The Beauty of The Restoration

This past week was an excellent week!  Each day that I get to work with Elder Skinner is an absolute great experience.  He is a beast of a missionary - for example, yesterday he called a man up and began teaching him on the phone.  He roams around the apartment teaching people about The Restoration and even asked the man to join him in a prayer over the phone.  He is a truly converted individual that I look up to - I am grateful that I am always stretching my expectations just because I have his example to follow!

This past week, we had a day that was fully planned out.  It was quite exciting - the night before we were on splits with the President and he was commenting on our area and our efforts - he was pleased to be with us!  We had several appointments planned for the following day, but as we went about the day just about every single one of them fell through.  When we got to one of our last appointments of the day, it was with a member of the church - a man from Angola who is a powerful, humble man.  He is a convert of just under 2 years and he is such an incredible example!

We have been teaching this man English, this last lesson was specifically about The Restoration.  As we were going about the meeting, I felt that Elder Skinner and I were a little down from the whole day falling through.  We did everything we could to do on our part, but nothing was happening.  When we got to this appointment, and as we spoke about The Restoration - there was a special spirit that filled the room.  As we quoted Joseph Smith's First Vision, I noticed Elder Skinner sat up a little taller.  I could tell he had felt the same spirit that I was feeling.  The only desire we had throughout that day was to bless the lives of others by sharing this incredible message.

At that moment, I knew that any life that is dimmed - anyone who is willing and sincere to find truth - can find it in this gospel.  I know that it is true.  It is undeniable.  The only way an individual can lose a testimony of it is by not obeying the commandments and feeling the power that comes from the message.  If an individual is not reading the Book of Mormon with a sincere heart, they will not recognize the power of it.  In John 7:17 it shows us how important it is to actually LIVE this life.

I am so grateful for my opportunity to serve; to feel the real blessings that come; to SEE the miracles that come as we ask God in faith, sincerely.  I am so grateful for my experiences and my knowledge of the truthfulness of these things.  My wish is for everyone to experience the joy that comes from living it.

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I would also like to add a poem that my grandfather sent me.  It is written by my grandmother when I was born into this world.  The '2nd estate' that she writes about is the truth of this gospel.  We once lived as spirit children with our Heavenly Father.  We were sent to this Earth to learn, grow, experience, enjoy, and to love.  I am so grateful for my knowledge of these things!

GRANDPARENTS

He tells me to write of  joy,

My secret pal, not sadness. 

How great the joy 

I hold in my hand at this moment.

Just a small photograph.

Did I say just?

That's farther from the truth than the sun from the earth.

For it is a child; a new life.

His name is Christopher.

Number fifteen of the grandchildren

My love and I share........

And his importance in our lives cannot be described.

Fifteen small photographs  we have

Showing what our children and the Lord have given us.

Tiny fists clenched, eyes not fully open

To the glory of this second estate.

Who do they look like? 

Does it really matter when they're all so welcomed

By all who have awaited them?

Their presence and promise gives meaning to our lives.

When I hold these photographs

or the children themselves

No evil can intrude

The blessings of the Lord abound.

Patricia Holden