I remember watching my littlest sister, who happens to be nearly 23 now…whatevs, riding the escalator down to the main floor of the airport. With that warm missionary glow and old and worn suitcases in her hands, she stepped off the last step and all her “little babies” (aka nieces and a nephew, who by the way, has muscle definition far beyond his years. Guinness Book of World Records, are you hearing this?!) Back to the airport…the kiddos flew into her arms! WELCOME HOME ANNE, they adoringly whispered in her ear. After being on loan to those sweet Japanese people for 19 months, it was a refresher for us all too finally have her back. After she told me, her favorite sister, that she missed me the most (j/k). The family all flooded her with the questions that you might ask returned missionaries…How was it? What was the mission like? Who was your favorite companion? Was it hard learning the language? Do you like sushi? Anne had us captivated in her answers and surprisingly, no, Anne still doesn’t like sushi ;) Apart from all those questions, there was an answer she gave to what I thought was a generic question that has been permanently impressed in my mind. “What was the most favorite part about serving a mission in Japan, Anne?!” With that light still beaming in her eyes days later…her voice softened and her spirit enveloped me in the warmest hug. Her answer, as I remember, went something like this… “The chance of introducing our Savior, Jesus Christ, into the lives of a people who have never heard His name, was something I will never forget.” Then…gravity set it. Think about it…Many of those people haven’t heard of the story set in Bethlehem, of that tiny babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. They have never heard the stories of all the miracles and teaching He performed while living here on the earth. They never knew of the suffering in the garden. Nor do they know that the once tiny baby…lives and is our Savior. I will never forget that truth as the spirit bore witness to me that day, standing by my parents dishwasher. As someone who has never served a mission, my hearts longs to witness that honor of proclaiming. As the prophet Abinadi stood in handcuffs and chains in a dark room, with only flickers from candles for light, he filled that room with a light stronger than any light man can shine. With the light of Christ, Abinadi proclaimed to the prideful King Noah and his priests, who our Savior, Jesus Christ is, and his saving Atonement. “Surely, he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken…But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed……being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice…” Then…a prophet of old testifies of the prophets to come: “And now I say unto you, who shall declare his generation? Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets…I say unto you, that these are his seed…they who have published peace, who have brought good tidings of good, who have published salvation; and said unto Zion: Thy God reigneth.” Just as the shepherds were asked by the angel to go to the Christ child and proclaim the news of the Saviors birth to all the world, so was the same with Abinadi. And is the same with our latter day Prophet and Apostles. They are seeking after His sheep, both with the fold and those that wonder. They shine a light in a world of dark and barely lit places. Their love for us is real.
Are my eyes open so to see the light? Can I hear with my ears and my heart their calls of joy and peace? While King Noah rejected Abinadi because of pride and “spiritual blindness”, one priest named Alma heard the prophet Abinadi’s words. Alma saw the light of Christ dispel the darkness around him. With courage and a believing heart, Alma followed. Is it ever too late to return to the fold? Absolutely not. Alma shows me that. My hope is that I can better lead myself and my little sheep to our shepherds that proclaim as the heavenly angels did, a Savior is born…a Savior lives!
2 Comments
Laurel
12/13/2015 12:37:52 pm
I love your blog! I hope you don't mind that I used some of your testimony in my yw lesson today. It was so relevant to my lesson and invited such a strong spirit of proclaiming the gospel to others.
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Ashley
12/13/2015 03:53:20 pm
Ahhh...Laurel, you are making me well up with tears...thank you for your love!
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