prospective missionary fireside

this week has been missionary week for helaman halls. that's where we all pretend to be missionaries for a week (we live by some mission rules for a week). we learn about being better missionaries, and have companionship scripture studies.

tonight i went to the prospective missionary fireside where elder charles a. didier and his wife came to speak to us. sister didier spoke about how the choices we make determine our destiny. and if we are obedient to the things the Lord asks of us, we will receive blessings. elder didier said that we all have purposes in life. my purpose is to have an eternal marriage, in the temple, to an RM. he said that the best way that we can fulfill this purpose, and overcome the challenges that will come as we try to fulfill that purpose is to LEARN HOW TO LEARN. he said that we have the capacity to receive, retain, and apply the teachings of the gospel to our lives. he spoke about how while we're trying to achieve this purpose, that we are looking for answers to 4 temporal and spiritual questions:

1. education- which major should i choose? what's going to happen to me?
2. mission- will i serve a mission? how?
3. future employment- where will i work?
4. marriage- who is THE ONE?

he said that as we try to succeed in finding the answers to these questions, if we decide to consecrate our lives, time, choices, and ourselves to God and his purposes, and as we put God first in our lives, we will find success in ALL THINGS. also, that when we do God's will, agency is preserved, faith is increased, and we can receive promised blessings. he said that we must believe in Christ and NOT DOUBT him; that we must know the purpose of being a missionary and center our faith in Christ as we serve and teach; that we must ask the Lord to help us acquire knowledge, and we will be able to teach all nations and people; that we must keep our baptismal covenants and ACT on the truth we learn.

he spoke about how the greatest adventure is learning how the spirit speaks to us. and even when we learn, about how there is a difference between seeing and recognizing. he used the analogy of a blind child receiving their sight. if they see a cow and a horse, they can see them, but they won't know the difference until they LEARN to recognize the difference. that must be taught. just like that, we need to be taught by the holy ghost, and as we go through the process of feeling impressions, recording them, and responding to them, the holy ghost will DWELL in your heart and you'll receive the spirit of revelation.

he encouraged us to rely on our testimonies, to keep the desire to endure to the end, to share our christian identity with others, to serve the Lord and keep his commandments. he promised that as we try to do these things, we will learn the answers of the 4 questions of life. that we will be taught how to receive revelation and how to recognize impressions. and that we will be blessed in making the decisions of the future with success.

all of this was confirmation to my decision about my major. it's exciting and encouraging as i continue to learn how the spirit speaks to me! :)