Attitude

I saw The Saratov Approach last night with a very good friend of mine. Both of us are preparing for our missions. When we were going into the movie theater, I felt as if I was going to leave with a fear of going on my mission. Well, at least until one of the LDS missionaries, Elder Tuttle, bore his testimony of why he left his life to make a life for the Lord. He had never wanted to serve a mission; he had made the decision not to serve long before he had reached the age to serve. The person he told was his father; his dad was neither angry or sad. I'm sure he was disappointed, but Elder Tuttle described it as, "Son, I'll always love you no matter what choice you make." And then Elder Tuttle quoted Luke 22:42 of when Christ suffered for all His brothers and sisters feeling alone and forsaken. The Savior says, "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." Elder Tuttle learned the Savior didn't want to suffer and sacrifice Himself for thousands of people He didn't even know. But, He did because He knew the plan would be nothing without His suffering. He did it because the Lord needed the Savior to suffer in order for all of us to be saved. Elder Tuttle didn't want to serve. But, He did because our Father in Heaven needed and wanted Him to. I know I need to serve a mission. And not just for the people I will be serving, but because of the perfectly imperfect man I will be sealed to for time and all eternity. Because of the beautiful souls we will bring into this world and raise to love the Lord. Because of the generations we as a family will establish. I know serving my mission in the England London South mission is going to not only bless myself and my family right now, but the family I will have in the future. This mission is going to bless generations and generations of families, even if giving a simple smile to someone walking on the same side of the road and my companion and I. My mom has told me several times I should not want to baptize everyone I come upon; my only goal every minute of every hour of every day of my whole life, especially on my mission, should be to simply brighten the days of others. We are converted into this church when we are baptized by immersion. But, we are truly converted spiritually into the gospel and love of Christ when the kindness of others inspires hope within us. The hope and love of Christ. Kindness isn't a personality trait. It is a gift from Christ. He was the original maker of true and utter grace and kindness. Christ isn't just a real and true being, but the symbol of hope and second chances. The world will never tell you, "Give second chances like they are worth a penny." But, Christ has a second, third, fourth, fifth, and infinity and beyond chance for each and every one of us.