Bold and Loving

This week was yet another good and eventful one. We of course had the earthquake on Saturday which livened up our evening a bit, but also an exchange with Elder N and Elder T, on Wednesday and Thursday, which was an adventure all in itself.

 

Yeah, there was an earthquake, 7.7 I'm told, it was out in the ocean I think, Haida Gwaii felt it first. Elder A and I were actually working on the "First 12 Weeks" program (which is something for new missionaries where we get an extra hour of study time to work out of Preach My Gospel or watch The District (1&2) videos), we were watching one of the District Videos when Elder A felt his chair moving. I felt the couch moving too, but I thought Elder A was kicking it or something, so I didn't think much of it, but then Elder A asked if I felt that, I was like "... yeah?" and that's when we figured out that EVERYTHING was moving. It was actually pretty fun. Elder A and I stepped outside, because.... that's what you do... right? ;) Except, almost as soon as we got outside it stopped. We were kinda bummed. : P so we went back inside, finished our study, planned and got ready for bed, while I was brushing my teeth Elder A said he felt an aftershock, but I didn't feel anything. It’s harder to tell if you're standing and brushing your teeth. :(

I was excited to get to work with both Elder T and Elder N back to back, and I've learned so much from both of them. I guess the one lesson that they kind of both taught me, even though they each focused on different aspects of it, is that I need to be more Bold and Loving in all aspects of missionary work. We as missionaries are supposed to be bold and loving in everything we do, be it tracting, street contacting, teaching a lesson, or extending an invitation or commitment. We must be both bold and loving.

Now, I thought I had loving down pretty good, but then with Elder T I realized that I didn't really have true Christ-like love for the people to whom I was talking. I had sympathy for most everyone; I could understand the problems in their life and see how the Gospel could help to repair their lives if only they would be willing to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. For some I even felt real empathy, I felt for them because I had experienced those same struggles before in my own life, and I knew how hard it must be, or what they must be going through. But for very few did I feel real, pure, unconditional, Christ-like love. I saw how the gospel could “fix" the "broken" aspects of their lives, but I failed to look deeper and see how the Atonement could heal them as individuals, as sons and daughters of God.

Just like faith in Jesus Christ (and His Atonement) leads us to repentance; True, Christ-like, love leads us to be bold, to lose our tongues and speak the words of Christ. If we can understand that Christ-like love, and feel it or for everyone we meet, there is no power on earth that could stop us from declaring the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ to every creature on this earth that yet draws breath.

I am not a naturally bold person, I don't like to make waves, I like Nephi and Moses am not mighty unto speaking (or writing), but I  have been called, even commanded, to share this message, and I know that this message is true: That God is our Father, and that Jesus Christ is His Firstborn and Only Begotten Son, that the Old Testament, New Testament, and Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, are their words as revealed to His Prophets, and I know it by the power of the Holy Ghost. I know that The Book of Mormon, along with other scriptures, were revealed and translated by the prophet Joseph Smith, that through him the Priesthood, and keys pertaining thereto, were restored to the Earth, and that that Priesthood, those keys, and the authority to speak for the True and Living God, unto all the Earth reside with Thomas S Monson, the Prophet and President of this The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

This is my testimony. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I love you all, and I hope that all is well at home, and wherever else you may be.

Thank you all so much for everything you do for the Lord, and for me as a missionary.

Elder Thomson