Sacrament Talk - Fasting

 Sacrament Talk on Fasting

Given in:

Bainbridge GA ward November 17, 2024

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Intro- 

Good morning brothers and sisters. For those who don’t know me, I am Elder Hall. I am from Draper Utah - a town south of Salt Lake City. I have been serving in your ward for couple months now and have met some of the greatest people here.

I want to start by telling you a little bit about my  Grandma Kathy. She was a fun grandma- always up for anything. She was funny with her silly dances and unique quirks. Often we would sit in her kitchen perched on a barstool  while she made cinnamon toast and we would tell her everything about our lives. She listened to us and made us feel like we were the most important person in the room. 

In January 2008, President Hinckley passed away. The church sent out a magazine filled with facts about his life. Whenever I would visit my grandma’s house, she would get that magazine out and we would talk about President Hinckley. She would quiz me about what we read. I think this is when I developed a love for prophets. They were important to her and I loved her, so they became important to me. I still have this magazine today. 

Grandma Kathy was different from my other grandparents. It wasn’t necessarily what she DID but it was how she made you feel! Everybody loved my Grandma Kathy. She loved her family and you knew it. She loved the gospel and you knew it. And she loved her Savior. 

Several years ago, on a Saturday in May, my entire extended family gathered at my grandma‘s house. My grandpa stood up and told us that Grandma Kathy had been diagnosed with cancer. Metastatic Melanoma stage 4. I was too young to understand what that meant. All I knew was that my grandma was sick. She was only 58 years old. We were all so sad and so scared. 

My grandpa then explained that we were going to have a FAMILY FAST  the next day. My grandma‘s entire ward was going to join in this fast as well. I remembered him saying “We need a miracle! And we believe in a God of miracles.” 

The following day after our fast we gathered at my grandparents church. I remember many crying and hugging each other. Their bishop spoke a few words and we said a prayer to close our special fast. 

1. Define Fasting

What does it mean to fast? 

In the Webster’s dictionary, it says: 

to abstain from all or certain foods as in observing a holy day to eat very little or nothing. 

In the Bible dictionary, it says: 

to abstain from food, to afflict or to humble the soul. 

Members of our faith are encouraged to fast on one Sunday each month, usually the first Sunday. On Fast Sundays, members typically go without food and drink for two consecutive meals, or about 24 hours. 

II. Purposes of Fasting

But WHY do we Fast? 

Fasting has been a practice in the church since ancient times. It was practiced by many ancient prophets like Moses just before he received the 10 Commandments and Elijah when he fasted to turn the hearts of his people. We know even Christ fasted for 40 days in the wilderness. 

Today we fast for many different reasons. I wasn’t to share some of those with you today.  I love that the scriptures can help us understand HOW and WHY we fast. 

- We fast out of obedience and as a way to worship God. 

- We fast to express gratitude for things we enjoy. 

- In Alma 5 we learn that we can fast to know truth. In verse 46 of Alma 5, Alma told the people 

“…Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things (for) myself. And now I do know … that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit;…

- We fast to ask for blessings.

- In Alma 28:4-6 we learn we fast to find comfort 

4 And now this was a time that there was a great mourning throughout all the land, among all the people of Nephi—

5 Yea, the cry of widows mourning for their husbands, and also of fathers mourning for their sons, and the daughter for the brother, yea, the brother for the father; and thus the cry of mourning was heard among all of them,  mourning for their kindred who had been slain.

6 And now surely this was a sorrowful day .. and a time of much fasting and prayer.

- We fast to receive answers to prayers. 

- We learn in Mosiah 27, that just as my family did, we can fast for the healing and help for loved ones.  Mosiah assemble the high priests together; to fast, and to pray to the Lord

22 “… that he would open the mouth of Alma, that he might speak, and also that his limbs might receive their strength—that the eyes of the people might be opened to see and know of the goodness and glory of  God.

23 And it came to pass after they had fasted and prayed for the space of two days and two nights, the limbs of Alma received their strength, and he stood up and began to speak unto them, bidding them to be of good  comfort:

-One of the greatest purposes of fasting can be found in Helaman 3:35.

35 Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because  of their yielding their hearts unto God. 

Fasting gives us the opportunity to draw closer to our Heavenly Father and our savior Jesus Christ. 

III Personal Story

Three months after our family fast for my Grandma Kathy, my extended family gathered together again in my grandparents home. We knew the time my Grandma Kathy had left on this earth was short. None of the medical treatments she received had worked. This time my grandpa stayed sitting in his chair and my GRANDMA stood up to talk and testify to her children and grandchildren.

She reminded us of the day in May when our family gathered to “fast for a miracle.” She thanked us for exercising our Faith and for our willingness to FAST for her. She was weak as she spoke but her message was powerful. 

She told us that she understood that we had fasted for a specific miracle but that in the three short months since she was diagnosed, we had actually witnessed MANY miracles. She talked about the earthly angels that had come to help and serve her family. She shared several spiritual experiences our family had had. She talked about the lessons she and several of us had learned.  She encouraged us to watch for heavenly angels in the coming days and weeks. She bore her testimony and shared the love she has for her Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and how she felt ready to return to her heavenly home. She challenged us to always pray, rely on the Lord, and to fast OFTEN for miracles because as we do this we draw closer to our Savior. 

My Grandma Kathy passed the following Sunday. Our family misses her so much but we will never forget the spirit we felt as she testified of a God of miracles. 

Conclusion

I am grateful for the experience I had as a young boy to fast for someone very special to me. I am grateful for the privilege I have to fast often. I have fasted more in the last year than I think I have my entire life. As a missionary, I have fasted for guidance to know who to talk to, what to say, and where to go each day. I have fasted for comfort while being away from my family and home. I have fasted that those we are teaching will recognize truth and have a desire to come unto to Christ and enter the waters of baptism.  And I have fasted to express my gratitude when I see miracles.  As I have done this, my relationship with God has increased and I draw nearer to my Savior.

I close with a challenge from Elder Russell C Taylor when he said;

“In a sincere fast, we are given an open invitation by the Lord to draw close to him, to open our hearts to him, and to feel his spirit and pure love.

 

I hope you will take advantage of the opportunity you have to fast once a month or more if needed. I pray you will recognize the blessings that come through fasting and that you will draw closer to your Savior as you do. 

I leave this in the name of Jesus Christ amen

Recognizing Answers to Prayers

 Sacrament Talk

Learning to Recognize Answers to Prayers

Given:

____September 15, 2024 Bainbridge GA ward

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Intro:

Hello, I am Elder Hall.  I am from Draper Utah - a town south of Salt Lake City.  I have been serving in your branch for about a month now.  I have been out in the mission field for almost a year.

I am grateful for this opportunity to speak today and to share some thoughts and a few personal experiences about RECEIVING ANSWERS TO PRAYER.  Most importantly I am grateful to stand and bear testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ.  I have a strong testimony of God’s love.  I have never felt it more than I have this past year as I have been serving as a missionary.  

I. Our Personal Prayers 

I want you all to think about your personal prayers when life is going well. 

- How often do your pray?

- How long are your prayers?

- Are they very effective?  

- Does your mind wander in the middle of the prayer? 

- Do you fall asleep during your nightly prayer? 

- Do you pause and wait for an answer?

Now think about your personal prayers to your Heavenly Father when life is out of balance.  

Maybe you are experiencing a death in the family or a health crisis. Maybe you are in the middle of a job change or looking for employment. Maybe you are dealing with Bullies at school or struggling with your classes.  Maybe you need answers to life’s big questions, guidance with your next phase of life, or wondering if he or she is “the one”.  Or maybe you are enduring a faith crisis.

- How often do your pray?

- How long are your prayers?

- Are they very effective?  

- Does your mind wander in the middle of the prayer? 

- Do you fall asleep during your nightly prayer? 

- Do you pause and wait for an answer?

Let me add the question 

- Do you trust that God is listening to ALL of your prayers? 

Elder Richard G Scott spoke in General Conference a looooong time ago (1989) HIs talk was titled Learning to Recognize Answers to Prayers.  In this talk he said:

“Communication with our Father in Heaven is not a trivial matter. It is a sacred privilege.”

He goes on to say:

“Don’t worry about your clumsily expressed feelings. Just talk to your Father. He hears every prayer and answers it in His way.”

I want to testify that this is true.  Because of the love our Heavenly Father has for us He is wanting us to reach out to Him and He is waiting to answer our prayers. There is nothing about us He does not know. He is conscious of our every need and can provide all of the answers.

II. Scripture Story

I am sure many of us can share experiences where we look back and recognize that we received answer to our prayers. But I doubt many of the stories include a bolt of lightning, a bump on the head, or hearing a loud voice telling us exactly what we need to do.  

As it says in Doctrine and Covenants 8:1-2 

1. verily, verily, I say unto you, that assuredly as the Lord liveth, who is your God and your Redeemer, even so surely shall you receive a knowledge of whatsoever things you shall ask in faith, with an honest heart… 

2. Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the holy ghost which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.

III. Scripture Story 

We are all familiar with the story in 1 Nephi chapter 3 when Lehi tells his son that he’s has had a dream and they need to go retrieve the plates from Laban. 

In verse 4 Lehi is speaking to Nephi and he says: 

4. Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy brothers should go unto the house of Laban, and seek the records, and bring them down hither into the wilderness.

Nephi and his brothers know this isn’t going to be an easy tasks and the brothers aren’t too excited about going. Verse 5 reads:

5. And now, behold thy brothers murmur, saying it is a hard thing which I have required of them; but behold I have not required it of them, but it is a commandment of the Lord.

The brothers complained and murmured and received no help. 

Nephi answered, in verse 7: “I will go and do”. Even after two unsuccessful attempts, Nephi kept trying not knowing how this was all going to work.  He was “led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which (he) should do, Nevertheless (he) went forth.”

Nephi was willing to try time and again using his best efforts. He expressed faith that he would be helped. He refused to be discouraged. But because he acted, had confidence in the Lord, was obedient, he received guidance.

Elder Robert D Hales said: 

We may not know when or how the Lord’s answers will be given, but in His time and His way, I testify, His answers will come.”

Once we receive an impression in our heart, we can rationalize it away or we can be like Nephi and act on it. 

IV. Personal Story

Growing up I KNEW I was supposed to serve a mission. My family has talked about me going on a mission since I was little. So I assumed when I turned 18 the decision to serve would be easy. But that was not the case. The year was a roller coaster of “yes I’m going” to “no I’m not going” and back and forth.

At the end of my senior year in high school, I was focusing on all the negatives in my life. Such as losing our high school state championship in football for the second year in a row. I wasn’t doing well in school and my friends were starting to move away. I had settled on “no I’m not going on a mission. I’m going to work and go to school”. I got a job and started getting registered for school.

However I noticed I was significantly less happy. It felt like I wasn’t completely whole - like something was missing. I felt lonely and empty. This lead to me distancing myself from the spirit. My prayers weren’t sincere and probably not very effective. 

My cousin served her mission in New England and in her farewell talk she said: 

When you do good, you feel good.

When you do bad, you feel bad.

When you do Nothing, you feel nothing. 

That year, I truly tested the “do nothing” part. 

In March, I met with my Bishop.  We discussed receiving the Melchizedek priesthood, getting my patriarchal blessing, and he advised me to read Doctrine and Covenants section 84. 

I started attending the temple with my friends, I made an appointment to get my recommend for my patriarchal blessing.  And after shrugging it off for several weeks, I finally decided to read this chapter in the Doctrine and Covenants. As I read there was one verse that stood out to me. Verse 46. It says, 

“And the spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into world; and the spirit enlighteneth every man through the world that hearkeneth to the voice of the spirit”.   

This scripture hit me hard because of how much I related with it. I had started attended the temple more, and I knew I was “receiving the light”.  As I listened to the talks given in sacrament meeting, I knew I was “listening to the voice”.  I knew the “spirit enlighteneth” me because of the peace I was feeling. I immediately knew this was no coincidence but rather Heavenly Father showing me his love and the compassion he has for me right when I needed it most.  It was then that my prayers became for sincere.

V. Patriarchal Blessing

I got my recommend to receive my patriarchal blessing in March. When I called our Patriarch, his first opening wasn’t until June 4th. These months of waiting were long and miserable for me. 

Finally the day in June arrived. I was excited to see what my blessing would say about possibly a wife or any “future telling” things. But I was most interested to see what it had to say about serving a mission. At this time I had decided I was not going on a mission. I figured that if my blessing didn’t say anything about a mission that it was God letting me know He accepted my decision. I received my blessing and to my surprise (& relief) it had nothing to say about me serving a mission. However something felt off. 

The following Saturday the patriarch called and asked if he could hand deliver the transcript of my blessing. Something he said he had only done once before. When he came to my house he told me that all week he felt as if he had left a very important part out of my blessing. He also encouraged me to pray to know that this “new part” was from the Lord.

Once he left, I opened my blessing and on first glance I saw the line saying “you will be called as a missionary”. 

I had received an answer to my prayers.  But I still waited six weeks to call my bishop. Fear is real folks.

On July 25, 2023, I met my bishop at his home and told him I was ready to serve. My papers went in a few weeks later. While waiting for my call, I received my endowment, started reading the Book of Mormon, I focused on gospel principles and engaged in church conversations. 

I received my call on September 5th. My life has changed.  I have never felt better or been happier. And I can honestly say, I have also tested and proved the “do good” part.  When you do good, you feel good. 

VI.  Act on Promptings

Our Heavenly Father is perfect and His love for us is beyond our capacity to understand. He knows what is best for us. He will answer ALL of our prayers but He wants us to act.  His answers won’t always be YES!  Sometimes the answer is no. I will humbly admit I was hoping for a different answer.  But today I can see the blessings that come from trusting in God’s love for me. 

Elder Richard G Scott said:

When He answers yes, it is to give us confidence.

When He answers no, it is to prevent error.

When He withholds an answer, it is to have us grow through faith in Him, obedience to His commandments, and a willingness to act on truth. We are expected to assume accountability by acting on a decision that is consistent with His teachings without prior confirmation. We are not to sit passively waiting or to murmur because the Lord has not spoken. We are to act.

I know in the beginning of this talk I said most of us have experiences we can share when we received an answer to our prayers but that most of the time is isn’t a lightning bolt or bump on the head.  Most of us won’t receive a “telegram from God” as my mom says I received.  But when we have a desire to KNOW God’s will for us and are willing to ACCEPT AND ACT on his answers, He will ALWAYS answer our prayers.

Conclusion:

I KNOW our Heavenly Father is aware of each one of us. He knows our questions and is waiting to answer them. He wants to be a part of our lives. I have learned that sometimes our will and the Lords will don’t align. But that the Lords way is the best way. He won’t change to what WE want. But He will love us and send little spiritual hints, answers to our sincere prayers, to help us and He will patiently wait until we align our will with His. 

I want to close with Elder Scott’s simple promise that “He will answer your prayers.  He is your loving Father and your are His beloved child.  He loves you perfectly and wants to help you. 

I testify that God lives. He sent his son to atone for our sins. Together they created the perfect plan for us to come to earth, learn from our past and look, with hope, to the future when we can all gather together in their presence again.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Sacrament Talk - Having Your OWN Testimony

 Intro

Good morning brothers and sisters. I am Elder Hall. I am from Draper Utah - a town south of Salt Lake City. I have been serving in your ward for couple months now and have met some of the greatest people here. The work in Alma, Georgia is slow but it is also steady. The effort to find on a daily can be frustrating but we, as missionaries, are prayerful and try to never pass up an opportunity to bear our testimony. 

A testimony is a spiritual witness, given by the Holy Ghost, of the truthfulness of the gospel. When we bear testimony, we declare to others what we know to be true by the power of the Spirit.

I am grateful for this opportunity to speak today and to share some thoughts, a few personal experiences, and most importantly - to bear testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ. 

I. 

I have been asked to speak about the importance of having our own testimony especially as a missionary. 

Growing up I KNEW I was supposed to serve a mission. My family has talked about me going on a mission since I was little. So I assumed when I turned 18, the decision to serve would be easy. But that was not the case. My senior year of high school was a roller coaster of “yes I’m going” to “no I’m not going” and back and forth.

I was focusing on all the negatives in my life. Such as losing our high school state championship in football for the second year in a row. I wasn’t doing well in school and my friends were starting to move away. 

I had settled on “no I’m not going on a mission. I’m going to work and go to school”. I got a job and started getting registered for school.

However I noticed I was significantly less happy. It felt like I wasn’t completely whole - like something was missing. I felt lonely and empty. This lead to me distancing myself from the spirit. 

Mid spring, I met with my Bishop.  We discussed receiving the Melchizedek priesthood and getting my patriarchal blessing.

II. Patriarchal Blessing

I got my recommend to receive my patriarchal blessing. When I called our Patriarch, his first opening wasn’t until June 4th. That was almost FOUR months I had to wait. Those months of waiting were long and miserable for me. 

Finally the day in June arrived. I was excited to see what my blessing would say about possibly a wife or any “future telling” things. But I was most interested to see what it had to say about serving a mission. At this time I had decided I was not going on a mission. I figured that if my blessing didn’t say anything about a mission that it was God letting me know He accepted my decision. I received my blessing and to my surprise it had nothing to say about me serving a mission. However something felt off. 

The following Saturday the patriarch called and asked if he could hand deliver the transcript of my blessing. Something he said he had only done once before. When he came to my house he told me that all week he felt as if he had left a very important part of my blessing out. He also encouraged me to pray to know that this “new part” was from the Lord. 

Once he left, I opened my blessing and on first glance I saw the line saying “you will be called as a missionary”. 

I still waited 6 weeks before meeting with my bishop to tell him I was ready to serve. During those six weeks I knew what I needed to do. I felt it in my heart and in my mind but I doubted myself. Did I know enough to go and preach this gospel? More importantly, did I have a testimony that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ and that the gospel is true? 

III. 

As members of our faith we are encouraged to share the gospel - to bear testimony of the things we know are true. 

I know, we as full-time missionaries plead with and put a lot of pressure on the members of our wards and branches to help us with missionary work by referring your friends, family, neighbors, even co-workers. 

President David O McKay said “Every member a missionary” meaning that members of the Church should look for opportunities to bear their testimonies and share the gospel with others. 

I don’t think it is uncommon to feel the way I did. I felt inadequate - Whether preparing to serve a full time mission or as members trying to follow the prophets counsel to share the gospel, when it comes to bearing our testimony we doubt ourselves. 

I grew up going to church every Sunday, graduating from seminary, attending the temple with friends. My parents both served missions and spoke about gospel doctrine in our home often. But I had taken for granted the need to know for myself if what I had been taught was true. 

IV.

When it comes to gospel truths, there are some who are blessed with BLIND FAITH. My mom has blind faith. She doesn’t question doctrine. She’s obedient and doesn’t hesitate sharing her testimony. 

In the Doctrine and Covenants section 46 we read:

1. To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. . . . (My mom) 
2. To others it is given to believe on THEIR words.

I didn’t have BLIND FAITH, but I didn’t question the gospel either. I believed my parents when they bore testimony.  I acted with BORROWED LIGHT. 

Elder Henry D. Taylor said; 

“The spiritual gift “to believe on their words” can be like borrowing a flame to light a spiritual fire, to ignite our own testimonies.” 

There is great value in believing the words of others, but borrowed light can expire.

Heber C. Kimball, warned the Saints in 1856 that many trials would come to test their faith; that the time would come that no man or woman would be able to endure on borrowed light. Each must gain a personal knowledge of the truth and be guided by the light within himself.

After my stake patriarch delivered my blessing, I knew I needed to serve a mission. I basically received a personal telegram straight from God answering my prayers. How could I deny that? But I also knew I needed to KNOW with assurance that what I was going to go and preach was true. 

President Boyd K Packer said; 

“Oh, if I could teach you this one principle! A testimony is to be found in the bearing of it. Somewhere in your quest for spiritual knowledge, there is that “leap of faith”…

Even though my testimony was small, I knew I had to take that “leap of faith”. 

President Packer continued saying: “to speak out, is the test of your faith” 

I was ready to “speak out.” My papers went in a few weeks later. While waiting for my call, I received my endowment, started reading the Book of Mormon, I focused on gospel principles and engaged in church conversations. Because of this my testimony begin to grow. The closer I drew to my Heavenly Father the more I KNEW without a doubt that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ and that the gospel is true. 

V.

A testimony does not require a sermon. We stand on our feet and say what we know. The words are simple and the expression comes from the heart. A testimony born in simple phrases is enough. It is the spirit that testifies, not the words. 

My desire to serve a mission grew because of a strong conviction that this is truly the Lord’s work. That conviction is called a testimony. It is the driving force that results in righteous deeds and positive actions.

I received my call on September 5, 2023. My life has changed.  My testimony continues to grow.  Missions are hard but I have never felt better or been happier.

Conclusion: 

President Russell M. Nelson has proclaimed:

“You don’t have to wonder about what is true. You do not have to wonder whom you can safely trust. Through personal revelation, you can receive your own witness. . . . Regardless of what others may say or do, no one can ever take away a witness borne to your heart and mind about what is true.”

Every member of the Church is entitled to know that God, our Heavenly Father lives. He is also entitled to know that our elder brother, Jesus Christ, is the Savior and Redeemer of the world, and that he has opened the door for us, that we, through our individual acts, may receive salvation and exaltation and dwell once again in the presence of our Heavenly Father.

I KNOW our Heavenly Father is aware of each one of us. He wants us to KNOW for ourselves the truthfulness of this gospel. He will do whatever it takes to help us build and strengthen our testimonies just as he did with me. 

I leave this with you in the name of Jesus Christ amen. 

Sacrament Talk about Hayden's Mission given by Mom

 Sacrament Talk about Hayden’s Mission 

In Romans the Apostle Paul asked, “how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent ?” (Romans 10:14-15)

After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we learn that Jesus called his apostles to serve missions, saying “go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them, in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28). 

He said “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16)

He told Peter that if he loved him, “feed my sheep” meaning feed them the gospel – do missionary work!

Blessing at Home

What a great blessing it is to have a missionary. Our home feels different. Yes, it is a little quieter and our rooms are a little emptier, but it is filled with peace and a united purpose. Our thoughts are constantly on our missionary, his companion, the people he meets, and the friends he is teaching! 

Seeing the baby of our family get up early everyday, work from sun up to sun down, experience the more than occasional rejection, and still end the day excited to get up and do it all over again because he knows the purpose of his mission, has given our family a desire to follow his example. 

Having a missionary has brought a spirit to our home that has inspired our us to be a little better- a little better with our actions, a lot more focused with our prayers, and a little bolder with our testimonies. 

We have found ourselves drawing closer together as a family, united in our love for the Savior and our desire to share His message of hope and redemption. 

Mission Life

To give a quick update, Hayden is serving in the Florida Jacksonville mission. He has been serving for a little over five months and has spent the majority of his time in Tallahassee. Last week he was transferred to a small town near of Tifton Georgia called Alma. He is serving with his third companion, Elder Wengreen.  

He has experienced the highs and lows of missionary life. He’s had two companions crash their car. He’s spent a day stuck in a Nursing Home under a tornado watch. He showers with cockroaches and helps remove ticks from other missionaries. He enjoys the crazy rain storms of Florida and forgets that he has to wear sunscreen in March. He still flirts with everyone he meets and flexes when the lighting is good when we FaceTime. Some things will never change.

Mission Growth

But our Missionary is progressing, engaged and growing. The effort to find on a daily can be frustrating but he is prayerful and tries to never pass up an opportunity to share a message with someone. He enjoys his weekly service, being out and about, staying busy and loves to approach strangers.

In a conference talk about missionary work, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf explained  “The Lord has never required expert, flawless missionary efforts. Instead, “the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind”.  

Hayden is not a perfect missionary but he loves the challenge of missionary work and is constantly trying to get it right. 

Elder Uchtdorf continued saying, “You will eventually become better, happier, and more authentic. Talking with others about your faith will become normal and natural. In fact, the gospel will be such an essential, precious part of your lives that it would feel unnatural not to talk about it with others.” 

Over the last five months I have watched this happen with Hayden. He is becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable. 

I love to hear the details of his daily efforts. He understands the need for check lists but recognizes the importance of having the spirit in his lessons. He sees little miracles in the day to day and knows the Lord is guiding the work. 

Hayden has found strength in prayers, comfort in the scriptures, and has tremendous faith in the work. Recently, after meeting a young girl, he regretted not getting her contact information. He wondered if they’d ever meet her again. A few weeks later, he had his companion pull into the local Circle K so he could use the restroom and to his surprise, this same young girl had just started a new job behind the counter at Circle K. 

Hayden has had the privilege to stand in a filled baptismal font twice in Tallahassee. He was asked to baptize Nevaeh who the sisters had taught. Knowing it was his first time baptizing someone, his mission president had him “practice” on him. Hayden hated every second of that but in the end, was grateful for the chance to get it right without an audience.  

A few weeks later, Debra, a lady Hayden and his companion had been teaching asked if they’d stay after church so she could talk to them.  Of course they assumed the worst. When they met her in a classroom she quietly asked if she could be baptized. Shocked they explained the few requirements she needed and set a date for her baptism. Unfortunately conflict in her home has prevented Debra from being able to be baptized.  

Hayden’s friend Eric comes to church each week. He loves the gospel and understands that through the atonement of Jesus Christ he can be forgiven of his past sins. On March 16, Eric chose to accept the invitation to follow the Savior and entered the waters of baptism. 

We have been blessed with a front row seat to witness firsthand the power of missionary service. The light of the gospel shines bright in missionaries.  Hayden has grown to love those he is serving. Perhaps even more profound is that our family has developed a love for these people whom we have never even met.

Conclusion

He also has a love for the Savior and His work. In a conversation I had with him a few weeks ago, he wrote, “I love how the gospel gives people hope for their future. I took it for granted because I have known it my whole life. It is amazing that some people have never known about the realm of possibilities in the afterlife and that there is always forgiveness. The gospel and the life of Jesus Christ didn't just HAPPEN. It is HAPPENING” 

He is right, It IS happening. I love my Savior Jesus Christ. God lives and loves every one of us. I Know this with all my heart. THAT is why I willingly sent my son to do His work. 

After the Apostle Paul asked “how shall they preach except they be sent ?” He said “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”

I love my missionary. I am grateful he is willing to sacrifice two years of his life to “preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things.” I love missionary work. I know there is a work to do. There are many awaiting the message - I hope we will all take every opportunity we are given to declare it and share it.