Spiritual Thought Sunday

Today's thought comes from our Sunday School lesson today at church.  Harrison and I received a special "calling" to attend the Member Missionary Training Class in our ward.  Every member of our ward from the age of 12-100 has been/will be called to participate in this class.  Our class was small today.  There were about 8 of us total in class... about half of all who are in the class right now.  The class is to help all the members in our ward understand that we are all "member missionaries" in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Over the next couple of weeks we will learn about ways to help the full time missionaries spread the word of the gospel to others.

Today we talked about the things that make it hard for us, or obstacles, that get in our way of sharing our beliefs as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  We talked about things like, feeling that we may offend someone by sharing our beliefs, not being in social situations where we are able to share our beliefs, not knowing answers to questions that are asked of us, and the fear of rejection.

My thought was, why am I afraid to share my beliefs with people when those beliefs make me so happy and really shape my entire existence?  Think about it- if we find something in our life that makes me happy, we usually share it with people.  For example, when we find a hair product that just knocks our socks off... we share it with others.  When we discover a new restaurant that we just think is fantastic, we make sure others know so that they can also try it out!  If I am so willing to do things like that, why is it so hard for me to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others?

Well- I will share with you right now some of the things that I love about being a member of the LDS church and why it makes me so happy.  I am thankful for the knowledge of The Plan of Salvation or The Plan of Happiness.  With this knowledge, I know that my family will be a forever family.  When I was married to Harrison, there was no part of the ceremony that said anything like "till death do you part".  I was sealed to my husband FOR TIME AND ALL ETERNITY.  We will be married forever!  After we die and leave this Earth, our marriage and commitment to each other will live on and last through the eternities.  The children that we will have in the future will be our children forever!  This knowledge makes me so happy.

I am thankful and I have a knowledge of a living prophet.  I sustain Thomas S. Monson as a prophet, seer, and revelator that is alive on the Earth today.  I know that he receives inspiration and guidance from our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  He guides and directs The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I believe him to be just as much of a prophet on the Earth as prophets of old like Moses, Abraham, Noah, Nephi, and Helaman.

I have a knowledge of The Book of Mormon.  I know that this book is true and is very much another testament of Jesus Christ.  I learn so much by reading this book.  I have read some of the same pages hundreds of times it seems, and every time I read it, I learn something new.

I am thankful for my faith and for my beliefs.  I am thankful for the opportunity to have the freedom to choose what I believe and the ability to worship freely in the way that I believe.  What a wonderful time to be alive dear friends and family.