Elder and Sister Patrick Kearon of the Seventy
Tuesday devotional, September 24, 2019
Sister Kearon:
- In President Nelson’s recent devotional address at BYU, he reinforced that all of you are sons and daughters of God, and that you were chosen to be in this great battalion of the Lord. He said that he will not be surprised to learn in the future that you plead with the Father to come forth at this particular time. You have been sent to gather Israel
- You will be defending the gospel of Jesus Christ. Does that resonate with your soul?
- Preach to as many as you can.
- Wherever you are in your service here at the MTC, you can feel overwhelmed. Various things can cause these feelings:
- Homesickness
- Trying to master Preach My Gospel
- Learning a foreign language
- Adjusting to your companion
- Learning new customs and traits
- Trying to develop Christ-like attributes
- Seeking the power of the Spirit
- The intensity of this great work
- You want to be a worthy vessel, in tune with the spirit, supportive of your companion
- Having these challenges is normal; all missionaries go through similar challenges. Don’t let these challenging feelings overpower you.
- Use the Adjusting to Missionary Life pamphlet.
- Consider the brother of Jared. He fashioned 16 small stones out of rock. How many of us could do that. He used his skill and abilities to make the offering, and then counted on the Lord to do that which he could not do. He acknowledged his weaknesses, he remembered the mercies of the Lord. Notice that the Lord touched each stone individually. He acknowledged each as an intense effort by the brother of Jared.
- You will face overwhelming challenges. Use your skills and abilities to offer all you have, and then trust in the Lord to do that which you cannot do! Offer your very best stones to the Lord, carefully chosen stones, and the Lord will turn them into things much greater than you can ever imagine.
- Do not compare yourself with other missionaries.
- Every day of your mission is your offering to the Lord. He will take your imperfect offering and mold it into greatness.
- Remember that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego saw the Lord when they were in the furnace, not before or after. Our greatest blessings can come when we are under the greatest pressure.
Elder Kearon:
- When he had been serving as a General Authority for about 4 years, he and his wife met another general authority going into Walmart. They stopped and visited for a while. As Elder Kearon and his wife moved on, a person stepped up and said, “Was that a general authority you were talking to?” The Kearons responded that indeed it was. The person responded, “You can always tell!”. He had no idea that Elder Kearon was a general authority also.
- You might be homesick or panicked right now. You might even be moving slowly forward day by day, not knowing if you can make it. Thank you for sticking to your call. Thank you for responding to your call. You might be thinking that you came for the wrong reason. Don’t worry! You can do this.
- You might have come for the wrong reason, but you can stay for the right reason!
- All of us need to understand repentance better. President Nelson said to the general authorities that he wants them to teach about repentance with such love and joy that those who hear will embrace the Lord’s gift of repentance.
- Loving and teaching are intertwined. It might be in the teaching that you will learn the most about repentance. Learn of it yourself.
- Jesus invites us to change everything through repentance, including the way we breathe. Repentance should not be uncomfortable, but a source of great joy.
- Mosiah 27:29 gives some great insight. You will be the missionaries of light. The thought that brought Alma the Younger back to the gospel were thoughts of Jesus and the words of his father.
- There are things you can’t heal or fix, but the power of the Atonement can.
- President Nelson reminds us that for too many repentance is a negative thing, a punishment. These thoughts are from Satan. Christ stands with open arms to receive us as we repent.
- How should you present the gift of repentance to your amigos? Why unbridled joy and happiness.
- Become the message; look like the message. Stop worrying, forget about yourself and go to work. Your best will be good enough.
- How should we present the gift of baptism? With enthusiasm and joy, with emotion. It is a monumental gift. Don’t be hesitant.
- Two sisters with brightness and light brought me into the gospel. It was who they were that swayed me, just as much as the message they taught. They were the message.
- Jesus loves us in ways that we can’t imagine.
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