I won't get into all the gory details with you here, but suffice it to say 5 months ago I never would have pictured myself sitting in a library in Maryland with a nametag on my cardigan. But alas, here I sit in a blue cardigan typing away.
More specifically, I didn't expect to be on blogger or facebook as a missionary, because that would be absurd. But the world of missionary work is changing! And boy am I happy to be apart of it. I've joked a few times since I found out my mission is an online proselyting mission that all those hours on facebook and blogger weren't wasted (although my mother may disagree). With all the "experience" I've gathered in that area, I hope that I can use these tools in a way that would bring others closer to Christ, because that's what I'm here to do.
I've decided to start a blog, since blogging is such a great format for writing longer posts. The direction this blog will take is still a bit unclear to me, but I have faith that as I start typing, the Lord will start directing.
The title of this blog, "Be Ready Always", comes from the scripture currently residing on my missionary plaque quite of few states west of me - 1 Peter 3:15.
"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear."
This scripture has meant a lot to me in the past. Since I had it memorized, it quickly became one of those "fall-back" scriptures I would recite in my head every time I found my thoughts headed in a direction I didn't like, and served the purpose of refocusing me. Early on, it didn't carry a lot of meaning, but after making the decision to serve a mission, I realized how perfectly this scripture applied to missionary work.
Be ready always. Prepare yourself ahead of time to bear your testimony to anyone that asks for it. Be ready to answer those questions about your faith. Be excited to share the joy that has come through your membership in Christ's church.
Because people will ask. They'll wonder what's different about you, why you carry such hope with you all the time. The world may not realize it, but they're craving it:
"Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God." Ether 12:4
My hope with this blog is that it might serve a few purposes: to solidify that hope for members of the church, to provide some guidance and ideas on how to best spread this beautiful gospel and "be ready always", to inspire non-members to want to read more, and to invite all of the above to come closer to Christ.
So here it goes!
Thanks for sharing your testimony and willing to write/share on it. I'll admit too, before the mission, I had lots of hesitations to share the gospel as well. Maybe it was because I wasn't as prepared as you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteI always love that scripture that says we won't be confounded among men, because it's true, when we are prepared, we KNOW what we will share is true and it gives me more confidence to share this message of joy!