· I am so excited to dedicate myself to the lord for eighteen months, because I know that he will bless me and I will find greater happiness than I have ever felt, but sometimes it’s hard to think about leaving when it seems like I have found the greatest happiness right here in the New Haven Ward.
· The topic that I have been assigned is “How to be prepared when the call comes.”
· I think that this topic is so beautiful, because no one is ready to receive a mission call or any other calling overnight, but we are prepared by a lifetime of events and choices that shape us into the people we are today.
· As I pondered on my preparation to receive a mission call, the first thing that came to my mind is that I did not do it alone.
· I have an amazing family that loves and supports me through everything! I have had wonderful bishops who have given me wonderful insight and counsel throughout my life. Even though I was the worst student in history, I have had 3 amazing seminary teachers and some wonderful institute teachers that have done a brilliant job at teaching the scriptures and principles of the gospel to me. I have had a succession of righteous young woman leaders and advisors who instilled values and virtues into my heart for which I will always be thankful. I can testify that there is great power found in our ward family and I have learned lessons and gained strength from everyone in this ward.
· That’s the first way we can be prepared when the call comes. By surrounding ourselves with good people. We are heavily influenced by the people around us, so I hope that we can all follow the counsel in the For Strength of Youth regarding friends. It says “ Everyone needs good and true friends. They will be a great strength and blessing to you. They will influence how you think and act, and even help determine the person you will become. They will help you be a better person and will make it easier for you to live the gospel of Jesus Christ. Choose friends who share your values so you can strengthen and encourage each other in living high standards. As you seek to be a friend to others, do not compromise your standards. If your friends urge you to do things that are wrong, be the one to stand for the right, even if you stand alone. You may need to find other friends who will support you in keeping the commandments. Seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost as you make these choices.”
· I love that because more often than not we are surrounded by people that will test our faith. I know that I went to high school with a ton of kids who did not make good choices. I know that making good choices is easier when we have friends with the same high standards we should hold.
· That being said I can testify that making good choices will sometimes feel lonely.
· I love the poem that President Monson shares in his talk titled “Dare to Stand Alone” It reads:
Dare to be a Mormon;
Dare to stand alone.
Dare to have a purpose firm;
Dare to make it known.
· He continues to say “May we ever be courageous and prepared to stand for what we believe, and if we must stand alone in the process, may we do so courageously, strengthened by the knowledge that in reality we are never alone when we stand with our Father in Heaven.”
· I add my testimony to his that as we stand up for our beliefs and set a good example for all who we come in contact with, they will come to respect and love you, and they will have a desire to emulate you and follow your example.
o The second way we can be prepared when the call comes is by making choices before we are placed in situations that can damage our testimonies. I know that I had to make the decision to serve a mission far before I started my papers, so I could make sure I was living a mission worthy life, because I promise if you are not you will not feel comfortable serving the lord.
o In another talk by President Monson titled “You make a difference” he says “When the time for a decision arrives, the time for preparation is past.”
o There is so much truth in that statement! Luckily I have never been offered alcohol or drugs, but I have been in plenty of situations where my friends have wanted to watch a rated r movie and I have been able to draw strength from those decisions I made early on and say no.
o If you need to know what situations to prepare for, I would strongly advise you to read the For Strength of Youth. I know that when I was in YW that many of those standards seemed strict, cheesy, and unlikely and I felt like the pamphlet was made for other people that were making bad choices. I finally realized the importance of that book when I fell short of some of those outlined standards. I can promise you that the consequences outlined in the pamphlet are felt when you lower your standards, but the For Strength of Youth also gives wonderful counsel for repentance and I can testify that following that counsel will allow you to become a better and a happier person.
o I hope that we can all strive to predetermine our decisions, because I know that when our standards are put to the test, it will make it much easier to stay on the straight and narrow.
o We also need to make sure that we are making the gospel a priority.
o I know it’s hard to wake up and go to seminary when you would rather be sleeping. Just do it. It’s hard to go to mutual when you are surrounded by homework… do it. It’s hard to say your morning and evening prayers when you are either rushing for school or going to bed… do it. It’s hard to go to church when Sunday is the only day you could sleep in… do it. It’s hard to read and study the book of Mormon… Just do it, and develop a testimony of it. I know that when we put the gospel first that everything else will fall into place. The lord will bless us and the things that seem hard will quickly become easy.
· I know we are not perfect and I know we all will make mistakes.
· So the third way I think we can be prepared when the call comes is to have an understanding of Jesus Christ’s atonement.
· I think to understand the atonement we first need to have a testimony that Christ truly knows how every situation feels.
· I want to share a quote by Chieko Okazaki she said, “We know that Jesus experienced the totality of mortal existence in Gethsemane. It's our faith that he experienced everything- absolutely everything. Sometimes we don't think through the implications of that belief. We talk in great generalities about the sins of all humankind, about the suffering of the entire human family. But we don't experience pain in generalities. We experience it individually. That means he knows what it felt like when your mother died of cancer- how it was for your mother, how it still is for you. He knows what it felt like to lose the student body election. He knows that moment when the brakes locked and the car started to skid. He knows about drug addiction and alcoholism. On a profound level, he understands the hunger to hold your baby that sustains you through pregnancy. He understands both the physical pain of giving birth and the immense joy. He understands about rape and infertility and abortion. He understands your mother-pain when your five-year-old leaves for kindergarten, when a bully picks on your fifth-grader, when your daughter calls to say that the new baby has Down syndrome. He knows your mother-rage when someone gives your thirteen-year-old drugs, when someone seduces your seventeen-year-old. He knows all that. He's been there. He's been lower than all that. He's not waiting for us to be perfect. Perfect people don't need a Savior. He came to save his people in their imperfections. He is the Lord of the living, and the living make mistakes. He's not embarrassed by us, angry at us, or shocked. He wants us in our brokenness, in our unhappiness, in our guilt and our grief.”
· I don’t think I could say it any better than that. Christ is our savior. He knows how to succor us. There is nothing that we could do that would change his perfect and unconditional love.
· I also want to testify that the power of the adversary is real. He will attack us in our weakest moments. At times it will feel like he has defeated us but to quote Brad Wilcox
· “Satan doesn’t win when he can get us to cross the line, but when he convinces us that there is no way back.” I know that the only thing Christ and Satan have in common is that they want us to become as they are. So choose Christ. You won’t be disappointed.
o The fourth way to be prepared when the call comes is to live a temple worthy life.
o I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to work in the temple this past month, and I can testify that there is no greater joy than being in the House of the Lord.
o So I am going to be so bold as to say that if you are not worthy… get worthy.
o I know for a fact that the only sins the atonement doesn’t save us from are the ones unconfessed.
o So get on your knees and pour out your heart to your father in heaven. Sure, he already knows what you have done, but I know he wants to hear it from you.
o If you need to see your bishop… please do it! I know Bishop Morley is really crusty, but I promise that when you talk to him it will not be uncomfortable. You will be received with love and he can help you get on the path that leads to the temple.
· But, I know this church is true.
· Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have blessed me beyond what I deserve. This gospel has brought me so much happiness, and I cannot wait to share it
· I am so thankful that a young Joseph Smith had the courage to ask Heavenly Father which one to join.
· I know that heavenly father and Jesus Christ did appear to him and told him to reorganize this gospel.
· I know that Christ took on all of our sins, and that because of that we can return to live with Him and our Heavenly Father again.
In the name of Jesus Christ amen.
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