As many of you may or may not know I just returned from serving an 18 month mission to Panama. As a post to kind of jump start my blog I thought I would share the talk which relates some of my mission experiences. Enjoy! More blog posts to come in the future. Its good to be back.
The word in Spanish for mission is ‘mision’. When split in two one
ends up with two words ‘mi’ and ‘sion’. Translated into English this literally
means: my Zion. As missionaries we invite others to come unto Christ. To come
to know their Redeemer through the learning and applying of His restored
Gospel. We then invite them to follow His example, just as He extended the
invitation over two thousand years ago “Follow thou me.” I spent the past
eighteen months in Panama, with the hope of bringing but “one soul unto Christ”
When I left I did not know what to expect. But as I helped others come to know
their Savior, their Redeemer and their Older Brother… as they came to find
their Zion… it was in their journey that my mission became my Zion and what I
learned from each and every one of them I wish to share with you today. With
their examples of today and scriptural examples of yesterday I hope my message will
encourage each of us to be better, to walk straighter; to keep our eyes always
focused on those things of eternity. May
the Holy Ghost aid and guide me as I speak with all of you this morning.
We read in the scriptures often of the importance of persevering.
In 2 Nephi 31:20 we learn “Wherefore, ye must press forward with
a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope,
and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press
forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end,
behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.” The Apostle Peter
for me has always been this great example of perseverance. We see his love and
devotion to our Lord and Savior numerous times during His earthly ministry. But
perhaps the greatest was first the agony of his denial, followed soon after by
his acceptance to lead the Lords primitive church after His ascension into
heaven. We are all familiar with the story. The night before the Lord’s
crucifixion He prophesied that before the cock crowed, Peter would deny Him
three times. It is my personal belief that in this moment Peter felt assured
that such a thing would never occur. But just as the Lamb of God predicted,
before the cock crowed, Peter denied Him three times. In Luke’s moving account
of this experience, we read that Peter when the Lord looked upon Him
“remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, before the cock crow,
thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept.”
I personally think it could have been very easy for Peter to leave
and never return. Shame, embarrassment, or guilt could have motivated him to
separate himself. But he was the one who had known who Christ was. He was the
one who had stepped out of the boat, and walked onto the water to the Master.
Later, he was the one to whom the Lord directed His admonition to “feed my
sheep.” He never gave up, and no matter
what we have done, neither should we. Moments of discouragement, hardship and
frustration may come. But we must never let these things overtake us. If we are
to be disciples of Jesus Christ. We must keep going, keep persevering until the
end. Like the first convert of my mission.
When my companion and I met Jesus Martin he was on the street
selling empanadas. We had wandered around all afternoon searching for an
investigator, following an address that seemed to have never existed. A problem
all too common unfortunately. When we found Jesus he asked if we had a book. We
gave to him and explained briefly the Book of Mormon. We would not see him for another
month. We did finally make it to his home, following a prompting of the spirit;
it was not long before he expressed the sincere desire to be baptized. Yet he
related to us that he had done far too many things. He struggled with problems
of the word of wisdom and the law of chastity. But we looked at him and asked
him if he truly desired to be baptized, to be clean. His words, reminded me all
too well of the words of Peter as Christ washed His apostles feet. “Lord, not
my feet only but also my hands and my head” (John 13:9) and I saw that in
Jesus’ eyes as he begged us to help him become clean. Up until the day of his
baptism he struggled. But he was cleansed, through baptism by water and the
spirit. Jesus has already left this life, but the Sunday before he died, he
blessed the sacrament, exercising the priesthood keys that he held. His was a
life of perseverance, and though he never held any high position in the church.
He offered his whole soul as an offering unto God (Omni 1:26)
Just as we must persevere through our struggles, a great source of
strength can be found in prayer. The admonition to “pray always” or pray
without ceasing is found at least 50 times in the Bible alone. The church, as we know was restored once again
upon the earth because a fourteen year old boy entered a grove of trees and
asked our Heavenly Father in prayer a simple question. God has always encouraged
communication with him. On my mission I had many opportunities to see answers
to prayers; but perhaps the greatest, was when a twenty one year old boy named
Michael, just like the first prophet of this dispensation, asked to know the
truth.
I had just been transferred to my second area. Michael lived with
his grandma, mother, and younger brother behind our apartment building. This
particular evening we had taught him about the Word of Wisdom and invited him
to be baptized. The simplest way to put it, he was a wreck. He shed tears as he
admitted that he was a man of little faith, that he did not know if the church
was true and he was not sure how he could ever know. As we taught him an all too
familiar scripture came to mind “Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall
find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.”
So we invited Michael to give the closing prayer in that moment. We all
got down on our knees and Michael began to pray. With all the fervency of a
lost soul looking for the way to go he pleaded to our God and our Father. He
asked him, in much the same way I am sure Joseph did almost two hundred years
ago, to know what he should do. Then he asked God to send him a sign, to show
him, somehow, if he should be baptized into this church. And the scriptures read concerning signs: “But,
behold, faith cometh not by signs, but signs follow those that
believe. Yea, signs come by faith, not by the will of men, nor
as they please, but by the will of God. (Doctrine and Covenants 63: 9-10). I
knew that Michael believed. I begged God, in my heart in that moment, that He
would reach forth His hand and work a miracle.
All too soon, the prayer ended. But no one moved. All that could be
heard was Michael sobbing and all that could be felt was the Spirit, so strong physical
warmth enveloped the room and all present. We asked Michael what had happened,
what he had felt but he continued to cry. His grandmother also began to implore
and he finally spoke. He told us that when he had asked God to know what to do
he had felt a man beside him. When he had pleaded to know if he should be
baptized on the date we had challenged him and had asked for a side, the unseen
man had reached out and touched his arm.
I do not know what happened to Michael. I believe that if he has
not already he will one day be baptized. Michael was an example to me about the
power of faith and prayer. God knows what we need before we ask it, but He
implores that we ask, that we might build our faith. We must pray always. We
cannot miss even one morning or one night if we do not want the adversary to
treat us like “waves upon the sea, driven with the wind and tossed” (James 1:6)
Pray always. I you have been lacking start today. I can testify that it is strength,
a necessity, like water in an arid desert; it is water to our souls, in this
arid and fallen world.
Seeing God answers prayers throughout my mission taught me that God
is merciful. The story of Paul, once Saul which we find in the New Testament
also bear testimony to my heart of the love and compassion of our Father and
His Son. Many of you are familiar with the conversion of Saul to Paul. He was a
Pharisee who “made havoc for the church, entering into every house, and haling
men and women committed them to prison (Acts 8:3). Saul was bent on destroying
the church, even as he travels on the infamous road to Damascus we read that he
is “breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord”
(Acts 9:1) and then we know, that as Saul journeys on this road, the Savior appears
to him beseeching “Saul, Saul, why persecuteth thou me?” And thus Saul was
converted to Paul and became one of the greatest missionaries of the primitive
church. “And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this they can
in nowise inherit the kingdom of God (Mosiah 27:26)
Thirty five year old Jaime was Saul. Jaime persecuted members of
the church whenever they had the misfortune to cross his path. Leaders came to his home to do family home
evenings with his wife and kids who were faithful active members. They desired
to learn. He desired to argue. He had a book of our doctrine, with biblical
scriptures that disproved every single point. With that as his weapon, he went
around destroying the spiritual morale of his family. He kept them from going
to the temple. They wept, he was glad. This modern day Saul continued, until he
began his own journey down his own personal road to Damascus. First, he decided to go to church with his
wife. But he felt nothing. He was moved by a lesson on the Book of Mormon, but
still he felt no inclination to change. Then, one night, after years... seven
to be exact, of praying to know what he should do, he had a dream.
“In my dream” he told us, “I was a spectator as I watched a couple
walking through a deserted city. They looked for something, what I did not
know. They passed abandon streets, the wife, always leading, the husband,
complaining that they would never get there because she did not know where they
were going. They came to a park, the center of the city. An old woman stood
there. She explained ‘there are many roads, which you can take to get where you
are going; there are roads upon which you can take a car, a bus. There is
beautiful road to your left and the most dangerous road to your right” The
husband insisted that they take one of the more comfortable roads. One that
they knew would be free of danger. But the wife disagreed. She assured her
husband that they must take the most dangerous road. It was the only way to get
where THEY wanted to go. With complaints from the husband every step, they
went. They passed ferocious animals and crossed broken bridges. Through
darkness and fog and all kinds of dangers they walked. The husband complained,
the wife, pressed on. Then they reached the end of the road and the crest of a
hill. A man gardened not too far away. The husband insisted they ask. The wife
began to walk up the hill. The husband cried in anger ‘you don’t know if that’s
the way, you don’t know… we must ask!’ and he turned to ask the gardener. In
that moment I cried out” Jaime told us, “and said to the man, ‘follow your
wife, she knows the way, she has always known the way, follow your wife!’ and
then “Jaime said “I woke up, confused, I was not sure what it all meant, but I
got down on my knees as if to pray. Before I could open my mouth the words came
to me ‘Follow your wife, she has always known the way, follow your wife’ and
I knew” Jaime said” that I needed to be baptized.”
We met Jaime on May 2nd, and on May 10th he
was baptized. He went from attacking the doctrines of the church, to testifying
of their truthfulness. He had said never and God had only said, not yet. Now,
we may not have dreams. We may not feel or see or hear angels. But God tells us
that it is never too late. When Jesus taught the parables of the prodigal son,
the lost sheep and the lost silver he ended each by saying “I say unto you
likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repent, then over the just
that need no repentance…” (Luke 15) No
matter what you have done no matter how far down the wrong road you think you
have gone, the drops of blood that stained the Garden of Gethsemane and the
cross of Calvary are a witness to each of us that all is not lost. They cry out
to us to come back. Christ himself beckons “Behold the wounds which
pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and
feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye
shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. (D &C 6:37).
Jaime taught me, that it is never too late for anyone, no, not even for you.
My last example is the Book of Mormon’s own Saul. We all know him,
as Alma the Younger. He is described as being a “very wicked and idolatrous
man… he led many of the people to do after the manner of his iniquities… giving
a chance for the enemy of God to exercise his power over them.” (Mosiah
27). Like Alma the Younger who wandered
around reaping havoc where ever he went there was once a young man named
Gerald.
One day we found a key in the street. It was a part of our area
that we had never been in, so we decided to knock on the nearest door. A woman
named Diosalina answered and let us in. She told us about her family. About her
seventeen year old son, who was rather rebellious but loved to learn English
because he wants to go the States someday. We wrote down the address and went
to find Gerald. When we found him there was nothing exciting about him. In fact
he did not even seem interested. We left him a pamphlet about the Restoration
and invited him to English classes and that was the end of the conversation. We
did not even ask for his number, but we left him ours. He came to English class
and lingered afterwards. He asked if he could walk with us part of the way home
so that he could see where the church was. He expressed the desire to come to
that Sunday’s services. As we walked he
told me that he had never been baptized. We invited him to be baptized three
weeks from that day, the Saturday before I would come home. He accepted, we
left him with a Book of Mormon and prayed that he would attend. He came. He
stood and bore his testimony. Everyone was shocked. The following day we taught
our first lesson about Joseph Smith. He told us he knew it was true. The
following day we taught him about the Book of Mormon. He expressed the desire
that it be shared with the world. He told us that he had burned every worldly
book, movie, or CD that he’d had. He began to read the Book of Mormon, reading
as much as twenty chapters in one day. That next Sunday he came to church
dressed just like a missionary. He only needed the nametag. He started going
out to visit people with us. Then he told us why he had changed so completely,
so quickly.
He told us that he’d had a dream. In that dream he was walking from
one end of town to the other. He said everything was bright and beautiful. He
told us that up ahead of him he saw two girls that looked like they were
preaching. Then beside him, he saw our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In his
dream Christ called him by name and said “you are going to meet two girls, and
these two girls are going to turn on a light in your life. If you are to
progress and reach your full potential... if you desire all the blessings I
have planned for you, you must accept this light into your life and you must
never turn back.” Two days after this dream, we knocked on his door. He knew
the moment we entered his home, that we were those girls from his dream. He
told us that he knew his sins were forgiven because as he prayed he felt such
joy. Like Alma the Younger who said “and oh what joy, and what marvelous light,
I did behold, yea my soul was filled with joy…” (Alma 36:20). Gerald was
baptized on the date that he accepted. This past week, thanks to technology,
Gerald called me. He told me that for the second time he has blessed the
sacrament and that he would be meeting with the branch president to discuss his
desire to serve a mission. He is preparing to serve a mission and a year from
now will accept a call to fulfill the deepest desire of his heart, to tell the
world about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon.
Alma asked the faithful saints of
Zarahemla, “And now behold, I say
unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have
felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now? (Alma
5:26) Have you felt this change of heart? If you have not, do you what you have
to in order to be completely converted. Gerald showed me what it means to truly
be converted. To change everything about yourself so that it is in harmony with
God. A true conversion is not limited to age, Gerald is only seventeen. It does
not matter how much money you make or how well you are educated. What really matters
is where your heart is. What do you love most? God does not care so much what
you want Him to give you, but what you are willing to give Him. King Benjamin
taught “unless ye become as a little child ye cannot enter into the kingdom of
God” (Mosiah 3:19). As followers of the Savior, we must become as little
children and then become like Him, or we will never enter into the “many
mansions” that he has prepared for us. Brothers and sisters, do what you have
to. Start today. And never look back.
At this moment I feel as Ammon did, when he spoke of his brothers
of his experiences… they consecrated 14 years of their lives to our Lord. And
while the time cannot compare my heart bursts with the words of Ammon as he
recounted. “We have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all of this, that
perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy
would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some. Now behold, we
can look forth and see the fruits of our labors; are they few? I say unto you,
Nay, they are many… yea and my joy is carried away, even unto the boasting in my
God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth
all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will
repent and believe on His name… now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving;
yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever…” (Alma 26) Seeing these people
change, changed me. Their journeys strengthened my testimony. Their struggles
increased my faith. I can testify that the greatest convert, is none of the
people that talked of today…. But the one who humbly stands before you now. I
thought I knew of the love of my Savior. But I did not truly know it until I
watched each of these come to know their Savior. As they found their Zion… they
guided me to mine.
