Your favorite sixth gear soldier here,
How are we all doing? Did you know that not all dogs go to heaven? I'm pretty sure there's a special place in terrestrial dog kingdom for pit bulls. You know how God says he will give mercy to the merciful? Yeah, pit bulls are perhaps the most merciless creatures on the planet-- second only to shih-tzus. It's all fun and games until one is required to pull out the seventh gear in an attempted escape from the weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. But anyways, we had a great week! I have a testimony of street ball and increased understanding of our divine identity, and a little tighter slacks-- I can't wait to tell y'all about it in the VICKSBURG VOLUMES: CHAPTER ELEVEN.
I testify that promptings are pure inspiration from heaven.
Even if that pure inspiration is to cross some ankles in street ball.
Every morning as missionaries, we have the opportunity to petition for the Lord's help in our day. I strongly recommend this practice; counseling with the Lord in all our doings not only allows us to see his hand more openly throughout our day, but it also permits his help, power, and spirit to protect and direct us as we do his work. I find that more promptings come when we are enlisted in the service of others.
One particular morning this week, we were talking with God and calling upon his omnipotence to reveal unto us His will. As the words were exiting my mouth, I felt a simultaneous thought throbbing in my brain, "check the greenhouse from 5:00-6:00." How...specific? And the beauty of it is, God knew that I knew what the "greenhouse" was. Sure, there are a lot of greenhouses in Vicksburg... but he had previously prepared me to notice one in particular, as we were contacting one day, and decided today, was the day to capitalize on those observations. I was so excited. I don't know about you guys, maybe it's missionary nerd in me, but I get absolutely stoked out of my mind to follow a prompting. Promptings are investments from the Lord. An endowment of trust. And these investments yield eternal increase when we follow them.
One particular morning this week, we were talking with God and calling upon his omnipotence to reveal unto us His will. As the words were exiting my mouth, I felt a simultaneous thought throbbing in my brain, "check the greenhouse from 5:00-6:00." How...specific? And the beauty of it is, God knew that I knew what the "greenhouse" was. Sure, there are a lot of greenhouses in Vicksburg... but he had previously prepared me to notice one in particular, as we were contacting one day, and decided today, was the day to capitalize on those observations. I was so excited. I don't know about you guys, maybe it's missionary nerd in me, but I get absolutely stoked out of my mind to follow a prompting. Promptings are investments from the Lord. An endowment of trust. And these investments yield eternal increase when we follow them.
The Lord likes specifics. If you notice, he not only told us where to go, but what time to be there. Do we realize that God literally knows everything? For missionaries: he knows where the elect are, he knows their days off, he knows what questions they have, he knows when their families are home, he knows where they live, he prepares them, he softens their hearts, and he'll lead you to them if you ask him the right questions. If a loving God knows all of this, who is to say that he won't, "give to them that asketh?" Seriously. Have you ever tried asking God, what TIME you could have a potential missionary opportunity? He knows everything. In his infinite wisdom, however, he gives us line upon line... precept upon precept... here a little, there a little... not because he can't give us everything, but because growth in mortality is an incremental process. He doesn't give us everything all at once because he cares more about our growth than our success. His success is our growth. And I testify that he will help you grow AND succeed as you supplicate for specifics through the spirit.
The time came. We didn't know what to expect quite honestly. Maybe, it was an elect family, totally prepared by the spirit, who was hiding from the truth because they knew not where to find it? Maybe it was a colony of Catholics or a battalion of Baptists with a desire to be baptized in the fullness of truth? Or maybe... just maybe... it was President Varner with a car for the Vicksburg Elders. Whatever it was, we were ready. As we approached the house, we noticed something that we definitely weren't expecting...
A savage game of street ball with the boys.
Did God really lead us all this way to dunk on some 12-year-olds? Well, we were about to find out. We started a game of 3 on 3, and once they realized, "white boys could ball" we began the fellowship. A few crossed ankles later, we were handing out pictures of the Savior and making a return appointment to, "hood up with the homeboys."
No, we didn't baptize a family, and no we didn't get a new car for the area; but we did follow a prompting. And that's what counts.
I eventually came to realize, "why" we were lead in such a specific direction as we went out proselyting the next day. It was the weekend, and naturally, it was prime proselyting time. First up on the day was to contact at one of the four apartments we had been visiting over the past week. When we arrived, to our great surprise, one of the boys we were, "balling" with recognized us and wanted to introduce us to all of his friends! Now, this man must've been one popular muchacho because my man had eight friends. We taught and invited them all to pray, left them with pictures of Jesus, and carried on our way to the appointment we had scheduled in that area. While we were teaching in the appointment, three little girls walked up and started listening to our message. After we were done, we asked what we could do to help them and they said, "we didn't get to hear the rest of the story about the 14-year-old boy; we want to hear his story." Soon after we began teaching them, three of THEIR friends started listening in and all wanted pamphlets to read on their own. In the course of an hour, we had taught 12 children.
But wait... THERE'S MORE.
When we biked over to the next apartment complex, we had intended to teach another lesson to one of our friends in the area... but guess who we see instead? That's right... MORE CHILDREN. They all gathered around and wanted to read our, "storybook" (Restoration pamphlet) and pray together. So we sat in a circle, took turns reading a paragraph each, and prayed after every principle to know if it was true. By the end of the day, we had shared the message of the restored Gospel with 19 of the Lord's elect.
The miracles of this day cause me to reflect on two things: a perspective with promptings and little children.
But wait... THERE'S MORE.
When we biked over to the next apartment complex, we had intended to teach another lesson to one of our friends in the area... but guess who we see instead? That's right... MORE CHILDREN. They all gathered around and wanted to read our, "storybook" (Restoration pamphlet) and pray together. So we sat in a circle, took turns reading a paragraph each, and prayed after every principle to know if it was true. By the end of the day, we had shared the message of the restored Gospel with 19 of the Lord's elect.
The miracles of this day cause me to reflect on two things: a perspective with promptings and little children.
If we had never noticed the greenhouse while contacting, we would have never felt inspired to visit it. If we had never felt inspired to visit it from 5:00-6:00, we would've never crossed the ankles of that young man. If we had never crossed his ankles, he wouldn't have introduced us to all of his friends. If he hadn't introduced us to all of his friends, we would've never found the confidence to teach such a profound message to simple-minded children. And if we had never found the confidence to teach such a profound message to simple-minded children, we would've never made 19 new friends over the weekend.
Each prompting requires a bit of perspective; you never know what great things could come from following seemingly small spurts of inspiration. I would've never guessed how much good would have come from taking flight on an eight-inch hoop, but I know that God knew he could trust us because we were willing to do what it took to follow a prompting. And it's especially cool when that prompting leads to teaching some of the greatest among us; little children.
Which leads me to my next point-- as we taught them, I couldn't help but think about them and all of the Gospel parallels they represent.
We are little children.
You don't have to be below four feet and under the age of nine to be a little child.
It is actually one of our purposes in mortality to become "as a little child." And there is much we can learn about where we come from; both physically and spiritually. We were all literal little children once, and I would like to liken that development to our purpose in life. Sure, I haven't had kids, but I have been one. We all have. When we were little, there wasn't much we could do to provide for ourselves. We were dependent creatures by nature. Through experience, love, and time however, we began to be self-sufficient. We don't remember our first years, do we? That doesn't mean they didn't happen, and it certainly doesn't mean that no one was there to help us. We don't remember it, but we had a loving father and mother, perhaps some brothers and sisters, to help us along the way. Once we were grown enough to help ourselves, we could start remembering our adventures and begin to progress in life. Now, that didn't mean that the same father and mother and brothers and sisters couldn't help anymore, but now you could work together to help yourself and each other.
It is actually one of our purposes in mortality to become "as a little child." And there is much we can learn about where we come from; both physically and spiritually. We were all literal little children once, and I would like to liken that development to our purpose in life. Sure, I haven't had kids, but I have been one. We all have. When we were little, there wasn't much we could do to provide for ourselves. We were dependent creatures by nature. Through experience, love, and time however, we began to be self-sufficient. We don't remember our first years, do we? That doesn't mean they didn't happen, and it certainly doesn't mean that no one was there to help us. We don't remember it, but we had a loving father and mother, perhaps some brothers and sisters, to help us along the way. Once we were grown enough to help ourselves, we could start remembering our adventures and begin to progress in life. Now, that didn't mean that the same father and mother and brothers and sisters couldn't help anymore, but now you could work together to help yourself and each other.
Every spirit of man was innocent in the beginning; and God having redeemed man from the fall, men became again, in their infant state, innocent before God
Similarly, we lived with a loving heavenly father and mother before this life. No, we don't remember it-- but that doesn't mean it didn't happen or that no one was there to help us. We were all, and still are, children of God. We can't really help ourselves-- at least not at first. We need divine assistance from two perfect parents, and the succor and salvation of a loving Savior. Though we may feel like now that we have grown in the Gospel we don't require as much help, we are still little children. That's what we always have been and what we always will be. No matter how grown up you might be, you can always call your mom and dad and they will be there to help you. In the same way, no matter how much you know about the Gospel, you can still call upon God and Christ and they will be there to bless you.
God wants us to be what we are; whenever we think we are learned and stray away from our childlike nature, we begin to distance ourselves from Him. You see that a lot today in the temporal sense... children who want to move out of the house as soon as possible, those who feel like they can live on their own... but we cannot live without God and we cannot live without our parents. Little children are, "an heritage unto the Lord." The reason God wants us to be LIKE little children is because that is what we are-- and when we forget that, we stop progressing towards what he wants us to become. The best thing you can be, is what you already are, and that is, a child of God.
You are a child of God. He is the father of your spirit. Spiritually you are of noble birth, the offspring of the King of Heaven. Fix that truth in your mind and hold to it. However many generations in your mortal ancestry, no matter what race or people you represent, the pedigree of your spirit can be written on a single line. You are a child of God!”
Now you may ask, "why should I want to be like a little child when I already enjoy being an adult?" I'm so glad you asked.
There are countless examples in the scriptures of the value and virtue of little children. Little children are, "whole." They are, "alive in Christ." Of such, they are the, "kingdom of heaven." When His disciples asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? … Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, … Whosoever … shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me." To be as a little child is to be converted. Becoming as a little child helps us to remember to be humble and willing to, "submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon [us], even as a child doth submit to his father." And God is very protective over his children: of them he said, "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea."
And one of my personal favorites...
"And little children also have eternal life."
Now I believe when the Lord was talking here, he didn't intend the sole interpretation of the exalted reality of those who have yet to reach the age of accountability. I believe he was also giving us an idea of our divine potential. We are little children. Little children of God compared to our grandiose father in heaven. We [have within us] the potential for eternal life. No, it is not a guarantee, but it is in our capacity.
We fulfill the purposes of God when we are little children. Our Heavenly Father's ultimate goal is to enable us through experience to become like Him. Subsequently, it is only through being a child that we can become like the Father. The Father wouldn't ask us to do anything he wouldn't do himself. He achieved his stature through the Gospel of Jesus Christ! What the father can give us is easily given, but what the Father is must be obtained by ourselves. He can give us what he has- all the blessings the world and heaven have to offer- but he cannot give us what he is. That is why we have commandments, principles, and ordinances; so that through what he gives us, we can become as He is. We must use our blessings to achieve our divine potential! And what is the greatest thing the Father has given us? His son, Jesus Christ. So, we can conclude that in order to achieve the fullness of the father (to become as He is) we must use Jesus Christ (to use what he has given us). You fathers out there, you want your sons to become fathers too, don't you? So does our Heavenly Father. He wants us to receive all the he has and to be all that he is. This is our purpose as children of God- to become as the Father. And we do such by using what he has given us; his son, Jesus Christ.
This scripture illustrates it best:
This scripture illustrates it best:
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.A personal experience I've had in my life has helped me to be changed by my realtionship with our Father in Heaven:
I will never forget those times where I would fall asleep on the couch as a child; I'm sure we've all done it. Perhaps you were watching a TV show, or the day's labor had exhausted your energy... whatever the reason, we've all knocked out on the comfort of a futon once or twice. Well, when I was little I remember drifiting off to slumber and into the bliss of a world full of dreams... and suddenly the next morning I would wake up in my bed. What is this phenomenon? Have I had superpowers and teleportation abilities all along? Every time I fell asleep downstairs I would magically be carried up the stairs and into my room; to wake up from a nice, peaceful sleep in the comfort of my cozy bed. Over time I realized, that I indeed was not a superhero, but in fact, a different superhero had been working behind the scenes all along. As I had fallen asleep in the awkward comfort of a couch cushion, a loving Father, MY loving father, would come downstairs to check up on me. Whether by prompting or sincere concern for well-being, he would check up on me and carry me in his strong, capable, loving arms up to my bed. Though he may have never known this, that act of love on his part, and trust on mine has wholly represented our relationship. The tender submission and confidence of a child and the unconditional love of a father. Whenever I was incapable of carrying on, he was always there to lift me up in his arms and to carry me to safety, peace, and comfort. Are you beginning to see the metaphor? Similarly, our Heavenly Father comes to us in our weakness and carries us in his arms and into his rest.
When you … see our Father,” Brigham Young described, “you will see a being with whom you have long been acquainted, and he will receive you into his arms, and you will be ready to fall into his embrace and kiss him.”
I can think of no more beautiful imagery. He is our father. And we are his little children.
When you … see our Father,” Brigham Young described, “you will see a being with whom you have long been acquainted, and he will receive you into his arms, and you will be ready to fall into his embrace and kiss him.”
I can think of no more beautiful imagery. He is our father. And we are his little children.
In closing I wanted to share one final example-- that helps us both realize our nature as God's children, and the character of our loving Father. The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and another testament of God's love for each of us. As I have read its pages over and over again, I have understood more my purpose in life, and fine tuned my relationship with my Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ. As I read these words, my heart was filled with the love of our Savior and the individual care he has for each of his brothers and sisters. I invite you all to read this account as the little child you are; that you may, understand more of God's love for you.
Jesus “commanded that their little children should be brought.
“So they brought their little children and set them down upon the ground round about him, and Jesus stood in the midst; …
“He commanded the multitude that they should kneel down upon the ground.
“And it came to pass that when they had knelt upon the ground, Jesus groaned within himself, and said: Father, I am troubled because of the wickedness of the people of the house of Israel. …
“He himself also knelt upon the earth; and behold he prayed unto the Father, and the things which he prayed cannot be written, …
“And no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as [they] both saw and heard Jesus speak; …
“And they arose from the earth, and he said unto them: Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full.
“And when he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.
“And when he had done this he wept again;
“And he … said unto them: Behold your little ones. …
“And they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them”
My beloved brothers and sisters, for that is what you all are to me, and what we all for eachother, I want you to liken this scripture to yourselves. In the Saviors majestic ministry in your own personal life, he WILL take the time, he will invest himself in you, and come one by one to bless you with all that he has. You are an heritage unto him. You are a little child. And his blessings are upon you as you strive every day to become as Him and our father in Heaven; to inherit all that they have and to become all that they are.
Well y'all, morale of the story: be what you are to become and what He wants you to be-- oh and follow the promptings of the spirit! We have been so blessed here in Vicksburg to see many miracels; most of which this week have been through little children! I'd encourage you all to strengthen your testimony of your divine identity. To fine tune your relationship with your Heavenly Father and to strive to understand more of his character. He is a loving God, you are his child, and he wants nothing more than for you to be all that he is! Follow the promptings he gives you and I promise, progression will come! I know the Gospel has been restored to the Earth and I look forward to the day that gather together as little children, to receive all of the blessings that God has in store for us. Maybe it'll take a little bit of street ball, or maybe even a story time with 19 new friends... I know that whatever it is, he will take us up in his loving arms, that through Him and the Savior we might enter into his rest, as his little children. HAVE A GREAT WEEK Y'ALL! ELDER BOYD LOVES YOU!
From the littlest of children,
Elder Boyd
This Week's FB Post:
Something I love most about the Gospel is second chances.
Oh, and the friendship eternal of Elder Sellers.
Amid a life full of stumbling blocks and imperfection, we all are grateful for second chances. God expects us to stumble and struggle. He doesn't expect us to be perfect. That's why he provided a second chance for each and every one of us-- that second chance is Jesus Christ. Whenever we mess up, we can try again; because of Him. Whenever we feel like we're not enough, we can be enough; because of Him. He is our second chance. But just because he is our second chance doesn't mean he shouldn't be our first choice.
At the end of the darkness, there will always be light. No matter how dark the day, the sun will always rise in the morning. And no matter how dark YOUR days, the son will always rise to the occasion to be the light you need and seek. We must understand this; if our lives and faith are centered in Jesus Christ and his restored Gospel, nothing can ever go permanently wrong. There is nothing you can do to prevent the sun from rising. You can never sink lower than the infinite light of Christs Atonement shines and you can never sin lower the infinite chances of Christ. The day dawn will always break and you can always be forgiven of your mistakes.
No one is more on our side than the Savior. To become like Him will require countless second chances in our day-to-day struggles with the natural man-- but every dark day can be a beautiful day of peace and rest because of the second chances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
So make today a beautiful day, no matter how many chances it takes- embrace Christ and your mistakes will be swallowed up just as the day dawn breaks.
#LBRMSingingSunday
Oh, and the friendship eternal of Elder Sellers.
Amid a life full of stumbling blocks and imperfection, we all are grateful for second chances. God expects us to stumble and struggle. He doesn't expect us to be perfect. That's why he provided a second chance for each and every one of us-- that second chance is Jesus Christ. Whenever we mess up, we can try again; because of Him. Whenever we feel like we're not enough, we can be enough; because of Him. He is our second chance. But just because he is our second chance doesn't mean he shouldn't be our first choice.
At the end of the darkness, there will always be light. No matter how dark the day, the sun will always rise in the morning. And no matter how dark YOUR days, the son will always rise to the occasion to be the light you need and seek. We must understand this; if our lives and faith are centered in Jesus Christ and his restored Gospel, nothing can ever go permanently wrong. There is nothing you can do to prevent the sun from rising. You can never sink lower than the infinite light of Christs Atonement shines and you can never sin lower the infinite chances of Christ. The day dawn will always break and you can always be forgiven of your mistakes.
No one is more on our side than the Savior. To become like Him will require countless second chances in our day-to-day struggles with the natural man-- but every dark day can be a beautiful day of peace and rest because of the second chances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
So make today a beautiful day, no matter how many chances it takes- embrace Christ and your mistakes will be swallowed up just as the day dawn breaks.
#LBRMSingingSunday
This Week's Pics:
