Every
Monday we teach one of my favorite people in the whole world, Dub. That's not
actually her name, but it's a nickname. She works with lots of Mormons and
that's how she got to meeting with the missionaries. Our last lesson with her
was awesome. She opened up to us about how there was something different about
Mormons. Like, things just always seemed to be greener on their side of the
lawn- because everyone and their dog comes to work on it!
She explained that
Mormons just always had each other's backs. They live their religion every
single day, and it's like their God-given goal to make someone else's life
easier. Even their kids are the most respectful clients she's ever had!
This
got me thinking about a talk by Elder Eyring called "Witnesses for
God". Elder Eyring explains WHY we are different from the world in this
aspect:
"Every
member has made a covenant to do works of kindness as the Savior would do. So
any call to bear witness and to care for others is not a request for extra
service; it is a blessing designed by a loving Heavenly Father and His Son
Jesus Christ... a chance to prove what blessings flow from being a covenant
people, and each [call for service] is an opportunity for which you agreed to
be accountable. Each is a sacred responsibility for others accepted in the
waters of baptism but too often not met because it may not be recognized for
what it is."
We
made sacred covenants when we were baptized. That's why we do this. When we
taught Cheryl this week (she doesn't know a whole lot about God and Christ) we
began with explaining God's nature and and about the Savior's. The peak of the
lesson was when we taught about the Savior's example in being baptized--the
feeling in the room changed and Cheryl told us that she wants to be baptized.
We read about the importance of making that covenant with God from the scriptures.
I have a testimony of the Savior and his sacrifice which made it possible for
us to draw near to him through the sacred promises made at baptism and going to
the temple. It got me thinking a lot about my own covenants.
That
same day we went community service hunting around town- trying to find places
we could volunteer and serve. It struck me that it felt really good to help
others, and I wondered why I had never really taken to volunteering back home very much, except
for in cases where it was required, or spruced up a resume. I remembered
one of the things I covenanted at baptism and even in the temple was to
"bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and... to mourn
with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort,
and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all
places that ye may be in" (Mosiah 18:8-9).
I
have seen so many examples of Latter-Day Saints fulfilling their baptismal
covenants through volunteer work, visiting and home teaching, serving their
neighbors, and being a true friend to those in need. My own mom is the greatest
example of Christ like service to others that I know!
Even
Sister Andersen, my mission "mom" has been a good role model to the
sisters of the mission on how to do this.
She
(Sister Andersen) came out teaching with us the other night in spite of her
busy schedule, and also took us to dinner. We felt inspired to go to a new
restaurant that a less active in the ward has just opened up. It was a MIRACLE
MEAL MOMENT. Because not only did the less active come and eat with us, but
also her kids came, and all the employees came, and she introduced us to all of
them, and we got to teach the people sitting next to us, and basically
proselyte to the whole restaurant!! So aside from getting great food, we also
did a ton of finding, taught lessons, and got free dessert ;). And then that
Sunday the less active came and brought her whole family to church! :D
I
had an exchange this week in Antioch (East Nashville) with Sister Svedin. She's
a pro soprano so we of course went to put on a concert for the local nursing
home. ;). Okay so it wasn't quite a concert, but we had a ton of fun singing
hymns with each other and the member who had brought us. The funny thing is
that the member had a hard time holding the tune and so we kept messing up and it was
just so funny. So we're trying to sing the hymns all cool and then we are
singing wrong notes while the member is also yelling at us to slow down....
LOL. I loved it. She was such a good sport to do that with us! She took us out to the local BBQ place after.
The
miracle of our exchange was after several missed buses, lots of asking for
directions, and tons of walking- we contacted a lady who had requested
missionaries on Mormon.org. This lady is
actually less active, and has family in Lebanon who the missionaries are
working with. She said that her sister was getting married, and she wanted to
rediscover her roots without telling her so she can find out for herself if
it's true. She told us that when she finds out, she really would like to serve
a mission since her sister isn't getting to. How cool is that?! She's like 30
years old and just a rockstar! :)
We
ended our night going out with Sister Christensen to visit a less active. The car
ride home from her really changed my perspective. Sister Christensen is one of
those people who does literally everything right, but has had literally
everything wrong happen to her. She shared her testimony with us of trials, and
how sacred her experiences are to her because she used them to bring her closer
to Christ. No matter how messed up the people in the church may be, or how bad
she has to suffer, she has a testimony of Jesus Christ and that he's the head
of this church. And that's all she needs!
I
know that because of the covenants Sister Christensen has made, those trials
were able to yoke her with the Savior and make her burdens light. Not that they
went away, but she used their weight for traction and stayed close to the
Savior all throughout.
You
may not know this, but this Sunday was fast Sunday- and fasting is really hard
for me. I was sitting in sacrament meeting yesterday thinking about how on
earth I was going to be able to get through a whole 24 hours without eating
anything and still stay happy- when I remembered the sacrament prayer:
"that
they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always
remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them..."
Duh!
Of course I could do this! As long as I kept my focus on the Savior by doing
what he would do and remembering what he had said- the spirit would be with me
to keep me going. And I just want ya'll to know that I had probably the best
fasting experience yesterday. Those covenant promises are REAL.
Sister
Bustos bore her testimony about lifting burdens and how the Ward had pooled
together to lighten their families load. It just amazes me how 15 million
people around the world can create this network of support for the one. This is
in part what the Savior meant when he said to take up his yoke that our burdens
may be light. By taking upon us his name through baptism and our covenants, we
promise to lift others burdens, and as we lift others and they lift us, we are
all so much stronger!
I
definitely feel it from the Savior and from others. We got dropped by a lot of
people this week which was hard, but we were okay.
Our
4th of July was really crazy but fun. We met a less active who shot off
fireworks for us, had a lunch date with a member and investigator, mentioned
forever families to a lady on her doorstep and she burst into tears, found a
less active who was wanting to come back to church, ate a "black
pearl" not realizing it was the spiciest thing on the planet, and got
caught in a flash flood with the tornado sirens blaring all over the place.
All
in all, a good week :).
I
encourage all of you to remember the promise that you made at baptism to lift
one another up and I promise as you do so, you will find your own burdens being
lifted as well. It's a real thing :)
Sincerely,
Sister
Hochstrasser
P.S
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