The Age of Missionaries

The 2012 October General Conference brought the astounding announcement of an age change for missionaries serving in the church. Young Men are aloud to new begin their service at 18 instead of 19 years of age. More amazing than that us Young Women can now serve at 19, an amazing change from the previous age of 21. The announcement brought joy and tears; many to my mother and sister's eyes, but it also brought a concern- will they be ready? Can they really effect a change in person's life when they have lived for on 20 years so far? In experienced, barely able to do anything; by the world's standard, and yet they are called specifically to be a personal representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. How do we trust this holy calling to those so new to the gospel? Children are born at the earliest age of Day 1. Coming to this world, they understand so little yet they bring a change to our lives. We don't have have to change, but we do because of the love they emanate. They grow and ask questions they may not have thought of before. They have such a simple understanding of reality. Children accept the answers they are given and rejoice greatly when it is in their favor and simply ask "why" when if it is not. They are in our lives for such a short time in our lives, for such a short time in this state, yet the change, the spirit, the innocent knowledge they leave with us is life altering. Our missionaries are the new born, babes that speak the prophecies of Christ, ministering to everyone. Our missionaries are born into a world or place that may not be familiar to them, to a family they don't yet know, but still love unconditionally, and know only to cry with a new found life. They will share all that they know and understand. They expect their family to care for them, to help them begin walking, to discover the world and the people in it, and to protect them from the harmful world. Like children, missionaries are recognized through out the world. One such example was when my companion and I were at a store and three or four people (not members of the church) came to talk to us about our faith and how they have felt peace when speaking with members of the church. Another time, three other elders and I were in casual clothing at a fast food restaurant that wasn't partially fast on that day. After waiting nearly 15 minutes for our orders, a man came from across the room and asked if we were military. After a quick laugh we replied that we were not, but that we are missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "Oh, I knew that there was something different about y'all." We looked like any other group of 19-20 year old young men, but he picked us four out of a packed room of nearly 40. There was something different and his curiosity to ask which led to a short lesson bout the Restoration. Missionaries are the front lines of the Church. They are out there every single day, knocking doors, meeting people, teaching, testifying, baptizing and converting. They are everywhere, traveling by car, bike, plane, train, and by foot. They see the best of the best and the worst of the worst, they see miracles everywhere they go. They are called by prophets, seers, and revelators to distant lands to preach the gospel to those of more experience and greater learning. The members of the Church are to support and care for our missionaries, to help them grow and become better missionaries and members of the Church. These last days require us to be the best of the best in the worst of the worst.

John 3:16 and bikes

There is one simple fact that men and women everywhere need to know and feel - God loves you. He loves you specifically. He is our loving Heavenly Father and we are his Children. One of my favorite scriptures is John 3:16- "God so loved the World, that He gave his Only Begotten Son..." It makes me so grateful to know that my Father loves me so much that He will do everything he can to help me grow. In today's society many people would question "Why would God; all powerful and all knowing, who loves us so much, allow hurtful or bad things to happen to us?" He loves us, He feels our pain and anguish, but he rejoices with us. Like when we first learned to ride a bike, our loving parents; who are older and wiser, put us on the bike knowing full well that we would eventually get hurt. Did they put us on a bike so that we would get hurt? No, they put us there because of the joy we would receive. Do they love us, even though they knew we would crash or fall? They have the knowledge that it would happen so they could have prevented it, correct? Our parents love us with all their hearts and hate to see us get hurt, but they know; like God knows and loves us, that they can be pick us up and put us back on that bike. God loves us enough, knowing that we would fall and hurt ourselves on this bike of life, to send us here to have joy in our life. He loves us enough that he has given us a plan of protection so that our fall can be easier. And he is always there to pick us back up. He loves us so much, he has made it possible to talk to him through prayer. When we feel alone, know that he is there to listen anytime of the day. This is my testimony. Elder Ely

Greetings from the MTC

Hello y'all Hello from the Missionary Training Center! Oh how I have missed the mountains and the brisk morning air... okay maybe it could be less cold but YAHOO! I'm finally here. Back up just one moment, Elder Ely... What's going on? Let me explain. For the last 19 years (more like 17) I have been preparing to serve a mission for our Savior Jesus Christ in The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day Saints. My mission will be 24 months long (I like to think of it as 104 weeks) and I will be serving in the Mississippi Jackson area (from the MS-AL border to about Texarkana, TX)where I will be inviting others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the Restored Gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End. Originally this bog was going to be a way for me to share thoughts and experiences, keep in touch with friends and family without personally funding the United States Postal Service, and maybe post a poem or two (not likely). But just in the short time I have been here at the MTC it has been made known to me that this blog would achieve less than its potential purpose. In this great age where a message can be sent in less than a second and an idea can be seen by many in a moment, I want this blog to affect anyone who reads it. There still will be thoughts about the world and its functions, jokes and a poem, but I wish to inspire a change in your heart. I invite you to do two things: 1)Please read with an open heart and an open mind as I am not the greatest writer and 2)Please share this with anyone you believe will benefit from it. The plain and simple hope of my message is that I have had a mighty change of heart and it has brought me peace, reverence, understanding and joy, and I want to share that with you. I want to testify to you that the church Christ founded upon the earth during His mortal ministry has once again been restored to its full glory. That through Joseph Smith the Book of Mormon was translated not to replace the Bible; for nothing can replace the Bible, but to stand as another testament of Jesus Christ, that the powers that the prophets of the Old Testament and Jesus Christ and His Disciples had to bless and administer to the people is here again upon the earth and that through the redeeming Atonement of Christ all mankind may be saved. Elder Nathaniel Ely