Merry Christmas!
It's a good time of year to be a missionary. It's pretty nice that the biggest holiday of the year in America just happens to be specifically dedicated to celebrating Jesus Christ, ain't it. Good stuff.
The last few weeks we've gotten to focus a lot more on bringing the Christ back into Christmas through community events, church meetings, music, and, of course, teaching our friends about the Book of Mormon. Three Christmas stories I like in the Book of Mormon are Helaman 14 (a prophet named Samuel testifies of a night with no darkness and a new star the night Christ is born,) Alma 7 (Christ will be born of Mary in Jerusalem and take on the afflictions of His people,) and 1 Nephi 11 (Nephi is shown in a vision the birth, life, ministry, and death/resurrection of Christ.) Plus, Isaiah 53 in the Old Testament and Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2 in the New Testament are always classics.
Elder Kemp and I are working on unity, still, but we both love God, and God is the greatest unifier. Training a new missionary is probably going to help my parenting skills down the road, and that's a much-needed tender mercy.
I've been talking a lot about college and career stuff with ward members I've gotten to know during my time here. and learned a lot more about the direction I'd like to take too. It helps when I can start with the end goal: I just walk up to the people in the ward who live a lifestyle I like and ask them what they did to get there so I can try getting there myself.
Two professional role models of mine here in Bentonville First Ward, Brother Bayles and Brother Nick Van Slooten, both majored in Mandarin Chinese before going to BYU's Marriott School of Business, with Nick double-majoring in Business Strategy and Brother Bayles going straight for an MBA. They both set good examples not only of combining that which they're passionate about and that which will provide for their families, but also of faithful disciples of Christ who prioritize their devotion to God and family higher than any worldly status. People like them help me gain valuable insight on what I want to do with my own life and work, and I never would have met them if I hadn't been called to right where I am now.
But college comes later! Right now, I'm a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The time to accomplish my labors with the Lord is now.
~
Song of the week: "Child in a Manger" from the 2022 Church Music Festival.
~
I could write about what's on my mind for pages, but when it comes to giving a spiritual thought about Christmas, I'd rather just let the word of God do the talking. This is one of my favorite passages from the Book of Mormon. It's a longer passage than I normally quote, but if you have time, please read this. To me, it perfectly illustrates the the divine mission of the One whose birth we now celebrate: our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Mosiah 3:5-13:
5 For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases.
6 And he shall cast out devils, or the evil spirits which dwell in the hearts of the children of men.
7 And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.
8 And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary.
9 And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name; and even after all this they shall consider him a man, and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him.
10 And he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold, he standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgment might come upon the children of men.
11 For behold, and also his blood atoneth for the sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died not knowing the will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned.
12 But wo, wo unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against God! For salvation cometh to none such except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.
13 And the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the children of men, to declare these things to every kindred, nation, and tongue, that thereby whosoever should believe that Christ should come, the same might receive remission of their sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy, even as though he had already come among them.
The Book of Mormon: https://go.churchofjesuschrist.org/bookofmormonapp
Elder Rigby
No comments:
Post a Comment