My Mission Didn't Change Me... (8/1)
[Hi
guys. The following is a personal email I wrote to a friend of mine.
But since writing it took up pretty much all my emailing time for the
day and there's nothing too personal in it, I'm going to make it my
weekly as well. I'll write about what's happenin' next week. Enjoy.]
Among
the most profound things I've heard said so far on my mission is what
one departing elder said at a zone conference a while ago. He said "My mission didn't change me: Christ changed me."
I
always thought that a mission was the magic answer to my problems. That
if I could just struggle and stretch enough to grasp onto a mission, it
would somehow pull me up and save me and keep me saved. Maybe you
aren't thinking that a mission would change you. Maybe you think nothing
can change you. But both patterns of thought are erroneous.
The
healing that I needed and that you need and that everybody needs is
right before you. It is found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Yes,
a mission certainly helps. It compels one to focus and serve. But there
are many (too many) who go on missions and are never converted. What
actually changes people...the only thing in this universe that actually
changes people...is the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which we can access
through His Gospel.
Exercise
and strengthen your faith every day through simple actions. Pray deeply
and earnestly. Attend church every week and engage with the people
there. I know how hard it is to do those things. I was there not too
long ago. But you have to do them. The more you do them the easier it
will get.
Repent
by forming a fresh view of the world. Detach from people, places,
websites, or anything that is cynical, negative, or filthy. Make small,
simple, and consistent efforts to change every day, and when you fail,
turn to God all the more and beg for His help.
Attend
church every week to renew your baptismal covenant by partaking of the
sacrament whereupon you receive God's forgiveness, are cleansed from
your sins, and receive His Spirit to be with you anew.
Seek
the constant presence and guidance of the Holy Ghost. Learn to receive
revelation. Never lose the presence of the Holy Spirit, and if you do,
do everything in your power to get Him back.
All these little things God asks us to do... Sometimes it seems pointless. Sometimes we don't see how these things can help us.
There's
a very applicable Bible story from 2 Kings chapter 5. Naaman, a great
warrior, was suddenly struck with leprosy and traveled far to be healed
by the prophet Elisha.
10
And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan
seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be
clean.
But
Naaman was angry to have come all this way just to be told to wash in a
river. He was about to turn back and forget the prophet's counsel. But
then someone convinced him to do it:
13
And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if
the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have
done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be
clean?
14 Then went he down, and dipped
himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of
God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and
he was clean.
You
aren't asked to slay dragons or conquer kingdoms to access God's
healing. All you have to do is wash in the river Jordan seven times, or
do the small things that God tells you to do.
You have to swallow your pride and do the small things.
And you have to care enough to rise from hopelessness and negativity and do it.
Negativity
was my main problem, I've come to discover. And it was entirely within
my power to change it. Negativity is one of the worst scourges of
mankind. The antidotes of negativity are humility, faith, gratitude,
love, and hope. (Basically all the Christlike attributes.)
Hope
comes primarily from the scriptures and prophets, but God also said to
seek words of wisdom from the best books. So in the following words
quoted from certain stories that mean a whole heck of a lot to me, I'd
like to discuss attaining hope.
"You really had a wonderful life, George."
You
need to take a few steps back and recognize how wonderful your life
truly has been. Think of the blessings you've been granted and the mercy
that's been extended to you in the knowledge you've been given, the
functioning body your spirit inhabits, in the freedoms you've enjoyed,
in the prosperity you've depended on, in the beauty of the world you
live in, in the people who know and love and care about you. Life is
good. Life is great! And it's going to get better!
"My greatest adventures are yet to come!"
Your life isn't over. The
finality of giving up is tempting. You feel like you at the very least
have things under control when you've given up and resigned yourself to
hopelessness. But it's an illusion. A lazy illusion. Choose to believe
that there are great things that await you, even if the responsibility
to make things happen makes you feel a little uneasy. Because there are
great things awaiting you!
"In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength."
Why
do we sometimes treat ourselves so badly? When we're physically sick,
do we constantly tell ourselves that nothing will ever change and
proceed to cause further harm to our own bodies? No. Why would we? Care
about yourself enough to allow yourself to hope for a better world, a
better life. If despair is causing you to waste away, give yourself the
medicine of hope. It's the only sensible thing to do. It's not weakness;
it's strength. It's not lying to yourself; it's trusting God's eternal
truth rather than leaning on your own limited understanding.
"...He
sent you here for a reason. And even if it takes you the rest of your
life, you owe it to yourself to find out what that reason is."
God,
your Father, sent you here for a reason. You are immensely blessed to
already know generally what that reason is: to have joy and attain
eternal life. All you need to do is trust Him and try to walk the path
you were meant to walk.
Do
you really believe that all this is chance? Do you really believe that
there's no point, no meaning, no reason? The Spirit has told you, is
telling you, and/or will tell you that this life you are living now and
the path that God is guiding you toward are inseparably intertwined.
So choose to believe that you're here and going through what you are going through for a reason.
"Lucas...we all believe in you. ...So now you need to believe in yourself."
I
believe in you. I am willing to bet that your family members and
friends believe in you. Most importantly, God believes in you.
Everything is set and ready. Healing and hope and happiness are waiting for you. No one can do it for you.
All that's left is for you to act.
Now--right now--you need to believe in yourself.
2 Nephi 4:15-35
15
And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the
scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul
delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth
them for the learning and the profit of my children.
16
Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart
pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.
17
Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in
showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O
wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my
soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.
18 I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.
19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.
20
My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in
the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great
deep.
21 He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.
22 He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me.
23 Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night-time.
24
And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice
have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me.
25
And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon
exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea,
even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write
them.
26
O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his
condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much
mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of
sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of
mine afflictions?
27
And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I
give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to
destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine
enemy?
28 Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.
29 Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions.
30
Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will
praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the
rock of my salvation.
31
O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands
of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance
of sin?
32
May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my
heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut
the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of
the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road!
33
O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O
Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt
thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling
block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge
not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.
34
O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I
will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he
that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that
putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.
35
Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my
God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice
unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my
righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my
rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.
Love,
Elder Gallagher
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