We have had an interesting week.. full of
random events but it ended with a wonderful Stake Conference! A couple of days
ago, we were stopping by a members home to see if this member , Sis. B, could
go out with us one day this week. She is the only active member in her family
and has two kids that aren't baptized. She has a ton of non members in her home
all the time. So while we were talking to her in her house, her nonmember son
came in and told us that our tire was flat, like really flat. What? that was
really strange because I did not even feel the flat tire as we drove there. So
we went out and yes it was very flat. There was a razor like thing in it so we
had to switch it out with the spare. While they were doing that for us :) we
were talking to Sis. B she told us how her son's friend asked her about coming
to church with her. She was so excited and immediately set up a time for us to
come and teach him at her home. It was funny because he was sitting right there
and you could tell he was a little bit embarrassed and timid about it, but
never denied anything. So we are going to teach him tomorrow! We
are so excited. He has a very difficult background so we are just hoping he
will be willing to make the changes he needs to so he can improve his
life.
Saturday we had the adult session of Stake Conference. Man, that
was so good! President Packard came and spoke, and of course he always wows the
audience. (Personally his was my favorite talk..) We also had Elder Gordon H.
Smith come and talk. He is a member of the 6th quorum of the seventy and is a
Senator from Maryland
Sister Bentley and I have been having awesome
conversations about the gospel lately. Yesterday, we were talking about stake
conference. Elder Smith talked briefly about the story of the woman caught in
adultery. A picture depicting that story was on the front of the program. It
was really neat because sister Bentley was talking about how that story really
hit her that day. What she was saying and expressing reminded me of a very
similar experience I had a transfer ago. This story means so much more than I
thought it did even just a few months ago. The people brought this woman to
Christ to find a way to condemn Him at the same time condemning this woman. I
can only imagine how this woman felt, being so exposed to the public of her
sin. And yet, Christ took that confrontation so simply, humbly, and peacefully.
You can just see the gentleness and the care He had for this woman. In the
picture, He is reaching out to her, just like He is telling her He understands
and He loves her. Christ is so careful and loving. Through this story I had a
strong feeling how deeply and truly Christ felt every one of our pains. He is
there with us during every trial, He knows exactly how we feel because He felt
what we feel. Can you imagine that? It is so incomprehensible to me how He
truly went through every single pain that has ever or will ever come into the
world. But I know He has. And I am so grateful for it.
I was reading an article from the June ensign, about the sacrament. It was such a wonderful way of describing how I felt as I read and talked about this story. It is heart breaking and painful to think about how Christ did go through all of our pains for us, and how unworthy we feel. But He loves us so much more than we can understand and He sends us His love and grace. We must understand why He did that so we can use the atonement and continually strive to be better and to become like Him.
I was reading an article from the June ensign, about the sacrament. It was such a wonderful way of describing how I felt as I read and talked about this story. It is heart breaking and painful to think about how Christ did go through all of our pains for us, and how unworthy we feel. But He loves us so much more than we can understand and He sends us His love and grace. We must understand why He did that so we can use the atonement and continually strive to be better and to become like Him.
President Packard talked about how when we let
the Lord Hasten His work through us, He is actually hastening the work in us. And how the gospel is all
about us becoming like our Heavenly Parents. I wish I had my notes with me so I
could talk more about it. But I don't think I could say it as well as he did
anyway. It just made me so grateful for my mission, and how the Lord keeps
telling me how lucky I am that I actually listened to the prompting He gave me
to serve. I cannot express how grateful I am to be here and to learn the things
I am learning. My life has been forever changed. I hope all of you who have
served a mission will always remember why you served, the things you felt and
experience there, and how it has applied to your life since. Those of you who
are planning on serving a mission or who may serve a mission in the future,
know that it does change your life, you learn so much about life and about your
own relationship with God. The decision to serve is NEVER the wrong decision. I
always think about how everyone should serve a mission. It would benefit the
world in so many ways. I love it!! And those of you who haven't or may never
serve a full time mission, we are all missionaries, just remember as you live a
consecrated life and follow the promptings the Lord gives you, you are doing
exactly what He wants you to be doing. We, as members of His church, have
covenanted with Him that we will dedicate our lives to Him and everything we do
will be for the benefit of others, our families, and ourselves in drawing near
unto Him.
Love,
Sister Christensen
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| Only historical site in North Brookfield |
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| Service |
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