Tag Archive for: example

It’s in their hands…

Over the last three years, I have penned many Sunday morning thoughts, sharing everyday parallels to gospel truths.
This will be my last in the Belgium Netherlands Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
It has been a labour of love and joy.
Each weekend, as I consider the days gone by, some insight or reflective thought always comes.

New Leaders

Our new friends, Marius Natanya Von Mollendorff, will arrive on Wednesday.
By Friday, theyโ€™ll be leading the mission, and we will be on a plane back home to Scotland.
Thinking about the future of the Belgium Netherlands Mission, I couldnโ€™t get the phrase “๐’Š๐’•’๐’” ๐’Š๐’ ๐’•๐’‰๐’†๐’Š๐’“ ๐’‰๐’‚๐’๐’…๐’”” from my mind, as Monic and I depart the scene.

Safe Hands

Indeed, the mission is in a very safe pair of many hands, all trustworthy and reliable.
It reminded me of a quote from President Thomas S. Monson who said โ€œWe are the Lordโ€™s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us.โ€
When I think of our missionaries, I often think of them stretching out their hands to lift, comfort, bless, love, serve, and minister to the one, by offering hope and salvation through Jesus Christ.
Daily they try to emulate the great example of Jesus Christ.
They are called by a Prophet of God, to represent Him and to serve.
To serve, just as Jesus Christ served.
As a result of the Saviour stretching out His hands to touch others, they became stronger and better.
Similarly, โ€œโ€ฆas we emulate His perfect example our hands can become His handsโ€ โ€“ Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

It has been my experience these last 3 years, that as we extend our hands and hearts toward others in Christlike love, something wonderful always happens.

Whilst on the Lordโ€™s errand, I am a witness to the fact, that as missionaries combine their efforts with others, oftentimes impossible tasks are accomplished in miraculous ways.
The result โ€“ over and over again, many people become much stronger and happier as the Gospel of Jesus Christ comes into their lives.
I hope and pray that our hearts and hands just like the missionaries, can be stretched out in love and compassion towards many others.
Like the missionaries you too can become His hands.
For the moment, He asks us to be His hands, by โ€œdoing goodโ€ โ€“ Acts 10:38
What good can you do today?

Assembled Ones

After our final mission conference on Friday, Monic and I excused ourselves for a short time, whilst everyone gathered outside for our last photographs together.
Minutes later, we emerged from the chapel, dressed in our national costumes, catching everyone by surprise!

Gathering

We were greeted with smiles, laughter, whistles and a huge round of applause.
It was a very special moment.

Gathered around us were 138 of our dearest friends.

Individuals we love immensely.

Assembled Ones

The group comprised of one hundred and thirty-eight, unique, individual, ๐’‚๐’”๐’”๐’†๐’Ž๐’ƒ๐’๐’†๐’… ๐’๐’๐’†๐’”.
After the initial gathering (see pictures below), a line was formed and individual pictures were taken ๐จ๐ง๐ž ๐›๐ฒ ๐จ๐ง๐ž, with Monic and I.
It took 75 minutes to capture individual photographs together.
Earlier in the day, Iโ€™d shared the principle of ๐จ๐ง๐ž๐ฌ, as taught by Jesus Christ in 3 Nephi 11-28, in The Book of Mormon.
In chapter 11, our resurrected Saviour visits 2,500 assembled ones, gathered at the temple.

One by One

Verse 15 reads: โ€œโ€ฆ.the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth ๐’๐’๐’† ๐’ƒ๐’š ๐’๐’๐’† until they had all gone forthโ€ฆ.โ€
Just 30 emotionally charged seconds, with 138 of our dearest friends had taken us around 75 minutes to meet with each of them individually, ๐’๐’๐’† ๐’ƒ๐’š ๐’๐’๐’†.
Can you imagine if you had been one of those 2,500, โ€œuntil they had all gone forthโ€ seeing with your eyes, feeling with your hands and knowing of a surety, bearing record, โ€œโ€ฆthat it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.โ€ (verse 15)
At 30 seconds each, without any breaks, that equates to around 21 hours to complete the process.
And yet He spent every precious second with His dearest friends.
Would 30 seconds be enough?
The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ.
It contains a powerful witness of His ๐จ๐ง๐ž ๐›๐ฒ ๐จ๐ง๐ž personal ministry.
Over the last three years, our ministry has been focused upon and directed to ones.
Every one of our missionaries, minister, individually, ๐จ๐ง๐ž ๐›๐ฒ ๐จ๐ง๐ž, to help others find the peace and joy that only the gospel of Jesus Christ can bring them.
Hundreds of thousands of ones, find Him every year, and you can be ๐จ๐ง๐ž too.
Speak with a missionary todayโ€ฆ

An example of the Believers…

There is never a typical week in missionary work.
And there is also never a dull moment as they Preach the Gospel.
This week was busy, very busy, as more people than ever responded to their message of hope.
From singing in choirs, playing violins, serving cookies, street contacting, knocking doors, reaching out on social media, serving in the community, teaching Dutch or English classes, biking everywhere and occasionally a flying kick, missionaries serve and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ through their actions and service.
They are called to represent Jesus Christ.
Day in, day out, missionaries work tirelessly in their efforts to โ€œInvite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.โ€
The message of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ blesses individuals and families.
Their message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is that all individuals are part of Godโ€™s family and that families can be united now and in eternity.
We believe that โ€œHappiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.โ€ โ€“ The Family A Proclamation to the World.

Joy in Action

Missionaries are to go โ€œin the power of the ordination wherewith [they have] been ordained, proclaiming glad tidings of great joy, even the everlasting gospelโ€ (Doctrine & Covenants 79:1)
And as the Lordโ€™s representatives, they are to be โ€œan example of the believersโ€ (1 Timothy 4:12).
They honour Christโ€™s name by their actions.
During His mortal ministry, the Saviour โ€œtook upon him the form of a servantโ€ (Philippians 2:7). He went about โ€œdoing goodโ€ (Acts 10:38) and โ€œpreaching the gospelโ€ (Matthew 4:23).
Through their service, they fulfil the two great commandments of loving God and their neighbour (see Matthew 22:36โ€“40).
โ€œTrue Christianity is love in action. There is no better way to manifest love for God than to show an unselfish love for your fellow men. This is the spirit of missionary workโ€ (Gospel Ideals p129).
If youโ€™d like to know more about why they are so happy, I suggest you stop and speak with one of them today.