Come and Follow

This week has been an incredible week, a week where we have learned a lot. The quote of the week comes from my very own companion, Sister King, and goes as follows, "Heavenly Father wanted to humble us. And it worked...real good." It has been a humbling week, a week where we truly had to forget ourselves and get to work. We had to learn how much Heavenly Father is in charge, and I had to forsake my own will and turn myself to Heavenly Father and align myself with His will. I became completely dependent on my Savior and His atonement to plead for forgiveness for my weaknesses and shortcomings. At our zone conference President Daines and his sweet wife talked to us about the statement "come and follow." They explained how the word "come" involves sacrifice. It includes stepping out of the worldly threshold and defending your faith and giving up things along the way. It involves the attitude of not what can I get out of this, but what can I give? The word "follow" means to consecrate. To consecrate means to follow His will and not ours. Some attributes of a consecrated missionary can include, they know who their Savior is, they have taken upon themselves His name and bear His cross, they are valiant, charitable, filled with hope, patient yet they realize the sense of urgency to spread the gospel, and they are grateful and repentant.

When I thought of an example in the scriptures of someone who is consecrated I thought about Alma and the Sons of Mosiah who had given themselves "to much prayer and fasting" and had the attitude that they could not bear that any human soul should perish. I was also reminded of the Lamanites. The Lamanites who were strong and the ones who did not fall away were those who had a testimony AND were converted. Our gospel is a complete gospel of action. It is not enough simply to believe. We must act on the principles we believe. We must defend our faith. Now is the time to spread the gospel. In the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord says, "I will hasten the work in its time. "Brother and Sisters, friends and family, it's time! What are we waiting for? One of the leaders of the church stated in the recent conference "catch the wave." Do it and do it now. Our brothers and our sisters are waiting to hear the message we have to share. Pray for opportunities to share, and I promise you if you are paying attention to the promptings you will receive and recognize answers to your prayers. I know this to be true. I have felt Heavenly Father physically place people in my path who are in dire need of the gospel. I have felt His tender hands guide me in this marvelous work. I love this gospel. I love my Savior. I love this work!

To end I want to share my new favorite scriptures with you! This is Alma speaking and I love what he says. He says,

 22 Yea, methought I saw, even as our father Lehi‍ saw, God sitting upon his throne,surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and praising‍ their God; yea, and my soul did long to be there.
 23 But behold, my limbs did receive their strength‍ again, and I stood upon my feet,and did manifest unto the people that I had been born of God.
 24 Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste‍ of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled‍ with the Holy Ghost.
 25 Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give‍ me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors;

I like Alma imagine my ancestors who have passed on united and glorified singing praises with God and just like Alma, I long to be there with them. I know I have to do everything I can to make it there. We have to "labor without ceasing" and we have to help our fellow man so they can make it there with their families.  I love you all! You are all so special and divine and I am so grateful for you. I hope you have a tremendous week!

Love Sister Mathis