Talk in Church

I had the opportunity of speaking in the Midway 2nd Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints yesterday. I was grateful for the opportunity to speak to the congregation of friends and family that I basically grew up with and love so very much!

Let me share with you, what I shared with all those that I love so much.

I would like to start today by sharing a quote found in Preach My Gospel by President Ezra Taft Benson concerning the Gospel, he says, "We are commanded to take this Gospel to all the world. That is the cause that must unite us today. Only the gospel will save the world from the calamity of its own self destruction. Only the gospel will unite men of all races and nationalities in peace. Only the gospel will bring joy, happiness, and salvation to the human family." 

I love this quote, because it is true. The gospel is the ONLY thing that will bring to us and to all those around us the joy that we are all seeking and the peace that seems so hard to find in this world. The gospel is everything! The gospel is simple and it is simply powerful. It has the power to do all the President Benson said it can and will do! Where its power is though is in its simplicity. It is simple to understand and even the Lord himself states that it is so in the Doctrine and Covenants 133:57 as he talks to us about how he "sent forth the fullness of his gospel...reasoning in plainness and simplicity." 

Then we can turn to Alma as he declares to his son Helaman that by "small and simple things are great things brought to pass." The gospel is simple and it brings about GREAT things! Alma's declaration became very real to me as I watched simple things become great things in people lives out on my mission in Jacksonville, Florida. 

I saw this in the life of a less active woman named Jami. She struggled with many things in her life, from financial, to physical, to spiritual struggles. We were over at her house a lot sharing messages and inviting her to do small and simple acts such as praying, reading her scriptures, and paying her tithing. As she would follow these simple things in her life, her life was blessed immensly! Miracles were seen in her life because of these simple acts of faith! On one specific occassion she told us that she was not going to be able to pay her rent that month, among other things, and that could mean getting kicked out of her home. My companion and I had felt impressed to ask her to pay her tithing. She was reluctant to pay it because she was already short on money, but she paid it anyways and miraculously people who owed her money came forward with the money they owed her that month so that she was able to pay her rent. That was a changing point for her and as she continued to follow the things that we, well really the LORD, would ask of her....the small and simple things...her life began to change and change for the better! Not only that, she changed! 

Another woman on my mission who came to church on and off, who was married to a practically athiest husband was struggling in many aspect of her life and a lot with the gospel. She was specifically struggling with understanding if our Heavenly Father was really there for her and if he really loved her. She suffered from physical ailments, including chronic back pain and that was something awful. Her and her husband were struggling financially and life just seemed to be crashing in around them. She was so frustrated and felt so alone and so forsaken. We came over and were able to share a message with her and asked her how long it had been since she prayed. She didn't really answer us, as we continued with other discussion...but she pondered on that. That night she fell to her knees in tears and said "Lord if you are there and if you love me you will take this back pain from me that I might be able to do the work that i need to tomorrow to help support my family." Miraculously she woke up the next morning and what normally would have taken her 15 minutes to muster up the strength to get out of bed, took her no time at all. She was able to get up and to do the work that she needed to almost completely back pain free!! She was so excited that she called us in tears saying that she now knew that the Lord was aware of her and he loved her! This changed her life and helped her to be more active in the church and brought the spirit of the Lord more abundantly into her home! 

The Gospel brings about great things! It changes lives! Despite the fact that it can do great things, it is still incredibly simple. It wasn't the deep doctrines of the gospel that changed these women's lives, it was the basic simple truths that touched their hearts and brought the spirit in to change their lives. That is was the gospel is all about. AND...just as simple as the gospel is, it is just as simple to share. We dont need to always use words, often times we must use our actions. We must be a good example and serve. A wonderful example in my life, who I personally didn't know in this life, but who I have heard countless stories about and I am inspired by daily is my grandfather LeRoy! He was an extraordinary man and he LIVED the gospel. If someone's washer broke in the middle of the night he was there. If someone was sick and needed a blessing, he dropped whatever he was doing and he went to them. It didn't matter who you were or what your need was, Grandpa was there to help and he would put aside anything that he was doing and help whoever it was the was in need of his assistance. My Grandfather knew how to live the gospel simply by serving those around him and there are countless number of people in this world that have been touched by that service. Who knows how many people he was able to influence for good to come into the Gospel? He was such an inspiration to me! We can share the gospel by being that example and giving selfless service. THEN....when the time comes that we can use words to share our knowledge of the gospel....we do not need to fear because the gospel is so simple...and it is the simpleness that people need to know and understand to enter into the celestial kingdom and be with our Heavenly Father and their families for the eternities! 

Its all about the simple things in life. Living your life simply is such a great way to live and living the gospel is the ONLY way to live. So living the gospel simply is the ONLY GREAT way to live! I can testify to that and that I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only true church here on the earth! I know that Joseph Smith saw God, the Father, and Jesus Christ. I know that he was able to translate the Book of Mormon through the power of God and that the Book of Mormon was written for us here in our day. That we might know who to look towards for answers in this life. That we might know that we are sons and daughters of a loving, merciful and powerful Heavenly Father! I know that my Savior lives. I know he loves me and knows me personally, as he knows everyone else here on the earth. I know that he died for my  sins and your sins. The Atonement is very real! It is because of our Savior Jesus Christ that we all have the opportunity to repent and return to live with our Heavenly Father! I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that it is another testament of our Savior Jesus Christ and that if you read it and then get on your knees and ask God sincerely to know if it is true, he will make it known unto you as he has unto me! I know that Thomas S. Monson is the prophet here on the earth today and that he leads and guides this church in righteousness! I know that this Gospel is true! I know these things and will never deny them! I know that as we live the simple aspect of the gospel we will be greatly blessed and we will see miracles in our own lives as we do these things and keep the commandments! I know all these things are true and I say all this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen! 

Have a blessed day everyone! :-)