They See Me Revving the Engine... -- 27 January 2014

Of my beautiful white minivan!!!! #sisterrowley 

We've been all over the mission this past week for exchanges. We had an exchanges with the missionaries in Cardston, Ft. Mcleod, and Calgary South. They were really good exchanges. I met a whole hoard of YSA sisters while we were in South Calgary who hooked us up with Mexican food (my favorite) and a few referrals. One of them knows a member down in Medicine Hat who is less active. Don't worry, we'll be back in the Hat this weekend. :D This is gonna be good. I love the Hat.

Thanks to everyone who's wished me a happy birthday this past week. It was my brother's birthday yesterday, so a shout out to him! The B family took me out for lunch (MexiCAN) and bowling on Monday, I ate Mexican on Tuesday, and a YSA member fed me Mexican on Wednesday. Wanna know the crazy part? My companion isn't sick of Mexican yet. Why? We were on exchanges the whole time! 

On Saturday we were on exchanges in Ft. Mcleod and teaching a less-active YSA. He has been choosing not to attend church for quite a long time. We started the lesson by reading the Book of Mormon with him, because he didn't do his reading (p.s. if the missionaries ever give you a reading assignment, read it. If you don't, they'll read it with you and ensure a spiritual experience so you will continue reading on your own, just don't miss out on it). We read Mosiah 4. About halfway through we were talking about how we use the Atonement to grow closer to our Heavenly Father.

I can't remember what was said, but this is how we ended up--- Me and J (name changed for privacy purposes) having a heart to heart, because we don't always feel worthy of the blessings we receive. He then talked about how he didn't feel worthy to enter a church building, or to take the sacrament. He was scared to see his Father in Heaven and terrified of having to face Him in His own house. 

We discussed how the Church was a house of healing, a hospital, not a house of horrors (interesting how those two tend to collide). I had been reading Alma 36 that morning (go figure) and had noticed something I hadn't before. 

15 Oh, thought I, that I ^acould be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my ^bdeeds.

Then, after he had sought for Christ he said,

2 Yea, methought I saw, even as our father ^aLehi saw, God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and ^bpraising their God; yea, and my soul did long to be there.

Well, I suppose that's my message for today. Sometimes we feel really far away from our Father in Heaven, or we've done something to damage our relationship with Him, and we would rather have the mountains fall upon us than to face His glory and Majesty, well, I repeat the message that God will take you as you are because He knows who you are capable of becoming. He doesn't turn away the injured or the fearful because of their mistakes, rather he invites them:

...will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may ^cheal you?

Promising that 

42 Behold, he who has ^arepented of his ^bsins, the same is^cforgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.

My soul longs to be there. With Him. I know He hopes (and I hope) to see you there as well. 

28 ¶^aCome unto me, all ye that ^blabour and are heavy laden, and I will give you ^crest.

 29 Take my ^ayoke upon you, and ^blearn of me; for I am ^cmeek and^dlowly in ^eheart: and ye shall find ^frest unto your souls.

 30 For my yoke is ^aeasy, and my burden is light. 

Peace, love, and temple marriage. In that order. 

Elder Hill