Hello and Happy Mothers Day to so so so many of the wonderful Mothers that I love!
My
Mothers Day started with giving a talk at Stanford. yes. at Stanford.
It was intimating to say the least, but I found it a privilege and
blessing to speak in front of so many brilliant people on such a special
day.
#miracleshappen
Suzanne is getting baptized on Saturday!!
After 22 years of searching, she has decided to be baptized. Sister
Triana and I could not be more excited to be her guides. We love being
missionaries and love seeing peoples lives transform as they apply the
principles found in the gospel and put off the natrual man.
Mosiah 3:19-
For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of
Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings
of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint
through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child,
submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to
all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child
doth submit to his father.
I
have learned MANY things on this mission but something that has changed
my life, and may seem like common or basic knowledge that you become who
you want to become. No matter circumstance or position you become what
you want.
That statement is something one of
my previous companions said to me and I will never ever forget it.
Although becoming what I want is something I have always been taught and
even have told people myself but, It finally clicked. I can literally
become who I want; And this morning during my personal study, more on
this topic was relieved to me. Not only do I become who I want, but I
can become that person when I want to as well.
You may be laughing because it's so simple right? yeah, not for hard headed Sister Carter.
I
think about Suzanne and how for almost 70 years, lived her life the way
she wanted, and now for some reason has now decided that she wants to
change. This is a blessing and miracle, but maybe we can apply the
principle of becoming who we want right now and choose to not put it off
for later, no matter how convenient.
I was
reading a talk given by Clayton M.Christensen titled Why I Belong Why I
Believe (which actually just helped to convert a U.S. senator). In this
article he describes his reasoning for belonging to The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints as an
organized institution. He says "because of the way the church is
organized, it puts opportunities to help others in
my path every day. It facilitates my efforts – and in some instances
almost compels me – to practice
Christianity, not just believe in it...and of course his reasoning for
believing in the doctrines are because they are true.
He
goes on to talk about how we help each other in the church, but also
how we learn from each other. No person is greater than another. He
describes and instance when he learned something from someone, who in
other religions may be considered less than him because of his position
in the church. He says "... about a decade ago I was serving as the
bishop, or lay
minister, of the congregation of college students in the Boston area. We
had assigned a college
sophomore to give a sermon about repentance in our service on a
particular Sunday. I still remember his
key point: “We often view repentance as a slow process. It isn’t. Change is instantaneous. It is not
changing that takes so much time.” I had been struggling to overcome a particular bad habit; and I
resolved that I would change my behavior right then and there – to quit “not changing.” Where else but
in this church could a young, inexperienced student have taught a bishop such a profound lesson?"
Now back to my point--I have discovered that not only can I become what I want, but I can become that person when I want to. All of us can. Repentance is not slow. We can decided right now. Change is instantaneous.
Of
course we are not perfect, we make mistakes. We fall and mess up, but
we can get back up and try again, in that very moment. That is the
miracle of repentance, and forgiveness. That is the miracle of the
Atonement.
I am grateful for my Savior in allowing me and all of us to try and try and try again.
-I love the Lord, and you all!
Sister Carter
