I've learned so much this week. Mostly, I've felt impressed this week to talk about Christ like love. I've really been focusing on studying that a lot this week. I had some really inspiring teachers this week share messages with me that forever changed my life. I don't have time to go into a lot of detail about it all, but I just want to tell you how important it is to see others the way Christ does. Every person on this earth is a son or daughter of God. He loves them so much. Jesus Christ personally knows every person you will ever see on this earth, because He atoned for their pains and sins. Because He loves them, He wants them to return back to Him. We must all take our part in coming unto Christ and loving others. We have no right not to love others, because we have no idea what trials they have gone through. The only person who does is Jesus Christ. When someone bothers us, we should pray for them because they obviously have need of comfort and need a source of strength if they are doing something that isn't Christ-like.
One other thing that keeps becoming more and more real to me as I serve is the fact that Jospeh Smith did restore the true gospel of Jesus Christ back to the earth. In a few days here marks the anniversary of his death. Family and friends, I have been earnestly studying and praying about this topic, and I know for a fact that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ, that they told him that the time had come for Christ's true gospel to be restored, and that He would be the one to do it. I know Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon by the power of God. If you haven't read Joseph Smith History in a while, go do it. It doesn't take long. I promise you that when you do, and if you pray to know if it was true, the Holy Ghost will testify to you the truthfulness of it. And if the Book of Mormon is true, that means Joseph Smith was a Prophet, restored the true gospel of Christ back to the earth, and that gospel is now found in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If you don't know this, I urge you to find it out for yourself. I can't tell you how much comfort having an understanding of this gospel brings to me. We had to make a list of blessings this week that the gospel has given us, and my list was several pages long. I wish I had time to write all of those blessings now. Some of the most important ones to me are the fact that I know I can be with my family forever after this life, that I can be cleansed from my sins, and that I can pray to have answers to my questions or comfort when I need it. It lets me know where I was before I came here, why I am on earth, and where I'm going afterwards. I'm so grateful that I'm not lost, because I know there's people out there who are. Many of them are kept from the truth because they don't know where to find it. That's why I'm here. To go find THEM.
Funny stories for the week! On Sunday we got to hear from Janice Kapp Perry and her husband. They are the cutest couple ever!! She told the story of how they met in band class. She was playing the clarinet and he said "Those lips look like they could be used for better things than playing the clarinet." The whole MTC burst out laughing. Next thing we know, her husband hobbled up to the podium and planted one on her right there! I've never heard missionaries cheer so loud and so long. It was great. Brother Perry actually served in France, so after the meeting we went up and shook his hand. It was so cool!
Well, that's all I have time for this week. I love you all so much!!! Thank you as always for your uplifting messages to me. Not a single one goes unappreciated. I wish I had the time to give you all the responses you deserve. Thank you SO much for your prayers. I wish I had the words to explain the amount of strength I can physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually feel from your prayers. It is such a great help to me, as well as the other missionaries.
One more P-day and then I am off to France! I can't tell you how excited I am to go serve those people. I love them so much already. I don't speak their language well, but I do know how to invite the Holy Ghost in, and He's the one who will be doing the talking and teaching anyways. How grateful I am for the Holy Ghost and how grateful I am for my God and my Savior, Jesus Christ. It is an honor and a privilege to be doing His work.
P.S. Alma 36:24-25. That has become my new mission motto that I want to be able to say everyday!
Much love!
Soeur Shields