The Truth

People have said to me that they're proud of me or have praised me for being here and doing what I am. I'm very grateful for the emotional support, but it's not me who should be praised.  This is the truth of it all is this- the Lord and Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.  He is truth and He is THE truth.  I'm not in Africa doing my work, I'm in Africa doing HIS work.  This is my testimony- that Jesus Christ is the only begotten son of Heavenly Father.  He is a Lord of mercy, grace, and love.  I feel so humbled by His incredible power, yet His tenderness.  The amount of love that He has for me it's literally tangible   I can't believe that someone would love me, ME, full of imperfections so fully and completely.  Jesus Christ died on the cross, knowingly taking upon Himself the sins of the world so that we may obtain happiness through forgiveness.  We can live in that same eternal happiness in the presence of our Heavenly Father because of that sacrifice.  We can live with our families forever!  What a blessing that is.  I couldn't think of a better way to spend forever.  Because He conquered death, we can live once again.  His hand is constantly outstretched, waiting to help lift us to our best selves. Sometimes I become caught up looking at all the people in the world around me and I think, "How could someone be consciously aware of each individual person?"  I testify that Heavenly Father DOES know and is attentive to each of our thoughts, needs, and emotions.  Thousands of prayers are answered each day because simply put, He is the Christ.  He created each of us and who better to know us than our Creator.  Sometimes we may feel lost, lonely, or confused but He is our rock to stand on- the foundation for when the storm brings its strongest and heaviest winds, if we cling to our foundation we will not fall.  We will rise steady and sure.  Heavenly Father is a God of patience.  He is waiting, but is up to us to let ourselves turn to Him.

My heart is so full right now, I feel as if it may burst.  Today I watched the movie, The Other Side of Heaven, at the local church building for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  The movie includes the story of a Mormon missionary- his struggles, sacrifices, and experiences that he has with the people of Tonga and his encounters with Christ.  I felt the Spirit of Christ more tonight than I have in a long time.  As I sat and watched, I couldn't help but relate the missionary's experience to my own.  Seeing his love for the locals, I couldn't help but to think of my love for people of Uganda.  More importantly however, I couldn't help but to think of Christ's love for the people of Uganda.  A complete love.  At one point in the movie the cast sings "God be with you till we meet again."  As I was listening to the reverent hymn I looked around me- There I sat in the newly constructed church building, with a room full of saints from a third-world village in the middle of Uganda of all places, watching a movie about missionary work and the love of God, a full-time missionary from Botswana was sitting in front of me and began to sing along with the movie- it was honestly the most beautiful moment in my entire life.  It was such a testament that Christ loves ALL of His children.  The amount of peace I felt at the moment, I can't even describe.  I was also so thankful to the missionaries who were there.  No one would leave so many luxuries and comforts to live, the honestly extremely hard life that we are living in Uganda, to spread a lie.  It's truth, Jesus Christ and His redeeming Gospel.

I am so blessed. I AM supposed to be here in the wonderful country of Uganda.  I receive a greater witness of that every single day.  This is my mission and it is more than I could have ever imagined.  Christ had a calling for me, and I could not be more thankful for that.  I'm not sure what the future holds for me, but I take comfort in the fact that the Savior of the world has a plan for me.  He has a plan for each one of us.  Without Him I am nothing, but with Him I have the potential to be everything.  I am just so thankful, and want to praise Him forever.  I testify that Jesus Christ is the light, the life, and the way.