Tag Archive for: god

Fires and Flames of Faith

A few days ago, 12 new missionaries arrived at Schiphol Airport.

Their flame of faith aglow, spiritually they were on fire!

Each of them with a burning desire to share their knowledge, eager to communicate gospel truths by talking to everyone.

Years of preparation and several weeks in the Missionary Training Centre (MTC) fanned their flame of faith.

‘Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,’ (Mark 16:15) ‘for ye shall … [witness of] me … unto the uttermost part of the earth,’ (Acts 1:8).”

Fire

“For a piece of wood to catch fire, it must first be heated to a temperature at which it ignites, then burns by itself. The initial heating requires energy from outside. When it is ignited, it becomes self-sustaining and gives beneficial light and heat.” – Richard G. Scott

Having been around the new missionaries for a few days this week, their flame has certainly been ignited.  Just like their other missionary colleagues, they’re now providing “beneficial light and heat” to many people throughout Belgium and the Netherlands.

Your own fire of faith may be small, but I know that making principled choices, brings greater confidence in God, and then your faith will grow.

Flames of Faith

Never let your fire of faith be quenched.

How we choose to live our lives, can either increase or diminish our faith.

If its diminishing, don’t despair.

A flame of faith can grow from a tiny spark.

Missionaries come to ignite the flame of faith in some and rekindle the flickering flame of faith in others.

“First and forever fan the flame of your faith, because all things are possible to them that believe.”—Jeffrey R. Holland

Missionaries can help you fan the flame of your flickering faith, and catch fire, even if you feel lonely, like an isolated ember.

My experience is that embers burn much brighter and glow stronger when they are closer together.

Come and join us.

Keep your spiritual flame burning brightly.

Why not reach out to one of our new missionaries today and let them rekindle your flame of faith and ignite your fire.

Arm in Arm

Early on Friday, we said farewell to our departing missionaries at Schiphol airport.

An hour later, we welcomed 11 new missionaries to the Netherlands.

It was an emotional rollercoaster of a day.

Elder Ranse Cottam drove us back home.

For those who know Ranse, or have met him for even a moment, will know that he is filled with and serves with the “pure love of Christ”.

Pure Love

Love indeed, is the true sign of every true disciple of Jesus Christ.

His parents and little sister were coming to collect him, mid-afternoon.

What unfolded during their visit was beautiful.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” – Matthew 5:8

It was a sweet reunion.

After 2 years, a family together again, in pure love.

It was heavenly, as if “angels above us are silent notes taking” (Hymn 237 – Choose the Right)

The feeling of pure love permeated the room, filling our hearts and souls.

I beheld joy.

For a moment, Heaven’s doors were unlocked.

I beheld wonder.

In the stillness, God’s presence surrounded us.

I beheld pure love.

Motherhood

I witnessed the love of a mother for her son, and a son for his mother.

They sat, snuggled next to one another.

Time stood still.

With one another, they linked arms, held hands – tightly, yet gently, wrapped tenderly, in each other’s love.

Honouring sacred covenants, I observed the selfless love of a devoted mother and son.

Beauty

It was beautiful.

In that moment, I was changed, by the pure love of Christ.

Tears came easily for all of us.

Motherhood is a divine role.

Motherhood is about loving and nurturing others.

Symbolically, Ranse was held by two mothers, arm in arm, side by side, shoulder to shoulder, surrounded with pure love.

I will treasure this hallowed sweet memory – forever.

I hope and pray that our hearts may be filled with charity, the pure love of Christ.

All My Heart

My daily routine…
After I dress myself in my shirt and tie, I slide my nametag onto the breast pocket.
Doing so, reminds me of who I am representing daily.
Constantly, I am reminded, that the name of Jesus Christ is positioned next to my heart.
Today, I noticed something extra.
For the last 19 months, immediately after I slide my nametag into position, I then place a folded A4 piece of paper into my breast pocket.
On the paper is a list of names and areas of everyone in the mission.
We call it the By-Zone.
Currently there are 130 names on the list for this transfer.
The names change every six weeks, as missionaries arrive and depart.
Many other names have been on the list too.
It struck me today, that the list of names is one layer of cotton, closer to my heart.
The names are positioned between Christ’s name and my heart.

My Heart

The heart is a tender place.
We feel things in our hearts.
I know every single one of those individuals listed on the paper.
They are much more than merely names.
They are real people, who I have met with, laughed with, cried with, rejoiced with, taught with, prayed with, dined with, played games with, juggled with, sang with, travelled with, and counselled with.
I love them.
My heart overflows with gratitude for each of them.
Many are home now.
For a season, their names were next to my heart.
Over time, their names have migrated from next to, to deeply ingrained and written into my heart.
At times, there is a tug on my heart, and my thoughts are directed to each of them, one by one.
Like family members, their hearts are bound to my own.
In Luke 10:27, the Saviour explained, we must “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, … soul, … strength, and … mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.”
What does it mean to love someone with all your heart?

Is there a God?

Frequently I’m asked – “Is there a God, is there a creator?”
In answer to that question, consider this response…
“What are the odds that a tornado spinning through a junkyard would create a Boeing 747?” – Bruce C. Hafen.
In Alma 30:44, Alma states to Korihor “All things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion.”
A study of the sciences, helps us to understand that if the earth were just slightly closer to the sun, then all life on earth would simply be burnt up.
Conversely, if the earth was slightly further from the sun, then all life on earth would freeze!
I choose to believe that a divine power holds things in place through laws that have been irrevocably decreed from long before this earth was created.
I know that no matter what era we live in, we can find peace in the powerful parallels between the scriptures and our own lives.