I am so excited and nervous! but i know such wonderful things will be in-store for me! this last sunday i had the opportunity to speak at my church. below is my talk all about why i want to serve a mission and my belief in Jesus Christ! i hope you enjoy! xo -sorella fuller
Good
afternoon brothers and sisters. I am so happy and humbled to be speaking to you
today before I start missionary service in Italy. My heart is so full of love
and gratitude at this time. I am so thankful that I can have this opportunity
to speak in this ward. Even though my family no longer lives full time in this
ward I still consider it my home. It is so great to be speaking to a
congregation full of my ward family. I also am so incredibly grateful for all
the family and friends who have made the effort to come here today. I am so
touched by the support and I am so happy that I can share my testimony with you
all.
I
want to start off and tell you the main reason why I have decided to serve a
mission. I feel so incredibly blessed in my life to have the knowledge of the
gospel, blessings from the temple, the constant companionship of the holy
ghost, and an eternal amount of love from my heavenly father. The amount of
blessings are so overwhelming that I constantly am overcome with amazement. I
have grown to realize that the only true happiness in life comes from the
gospel. I have decided to be a missionary so that I can help spread God’s love
and happiness to others.
Coming
to the conclusion to serve a mission was not easy or even expected to me. Last
year at this time a mission seemed a million miles away. I was about to move
into the BYU freshman dorms…. Something that after hearing countless stories
from my parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins I had been looking forward to for
most of my life. I also had an intense desire to get an education, to peruse a
career, and make a name for myself. I couldn’t wait to embrace and soak in
everything byu had to offer and peruse a career that lied ahead.
This
last week marks one year exactly from my first week of college. And how things
have changed. Instead of returning to Provo to continue my education and peruse
my lifelong goals I will be returning to enter the Missionary Training Center.
Many, including my closest family and friends wondered how did you have such a
complete change of heart? I hope that today my genuine feelings of faith and
love for this gospel will come across to you so that you may understand how
much the gospel has changed my life and how I hope to carry that knowledge into
the mission field.
Alma
5; 12 reads “according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought in his
heart” Although the term “a mighty change of heart” is commonly used in regards
to repentance, I would say that in the last year I have had a mighty change of
heart in regards to serving a mission. I 100% credit this change to the power
of the Spirit of the Holy Ghost and the love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ
has bestowed upon me. I believe that God is in every little detail in our
lives. In the moment we may not notice these details but looking back they will
become clear to us as we examine and contemplate the tender mercies we see in our
lives. One of these little details in my change of heart happened on move-in
day at BYU. I noticed two beautiful girls who were moving in directly across
the hall from my room. Not moments later they continued to invite ALL of the
girls who lived on the floor into their room to get to know each other. I
quickly learned that they were both Southern California girls who were nothing
but kind, inclusive to everyone, beautiful, smart, and simply HAPPY people.
Despite a slight intimidation factor they would later become some of my closest
friends, one of which is here today. From our friendship I learned that they
were BOTH recent converts to the church. Up until that point I had never had any
close acquaintances that were converts. As they would tell me their conversion
story I was touched by their undenying faith, and I was even more impressed
learning how eternally grateful they were for the gospel. I remember thinking
how amazing it was that because of others teaching them the gospel their lives
and their posterities lives would forever be blessed. Becoming close friends
with these girls was probably the first time that I opened my heart to
accepting the idea of serving a mission.
By
the end of my first semester I had had a wonderful college experience. I loved
meeting new people from all over the country, I loved living in the dorms,
being in a professional learning environment, everything… I love it all. I
couldn’t wait to return for my next semester. However, this time was different
than before. I had seen so many friends, including my friends across the hall submit
missionary papers and leave for their service. Most of these people were
sisters. I was amazed by how many girls had CHOSEN to leave behind college to
serve the Lord. I started toying with the idea of serving. Every girl I knew
that had left for a mission had characteristics that I admired. They were girls
that I looked up to and wanted to be like. I knew that if I was to go on a mission it would require me
to ask my father in heaven humbly if it was the right thing for ME to do and I
would need to have a purpose.
Slowly
and surly I would eventually reach my decision. It started with simple prayers
asking for assistance in my decision making, then to constant scripture
reading, then fasting. However I still had no answer. I was confused and
distraught. I just wanted to have a yes or a no answer. However, I learned that
the Lord doesn’t always work that way. I needed to turn my stupor of thought
into clarity. Through this decision process it was the first time in my life
when I had to recognize the spirit in making a big decision. I had to rely on
so much faith to help me in this process, and I needed to strengthen my own
testimony of the gospel so that I could carry it with me into the mission
field.
I
found this strength in studying and focusing my life around the life of Jesus
Christ. In particular, recognizing
and appreciating the details of the Atonement in my life.
President
Holland teaches “Indeed the Atonement of the Only Begotten Son
of God in the flesh is the crucial foundation upon which all Christian doctrine
rests and the greatest expression of divine love this world has ever been
given. Its importance in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cannot
be overstated. Every other principle, commandment, and virtue of the restored
gospel draws its significance from this
pivotal event.2
The
atonement literally means to be “at one with God” as we further study… we
realize that we can never fully appreciate the grandeur of the eternal
significance of the Atonement.
One
element of the atonement that I am sure we can all relate to is the tender
mercy that is given to us through the repentance process. Every sin or mistake
that we make can be simply forgiven and made anew because of the mercy that is
given to us. In life there must be justice in all things. God gives us justice
so that we can receive the blessings from our good doing. With this justice we
should also be punished for our sins. The laws of justice must be met… however,
because of God’s mercy He made it possible. Through the suffering, crucifixion, and resurrection of his
PERFECT son we are not punished for Adams original sin and all of our own
imperfections. This idea of repentance was always hard for me to totally grasp.
It was not until this last year as I prepared to serve a mission that I fully
felt the love and mercy given to me through the repentance process. The comfort
that comes from knowing that God has forgiven you and you have the opportunity
to start anew is indescribable. As I felt the power of repentance in my own
life I knew that this was just one of the many blessings offered by the gospel
that needed to be shared. Everyone in this world deserves the knowledge of
justice and mercy. It is crucial for our eternal salvation. In 2nd
Nephi, Lehi teaches his son Jacob of the importance of mercy. He states in
Chapter 2 verse 8 that ,
“wherefore,
how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the
earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence
of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, ad grace of the Holy Messiah,
who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the
power of the Spirit.”
Another
amazing blessing of the atonement that I have felt throughout my life is the
comfort and blessing of NEVER being alone. Because of the Atonement no matter
where in the world we are, no matter who we are, no matter what our
circumstance we will never be utterly left alone. Throughout Christ’s mortal
life he always was surrounded by people. He was born to loving parents, as he
taught he had throngs of followers, and of course the companionship of his
apostles. On the eve of his crucifixion slowly but surely Christ’s support
circle of disciples got smaller and smaller. Then as he went into the garden of
Gethsemane he continued on without companionship. While Christ suffered for our
sins, as he bleed from every pore, as this perfect person suffered so that we
could be redeemed, he had to do what is completely impossible for us to fully
understand. To complete the suffering He had to be completely alone, meaning
the spirit and comfort of the Holy Ghost was withdrawn in this dark hour.
Elder
Holland explains this time of Christ’s suffering even more so saying,
“Nevertheless, that the supreme sacrifice of His Son might be as
complete as it was voluntary and solitary, the Father briefly withdrew from
Jesus the comfort of His Spirit, the support of His personal presence. It was
required, indeed it was central to the significance of the Atonement, that this
perfect Son who had never spoken ill nor done wrong nor touched an unclean
thing had to know how the rest of humankind—us, all of us—would feel when we
did commit such sins. For His Atonement to be infinite and eternal, He had to
feel what it was like to die not only physically but spiritually, to sense what
it was like to have the divine Spirit withdraw, leaving one feeling totally,
abjectly, hopelessly alone.”
This sense of loneliness made Christ weep
out, “My God, My God. Why hast thou forsaken me?” The miracle of the Atonement
is that because of Christ’s love for us his suffering saves us so that we will
NEVER have to feel alone. Never have to experience the suffering he endured on
that lonely night in the Garden of Gethsemane.
God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost will
ALWAYS be there for us. When I was sixteen years old I moved away from home to
work as a Senate Page in Washington DC. As amazing as this experience was for
me it was the first time in my life that I felt so helplessly alone. I had no
family, at times I felt ridiculed by my teachers and bosses, I had no LDS
friends, my ward building was temporarily shut down and moved too far away for
me to reach Sunday meetings. On days where the stress of school and work was so
intense and I would feel utterly alone and lack of support, In that dark moment
of my life I had no other option then to turn to my heavenly father. I remember
going in the bathroom of the US Capitol building, the only privacy I ever had,
and falling on my knees begging for some support. From that prayer I was
prompted to turn to my scriptures. I read in Alma Chapter 37 verse 36
“Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support;
yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it
be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let
the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.”
I then turned the page and read in Chapter 38
verse 5
“ as ye shall put your trust in God even so
much ye shall be delivered out of your trails, and your troubles, and your
afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day.”
When I read these verses I knew that they
were a gift from my heavenly father sent to me for comfort. Those words have
strongly resonated in me and help me any time I am alone. Three years later from
that day in Washington I still cherish these scriptures in my heart.
What I learned was that no matter where I was
or how alone I felt because of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice I would never feel
alone again. Not a day goes by now that I don’t think of the peace and love I
felt from heaven during those 6 months in DC. In the moment it sometimes seemed
too hard to bear but looking back now not only did it give me a strong academic
and professional foundation, it
gave me the greatest gift, the foundation of my testimony. A testimony that I will use not only as
a missionary but for the rest of my life. As a missionary I know there will be
days that will be hard, that I will feel alone and forsaken. I also know that
everyone in this world have those days of feeling utterly alone. But as long as
we turn our hearts tword Christ we will never be left alone. It is my prayer that as I enter the
field as a missionary I will be able to express this message of comfort to
someone. So that they can feel the same peace and support that I felt when I
needed it the most.
Let us not forget the ultimate miracle of the
Atonement. While Gethsemane and Calvary were such dramatic and traumatic
experiences for the savior, on a beautiful spring morning, 3 days after his
death, Christ came forth from his tomb as a resurrected being. This
significance is that every human being, man and woman, good and bad, will be
resurrected. Breaking Satan’s bands of death. Families will be rejoined, we
will live in a state of spiritual happiness, and the love we have for each other
will be overflowing. What a wealth of knowledge this brings us. I am so humbled
when I think of the blessings of the Atonement. This is a message worth
spreading to the ends of the earth.
As we begin to further understand the
Atonement we will draw closer to God. For me as I learned and experienced the
atonement in my life I was able to recognize and appreciate the love that God
has for me. This overwhelming amount of love is what gives me faith and
purpose. Once I recognized this love I knew the answer to all my prayers. I
knew that serving a mission was right for me. My confusion of thought was put
at ease and I knew that I needed to dedicate 18 months to His service.
Missionary work is an errand of God. As Moses chapter 1 verse 39 states
“For behold, this is my work and my glory, to
bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”
Missionary
work, no matter if you are set apart as a missionary or simply sharing the
gospel to friends, colleagues, and neighbors is not easy. In an address to the
MTC Elder Holland stated,
“I offer this as my personal feeling. I am convinced that
missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience.
Salvation never was easy. We are The Church of Jesus Christ, this is the
truth, and He is our Great Eternal Head. How could we believe it would be
easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him?”
I
know that on my mission there will be days that I feel inadequate, when no one will
listen, when I miss home, and my cell phone, and the language will seem
impossible. I know that there will
be days of sorrow and pain. I am terrified for the unknown that lies ahead and
I feel totally inadequate. However because of him, I know that any sorrow will
become peace, despair will become hope, and burdens will be lifted. This is the
message that I hope to carry with me into the mission field.
In
the beloved story of Les Miserables it addresses many themes that parallel to
the Atonement and the gospel. Justice, mercy, forgiveness, redemption. However the
overall theme/message of the story is summarized in the last sentence of the
musical adaptation. This sentence states, “To love another person is to see the
face of God.” Not only does this touching sentence summarize the theme of the Victor
Hugo classic I believe that it should summarize the theme in our lives. Because
at the end of the day LOVE is what this gospel is all about. Every element of
this church ultimately is all about love. The more we can show love to others
the closer we will draw to God.
More
then anything I pray that I will be able to give as much love to the people of
Italy as I physically can. I pray that I can show others love the way God has
shown it to me. Without God’s love I wouldn’t be here today.
I
can’t say this enough but I am so thankful for this gospel, for my family, and
friends that have been an example to me. Especially
·
My extended family, for all being strong and faithful members of the
church
·
My cousins who have served missions and are currently serving missions.
Even though they are not here today I hope that my gratitude will be expressed
to them by the Spirit.
·
I am so thankful for my friends who have never lead me astray and were
such great examples to me
·
My brothers for being so loving, kind, silly, and supportive
·
And my parents for being a constant example of love and Christ like
example that holds our family together
As I stand here today I want you to know
that I have a testimony of Jesus Christ, of a loving heavenly father, of the
holy ghost. I have a testimony of the restoration of the gospel and I for the
atonement. I love this gospel, I love all of you, and I say these things in the
name of Jesus Christ amen
No comments:
Post a Comment