Happy March 8th everyone! This week was amazing in every aspect, we had exchanges with the AP's a very effective and fun district council, a district activity (because they are approved now!) and lots of spiritual lessons through Facebook and WhatsApp with our friends. But instead of recounting what happened during my week, I have made a goal to make my emails more spiritual and testimony focused, and so here is a thought for anyone struggling to share the Gospel. I hope you enjoy it.
We all have things we want to accomplish in life. It could be a mission or maybe it's finding a stable work or developing better family relationships. Whatever it might be, when the road gets difficult sometimes we start questioning our capacity to accomplish it. We might think that we made a mistake too early on or that we know ourselves better than the Lord knows us. It might cause us to doubt or become fearful that we won't be able to see it through to the end. Maybe we just spend too much of our mental and emotional time and energy telling ourselves that it’s just not possible or that there's got to be some other way.
But, the Lord did not send us here to fail, to be miserable, or to waste our time. Actually, the exact opposite. He sent us here to joyfully succeed and accomplish the great, though difficult, work of sharing the light of the gospel with those of His precious sons and daughters who are seeking after Him. And I know that it is this very work which will bring each of us closer to Him, if we fully embrace it.
So, when we are uncertain, we should turn to Him rather than focus on our weaknesses, insecurities, and doubts. In those moments, more than any other time, we need to trust Him. We can show that trust by reaching out to Him in our prayers and through being true to the covenants and commitments we have made to Him. I have learned that obedience builds trust in our relationship with God.
Our mission president shared this quote from President Harold B. Lee: “testimony is as elusive as a moonbeam; it’s as fragile as an orchid; you have to recapture it every morning of your life.” I have thought about this expression quite a bit and I love it because the moon, in and of itself is cold and lifeless, but through reflecting the light and energy of the sun, it iluminates parts of the world that would otherwise stay dark.
Like the moon, we have been given the amazing opportunity to reflect the saving light and energy of the “Son” of God. Without that Light, our lives and the lives of our friends would be empty and devoid of purpose. But with that Light, we have a capacity well beyond our own to experience miracles and success. To access more of that Light, we need to be as firm and consistent in our duties just as the moon is. We have to show up every day and with all our determination recapture the beauty of sharing the Light with everyone.
If there are moments when it’s hard to believe in ourselves, we need to believe in Him and keep showing up. Even in the midst of our storms of uncertainty, we can know that He is there. His light will eventually dissipate the clouds that try to obscure the true perspective of our own eternal strength and potential.
The Lord has said, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Paul understood from this that staying to fight the fight produces the very circumstances essential to our growth and the whole reason we are here, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Cor. 12:9-10)
I hope that every person reading this email can recapture every day the vision of who we truly are when we stand side-by-side with the Savior, and that you can reflect his light, and that we will let our strength be made perfect in Him as we fulfill every day the commitment we made when we were baptized.
Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, and he lights up my life. I hope that through this email I was able to reflect a small portion of that light to each of you.
Love, Elder Hilton
No comments:
Post a Comment