Love of God and Spirit of Christ

What a week it has been!!

I just first want to start off by saying, "This is the most fulfilling work I've ever done in my life!"  The e-mails I receive, the feedback from everyone - it's everything I've ever desired.  To inspire and encourage others to trust in faith that tomorrow will be better than today.

One of my many dreams is to have a positive impact on friends, family, youth - basically everyone I come in contact with. Knowing I am not always perfect, I apologize to people I have offended in my past - and I hope you find forgiveness towards me.  This past Thursday, I was asked by our Ward Mission Leader to write a short 5-minute talk to prepare for the youth (på Norske) about how going on splits really influenced myself before coming on a mission.  I had to think back to when I was 16-years old.  Every Sunday, for about 2-months, I went out with a companionship:  Elder S and Elder W, in downtown Rockford, IL.  We contacted people on the streets, knocked on doors, and taught lessons.  We spent the whole day meeting people with so many different backgrounds and I loved every person we spoke with, because I was able to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them.  Regardless of their background or the trials they were going through, little by little the Spirit of Christ was working in me to see past what they were going through and to understand the potential that they had.  Every one of us has unlimited potential.  I fast forward this story to about a year ago.  I was visiting my sister and brother-in-law in Las Vegas for Spring Break.  A few months prior, I had gotten back in contact with Elder T S., who then was living in Henderson, NV.  We spent several hours that night walking around the neighborhoods, discussing life, the Gospel, and our experiences we had when he served in Rockford for his time.  He then encouraged me to serve my own mission.  It was a blessing to me to be able to go on splits, so I encouraged the youth to come out with us so that they too could experience similar blessings.

Towards the end of this week, we had a miracle happen.  One of my most favorite people in Norway M.S. - gave us a couple referrals; her friends who she had grown up with or who she knew that would be receptive to the Gospel.  She is my age here in Norway, and has been a huge help to me as I perform my missionary labors.  She invites people to sport, gives us referrals - the best example of a member missionary.  We tried one of her referrals a week ago, with no success (no one home).  The following week (this past Saturday) we knocked on the friend's door and he took us in.  He knew a couple members of the church, had great experiences with them, and wanted to come to church on Sunday (yesterday). So he came.  It was our Sacrament Meeting and Testimony Meeting. Those members who he had known from the church bore their testimonies, as well as M.S. the member missionary who gave us the referral.  The Spirit was so strong in the meeting, that after it all - D.H. (the referral) brought himself to the stand to explain the feelings he had felt that day.  He stood at the pulpit and talked about the similar smile the missionaries possessed in relation to the Mormons he had already known.  He talked about the feelings he had felt and that it was a special day for him.  He truly felt the Spirit in that Testimony Meeting, to the point where he stood at the pulpit and expressed those feelings to all.  After church, he told me that there were some very nice people in this church.

The Spirit is real, it can be felt by all.  It is through faith and a determination to overcome the fear of rejection from friends and family.  The love of God and the Spirit of Christ is alive in all.  If we open our mouths and serve others - so that they too can feel that same love, I know that the lives of many can be blessed.  This has been the most incredible work I have ever been involved in.  I feel a partial fraction of the love the Savior has for us individually.  If we act in faith, we can accomplish all things.