Cast Your Mind Upon The Night

In my short time since becoming a member of this amazing church, I have been blessed with having some of the most amazing people I've ever met being placed in my life. It really is true that Heavenly Father works miracles in our lives through the people that he places in them. Now, out of all the missionaries that are in my life and that I am close to, I have managed to speak of all of them in this blog but one. One Elder who I owe a great thanks to and have great appreciation for. Elder Kirchhoefer was Elder Saager's second companion after Elder Malietoa finished his mission and went home. Elder Kirchhoefer came into my life during a very scary time and managed to really help me out and see the brighter side of a lot of things, which is something that is very admirable of him. What makes me want to bring him up and share with you his awesomeness is this. He is the reason why I have stayed so strongly dedicated to this blog of mine, that has already brought forth so many blessings.

A week or so before this last general conference, Elder Kirchhoefer challenged me to write down some questions that I had that I needed answering. Then during the conference, I was to sit and listen to the spirit and see what I could hear. Taking on this challenge seemed absolutely perfect, considering the fact that it was only my second conference ever and I felt like I really needed to connect with our Heavenly Father. So during this General Conference was when I received the prompting to start this blog. I truly do believe that if it weren't for Elder Kirchhoefer placing this challenge before me, I would not have been listening well enough to hear His guidance and receive revelation. Thank you Elder Kirchhoefer for being such an important person in my life.

Now the second part of this post is not as relevant to the first part of this but it is just as important and worth sharing. Just last month, I realized something. This something turned out to be the initial key of my membership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To give a bit of a background that has actually been mentioned in the very first post on here. Now I was fortunate to set myself a firm foundation of my membership and dedication. Several nights before I went to this church for the first time, I prayed. I literally was crying out to Heavenly Father, asking him to help me find a way. I no longer wanted to feel as if I was dirt and that I was below rock bottom. Then that's when the journey officially began. I went to church, met my missionaries, received my first Book of Mormon then got baptized. I was hooked and in love, all in the form of a very strong and very spiritual high. That is where my all time favorite verse comes to play.
Doctrine & Covenants 6:22-23:
22 Verily Verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things.
23 Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?

The first time I ever heard this verse was when Elder Jones felt prompted to share it with me. It was during a meeting that we had, where the spirit was just so strong in, it was like we were in the very presence of our Heavenly Father Himself. Elder Jones asked me to read it out loud ans as I did, I felt as if I were not even in this world anymore. Moments like this, well I live for them and that's when a realization began. Several weeks passed and I kept thinking about that verse. It rang within my head and I could remember how strong the spirit was that day. It was good. Then October 17, 2011 I was invited to sit through an institute class that a very wonderful return missionary that is in my institute named Sean. He would be substituting and he invited both me and the Elders since I was with them when he went to ask them to come. Here is where what I said earlier in this post becomes important again, Heavenly Father works such great miracles in our lives just by the actions of people that have been placed in your life. Sean pointed out many great things that really got me thinking, and helped me and the class as a whole to set a spiritual goal for ourselves. It helped a lot to be honest.

Now during that class, Sean brought up Doctrine and Covenants 6:22-23 and in that very moment that it was being read out loud for the class to hear, Elder Jones looked over at me and I looked at him. We both had smiles on and our memories both went back to that day. At that point, I knew that that special night, as sad and as torn as I was, that it was the initial key. Lets call it the back bone to me being a member of this church and I never even realized it until this last month.

Now I can testify that this church is true. I can say all these wonderful things about our prophets, the scriptures and missionaries. But what makes what I include in my testimony and makes it as honest, true and sincere as it is, the fact that I have lived my testimony. I've felt the love of our most kind and gracious Heavenly Father, I've felt the peace and joy that comes with reading the Book of Mormon and all those are what make this church true and worth living for. If it weren't for that night, that night that I cried out to our Father in Heaven back when I didn't even know that he loved me as much as he really does, I would not be here where I am today.