Leanne's Mission Blog

Leanne Noelle Chun <leanne.chun@myldsmail.net>

Feb 12 at 9:36 PM

I need to work out more. And stop eating junk food. We've eaten so much ice cream. And cake. But we will do better this week.

Birthday Cake! Yay, Elder Cable....!

I feel like this week wasn't super exciting, except for Sunday. We got to teach the Young Women, there was a ward 식사 (meal) after church, and Elder Yamashita came! (See "Be Ambitious for Christ" talk in October 2016 General Conference.) He is an adorable Japanese man, and his wife is also cute. Both of their talks were really good! Also, our investigator, who is ill right now, came to church, because she is a peach. A real gem. She didn't stay the entire time, which is good, because she looked like she was about to die, but we're really glad she came!

Wow. I honestly don't remember this week. I guess sometimes time goes by quickly, and other times it really doesn't. But that's okay! More time for the spiritual thought. ^_^

While preparing for the Young Women class we were teaching on Sunday, we decided to talk about the Atonement. (Always a good subject to study/discuss/deeply ponder...) In brainstorming ideas for what we would say, I was reminded of the talk that President Hinckley gave one year in which he told a parable about the Atonement. ( https://www.lds.org/liahona/2000/12/the-wondrous-and-true-story-of-christmas?lang=eng ) I think I cry every time I read the last paragraph:

“Off came Tom’s coat, and after five strokes the rod broke! The teacher bowed his head in his hands and thought, ‘How can I finish this awful task?’ Then he heard the class sobbing, and what did he see? Little Jim had reached up and caught Tom with both arms around his neck. ‘Tom, I’m sorry that I stole your lunch, but I was awful hungry. Tom, I will love you till I die for taking my licking for me! Yes, I will love you forever!’”

My favorite parts about this are the fact that the rod broke, and Jim's words to Tom at the very end. When Christ atoned for us, the "rod" broke: the pain and the suffering of every person's sins, sadness, and hurt, though immense, was not enough to break Him. And how much I can't wait to be Jesus' Jim. Isn't it going to be cool to be able to give Him a hug and thank Him? It sounds cheezy, absolutely, but it's good motivation for me: If I want to feel comfortable enough in His presence when I do see Him, especially to the point where I'll want to thank Him, I need to keep following Him now. Good thing He told us how to do that! What a gift the gospel of Jesus Christ is. I know that sounds broad, and maybe even a little vague, but here's what it comes down to:

Have faith in Jesus Christ, that He's your Savior, that He loves you, and that through Him you can become better than you are;

Repent (i.e. change your thoughts, desires, and actions to be more in line with His will);

Be baptized, and once you've done that, partake of the Sacrament each week; go to Sacrament meeting repentant and ready to be better during the next week; aren't we glad that it's every week and not less often!);

Receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (and live worthy of His presence);

Endure to the End (Rinse and repeat!)

When we live our lives that way, we can not only be happy in this life, but we can be happy in the next (which basically just means forever). Yay Jesus!

I hope you all have a good week!

Love,

Sister Chun