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| Pizza for Dinner! |
Dear all,
I cannot go another minute without declaring my absolute love for Texas and for the work of the Lord! The people I have come to know here have touched my heart for good and I cannot imagine life without serving. I will forever be grateful that I was counted worthy for so great a calling. I love this area and I love my companion. I love all my areas and all of my companions! They have changed me forever!
The words of my favorite Primary song often come to my mind as I think of who I am and why I am here.
"I am a child of God,
And he has sent me here,
Has given me an earthly home
With parents kind and dear.
"I am a child of God,
And so my needs are great;
Help me to understand his words
Before it grows too late.
"I am a child of God.
Rich blessings are in store;
If I but learn to do his will,
I’ll live with him once more.
"I am a child of God.
His promises are sure;
Celestial glory shall be mine
If I can but endure.
"Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
Help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do
To live with him someday."
I am a child of God.
You are a child of God.
We are all children of our loving Heavenly Father.
This is the first point missionaries are to teach their investigators, and to be honest, it is the first thing that I ever really remember learning as a child.
Why is this the first thing that we are to know?
Without a correct understanding of who our Father is, we cannot have a correct understanding of who we are. If we do not know who we or our Father are, we cannot know the purpose of this life or the happiness and glory that awaits us in the next.
You are a child of God. He loves you. He weeps with you when you suffer and rejoices when you do what is right. He has provided you, His child, with a way to be successful in this life and to return to live in His presence. He sent His Son to earth so that through the Atonement you can be freed for the burden of sin and develop faith and strength to face your trials.
You are a child of God.
You are a child of God.
Do you understand it? Am I getting through?
I love what Nephi says: "I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things (1 Nephi 11:17)."
Once we understand this one thing, nothing else matters.
I can still remember the day when I first knew-really knew-that I had a Heavenly Father who loved me. Suddenly, the things that were going on around me just didn't matter. It didn't matter that I didn't have many friends at school. Nor did it matter that I wasn't getting as much time on the court as I had hoped. Not a single one of my slew of admittedly tiny problems mattered.
I still have hard days. I still have times when I really wish things would be a little bit better or a little bit easier. But when I remember the love that my Father has for me, I am able to recognize His hand in my life, making things a little bit better or easier than they would be otherwise.
Of all the titles of respect and honor and admiration that are given to Deity, He has asked us to address Him as Father. Do you realize the significance of that?
I like to imagine that just a little over 20 years ago, my Father in Heaven held me close in His arms before allowing me to come here. I imagine that perhaps He gave me words of advice and encouragement and told me that He believed in me. That He told me that if I would hold fast, I would be able to one day return to Him. That He knew that I would make Him proud.
When this life is over and I stand before Him again, I want to be able to say that I did all that I could to make Him proud. That is all that I want in this life. That is all that I want for you. That is all that I want for the people I meet on the street each day.
You are the child of a loving Heavenly Father.
Please remember that.
Love,
Sister Waite
