I can't wait until I can use my very own computer again. It's almost as reliable as public transportation... only less so. Sheesh again.
Well, then. How are you all?
So this week was Zone Conference. Gave my dying testimony (the last ZC testimony in the mission). Sounds dramatic, doesn't it? I was really nervous about it, which is odd. I don't usually get nervous about stuff like that. I'm glad it's over. Here's an excerpt from an email I sent Sandy,
"During Zone Conference new missionaries and departing ones give their testimonies. There were a TON of new missionaries, and only 4 departing (including a senior couple). They had forgotten that I was leaving (though I hadn't!), so I was last to go. I don't really get nervous that often, but I was sick with nervousness. I'd been thinking for days about what I could say. What did I have to offer as my last testimony? But as I listened to the incoming elders it was clear what I needed to say. Peter and the boat. I've learned some new things about Peter and the boat and walking on water recently. It's the same idea, the thoughts just have gotten deeper. So I told them about Peter and the boat. And how letting the Lord define our reality means we can accomplish the righteous desires of our hearts (see, Peter asked if he could walk on the water, he wasn't commanded until he asked). While the elders had been talking, giving their testimonies, the other elders were a bit squirrely... they are elders after all... but when I started talking about Peter you could have heard a pin drop. Like they'd never heard this story before. Maybe some of them hadn't. Maybe it just had never mattered before now. I don't know... but they were riveted. I related Peter to me. I let them know that I had gotten out of the boat a couple times now, and I had sunk a few times, too. But that also meant I'd walked on water as a missionary. And that feels pretty sweet. And the Lord has "immediately stretched forth his arm" every time I've cried out, "Lord, save me!" and so I was pretty sure he'd do the same for them. About a gazillion elders, afterward, said, "I can't believe you had a hard time!" and "Thanks for sharing that stuff about Peter." and stuff like that. "Thanks, Spirit, I say." "
So that's pretty much how it went down.
Then on Saturday morning (the following day), Brother Gregory calls and says, "Sunday's speaker went back to college... in Idaho... can you and Sister Arnold talk tomorrow?" I can, she can't. She has no voice, and has been in bed most of the week, and we were only going to go to sacrament meeting tomorrow anyway. That's how it happened that on Sunday morning I found myself sitting on the stand next to the High Councilman preparing to speak on "Helping the Needy" and still having only half-formed ideas in my head. I'd thought about it all day, I'd looked at scriptures and all that... but nothing very fully formed was really coming together. Lame, I said. "Well, Heavenly Father," I say again, "I'm going to open my mouth. Will you put words in it?" And He did. Just like He always does. The talk went something like this:
When I was a kid, we had a period that I refer to as the "ghetto years of my childhood". These are the years that involved eating a lot of brown things: pinto beans, lentils, whole-wheat bread, TVP, applesauce and peanut butter on said bread, things like that. I think brown must be more economical than color. Anyway, somebody left a box of oranges on our doorstep, and as you have surmised, oranges are not brown. Pretty exciting. Somebody knew we needed color, so they gave us some.
When I was in my early 20's I lived with Sandy in Sunny CA. We met a lady named Mary. Mary had what she needed, for the most part... 'cept, she needed sisters. And there were Sandy and I, and we were sisters, and we could be her friend and love her, so we did!
And then I talked about Zion. Enoc's Zion, Alma's Zion (with the really converted Nephites), Ammon's Zion (with the sweet Lamanite refugees known as the Ammonites), and the Zion of 4 Nephi after Christ came and the people were super duper converted. In all 4 cases they had "no poor among them" which means that they were taking care of each other. They knew who needed oranges and who needed sisters. So how did they know that, and how can we know that? 1 Ne 13:37
37And ablessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my bZion at that day, for they shall have the cgift and the dpower of the Holy Ghost; and if they eendure unto the end they shall be flifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting gkingdom of the Lamb; and whoso shall hpublish peace, yea, tidings of great joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be.
See that? If we're seeking for Zion, which means we're trying to help each other and serve each other, we will have the gift and power of the Holy Ghost! Sweet! That means we'll know exactly who needs oranges and who needs sisters! Perfect! And then after all that is worked out we will be lifted up, we can publish peace, and we will sing the song of redeeming love! And we'll have Zion! I want Zion with all my little bitty heart! And I assured the congregation that they would like Zion. It would be nice there. And then I told this little story, when I was a young woman (12? 13?) I told Heavenly Father that if he ever let me get into a little money I'd do my best to give it away. I've tried my whole life to honor that promise. And I have been able to see Zion once in a while. And it really is "beautiful upon the mountain".
That's the Reader's Digest version... but it captures the main ideas. Here's the cool part. Most of that I didn't really think about until it was coming out of my mouth. Isn't the Spirit cool?! I love it! I love being God's shovel, or pen, or whatever kind of tool he needs me to be at whatever time. Love it, love it.
Well, kids. That's what's happening in Sunny Wisconsin (it sounds warmer if I call it that).
Kiss yourselves for me, and I'll see most of you in March!
