Dear all,
I hope y'all had a wonderful Easter! He is risen! Truly, HALLELUJAH! Words cannot express my gratitude for this, the most important truth we have ever been taught. Because of Jesus Christ, all will live again. All have the opportunity to find new life in Him and return to God's presence. I find comfort in Christ. I know that my Redeemer lives!
There is only one thing I love more than being a servant of the Lord, and that is being a busy servant of the Lord. This week flew by like a tornado of appointments, contacts, meetings, and wonderful-ness!
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| Ice Cream at the mission home. The perfect way to end the first day in the field! |
This week, I had the wonderful opportunity of welcoming the new missionaries to the Mighty TSAM. Each one has a unique personality and I love each and every one of them. They may not see it now, but they are truly powerful servants of the Lord.
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| Minivan selfie with the new missionaries |
My experience with the new missionaries left me pondering, and I'd like to share a few thoughts.
Three days before the fall of the Alamo, Colonel William B. Travis lined up his men and said: "My brave companions... our fate is sealed... our business is not to make a fruitless effort to save our lives, but to choose the manner of our death... Should any man prefer to surrender, or to attempt an escape, he is at liberty to do so. My own choice is to stay in the fort and die for my country, fighting as long as breath shall remain in my body." He then drew his sword and used it to draw a line in front of his men. As he finished, Colonel Travis turned to his men and offered them a choice: "I now want every man who is determined to stay here and die with me to come across this line. Who will be first?" Every man instantly crossed the line, determined to give his life for his country, which every single one of them did.
In the TSAM, we take new missionaries to the Alamo within hours of their arrival. As a lead sister training leader, I had the opportunity to be with the new missionaries at the Alamo this last Wednesday. We lined up all 16 of the missionaries front and center, right in the middle of all the tourists. Sister Johnson read the story of the Alamo, and people stopped to listen. I watched the missionaries' faces as she read, and it was interesting to see their different levels. Some were uncomfortable with the attention and had a hard time focusing, while others knew exactly what was about to happen. When Sister Johnson finished, she looked all the missionaries in the eye and asked: "ARE YOU READY TO CROSS THE LINE AND COMMIT YOURSELF DURING THE NEXT 18 TO 24 MONTHS TO THE LORD AND TO HIS WORK IN THE TEXAS SAN ANTONIO MISSION?" Each and every missionary crossed the line without hesitation. It was incredible to see.
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| With the new missionaries at The Alamo. A member family happened to be there and wanted to take a photo with us after we had handed out a box of copies of The Book of Mormon. |
I still remember the day that I crossed that line. I remember watching Elder Pew read the story to us, and hearing Elder Hatch invite us to cross the line. Of course I did, along with the rest of my group, but it wasn't until much later that I recognized the significance of that event. I physically crossed the line on January 21, 2015, but it wasn't until much later that I recognized the need to cross the line with all my heart, might, mind, and soul. It wasn't until that day that I became a true disciple of Christ.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: there are no neutrals. Elder George A. Smith said it best when he said: "There is a line of demarcation well defined between the Lord’s territory and the devil’s territory. If you will stay on the Lord’s side of the line you will be under his influence and will have no desire to do wrong; but if you cross to the devil’s side of that line one inch you are in the tempter’s power and if he is successful, you will not be able to think or even reason properly because you will have lost the Spirit of the Lord."
The scriptures teach us again and again that there is no gray area in which we can cowardly sit, content with not taking a stand. You are either with the Lord, or you are not.
In the words of Sister Hannah Cornaby:
"Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?
Now is the time to show.
We ask it fearlessly:
Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?
We wage no common war,
Cope with no common foe.
The enemy’s awake;
Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?"
(Hymns, 260)
Brothers and Sisters, the enemy is awake. He will do everything he can to get you to cross to his side, and he will not give up. We are waging a war, every day a battle for the cause of righteousness. But we have an advantage:
We know who will win the war.
What is left to us is to decide whose side we will be on when the curtain closes on this epic between good and evil.
"Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself" (2 Nephi 2:27).
"Choose ye this day whom ye will serve, whether the gods which your father's served that were on the other side of the flood, or the Gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15).
The choice is left to you.
"My decision has been made. I've put my hand to the plow. I've crossed the line. So as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ" (TSAM Purpose Statement).
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| Sister Johnson and me with President and Sister Slaughter at the temple. |
As for Sister Waite, I will serve the Lord.
Love,
Sister Waite
