Love thy neighbor as thy self!

As a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we are encourage do as Jesus Christ commanded his disciples to do, "Love thy neighbor as thy self" and "Have love one to another"! Living as a missionary isn't always the easiest thing! As a missionary, we have what we call "tracting", a translation from missionary speak to normal english it roughly translates to, "Going to a door, knocking, introducing yourself and your values as a Latter Day saints, and introduce a message of ultimate happiness. Doing this only to get A.) a door slammed in our face, with some kind of mean comment thrown at us; like, but not limited to, 'I'm sorry we're christian we can't help you', 'Your going to hell', and any such nasty things the human mind can invent. Or B.)Someone could ask us to share the message with them, but they may just say they already believe in christ after we share it, or they may do it to simply fight with us". Yes thats a long deffinition; but its how it works.

So one might ask themselves two questions; "why the heck would you do something like that"; and "how do you keep going despite all that". the simple answer can be found in the reason why we're out here. in John 13:34 From this scripture it is made abundantly clear, that we are not just obligated to love one another, but its a commandment. one of the ways that i'm able to do what I do as a missionary, is simple; I love everyone that I come in contact with. I want all to hear this message that I've recieved that has brightened my life and given me such happiness.

Now, love for my neighbor is not all that motivates me to keep moving. Now yes, love is one of the most important things in the work; but a love of God is a bigger reason for me being out here. I love my Heavenly Father, and I know that the only thing he wants for me, is my eternal happiness, and the eternal happiness of all his children. In D&C 4 This scripture sets forth the doctirines that every missionary should remember when they step out in to the world to perform this labor of love.

Now these two loves by themselves should, and indeed is enough for me to go out into the world and put that name tag on, introducing myself, and the message I bear as a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ; But I like to take it a bit further. I go out there into the world each day, because I know with absolute certainty, independent from anyone else, that this church is true; that Jesus is the Christ, and that he and our Father in Heaven live and love us to the end. I know, that with out a shadow of a doubt that our Savior, and redeemer lives, I know that this work is true. The fact is, that when I go out into the world, and I recieve a door slammed in my face, I laugh at it! Because, I know that this is just prophecy that has been spoken of by the prophets of old, and the prophets of today! When i'm told that I'm not a christian, my solution, to turn right around and sing "I believe in Christ"!

What I like to do, is compare the building of ones testmimony to the investing of money in "low risk" and "High risk" investments. When you put your money into a bank account, the interst increases the money with in over a slow period of time right? conversely, if you put it into stocks, where the investment is much higher risk, it produces large amounts of money faster! When I go out there into the world each day, and I see people throwing insults at me, I just laugh, Because these people not only do not understand my religion, but they also do not understand what they are really doing to me! They think, that by argueing with me, or telling me i'm in a cult, that they can break my testimony down, but the reality is, they're actually building mind up! they're creating an enviorment in which, although i've risked my testimony by sharing it I gain the huge reward of the spirit confirming my witness that the words I speak are true. I just know, that they are really fufilling prophecy, and so therefore, my testimony grows. It is my witness, and my privlige to stand bold, and to stand strong with my brothers and sisters in proclaiming, not what I belive, or that I belive, but that "I Know this church is true, and I know my redeemer and savior lives"! Its my privlige to do this, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Amen.