So a little bit about me… I spent the last year at byu studying mechanical engineering however that will probably change… and I have been called to serve my mission in Veracruz Mexico, a major port city along the gulf of mexico.
- so my topic is mostly centered around preparation. Which really haunted me late last night when I was still writing my talk…
- So my talk is based on the talk entitled “Prepared in a Manner That Never Had Been Known” given by Linda K Burton.
Linda K Burton cites the story of Moroni and his great accomplishment of preparing the Nephites for the approaching Lamanite army. We read: “Behold, to [the Lamanites’] uttermost astonishment, [the Nephites] were prepared for them, in a manner which never had been known.” She points out how she was struck by those words… “prepared in a manner which never had been known”... Sister Burton applies this to her life as a motivation to better prepare for visiting the temple. However I think we can use this for many more things as well! I personally thought about how I can use this idea to “prepare in a manner which never had been known” for my mission. I think there are many parallels for preparing for a mission and for preparing to enter the temple! In a talk entitled “Personal Preparation for Temple Blessings” given by Russell M Nelson in April of 2001. Russell M Nelson talks about having to be both spiritually and physically prepared! To be physically prepared he says “we should dress in such a ways that we might comfortably attend a sacrament meeting or a gathering that is proper and dignified” This is similar to my mission I paid….. My mom paid, a lot of money for me to be able to dress daily in such clothing! Additionally, beyond my dress … I need to be prepared for the physical aspects of serving a mission. To be spiritually prepared Russell M Nelson says “Spiritual preparation is enhanced by study” he recommends that we turn to the scriptures to become more prepared. This is something that the mission requires of me, to reread the book of mormon before leaving! So I have been reading the Book of Mormon everyday and am close to finishing! I think something that has truly prepared me was the year that I spent at Brigham Young University. In my patriarchal blessing it talks about how I will be highly prepared for my mission… This part really factored into my decision to go to school for a year before leaving on my mission, at the time when I was thinking and praying about whether i should leave straight out of high school or to attend college first, I did not feel prepared at all. And although I still dont feel completely prepared, I feel much more prepared than before. The religion classes that I took at BYU were about the Book of Mormon and about the restoration of the church so my knowledge of both has grown tremendously! Also having that year of living alone has helped me realize that I can at least somewhat survive on my own! I feel like that year at BYU has helped me become so much more prepared! I also downloaded a language app called Duolingo that I have been using to refresh my espanol, so whenever work was really slow I would pull out the app and do a few practice lessons.
I think the parable of the ten virgins really highlights the importance of preparation… In Matthew 25 we read… “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. “And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. …“[They that were] wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. “While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. “And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. “And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. “But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. “Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. “But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, Ye know me not.” Linda K Burton talks about how it is hard to not feel bad for the foolish young woman because couldn’t the wise women just share to make everyone happy?! However, when Sister Burton compares the parable to being prepared to enter the temple, or for a mission in my case, it clarifies why the wise young women could not share! She cites President Spencer W Kimball who said “the oil of spiritual preparedness cannot be shared” he says “Attendance at sacrament meetings adds oil to our lamps, drop by drop over the years. Fasting, family prayer, home teaching, control of bodily appetites, preaching the gospel, studying the scriptures—each act of dedication and obedience is a drop added to our store. Deeds of kindness, payment of offerings and tithes, chaste thoughts and actions … —these, too, contribute importantly to the oil with which we can at midnight refuel our exhausted lamps.” As seen with President Kimballs words, it is our own actions that add to our lamps and with which we use to prepare, we can not use the actions of others to prepare, we must do our best and to be sure to have our own lamps full at all times.
On this note, it is a well known fact that I love sports. I therefore follow many sports pages and have numerous sports apps. I probably get more sports notifications than I do texts in the average day! But anyways, I will often see videos of the athletes and their workouts and each time I am in awe of their dedication. These athletes are great examples of preparation, some of these videos show the athletes up until around 2 in the morning lifting weights, running routes, or shooting baskets! This is their offseason and they are still working hard to get better and to try and prepare their best for the upcoming season. As I wrote this talk it made me think about my own willingness to prepare that hard. The only times I have been up that late reading scriptures were when I watched Netflix that late and then I read a quick verse of the scriptures before going to bed. These athletes are “preparing in a manner which never has been known” and therefore I should be willing to follow their examples in preparing to be a servant of God for the next two years! Recently Ive talked a lot with my coworkers about my mission and they all say the same couple things… that its quite the commitment Im making and that theyre sure that itll be such an amazing experience! And those words could not be truer… although spending two years of my life serving the people of Veracruz Mexico and teaching them about the gospel is a very big commitment I am glad to do so because of the good I will do through God and the amazing experiences that I will have! I would like to take a moment to thank all those who have helped prepare me for my mission! My family has been a great source of preparation they have helped me in so many ways and are always asking me how they can better help me prepare. Id also like to thank my scout leaders, young mens leaders and teachers, my seminary teachers, my bishops, and my friends. You were all a great support and have helped me prepare for my mission both spiritually and physically!
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