Spiritual Thought Sunday

(Photo courtesy of 18 Lives and the Book of Mormon facebook page)

July 11th, Blake, the kids and I had the amazing opportunity to attend a production put on by the youth in our stake called 18 Lives and the Book of Mormon!  A friend so kindly watched Ethan for us so that both Blake and I could enjoy!  One story in the Book of Mormon they focused on was the story of the Army of Helaman.  We sat watching as multitudes of young men filled the stage following their leader (portraying Helaman).  There may not have been 2000 on the stage but it really felt like it.  The spirit was so strong as these young men stood ready for battle.  Preparing to defend their families and their faith.  In the Book of Mormon, in Alma Chapter 56: 45-47 it reads:

45 And now I say unto you, my beloved brother Moroni, that never had I seen so great courage, nay, not amongst all the Nephites.
46 For as I had ever called them my sons (for they were all of them very young) even so they said unto me: Father, behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth; we would not slay our brethren if they would let us alone; therefore let us go, lest they should overpower the army of Antipus.
47 Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.

That is the spirit we felt there in that auditorium.  It felt like we were there watching it happen, watching them prepare with such courage because they knew that God was with them.  I am in awe at their faith and courage.  In today's world we need to have this same courage.  We may not all be called to war, although many are, but we face many challenges in our day that requires that same faith and courage.

Today in Primary, I had the opportunity to sub for a friend and teach singing time.  I played a game with the children that allowed them to pick their favorite song.  One of the boys chose one of my favorite songs. 

 We'll Bring the World His Truth (Army of Helaman)

1. We have been born, as Nephi of old,
To goodly parents who love the Lord.
We have been taught, and we understand,
That we must do as the Lord commands.

2. We have been saved for these latter days
To build the kingdom in righteous ways.
We hear the words our prophet declares:
"Let each who's worthy go forth and share."

3. We know his plan, and we will prepare,
Increase our knowledge through study and prayer.
Daily we'll learn until we are called
To take the gospel to all the world.

   We are as the army of Helaman.
We have been taught in our youth.
And we will be the Lord's missionaries
To bring the world his truth.

Words and music: Janice Kapp Perry, b. 1938
© 1983 by Janice Kapp Perry. This song may be copied for incidental, noncommercial church or home use.

We send out young men, now at the young age of 18, to be the Lord's missionaries.  The announcement came for the age change from 19 to 18 right before my younger brother Justin was turning 18.  He was a senior and making plans to play baseball that summer.  He was now faced with a choice of when he should leave.  I know this was a challenge for him because of his love for baseball.  I knew though as he was contemplating when he should put in his mission papers he would make the right choice.  He has been an amazing example of courage.  He made the choice early on to not play baseball on Sunday.  He had a righteous desire to keep the Sabbath Day Holy as we are instructed to do in the scriptures.  So when he made the choice to pass up baseball to leave earlier for his mission, it didn't surprise me.  We were all able to Skype when he opened his mission call.  He was called to serve as a missionary in the Mozambique, Maputo mission!  The room was completely silent as he read his call.  

As he has now been out a little over a year, I can testify that he is one of the Lord's warriors.  He has left his family to preach the gospel because he knows of it's truthfullness and has a desire for those that he serves to participate in these same gospel blessings.  In his last letter home he wrote:

" I truly believe that if we have righteous desires and then invoke the help of the lord, anything is possible. Before President Kretly got here, the missionaries and truly no one believed it was possible to baptize here. The branches all had around 25 people or less. When he got here, the missionaries literally told him, its impossible to baptize here. And then he said, no, the Lord has called us to serve here and so we know its possible.He had righteous desires and then he did all  he could, we are doing all  we can, and recognizing that the Lord will be the only one  who will truly baptize here. And since he has been here,the mission has baptized more than 370 complete families. Its not  because its easier to baptize someone here. Its because the Lord needs these people for his work to go forward  and we have an incredible mission president who understands that we can't do anything  without the Lord, but with the Lord, miracles will happen. The only reason miracles wont happen, is if we don't have faith. But God is a God of miracles and if we have faith, miracles will always happen!"

When we were singing "We'll Bring the World His Truth" today, I felt the spirit of the Lord so strongly.  I thought of my brother serving a mission so far away in a land so unfamiliar.  Every day he is reaching out to people and teaching them the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I am a little embarrassed to say, but I started to cry.  The spirit has this funny way of making me cry!  I always joke that the Holy Ghost is actually in the form of water because it seems to come out of my eyes every time I feel it so strongly!  I'm not sure what the kids thought, but it gave me an opportunity to bear testimony of missionary work.  I know that I can have the courage to tell those around me of the wonderful blessings the gospel of Jesus Christ brings.