Missionaries

Missionaries: They leave their families for 18 months to 24 months to help other families spend eternity together. This is a quote often used to describe missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I've heard this quote, I've repeated this quote, but what does it really mean? Well here is what it means to me.

I left to serve a mission for a period of 18 months and during that period I agreed to only communicate with my family through letters, once of week through email, and a phone call twice a year on Mother's day and Christmas. I know it sounds a bit restrictive, but the reason behind it is to keep us as missionaries focused on the Lord's work. We devote all of our time to the Lord and with less communication from family we are able to be more focused. Is it easy for me to not talk to them more often? No, at times its hard but as I put my focus on the work I find myself not worrying about how much I get to talk to my family or not because the more I am not focused on my family I am more focus on others and that brings me so much joy being able to help others. Hence the quote that I left my family to help them have eternity with theirs.

Now the question is how is it that I am helping them receive eternity with their family? By sharing another testament of Jesus Christ! Yes, The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. 

“And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, ... and they teach all men that they should do good.” 2 Nephi 33:10

As I read The Book of Mormon as well as the Bible my faith in Jesus Christ is strengthened. Because I have read it and prayed and asked if its true, God has answered me through the Holy Ghost that it is true and because I know its true I also know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and that He translated it through the power of God. And because I know these things I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is Christ's Church restored! And as you come to know that these things are true you can receive the sacred ordinances done by the proper priesthood authority.  My point is I teach people about Jesus Christ and His church. I teach people about sacred ordinances such as baptism and being sealed as a family for eternity. I want everyone to know about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ because it has brought me so much peace, hope, and joy in my life.