Tag Archive for: Child of God

Differences

I love this picture of Isaac Greene and Gilbert Staepels. (Twins!😉)
Side by side.
Elbow to shoulder.
Toe to toe.
The tall and the short of it is, physically, they may be different in stature, hairstyle and shoe size, speak a different language and grew up in distant parts of the world, but spiritually, they have much in common.
In our mission conference last week, a diverse group of missionaries from around the globe gathered in Breda. From far flung northern Canada, to New Zealand’s South Island and everything in between.

United

Together, they share the same set of beliefs, a common gospel vocabulary, and a joint effort to care for, respect and love one another.
Regardless of outward appearances, or ethnicities, every Church member is united in the knowledge that we are all a child of God.
“For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” 1 Corinthians 12:12

Diverse

Being unified in Christ doesn’t mean we all must be the same, we embrace our differences.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that “the diversity of persons and peoples all around the globe is a strength of this Church.”
By July this year, 72,000 + missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will serve in 450 missions worldwide.
Church publications are now printed in 188 languages.
Over 31,000 congregations meet each Sunday in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and throughout the Pacific.

Global

“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.” Ephesians 2:19
Our faith is becoming increasingly diverse, mirroring a wide range of cultures and experiences.
Singing one hymn in several languages together, is a unifying experience.
The message of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is for all people, everywhere around the world.
Our missionaries share an inclusive message of God’s love for all of His children, of a restored New Testament Christianity, of continuous revelation, and of additional scripture testifying of Jesus Christ, through the Book of Mormon.
Speak with Isaac today, he is currently serving in Den Haag – you can’t miss him! 😊

Divine Passports

Travelling to a foreign land?
A passport verifies your identity and nationality.
If you don’t have your passport, then – you won’t get in!
On Friday we were at Schiphol (again).
We were eagerly awaiting 8 new missionaries.
6 of the missionaries arrived, then I received a message from Bentley Lorimer…
“Hey, so I think I left my passport on the plane, me and Aliyah Oliveira will be out a little later than everyone else!”…
Then… “We are pretty sure they found it, and they are just taking us to get it.”
Time passed…
15 minutes became 60, then 90!
They’d gone to security, then back to the arrivals gate, then back to security and subsequently directed to lost & found.
Bentley’s anxiety levels reached record levels!

Lost and Found

Finally, lost & found said that Delta flight staff had located it and she needed to come and collect it.
Reunited with her passport, and her identity confirmed, she made it safely through security feeling ever so discombobulated!
We were delighted to eventually greet them both.
Passports are critical, allowing us to travel safely through countries.

The first passport

In the Old Testament, the book of Nehemiah records the first ever mentioned passport.
In Nehemiah 2:7 we read that he asked the king for letters to be able to pass through specific lands on his way to his destination.
Those letters were his traveling papers. Today, we’d call them a passport.
His true identity was confirmed by the seal of the Kings letters and travelled safely towards Judah, and home again.
In a like manner, an understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ is just like a divine passport that confirms our true identity and nationality.
In Romans 8:16-17, we learn that we are the literal spirit offspring or children of God our Father.
You are indeed a child of God.
Divine passports are critical, allowing us all to travel safely through life and onwards into eternity.
For the next 18 months, Bentley’s mission is to help reduce others anxiety levels in Belgium and the Netherlands, by helping them find their divine passport and return safely home.
Look out for her – she’ll be passing your way sometime soon!

Tartan

We said farewell to six incredible missionaries this week.
As they depart, we gift them with a tartan tie, as a token of our appreciation and their service.
Tartan ties keep me grounded in my heritage.
There are some distinctive things about Scotland.
Its natural beauty, the highlands, castles, bagpipes, kilts, tartan, haggis, whisky, shortbread, thistles and the Loch Ness monster, Nessie!
I’m not quite certain what it is, but there is something about tartan, that so many people find interesting, the clan system and any potential ancestry connections.

Differences

It got me thinking about the many different cultures and traditions in the Belgium/Netherlands Mission.
We have a mix of missionaries from around the world, each with their own distinctive culture, language, customs, history, and practices.
Just like the many colours, lines, and patterns of a tartan tie, we are all different, all unique. Its fascinating to observe how each missionary accepts those differences about one another.
We must never forget that we live in a world of great diversity.
We just don’t accept these differences about one another, we love them, we embrace them, and they enhance our ability to work together in harmony.
As we learn more of one another, our appreciation grows.
Our mission is strengthened through 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 and cultural 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲.
Culture, language, customs, history, and practices may make us all different. But how are we all the same?

Children of God

I may wear a tartan tie, and occasionally my kilt too, but setting aside those cultural differences, we are after all brothers and sisters, each of us a child of a loving Father in Heaven.
In his memorable speech on Mars Hill, Paul declared to the Athenians that we are the “offspring” of God. (Acts 17:28.)
The Lord Jesus Christ invites all to come unto Him, “black and white, bond and free, male and female” (2 Nephi 26:33). The Gospel of Jesus Christ unites us together as one.
Dieter F. Uchtdorf said “The Saviour loves all of God’s children regardless of their socioeconomic circumstance, race, religion, language, political orientation, nationality, or any other grouping. And so should we!”
Let’s embrace our differences!
I hope that we can gratefully acknowledge God as our creator and honour that unique heritage that unites each one of us.
What does it mean to be a child of God to you?

A stranger here

𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞?

This week marked a significant anniversary for Monic and I.

12 months ago, we arrived in the Netherlands.

Those months have simply flown by, so incredibly fast.

We have travelled throughout Belgium and the Netherlands, visited with lots of family, reacquainted ourselves with many old friends, made many new friends from all across the world and testified of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in many towns and cities.

Yesterday, we met up with fellow Scot – Mark Stewart, an Area Authority Seventy, as each of us fulfilled assignments to speak at The Hague Stake Conference in Zoetermeer this weekend.

Reflecting this morning, I was reminded of a scripture in Ephesians 2:19.

At the time the Apostle Paul was fearlessly traveling into lots of different lands and meeting many new people.

Writing to the members of the Church, or Saints as they were called and are called today, he reminded members of the Church of the blessings of belonging, when he told them, “Ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God.”

What do you think of when you think of “strangers” or “foreigners”?

Mark and I are both Scottish, growing up on opposite sides of the country.

Speaking last night, our mother tongue, dialect, cultural background, and lifestyle may be different from the Dutch, but we were no strangers or foreigners – we were indeed fellowcitizens with the household of God, the Saints, here in the Netherlands.

In our day, in these turbulent times in which we live, strangers and foreigners are coming to us – daily.

We don’t have to look far. They are all around us.

Are you welcoming?

In fact, I was a stranger here not too long ago, yet I have always felt welcome here.

I know that no-one is a stranger to Jesus Christ.

In Romans 8:16-17, the Apostle Paul explains further…

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.”

Try as we may, we cannot separate ourselves from each other.

As children of God, we are not strangers to one another, we are all in fact brothers and sisters.

I hope that we will remember that we are all children of God and part of His family.

Have you ever felt like a stranger?

#HearHim

Who am I?

“Who am I?”
That question surfaced a few times this week in various conversations. Have you asked it of yourself yet?
A couple of years ago, I was one of a few participants sat around a small circle, as a facilitator began her workshop. She asked us individually for a response to that very question. One by one, we gave our answers. A Scot, trainer, coach, brother, sister came the replies. I recall I was last to respond and said, “I am a Child of God”
Growing up as a Christian and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have sung on countless occasions a song of the same title. The words have resonated for decades in my heart. It is one of the most beloved hymns of our faith.

Family Values Awards

For a number of years, I was fortunate to be involved in Public Affairs and Communication for the church in the UK. Each year, a Family Values Award was presented to civic, faith and other community leaders who made an outstanding contribution to children and the family.
In 2016, Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, founder and chief executive of Mary’s Meals, and Maureen McIntyre, who pioneered Educate the Kids, each received the Family Values Award. Both recipients continue to make a remarkable contribution all around the world to children and families. That evening, the words of I am a Child of God were shared with all in attendance.
1. I am a child of God,
And he has sent me here,
Has given me an earthly home
With parents kind and dear.
(Chorus)
Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
Help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do
To live with him someday.
2. I am a child of God,
And so my needs are great;
Help me to understand his words
Before it grows too late.
3. I am a child of God.
Rich blessings are in store;
If I but learn to do his will
I’ll live with him once more.
Paul taught the Athenians on Mars Hill that they were “offspring of God.” – Acts 17:29.
Through my lifetime, I have come to know that we are indeed sons and daughters of a living, loving God. Each of us are created in the image of God. I am so grateful to know who I am, I know God’s plan and I will follow Him in faith.
Next time you consider the question “Who am I” – how will you choose to identify yourself?