Sister Smith: Week 61

Charity & Love

Week 61—Sept. 19, 2016

This week was a week full of hospitals, staying in our home, and reading the Book of Mormon, a lot. We have a rule that we have to read the BOM for 30 minutes everyday. I am reading it for the 2nd time on my mission in Portuguese and loooove this book. You guys it’s so true. Just read it, you´ll love it! Okay, so my sweet companion isn’t doing too good and we´ll have to see what the future holds for her. I know that everything is part of Gods plan and he´s in charge and so I’m trusting in him.

This week I had an opportunity to talk to my zone about Charity and love. I was studying a lot about it and I wanted to share a few things I shared.

When me and my siblings were little, my mom gave us chores to do around the house to help out. Sometimes I did them and other times I “forgot.” Lots of times, I did them with a bad attitude or being super annoyed. Then when we got a little older my mom decided to pay us some allowance for the chores we did around the house. Then that stopped and she said, “look, if you love me you´ll do what I say and help around the house, if you obey me, that´s how I know you truly love me.” As I got older, I saw how busy my moms’ life was and how messy our house was. I decided I would help her when she asked. As I got older I started cleaning when she didn’t ask and whenever she walked in the house and the house was clean she´d get so happy and say “Wow, you love me!”

This can be compared to our Heavenly Father and his commandments. We can keep the commandments just because its a commandment, or because we want to receive blessings. Or we can keep the commandments because we love God and know he knows what is best for us and we will do whatever he asks. That is true love and charity, when we serve him and obey him because we truly love and trust him.

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Moroni 7:45 & 47 talk about what Charity is, and I’ll give you a quick summary.

- long suffering, kind, doesn’t envy, isn’t prideful, isn’t easily offended, doesn’t think/talk bad about anyone, knows the truth, believes, hopes, and endures all things, etc...

Who is the perfect example of charity? Jesus Christ. His entire life was spent serving others, working miracles, teaching, comforting, and loving. It was never about him. It was about doing the will of His Father. Not one moment was it about him and when it was, when someone thanked him or praised him, he always turned it over and gave the glory to Heavenly Father. He didn’t have a life like you and I have. Our lives are all about us, what will I study, what will I do better, who will I marry; his life was never about him. His life was selfless. When he asked the apostles to stay with him while he suffered in the garden, they slept and he was alone. He could have reacted all annoyed, angry, yelling why can’t you wait with me for 5 minutes, I’m your Savior? No, instead he reacted with love, patience, and he forgave them. When he was on the cross what did he say, forgive them for they know not what they do.

“When we choose to react annoyed, hold a grudge, shout, get ticked off by a situation, what we are really saying is, I don’t want to be like the Savior today, maybe tomorrow when I can maybe forgive this person. We need to pray and ask God to not just change our behavior, but our nature.” - Sheri Dew

We need to pray to react like the Savior would, with love and charity. Ask him to change you, to mold you, then when a situation comes try to remember him. My whole mission I have been trying to do this and ask God to help me be more humble, teachable, patient. I wont say that I am perfect, I still have a long way to go, but I am progressing and that is what matters. That´s why we are here, to progress and to become more like our Savior Jesus Christ.

I love him and I know he lives! This week pray and ask God to help you become a little better. He´ll put an opportunity in your way. React like the Savior would!!

Te amo

Sister Smith