Book of Mormon Challenge: What I Learned in Five Chapters

President Taylor, my mission President, has challenged each missionary to read the entire Book of Mormon this transfer (a transfer being six weeks long). Here's an entry from my scripture journal that I've been keeping. I kind of got really excited and went crazy. I didn't realize you could gain so much by just reading the scriptures and applying them into your life!

Personal Study on 5 May 2014
Alma 18-22
The sons of Mosiah were awesome missionaries! First, let me start off with Ammon. He began teaching King Lamoni by serving him. It was after seeing how faithful and powerful Ammon was that he then listened to Ammon teach the gospel. So, teaching lesson
1. We can show our love and soften people's hearts through service.
2. Teach people where their understanding is at! Ammon does a fantastic job of this in Alma 18:24-40.
3. Whe we follow the promptings of the Lord we will be blessed.
After teaching Lamoni, Ammon was invited to go with Lamoni to visit his father. But Ammon followed the prompting of the Lord and decided to go free his imprisioned brothers instead. Lamoni decided to go along and they end up running into Lamoni's dad on the way there. Ammon then plants a gospel seed with Lamoni's father by telling him that all he desires is for his brothers to be free and for Lamoni to retain his kingdom and have the freedom to make decisions for himself (Alma 20:24). Lamoni's dad was seriously impressed and began to wonder what made Ammon such a righteous man. Thus, gospel seed planted.
4. Planting seeds is just as important as teaching.
If Ammon hadn't planted the seed with Lamoni's father, then Lamoni's father would not have received the gospel when Aaron taught him. We can't always fully convert everyone to the gospel. But we can plant seeds and be an instrument in the Lord's hands in preparing them for the gospel when they are ready to accept it.
5. The scriptures are the sickle in the work of salvation.
Both Ammon and Aaron teach using the scriptures. (Alma 22:13)
6. Our converts can bring many to Christ.
Just look at Lamoni and his father. After they were converted they talked to their people and brought many to believe in the gospel by the testimonies they shared. Our experiences, stories, and testimonies are powerful. We need to make sure we feel the excitement and fire of the gospel so that we can share it with all.
7. Teach at a basic level. The basics are powerful.

I also just like Alma 22:18 (this is king Lamoni's dad talking after Aaron has taught him)

O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day.

The part I italicized is my favorite line of the scripture. It made me wonder and think about what I would be willing to give up to truly know God and if I would give up everything. It amazes me how much I can learn from the scriptures each time I read them. They seriously apply to every aspect of my life, and I know they can do the same for you!

When Life Throws You A Curve Ball

Or rather, when President Taylor throws you a curve ball. Transfer day was today. Transfers are six week periods where we work with our companion in certain areas. After six weeks we can get a new companion or be moved to another area within our mission. On Friday I received a letter saying that I would be transferred to the Portland Heights Ward as an ASL missionary. Basically, I stared at my transfer letter in disbelief. I was not originally called as an ASL missionary. When I went to the Missionary Training Center (MTC) I was trained to teach in English. I haven't used ASL since early December. That may not seem like that long of a time, but it really is. Languages aren't exactly like riding a bike. At least not for me. I've been having to figure out how I'm going to do this. How am I going to teach people in a language I don't normally speak? How am I going to communicate? How am I going to not be a burden to my companion and a waste of a missionary?
Here's what I'm coming to see out here on my mission. With Christ we can do all things. It's as simple as that. That doesn't mean that all things will just come easy to us. It means that as we work hard and with faith, Christ can help us overcome our challenges. He can help us knock those curve balls out of the park. In the Book of Mormon there's a man named Nephi. Nephi has just left Jerusalem with his family to avoid being taken captive. The Lord has just commanded Nephi to build this ship to carry his family out of the land. Now, building ships is not something Nephi has ever done. The amazing thing is, he simply asks the Lord how he can do it. He has so much faith in the Lord that he knows that if the Lord wants it done he will provide a way.

If God had commanded me to do all things I could do them. If he should command me that I should say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I should say it, it would be done.
And now, if the Lord has such great power, and has wrought so many miracles among the children of men, how is it that he cannot instruct me, that I should build a ship?
1 Nephi 17:50-51

Nephi had the faith that all things can be done with the help of our Heavenly Father. I know that if we have that faith in our life, if we ask for the help from our Father in Heaven, we too can do all things. We can do things we didn't even imagine possible. I'm excited for this new adventure. I know that it's going to challenge me and stretch me, but I know that with the Lord on my side I will never fail.