Orange Park/Fleming Island
Dear Family~
I don't have much time this afternoon to write, but hopefully what I do write will be meaningful. First off, I love our family. I love each of you and all that you do. I am grateful for the gospel and for the joy it brings to us. I am thankful that we were able to hear our Prophet speak and the Apostles. All the speakers gave me great hope and helped me realize that the glue holding all of us together is a united love for our Heavenly Father, and His Son, as well as a great love for each other. I know that the pattern of the gospel blesses families and that one day it will unite us forever in our Heavenly Father's kingdom. Wherever I go, whatever I am doing, whomever I meet, no matter the circumstances, no matter what, I know that I am a part of Heavenly Father's family and that I am His child, and that we, all of humanity, are His precious children. There is no greater hope that fills my soul than the love I receive from a kind Father in Heaven, and His Son, Jesus Christ.
General Conference was special to me, in that the entirety of the combined sessions felt as though it were a rehash of my patriarchal blessing. I felt that I could see my purpose here on earth and what lies in store for me as I exercise my faith in Christ. The Plan of Salvation was laid before me and I knew that all things are working for my good and for the good of all His children. I learned that pain and affliction is necessary for us to understand and know God, and His love for us, just as it was necessary for Jesus Christ to come to earth to suffer all things so He might understand us and have greater compassion on us. I learned that families can be together forever. I learned that love and service for others and for God, is the promise we made to Him when we were baptized. I learned that God will give me whatever knowledge I may need to accomplish my work here on earth--which work is ultimately His work, even for all who covenant to take upon them the name of Christ through baptism. I learned that temples bring joy to all people wherever they may be and that they are evidence of our testimony of Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father's plan. I learned that as a priesthood holder of God, my duty is to be a missionary through and through and to be converted to the gospel that others may also be blessed.
There are essentially two options we have in this life:
We can lose our lives in the service of others, and of God, and experience joy and happiness and peace forever. OR, we can save our lives in the service of ourselves and lose out on these eternal joys.
"Only as we serve do we grow." is a quote given by the First Presidency of the Church. I liked the quote in General Conference, "as we are an answer to the prayers of others, we will often find answers to our own prayers". Last night I lost my missionary planner. I need to have it or bad things will happen... I thought maybe I left it at the Stake Center in Orange Park, but either way, I couldn't find it. I prayed that Heavenly Father would help me to find my planner before I went to bed, then trusted it would be found. I gave one more search of our vehicle before going to sleep, but to no avail. The following morning I was asked to help get something out of the vehicle on behalf of one of the other missionaries in our apartment, and I did so, though I didn't necessarily want to, but I kept silent and went and did as he asked. As I retrieved what he needed, I sat down in the passenger seat of the car and noticed how messy it was. Disgusted with the mess, and with a desire to be clean for all of us, I grabbed a plastic bag that was resting on the back seat, and assumed the work of cleaning the garbage out of the car. I crawled into the back, picking up water bottle after water bottle on the floor of the car. As I reached underneath the driver's seat to pick up another empty water bottle, my eye caught a glimpse of something between the driver's seat and the console in the middle. Sure enough, it was my planner. The gap is so tiny I wouldn't have noticed it had I not crawled into the back to pick up trash. I know that my prayer was answered this morning--and I believe it was because I decided to help.
Whatever our problems may be, and however difficult they may seem, I trust that as we forget our worries and believe in God and serve His children, all our concerns will eventually be resolved and we will one day become as He is: full of love and justice, and mercy. Our greatest blessings come as we look beyond our current afflictions and reach out to bless another in need of help and love and compassion. Service blesses not only the "helped", but it changes and inspires the "helper".
I am grateful for all of our individual and collective successes, our experiences, the journey we are on together. I think I finally understand that true joy is found in the journey, not simply the final accomplishment. We may not have many to teach now, but that is okay. We can still strive to be a blessing to every person we see, and one day, all things will work out in the end.
Tell everyone I love them and that I wish them well.
Love~
Austin
Dear Family~
I don't have much time this afternoon to write, but hopefully what I do write will be meaningful. First off, I love our family. I love each of you and all that you do. I am grateful for the gospel and for the joy it brings to us. I am thankful that we were able to hear our Prophet speak and the Apostles. All the speakers gave me great hope and helped me realize that the glue holding all of us together is a united love for our Heavenly Father, and His Son, as well as a great love for each other. I know that the pattern of the gospel blesses families and that one day it will unite us forever in our Heavenly Father's kingdom. Wherever I go, whatever I am doing, whomever I meet, no matter the circumstances, no matter what, I know that I am a part of Heavenly Father's family and that I am His child, and that we, all of humanity, are His precious children. There is no greater hope that fills my soul than the love I receive from a kind Father in Heaven, and His Son, Jesus Christ.
General Conference was special to me, in that the entirety of the combined sessions felt as though it were a rehash of my patriarchal blessing. I felt that I could see my purpose here on earth and what lies in store for me as I exercise my faith in Christ. The Plan of Salvation was laid before me and I knew that all things are working for my good and for the good of all His children. I learned that pain and affliction is necessary for us to understand and know God, and His love for us, just as it was necessary for Jesus Christ to come to earth to suffer all things so He might understand us and have greater compassion on us. I learned that families can be together forever. I learned that love and service for others and for God, is the promise we made to Him when we were baptized. I learned that God will give me whatever knowledge I may need to accomplish my work here on earth--which work is ultimately His work, even for all who covenant to take upon them the name of Christ through baptism. I learned that temples bring joy to all people wherever they may be and that they are evidence of our testimony of Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father's plan. I learned that as a priesthood holder of God, my duty is to be a missionary through and through and to be converted to the gospel that others may also be blessed.
There are essentially two options we have in this life:
We can lose our lives in the service of others, and of God, and experience joy and happiness and peace forever. OR, we can save our lives in the service of ourselves and lose out on these eternal joys.
"Only as we serve do we grow." is a quote given by the First Presidency of the Church. I liked the quote in General Conference, "as we are an answer to the prayers of others, we will often find answers to our own prayers". Last night I lost my missionary planner. I need to have it or bad things will happen... I thought maybe I left it at the Stake Center in Orange Park, but either way, I couldn't find it. I prayed that Heavenly Father would help me to find my planner before I went to bed, then trusted it would be found. I gave one more search of our vehicle before going to sleep, but to no avail. The following morning I was asked to help get something out of the vehicle on behalf of one of the other missionaries in our apartment, and I did so, though I didn't necessarily want to, but I kept silent and went and did as he asked. As I retrieved what he needed, I sat down in the passenger seat of the car and noticed how messy it was. Disgusted with the mess, and with a desire to be clean for all of us, I grabbed a plastic bag that was resting on the back seat, and assumed the work of cleaning the garbage out of the car. I crawled into the back, picking up water bottle after water bottle on the floor of the car. As I reached underneath the driver's seat to pick up another empty water bottle, my eye caught a glimpse of something between the driver's seat and the console in the middle. Sure enough, it was my planner. The gap is so tiny I wouldn't have noticed it had I not crawled into the back to pick up trash. I know that my prayer was answered this morning--and I believe it was because I decided to help.
Whatever our problems may be, and however difficult they may seem, I trust that as we forget our worries and believe in God and serve His children, all our concerns will eventually be resolved and we will one day become as He is: full of love and justice, and mercy. Our greatest blessings come as we look beyond our current afflictions and reach out to bless another in need of help and love and compassion. Service blesses not only the "helped", but it changes and inspires the "helper".
I am grateful for all of our individual and collective successes, our experiences, the journey we are on together. I think I finally understand that true joy is found in the journey, not simply the final accomplishment. We may not have many to teach now, but that is okay. We can still strive to be a blessing to every person we see, and one day, all things will work out in the end.
Tell everyone I love them and that I wish them well.
Love~
Austin
"No pain that we suffer, no trial we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude, and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God...and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we came here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven." -Orson F. Whitney
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