What a wonderful privilege it was to be invited to speak to our young single missionaries at our zone conferences on the subject of how mission experiences can strengthen future relationships during the rest of their lives, including those in marriage. Our missionaries do not choose their many companions and so have the opportunity and challenge to learn to love each one through language, cultural and personality differences. We see bonds of friendship in these young missionaries that can last forever. Elder Greene taught the things that are most important to bring home from missions, especially increased faith and testimony.
While our Chinese New Year's week was filled with warm memories of enjoying the companionship of our President and his wife, visiting a new convert's extended family and seeing beautiful new places on this island, one of the most memorable times occurred at the end of the week. We were privileged to meet with a Taiwanese family who were totally unacquainted with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and after a lovely dinner by our kind hosts, we had the opportunity to teach Gospel principles. The joy felt in our hearts to testify of what we do know, through the Holy Spirit, is indescribable. And for most of us, that still small voice speaks to our mind and heart, not in the wind, earthquake or fire as Elijah describes it in the Bible (1 Kings 19:11-12).
The Book of Mormon, another Testament of Jesus Christ, teaches how to find real truth and it is not dependent on the opinion of any man (Moroni 10:4) but by direct revelation from God. It was wonderful to testify to a family who we think had no idea that prayer is a two way communication with a Heavenly Father; that He loves us and will answer our prayers offered in faith and in the name of His son, Jesus Christ, the Mediator. We know God answers prayers for He has answered our pleadings. The father, in his mid-fifties, was taught how to pray and then he offered a simple and heart-felt prayer for the first time in his life. This family can discover the truth of the restored Gospel as they study the Book of Mormon, a companion to the Bible, and pray to know if it is true.
On Finding Truth - "For behold, the spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for everything which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God." (Book of Mormon-Moroni 7:16)
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