So a few days ago we had Zone Conference, and for those of you who aren't familiar with the life of being a missionary, Zone Conference is where every 6 weeks our leaders come and give a training on how we can improve not only our missionary efforts, but also improve our lives.
Well during this Zone Conference we had a guest speaker who is the designated counselor over the missionaries. He spent his time talking about bad habits and things we find ourselves doing no matter how hard we tried to stop ourselves. It was honestly one of the best trainings I've had on my mission. In this training he quoted President Packer, " Largely because of [technology], instead of looking over into that spacious building, we are, in effect, living inside of it. That is your fate in this generation. You are living in that great and spacious building"
He said that to me and over the next few days I thought about why that would be allowed to happen? Why would a God who wants us to stay strong, allow the iron rod to lead directly through that great and spacious building? It honestly made no sense, and I'm sure it makes no sense to you either. After a lot of studying and doing my come follow me study with my wonderful companion, Sister Morford, I realized an important truth.
Maybe the reason why the iron rod is leading directly through the great and spacious building is because there are people in that building who need to see the iron rod in order to know they have to cling to it.
To prove my point I want to reference a story from the Book of Mormon. Many of you know of the story of Abinadi but I'll sum it up very quickly. In the Book of Mosiah, there is a story about a Prophet who was called to do a very difficult work. He was told he had to deliver a message of repentance to the most wicked man in the kingdom, King Noah. King Noah wasn't just a bad guy, he was described as someone who caused many people, including himself to "commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness and abominations." and Abinadi was commanded to go preach to him..... Yikes. I'm sure that in the moment that he realized what he was called to do, he knew his ultimate fate, but he went and taught the people, including the wicked King Noah. He was arrested and brought before the King. He was quiet literally, brought into a "great and spacious palace," as referenced in chapter 11 to testify to the King. He was taken into the great and spacious building, right where I'm sure he didn't want to be. He spent the rest of his life preaching and witnessing to people who laughed, pointed fingers at, and humiliated him. He must have questioned, just like me, why did God take the Iron rod right into the great and spacious building.
After Abinadi finished speaking to the King, he was immediately put to death. He finshed his life in the great and spacious building, all without seeing the reason for it. In his view, he saw no success, he saw no change in King Noah, and ultimately he didn't know why he had to suffer inside of it. But, without his knowledge, inside of the great and spacious building, there was someone who needed to see that iron rod in order to know that's what he needed to cling to. Alma was one of the men sitting with King Noah as Abinadi preached to him. He heard his words and realized that he needed to repent, and cling to that iron rod.
Abinadi had to walk through that great and spacious building so that Alma could see the iron rod, and grab onto it to.
So that's why we are forced to live in the great and spacious building. That is why we have to walk through the halls full of laughter, scorn, and humiliation. That is why you and me have to hold onto that iron rod so tightly because the walls surrounding us are full of wickedness. It is because all of the people who are around us are our brothers and sisters. They might be making fun of us, but they are still our family and we have to do everything we can to give them the chance to see the iron rod too
In other news this week Sister Morford and I finished our activity for our ward members called Ship. The basics of the game include them making almost of people who have certain tools and attributes that would help them build a ship. At the end we have them all look at their list and circle one person and then in the next week they have to do one nice thing for that person. It has been SO much fun!! Literally we just go into their homes, help them do this activity and then invite them to help the people who helped them in this game. It's been a blast plus I get to see people appreciate something I made and oh man it's honestly been the HIGHLIGHT of my day when we go into their homes and open up the board and their eyes just open super wide. Yup, it's a good feeling, probably similar to how moms feel when they get told their child is cute, like yea.... I made that.
Well everyone, that's about it for the weekly demonstration of Sister Carters missionary work. I'm still grindin, I'm still killin it, and best of all, I'm still in Casper.
Keep loving life and appreciating the little things!!
Remember God is in the Details!!
Sister Carter
