Plan of Salvation

This week has been fantastic! I'll talk about Dallas Daze and then the message.

Dallas Daze. 

So this week we had got done teaching a lesson and stopped on a side road to see what road we need to take to the next lesson. Well my companion says, "Elder, do you think that works?" I look up and see a microwave in the bushes, I figured maybe and asked why? Response I got was, "well we can never put metal in microwaves normally because we bought them, but that one is free game." So we grabbed it for later! Well we had some time when we got home one night and found out what really happens. And let me tell you it is really darn cool! 😂😂 you just gotta have some fun while your out or you'll go crazy. 

We promptly turned it off and put it outside when this happened because you know......awesome and scary are synonyms. But yes! Greatest 5 minutes of my life, not really, but way cool. Never knew this. So that was awesome. 

This week though was really awesome. We had tons of success, like crazy success. Our average for numbers last time was 2 investigators for the last 3 weeks combined, and like 4 lessons. We set a goal for the transfer to be at 10 lessons a week and many other things. Well this week it EXPLODED. We found 9 new investigators, taught 10 lessons, had 7 set up this week, and just, man miracles are real. All who have been praying, your prayers are helping. We have had such success and this week we had interviews with our president. He also came to our stake conference sessions and so we had a lot of President Taylor time. It was amazing. 

Stake conference is what I want to talk about. The theme was discovering your place in the great plan of salvation. Family history was involved as Elder Foster was here as well. So we had general authorities, President Taylor, stake president, temple president, and yeah. Super spirit filled week. One of the songs I really like that can help us see our plan is the song "Glorious" by David Archuleta.  Look it up and listen to the lyrics. One way I like to think of our life here and what our purpose and how we fit into the plan is thinking of a mosaic made up of snapshots of our lives. The ultimate view is the beautiful plan of god that he told us in the pre-existense. We accepted that plan and came down to learn of it again, and the things we do to follow it, are snapshots in the grand scheme. One of the greatest things that add to it are the time we spend with our families and connecting them together. A youth speaker spoke about how angry he was when he had to forgo his plans with friends and go with the family to a picnic. At that picnic he gradually had his heart soften and as he played games with his family and the friend his sister brought he continually over heard, "my family never does anything like this." She's a non member and he put it off but when his dad said it was time to go, he was really disappointed, and a third time the friend said, "my family never does this stuff, I wish they did." And it struck him. He was grateful for his family and truly realized that his moments of happiness, the things many miss in life, is family. So many kids don't spend time with their families and when they get home struggle, there isn't that environment to fall back on. I looked back on my own life, the best times I always remember, are the times at family reunions, when we spent time with each other, the love I feel there. Just, the importance of family to God is great, and there is so much love to be had there. When there is love at home, the world is a better place. But it was truly amazing to experience. I can't even explain the feelings that were felt reflecting on my family and how important they are. Especially our extended family waiting for their work to be done to be saved. I felt so motivated to do family history especially with how easy it's gotten it was ad to think I have to wait a mission to do it. But I found something we can all do. Whether we like it or not, technology is a huge help for this. So I've began switching from journaling on paper to in my family history profile on family search app "memories." It's just, I wish I could convey how important it is to help our ancestors. 

But overall, remember, you are an important pieces to the Lord's puzzle. And loving his plan brings happiness. And when things get hard remember, "there must needs be opposition in all things." It's all part of the plan. As we have love in our home and lay the foundation of Christ for our families through the small experiences of love and example as we follow the worlds example. Jesus Christ is the key to it all. I know an attitude of gratitude and understanding who Jesus Christ was can fix most problems in this world, and at least give you the strength and direction to endure through. It's a daily thing. I hope everyone will seek to develop and eternal perspective and see how they fit into gods plan. "It's like a symphony, just keep listening, and pretty soon you'll start to figure out your part. Everyone plays a piece, and their own melody, it's glorious." Find your part through Jesus Christ and the heir love unifying your family. I know he is the son of god and the hope of the world. Of this I testify in his name. 
Amen.