On The Lord's Errand

Dear all, 

There is one passage of scripture that has come to mean much to me as a missionary, especially in the last nine months:

"Wherefore, as ye are agents, ye are on the Lord’s errand; and whatever ye do according to the will of the Lord is the Lord’s business...

"But all things must come to pass in their time.

"Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great" (D&C 64:29, 32-33). 

As I have worked with my companions here in the Balcones Heights ward, I have seen many mighty miracles. We have worked hard and well and have declared the gospel to many people, feeling both excitement and disappointment, but never discouragement. As we pressed forward, we had faith in the Lord's promise that we were laying the foundation of a great work. 

All things truly do come to pass in their time! This last Saturday--my last in the mission field--we were blessed with an opportunity to watch Malina enter the waters of baptism. Her entire family is returning to activity in the church and reaping the blessings of the gospel. As I sat in the baptismal service, I reflected on the many people who have come close to baptism in the last nine months, but didn't quite make it. Robbin, Jan, Danny, Erica and Isaac, Linda... But we were not weary in well-doing and continued the work of the Lord and found Malina and her family. How sweet was our joy! The worth of souls truly is great in the eyes of God! 

I was pondering this scripture yesterday morning before sacrament meeting began. Imagine my surprise when ROBBIN walked into the chapel. After seven months of working to be in a better position to be baptized, she was ready and decided to come back to church. After her arrival, I had the opportunity to watch Sister Jimenez, Brother Smith, and Brother Bryant walk in one-by-one. We have spent the last few months working with each of these wonderful people, helping them return to the church and gospel they once embraced. My mind turned to the many other people I've had the privilege of working with as a missionary. As the prelude music continued to fill my ears, the Spirit filled my heart. Any doubts that I had about the effectiveness of my work as a missionary were erased. What a incredible opportunity it has been to be on the Lord's errand! 

This passage of scripture continues with the phrase: "Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind..." This phrase reminds me of Amaleki's admonition in the Book of Mormon: "... come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him..." (Omni 1:26).  This is what I have offered to my Father, and He has taken what little I had to give and molded me into something I never imagined. 

The Lord has taught me many wonderful things, and I know of their surety and truth because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in me. Many of the spiritual truths that I have learned as a missionary are truths that I have been taught from my youth up, but did not sink deep into my heart until I served the Lord. 

The greatest truth that has been deeply rooted into my heart is that fact that I am a child of the Creator of universes. The Maker of every single grain of sand knows and loves me personally. There is no doubt of that in my heart; the significance of such a truth is not lost on me.

In fact, the Father loved me so much that He sent His Son to atone for me that I might return to His presence and receive eternal life. Jesus is the Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of mankind. There is no other name given nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men. 

The pure and undistorted teachings of Jesus Christ--the gospel--have been restored once again upon the earth through the Lord's chosen servant, Joseph Smith. Every priesthood key necessary for the Kingdom of God to function on earth has been restored and is exercised each day by authorized servants. The Book of Mormon is powerful evidence of this Restoration and of the love of God for all men. 

The thing that has been impressed upon my heart most often is the simplicity of the gospel. Because the Lord has brought me to a sure knowledge of the cornerstones of His gospel, my foundation is sure. I have been given the opportunity to sink my roots deep into gospel sod and I will never be moved. 

I have been asked many times why I chose to serve a mission. The answer has changed slightly over time, but Lehi's words summarize my feelings nicely: 

"...it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit [of the tree of life]; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.

"And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit" (1 Nephi 8:11-12).

I desire above all else that every single person-my brothers and sisters-have the opportunity to partake of the gospel. I came into the mission field desiring to proclaim the restored gospel that has changed my life. 

As I near the close of my mission, my thoughts turn to the words of Alma: 

"...I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

"Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors;

"For because of the word which he has imparted unto me, behold, many have been born of God, and have tasted as I have tasted, and have seen eye to eye as I have seen; therefore they do know of these things of which I have spoken, as I do know; and the knowledge which I have is of God" (Alma 36:24-26).

I cannot say the smallest part of the joy I have felt in the Lord's service. Have we not great reason to rejoice? There is no greater errand than that Lord's. I pledge now and forever that if the Lord ever needs an errand run, I will run it for him.

Shall we not go on in so great a cause? 

I love you all! 

Sister Waite

Be Not Moved

Dear all, 

It should not surprise you when I say that it has been another wonderful week. We were able to go on four exchanges, find new families to teach, and prepare for a baptism this coming Saturday. I love this work! We are truly led by the Lord each day as we go about doing His work in His way. 

We ate lunch at a super cute burger joint!

I have fond memories of loudly singing (probably shouting more than singing) one of my favorite primary songs as I proudly copied the hand motions my teacher was doing. We sang of a "wise man" who built his house upon the rock, and a "foolish man" who built his house upon the sand. As the verses progress in this beloved song, we learn that the home built on the rock stands strong against rains and floods, but the house on the sand washes away. 

This children's song is, of course, based upon the Savior's words: 

"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

"And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it" (Matthew 7:24-27; see also 3 Nephi 14:24-27). 

The purpose of this parable is not to give young children a fun song to sing--although that is a wonderful bonus--but rather to allow us a chance to self-evaluate. 

Are our foundations built upon the rock, solid and unshakable; or upon the sand, weak and easily destroyed? 

Exchange with Sister Atkins!

In our day it is essential to be steadfast and immovable in our faith (see Mosiah 5:15). If we are going to be immovable in the faith, then we must be firmly planted on solid gospel ground. We must be as the wise man who built his house upon the rock. We must have unshakable foundations. 

Any lasting physical foundation is based upon four strong cornerstones, and our spiritual foundations must also be built this way if we are to expect them to weather the storms of this life. Anyone who desires to be sound in their testimony must come to understand and accept four foundational elements of the restored gospel, which are first, Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior of the world; second, Joseph Smith is the Prophet of the Restoration; third, the Book of Mormon is the word of God; and fourth, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the kingdom of God on earth. 

Sisters Paul, Hardman, and Waite with Danny

These four great truths are the unshakable cornerstones which should be our anchors in these turbulent times. We need only know these four things with our whole being in order to stand tall and strong. The four cornerstones are truths upon which an everlasting foundation is built. 

My greatest desire is for all men to come to this great knowledge. I pray each day all within the sound of my voice will desire to enter the kingdom of God, come to know the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, feel the Spirit testify of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and--most importantly--anchor themselves to their Savior Jesus Christ, who is Himself the Chief Cornerstone. There is no other foundation that will stand through the turmoil of these days. 

In my last four letters, I've touched on each cornerstone. By starting with the Restoration of the gospel and church of Jesus Christ, moving to my testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith, following that with my conviction of the Savior's divinity, and then sharing my witness of the Book of Mormon, I have laid my foundation before you. Each of these important truths are embedded in my soul. 

Our Father in Heaven has not sent us here to be blown about by every wind, tossed about on every wave, and shaken with every quake. He has made it possible for you to build a foundation so strong that "...when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation where on if men build they cannot fall" (Helaman 5:12).

I know with every piece of my soul that Jesus is the Christ, that Joseph Smith is His prophet, the Book of Mormon is His word, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is His kingdom on earth. I have built a solid foundation and I will not be moved. 

My prayer is that you will do the same. 

Love, 

Sister Waite

Safety for the Soul

Dear all, 

In just the last few days, we have experienced many mighty miracles. I cannot describe the joy I feel in my heart as I see the hand of the Lord in this work; it is truly His!  

This week, we followed the counsel of President and Sister Polley and focused more on the Book of Mormon and saw miracles! One investigator confided in us that she has felt greater peace in her life as she's set aside specific time to read the Book of Mormon. One man we contacted on the street rejoiced in the opportunity to learn more of Jesus Christ. We delivered a Book of Mormon to a young man who had requested one and saw the excitement in his eyes as he realized what the Book of Mormon could do for him. 

7/11 Day!

"The Book of Mormon, combined with the Spirit, is your most powerful resource in conversion" (Preach My Gospel, 104). How can one book be our best tool for conversion? Why are so many lives changed as the Spirit testifies of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon? 

The Book of Mormon is powerful evidence of the divinity of Christ. 

Jesus Christ is our Redeemer. A central purpose of the Book of Mormon is to convince all men that Jesus is indeed the Christ. Every page is filled with the testimonies of many ancient prophets who knew of Christ and His coming. The Book of Mormon confirms the testimony of the Bible that Jesus is the Only Begotten Son of God and the Savior of the world. It is a new and additional witness that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and that all who will come unto Him and obey the laws and ordinances of His gospel may be saved. 

President Ezra Taft Benson powerfully taught this principle when he said: "The Book of Mormon is the keystone in our witness of Jesus Christ, who is Himself the cornerstone of everything we do. It bears witness of His reality with power and clarity." 

The Book of Mormon contains the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Car Wash!

In the Book of Mormon we find every doctrine required for our salvation. These doctrines are taught plainly so that there is no mistaking what must be done in order to receive salvation and exaltation. The doctrines contained in the Book of Mormon answer the great questions of the soul.

As President Boyd K. Packer has said: "In a world ever more dangerous... the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ has the nourishing power to heal starving spirits of the world." 

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: "The Book of Mormon [is] the most correct of any book on Earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man [will] get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts than by any other book." 

The Book of Mormon is powerful evidence of the Restoration that we can hold in our hands. 

Brother and Sister Spencer drove us back from Del Rio and we stopped at Sonic!

Elder L. Tom Perry said it this way: "Knowing that doubt, disbelief, and misinformation would immediately follow [Joseph Smith] as he recounted the First Vision, the Lord brought forth the Book of Mormon, another testament of our Lord Jesus Christ. This ancient volume of holy scriptures is a sacred companion to the Bible, containing the fulness of the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ. It also provides convincing evidence to the world that Joseph Smith is truly a prophet of God." 

In the words of President Benson: "If the Book of Mormon is true--and millions have now testified that they have the witness of the Spirit that it is indeed true--then one must accept the claims of the Restoration and all that accompanies it." 

I stand with Elder George Q. Cannon, who said: "No wicked man could write such a book as this; and no good man would write it, unless it were true and he were commanded of God to so do."

I have seen too many lives touched and changed because of the power of the Book of Mormon to ever deny that it is true. My own testimony of my Savior and of the Restoration has been strengthened beyond anything I could have imagined because I have made the Book of Mormon a priority in my study. 

I was not among the many ancient prophets who wrote this great record, but I testify just as they did that the Book of Mormon is truly the word of God. We have been given the Book of Mormon to strengthen ourselves and our testimonies of the Restoration. The Book of Mormon adds to our understanding of Christ's mission and ministry something that would never be learned without it. The better we understand it, the better disciples of Jesus Christ we become.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland has said: "God always provides safety of the soul, and with the Book of Mormon, He has again done that in our time." 

The Savior Himself, while speaking of Joseph Smith, testified of the Book of Mormon:

"...he has translated the book, even that part which I have commanded him, and as your Lord and your God liveth it is true" (D&C 17:6). 

May we all come to know how we can better treasure this sacred book in our lives! 

Love, 

Sister Waite

This Isn't Your Burden to Carry

Dear all, 

The last ten days have been the busiest of my mission. We said goodbye to one mission president and welcomed another, met with him on several occasions, gave training at zone conferences and other meetings, taught repentance without ceasing, and attended the temple this morning (on our adjusted Preparation day). 

At the temple!

I cannot tell the smallest part of my joy as I participate in this great work. The restored gospel of Jesus Christ blesses so many lives and it has been a blessing to spread it every single day for the last 18 months. I love my Savior so much, and it amazes me to see and feel His love every day. 

At the temple!

Nearly one year ago, I received counsel from my mission president that I still think about every day. I went into an interview wondering how to help my companion through some trials she was facing. I expressed all of my concerns to President Slaughter, giving as many details as I could and ending with the question, "How can I help her?" I remember that he looked at me and smiled a little bit before saying something like: "Sister Waite, you can only control what you can control and you shouldn't sweat the stuff you can't. Your companion will be okay. This isn't your burden to carry." 

Sister Hardman and me with Sisters Slaughter and Polley

I took from that what I'm sure he meant for me to take. I went away and didn't worry and everything worked out well. It turned out that there really wasn't anything for me to actually worry about. I was grateful for the counsel that I received, and I've applied it many times since. 

But this week I realized a greater meaning to the phrase: "This isn't your burden to carry." 

I came away from that interview with the impression that if it wasn't my burden to carry, then it must be my companion's burden and I should just leave it alone. I was to support her, of course, but it wasn't my responsibility to try to carry the burden for her. This was her opportunity for growth, and I watched her grow so much! 

This week, though, I know more than ever that the burden wasn't mine. 

But it wasn't my companion's either. 

It was the Lord's. 

Mission Leadership Conference

There have been many times in my life when I have felt like my burdens--however small they would seem to others--were too much for me to carry. I have struggled under the weight of heartbreak and disappointment. I have felt the pain of sin, the distress of loss, and the sting of death. I have experienced the difficulty of pressing forward in a seemingly endless storm of darkness that surrounds us every day. 

However, this is not unique to me. This a very real part of everyone's life. 

Happy 4th of July!!

But what I've learned is that too often we make our rallying cry, "I can do all things through Christ!" and fail to recognize what is really happening. 

We can do nothing of ourselves. We carry these burdens and think that we can endure it on our own, with only a little help from the Savior. But that is not the case, and never will be the case. 

"...I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak..." (Alma 26:12)

There's something that changes in us when we realize that we never have to struggle through trials on our own.

"And [Christ] shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

"And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities" (Alma 7:11-12). 

Christ has already learned to carry our burdens. Wouldn't it be much easier to let Him carry them? 

Drove to Austin (my first area) for Zone Conference.

He Himself has invited us to come unto Him for help: 

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).

In Mosiah 24, we read the account of a righteous people who were laden with many burdens and persecutions. There is much to learn from that story. We read that the people "cried mightily to God" for help, and that is was only after they had done so that the voice of the Lord come unto them, saying: 

"...I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs..." (Mosiah 24:14). 

As we continue reading, we learn that "the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease" (Mosiah 24:15). 

It was only because these people had come unto the Lord that He was able to help them with their burdens. This same principle applies to us. 

"As we rely on the Atonement of Jesus Christ, He can help us endure our trials, sicknesses, and pain. We can be filled with joy, peace, and consolation" (Preach My Gospel, 52). 

"Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved" (Psalm 55:22). 

The Savior knows us and loves us. And He pleads with us to allow Him to help us. He is  there. HE can help. He WILL help. Rely on Him. 

This is not your burden to carry. 

I love you all! 

Sister Waite