Colorado

Charity - The Pure Love of Christ

October 16, 2014

This has been a great week! I am still in the same area and I am loving it! My new companion, Sister Pearson, is the best ever, and we came out to Colorado at the same time. It's cool to see how far we've come and even though we haven't really served around each other, we've learned a lot of the same things.

Lately our mission has been really pushing that we need to be a completely obedient mission- and we want to be exactly obedient by December 25th, so we can give it to Christ as a gift to Him! It's amazing to see what happens when you involve Jesus Christ- because so much more is possible. our whole mission is seeing a lift. As we work on this together, I feel the Spirit so much more around every missionary! Things are changing that we never thought possible. I can honestly say that I LOVE my mission! honestly! We live in such a great place and we are all helping each other see the consequences of our actions. p.s. I'm never leaving.

so every month I have a different Christlike attribute that I am working on. It's kind of scary because every time I make one of these goals I am tested literally to my limit on it. This month is Charity- the pure love of our Savior Jesus Christ.

I am going to be really real about what I've been feeling, because I feel like there is someone who can learn from my experience. I have been reflecting a lot on what I've learned on my mission, and how I really want to make sure that what I've learned is ingrained in me for the rest of my life. I have realized the importance of not using sarcasm and negativity for humor, and how much that helps me love others as Christ did. It wasn't until I started noticing how much I say these sarcastic comments, even if I say I'm kidding, that I realized how it takes away the Spirit and love of God from me.

I had really been struggling to love one particular person, and I didn't know why, but what they did had truly affected me. As much as I told myself that I had forgiven them, I knew that if I had to, I could not say that I loved this person their face. i couldn't and I didn't want to.

I started asking for my Heavenly Father's help to bless me with the pure love of Christ. The second I asked, I knew that I was going to have to change and do something about it. The next day, I was given the opportunity to speak to this person. If you had told me a month ago that I'd have to be in this position telling this person that I loved them, I would have wanted to die, but I was able to stand there and tell them that I loved them, and I truly felt it! I felt the Spirit wash over me and I knew that I had forgiven them. I knew I needed to do this so I could focus on the work going on around me and more fully feel the Spirit in my life. I didn't want to end my mission and one day look back thinking, I wish I could have been closer to the Spirit and loved people more.

So my question to you is, can you honestly say that you love everyone around you? When you make a sarcastic or negative comment, is it because there is a memory there that bothers you? This is the reason that we have Jesus Christ. He can help us overcome these feelings and emotions that we have. It is because of my experience that I know that He lives and loves me and loves everyone that I teach. I love that I'm able to tell them face to face, every single person, that God and Christ love them. I know it's true because of the feelings in my heart. I hope you all know that I love you and I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I'd do anything to become more like Him. I know this is His true Gospel restored to the earth, and I know that His prophet leads and guides our church. I  know it because it is a reality in my life. I live and love God's plan, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!