Why Become a Mormon?

What is it about the Church of Jesus Christ that causes people to join it? Why would I want to meet with the two young men in dark suits that knock on my door? What is it that all of this has to offer me or my family? Why should I want to be a Mormon?

I grew up a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I spent my Sundays in church and sunday school. I knew that I couldn't drink alchohol, coffee, or tea; I couldn't smoke, I couldn't have sexual relations before marriage, as well as other things. I didn't ever question it, it was the way I was raised, it just seemed normal to me.

Towards the end of high school and for a year after graduating, I began to drift a little bit. Meetings every Sunday weren't my favorite thing to do, so if I could find an excuse not to go, I would. I didn't see a need to follow the commandments. For me it was a time to really find out what I wanted to do with my life.

What has really changed my life is one decision. My parents wanted me to go on a mission, just like most of the other young men my age. I wasn't sure if I wanted to, or even could, spend two years teaching other people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I spent years trying to decide whether I would go or not. One time when I was with my dad, I really thought about what I was doing with my life. The answer I came up with is that I wasn't really doing anything. I wasn't moving forward, I felt like I was stuck in limbo. I decided the only way to move forward was to give a mission a shot. I got things into motion (with prodding and help from my mom) and on November 18, 2009 I started my mission.

For those who haven't been on a mission, it is a difficult thing. I had never felt so alone, so overwhelmed, and so scared about what was going to happen. I didn't want to be where I was, and the only thing that kept me from leaving and going home was that I knew going back would just put me back into limbo. I spent many hours on my knees asking for help from my Father in Heaven. As the days past I received that help. As I began to study, and then live what I was learning, my life began to change.

I have always felt like my life was good. I have a great family who never let me go without. Things weren't always perfect, but I really feel like I couldn't have had it much better. It is now November 11, 2011 almost two years since I began my mission, and I have never been happier in my life. I don't understand why, because I have never worked so hard, given so much, or been quite this tired. I don't have luxurious things, and I can't even watch sports! It hasn't been easy, but I know that if you want to be happy, have a happy family, grow into a better person, have more love, have more trust, build bonds that will never be broken, and especially become a disciple of Jesus Christ; this is the church for you! I know that because of what it has done in my own life. This is Christ's church on the earth today.

Green Eggs and Ham

Green Eggs and Ham had to be one of my favorite books as a child. If I ever had a chance to have someone read it to me, I would take it. The story is pretty simple. The main character spends the whole book trying to convince Sam I Am that he isn't going to try his green eggs and ham. He is given many situations to try it, and he consistently refuses to try it. At the end of the book, he finally tries it just so Sam I Am will leave him alone. Suprisingly he decides that he likes it! He tells about how he will eat it anytime, and anywhere.

I can relate a lot to this, because I have never been a big fan of trying new things. Now lets be honest, green eggs and ham is pretty strange (refer to picture). If I saw any green food, you would have a hard time getting me to touch it. Generally green food means it has been out on the table for WAY too long. So because of things I have heard, ( I haven't ever actually tried moldy green food) I would stay away from the green eggs and ham.

 I think we all have a tendency to stick to the things that we are comfortable with. It is easy to say, "I'm good, I am content with what I have." This is especially easy if we have heard bad things about something. If we don't go out of our comfort zone and try it for ourselves, we may never find out that we are missing something good. We have our own "I AM" trying to get us to listen to him. He gives us the gospel, and asks us to just try it, "Prove me now herewith." He promises that it is good, and if it isn't then we don't have to eat anymore. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is good. It is the best thing that we could ever "try out!"

Awake My Soul

"O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities. I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me...My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions... He hath filled me with his love... He hath confounded mine enemies... Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge... And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high... O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions? And why should I yield to sin...? Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.... O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness...O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever!"    -Nephi  (2 Nephi 4 17-34)

Often over the past few months I have thought of this scripture and applied it to my own life. Why do I do the things that I know will not make me happy? Why is it hard to do what the Lord has asked of me? I feel like I can relate with Nephi when he talks about all the great things that the Lord has done for him. All the things that Nephi has learned from the Lord. But despite this, I still am not perfect.

I like towards the end however, where despite his faults, Nephi looks forward with faith and a desire to be better. This is what the Lord wants from us and is asking us to do. Leave behind the things that we have done wrong. Learn from them and trust in the Lord! Jesus Christ lives, and he is our redeemer! I know he is there for us. Herein lies true happiness!

Walking on Water

Most of us have heard the story told in Mattew 14: 25-31. It begins with the Apostles in a boat on a stormy sea, "And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

This story shows us how we need to trust in the Lord. We are all in the boat of our beliefs sailing on the stormy waters of the world. The world we sail on can be scary at times, and we feel that we are safest in our "boat". At some point in our journey through life, Christ will come to us. We may not recognize him at first, just as the Apostles didn't. In order for us to know for sure that it is him, he will ask us to take a step of faith and come to him. We have to allow him to change our ideas.

As long as we trust in the Lord, and press forward, we will be kept safe. If we take our eyes off Christ and stop trusting him, if we look at what the world says should happen (sink in the water), we will begin to sink.

Sometimes in our journey to follow Christ, we don't see why following a commandment will help us. We think that we need something else. If we trust in the Lord with everything. If we put him and his commandments first, we will be fine. We will walk on the water and be happy and safe! I know this is true from my own experiences. I can see it every day of my life.

Be of Good Cheer

Being on a mission in Montana means the you are going to be cold. This past month to month and a half temperatures have been low (somewhere between -30 and 10 degrees). The snowstorms have come one right after another. It sometimes seemed like winter will never end. The past week has been very interesting. Early in the week things got to be pretty warm, and for the first time in a long time, I thought the winter might actually end sometime. Then yesterday it got really warm (32 degrees) and that got us really excited. After that first day of warmth it got much colder that night, and this morning we got another 6 inches of snow.

Sometimes life is the same way. We are burdened with something that may seem like it will be there forever. Then when we catch a glimpse of what things could be, and it goes away it is easy to get discouraged. The message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ however tells us to "be of good cheer!" Despite how cold things are now, spring will come and the warmth will be back. No matter how badly off we feel we are, if we keep our focus on Christ, things will get better!

The Assist

 I love to play basketball, and I love to score points. Sometimes however, you have to pass up a good opportunity for someone else to have a better opportunity. When this happens, and you pass the ball to someone who scores, it is called an assist. The principle of this is that you sacrifice something good (your shot), for something better (the higher chance to get points for your team).

We talked about sacrifice this past Sunday in class. At first I came in with the impression that sacrifice is something that is hard to do, but must be done because the Lord commands it. By the end of the class my perspective had changed. I want to focus mostly on attending church.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks said, "We have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families." There are many good things that we could be doing on Sundays. Spending time with families, helping provide for our families, etc... But our Heavenly Father has told us that the best thing we could be doing is to keep the Sabbath Day holy, and attend church. It may be a sacrifice to give up some things that are helping us, but if we do sacrifice, we will gain a much greater blessing.

I now know that while sacrifices seem hard, they really aren't. If we can have the faith and trust in the Lord, we personally may not get the points, but we assist the Lord (the best shooter on our team) and he can make the basket for us. Because we sacrifice we and our families come out on top. I now know that the chance to sacrifice is a blessing, not a burden.