Chapter 97: Choose to Remain

"But blessed are they who are faithful and endure, whether in life or in death, for they shall inherit eternal life."

Doctrine and Covenants 50:5

We had another great week full of incredible experiences, miracles and memories. We spent Monday and Tuesday with the Omagh and Coleraine Elders before reuniting with Elder Yorgason and Elder Lambert down in Dublin for my final Zone Conference on Wednesday. It went very well and felt odd to me having to all of the sudden say goodbye to a lot of friends I may never see again. I am grateful for the moment of this mortal day we were able to share together.

After conference we returned to Edinburgh and went straight back out for exchanges in Perth and then Kirkcaldy, where we attended church on Sunday. It was great to be able to work with Elder Josie and then Elder Stewart on exchanges. With each of them I was able to experience the guidance of the Spirit to people we were meant to find. Whether it is an older lady in her home or a family in an Aldi, there are always people that God needs us to speak with. His Spirit does in fact guide us.

Sunday in Kirkcaldy was wonderful; President Yates and his family lives there so we enjoyed our time seeing him and being in his home for lunch after church. Over the months I have served in this mission, I have been blessed to have grown a relationship with him and have learned many things from his incredible experience and understanding. I asked him for counsel on preparing to return home from my mission and so we spoke for a couple hours about various things. But, one thing he told me really struck me.

He told me that the most important thing I could do as a missionary preparing to return home would be to spend time reflecting on my mission experience and really choose to remain faithful for the rest of my life, to make that decision in all solemnity and seriousness before the Lord.

That really hit me. In the church we speak often of the importance to endure and to commit and of the covenants we make, and yet there are times when it seems the reality of the gospel is placed on the shelf, like a book containing true words inside, yet is rarely read and laxly applied. A book we once read with vigor but, thinking to be finished with it, we stopped reading, not understanding that the Gospel is not in fact made up of books or words, but rather relationships—us with the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. And, unlike books which merely gather dust but otherwise remain unchanged, these relationships grow or die depending on us and what we choose to do.

I may not really know or understand all things, but as of right now from what I have experienced and learned, I know there is a God. My relationship with Him has grown immensely. That has taken a lot of work and uncomfortable humility; however, the peace and hope I have in my life now are things that are worth more to me than anything.

I wish for that relationship to remain and to grow. As such, I choose to remain close to my Heavenly Father and Saviour Jesus Christ, no matter what happens. Yes, challenges and trials will come, they always do. But, notwithstanding me weakness, I wish to be firm in my faith forever. That is a choice each of us can make, and it is one we make day by day as we show the Lord through our actions what our priorities are. With humility, we can slowly become better each day as we live circumspectly and with a desire to be who God needs us to be.

I really am trying to only want to do and be what he wants for me.

Life is good.

God is wise.

Don't give up.

Elder Childers

Zone Conference Pictures: Me with President D'Hulst

My companions

All of us together

All of Ireland

Me with Elder Schnieder

Me with Elder Moeller

Me with Elder Ferguson

Me with Elder Walters

The Assistants at El Gritos

Laying on the grass in Perth

day in Airdrie rocking out with Jim Sharp, Sean McKay and Bobby McKee

Dinner and goodbye with David Broadley