Monday, March 21, 2011
Friday, October 15, 2010
Brother Filiatreault's Missionary Experience
I had a pleasant experience joining the missionaries with an investigator last Friday after work. The investigator is an international student from India and he showed an awesome eagerness to learn about the Gospel. He reminded me of myself when I came to Gallaudet University in 2005 from Canada, and how wonderful it was to learn the truths taught by the missionaries.
It is always a nice feeling when you see someone genuinely interested in learning more. It helps you remember the joys of the Gospel, brings back memories of your conversion process, and the powerful feelings of love from your Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, as you go through a spiritual transformation and move closer to Them.
I'm ever so grateful for Prophet Joseph Smith, who endured much persecution and many obstacles, and yet accomplished mighty miracles. One such miracle was restoring Christ's true church to the Earth, and by doing so, restoring the Priesthood so we may perform blessings and ordinances with full authority from God, and also build and dedicate Temples to redeem our ancestors and be sealed to our families for all time and eternity.
And, of course, none of this would be possible without God's Plan of Salvation for all of us, which includes Christ's Atonement and Resurrection. I'm ever so grateful for that as well.
I testify that if ye seek the truth, ye shall find it in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and that ye shall know this by a warm, burning feeling in your heart, which cannot be denied nor mistaken for something else. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
-Paul
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Never to Young to be a Missionary
Friday, June 25, 2010
Parable of the Pearl - From President Kendrick
He went to a jewelry maker and asked him to make a box to put the pearl in, where it could be displayed for people to come and see it. The jeweler did so. The box was of dark walnut wood with jewels and gold inlaid on the sides and lid. The inside was lined with dark velvet and the pearl was placed in the center.
The man was very pleased and took the box, with the pearl, and put it on display for all the world to see. People came from far and wide to view the pearl. As people passed by, the man grew more and more sad. The comments of the people were about the beauty of the box, rather than magnificent pearl inside. They were coming from far away and then not even recognizing the true beauty and value of the pearl because of the box. The man was so sad that he closed the exhibit and the pearl, with the box, were taken away.
What does this parable mean to you? How can it be applied to the gospel, the church, our lives? Please come to the blog and leave your comments.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Missionary Experience from Brother Forkner
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Missionary Moment from Brother Filiatreault
Guess what I did Friday night!?
I went with the missionaries to share the Gospel at a new investigator's home with her two young children. We showed up on time for the appointment, and the investigator was just leaving out the door! She had forgotten about the appointment! If we had been a minute late, we would have missed them! Later, at the end of the meeting, she told us that they were supposed to leave at 6, but her oldest daughter was napping and she said that God told her not to go.
Cool.
We shared the story of the First Vision, and it's interesting that the thing she was astonished about was that God the Father and Jesus the Christ are two separate persons (with another separate, but invisible Holy Ghost), not three-in-one (Trinity). I reminded her of an important scene in Jesus Christ's life the night before the Crucifixion, where He prays in the Garden of Gethsemane, and asks the Father to remove the cup so He wouldn't have to go through with it (Matthew 26:39). I asked her whether He was praying to Himself? She was intrigued, pondered the question, and said she would ask the pastor at her current church about it.
The Elders gave her a Book of Mormon and assigned her to read 3 Nephi 11 where Jesus Christ visited the Americas after the Resurrection. She said she would definitely read it, and that she's looking forward to the next meeting.
Brothers and sisters, I had an uplifting time helping the missionaries teach this beautiful daughter of God. I felt the Spirit more than once throughout and continued to feel good even afterwards. I testify that the Lord wants us to have missionary experiences, to help teach investigators with the Elders, and to partake of the blessings associated with this work. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is led by the living Savior and that He, with our Heavenly Father and the Holy Ghost, work together in one purpose to carry out the Plan of Salvation, to bring us back home. I also know that Christ will come again soon and that that day will be a joyous day. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Brother Filiatreault