i hope you have all had an excellent week, looking forward to another solid one in each of your endeavors! This week was a super rewarding one in this area and I don't have any questions to organize my thoughts, so here goes nothing!
First thing is first, the Christmas Initiative. How is everybody doing posting that video to their wall? as of yesterday, the church has paid to be the only advertiser on youtube through christmas, and also to have pictures posted in time square and throughout the internet. It's clear to me the importance of this time of year to reach out to those who have yet to discover or embrace the gift of a Savior. the church is putting a ton of money and a ton of focus/effort into spreading that simple video, and the concept that Christ is the center of this holiday. I've been thinking a lot this week about the three principles on the back of the pass along cards. Discover the gift, Embrace the gift, and Share the gift. Each of us- everybody that lives and breaths- is at a point where they need to do one of the three. I think many members of the church have briefly discovered our Savior. a think a fewer number have embraced the message entirely, and i think without those two it makes it very difficult to share this gift. My testimony has been strengthened as we've discussed the initiative with our ward family at dinner appointments and our christmas party- In order to share the gospel or to share the gift of our Savior, we need to be fully converted to the gospel. we need to Discover what it means TO US, not just in general, that God gave his son. Again thinking about Abraham and the symbolism in the commandment to sacrifice isaac. I just know it's so important for us to gain an understand that the gift is for us. In discovering this gift we open the door to a lot of sacrifice on our part, and a lot of changes in the way we live our lives. I think embracing the gift entails gaining a spiritual witness that Prayers are heard, that the message we come to understand is absolutely true. that our actions speak volumes in terms of our commitment to the Gospel and we can't fully embrace the message without being willing to make it the center of our lives. Recognizing that it's not a controlling way of life, but that it's liberating. understanding that We have commandments and standards and values that if followed, will enable us to find greater joy than any earthly endeavor can bring to us. to do the last part effectively i think the first two parts have to be stable. If we are committed to the gospel, we learn of the Savior and we strive to be like him, Sharing this gift will be second nature. Since none of us are perfect, sharing the gift might be a little more difficult. I just think about all that has been given to me through the Gospel ( everything i cherish in this life, especially family and friends ) and my gratitude pushes me to reach out to more people. "Because i have been given much, i too must give " i know that there's a special spirit associated with this time of year and as we reach out to the people that have yet to discover or embrace this gift, we'll find much success not in the amount of people that are baptized because we tried, but in the spirit we are blessed with in this special time of year. I'm so grateful for it. and i'm just about out of time!
as for the work in Fallon, it goes well! it turns out i'm staying in the same ward which is a huge answer to prayer! after 9 months i'm no longer a zone leader any more, which is another answer to prayer!! i'll have a district of 8 missionaries, and it's crunch time for me! there's so much work to do and i'm just so excited to put my shoulder to the wheel and give it all i've got in the coming months.
i love you all! just as with our ward family, i invite all of you to join with us in Sharing this gift we've been given in the coming weeks. I'd also invite everybody to consider how we too can more fully discover and embrace this gift that has been given us. I know with my whole entire heart that the message is true and that our Savior loves us. let us all do our part to show our love for him be spreading it to all this week. until next time family and friends!
Elder Sykes
