tell us that that morning she had put dinner in the crockpot and for some reason not known to her she put the whole bag of chicken in!

She found out that all six of us missionaries were without a dinner appointment and invited us over for dinner!

She truly was inspired!

My favorite part about this whole experience is not only did I enjoy fasting today as it brought me closer to my Heavenly Father, but he also blessed me with a tender mercy to not have to suffer through my own cooking!

Our loving Father in heaven is pleased when we follow him with a true heart and honestly seek after him.

He want us to be happy! and will bless us in little ways to show that he's there and wants you to feel his love.

Seek his love and honestly follow what he asks of you.

With a sincere heart and contrite spirit.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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