This Sunday I am grateful for all of the full time missionaries serving around the world and for the opportunity I have of living in the mission field here in Texas.
This past Wednesday I had an opportunity to greet my sister Shelly (above), her family, and her fresh off the mission son (my nephew), Elder Derek Senior, at the Dallas airport. They were returning from picking up Elder Senior from his mission in Spain. It was so great to see and talk with Derek. He was filled with such love and with the spirit. He mentioned how he wasn't ready to come home and wished he had more time to preach the gospel to the people of Spain. I think I am always taken back at the ability missionaries have of being so selfless and innocent in a world that is so chaotic, selfish and filled with such turmoil. I am grateful for all the missionaries that serve and are daring enough to leave their homes and their families to go and preach the gospel in foreign places.
I am grateful Dave served a mission. It was so instrumental in shaping him into the amazing man he is today. I am grateful for the example he set for our (many :) )sons. I am grateful that although I never served a mission, that I have the opportunity here in Texas to be a missionary to my neighbors and friends. I know that our neighbors watch us and observe closely how we live. When we lived in Denton, it was such an amazing experience to be invited to neighbors homes for BBQ's and being offered Diet Coke's instead of Beers because they respected our beliefs and respected how we were dedicated to live our lives. There is something to be said about living in the mission field.
I have had a few experiences were I was able to give Book of Mormon's to close friends. I was terrified each time, but filled with love as I have shared what I believe. Although none of them accepted the gospel I knew I had done my part. It makes me think of Nephi & Lehi when they went to the Land of Nephi and they were captured and inprisioned by the wicked Lamanites. After they were encircled in fire and the guards were encircled with a darkcloud, they began to converse with angels and proclaiming repentance. The people asked what they should to do have the dark cloud removed from them and the answer was in essence "do what Alma and Amulek tried to teach you...repent and have faith in Jesus Christ". I loved this because Alma and Amulek didn't see these Lamanites except the gospel, but because of their missionary work and their faith and testimony, Nephi and Lehi were able to soften their hearts and over 300 people were converted. There are so many stories of this in the scriptures like this (i.e. Abinidi).
So although none of us are technically serving full time missions, we never know what our small efforts of missionary work and simply living the gospel can do to effect the people around us. Keep up the good work and thanks to all of you who have served or will serve full time missions. The church is so stinkin' true.
