Homecoming Talk

Christ, Covenants, Confidence, & Charity • CHRIST - He became REAL to me. (Saw His hand in everything, GOJC can be found everywhere, He is the center and the focus) - “That night in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus became you, He became me too. And he became every single one of us. He experienced every single terrible moment of our lives. That night He went through the agony of chemo therapy. That night He was a victim of assault. That night He was kicked out of the house. That night He did not know how He was going to feed His family. That night He overdosed. That night He battled with depression and anxiety. That night He lost a child. That night He lost a parent. That night He felt hopeless, He felt terrified, and He felt abandoned by His God. Whatever you have felt, He felt it too. He felt all the anger, pain, sadness, and loneliness that you have ever felt. He knows everything you have done and everything anyone has ever done to you. He knows you perfectly, and He still loves you. He loves you more than you can imagine even when you don’t love yourself, especially when you don’t love yourself He still loves you. His love never changes or fades away, just as your worth will never change or fade away. You are a literal child of Heavenly Parents. The King and Queen of the universe, that makes you precious. Your worth is infinite.” -Unknown - “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” (John 15:11-14) - Because He loves us, He gives us… • COVENANTS - What are covenants? - Why do we need covenants? - Transactional VS Transformational Obedience (Love for God) - Sport Analogy (God=Coach, Christ=Team Captain, Team=Members, Playbook=Scriptures, Rules/Commitments= Covenants) - We only bench ourselves -Sister Gallacher - Found so much joy in keeping covenants - I was able to see myself as God does and found who I am.. • CONFIDENCE - True confidence only comes through Christ. - “The result of this sacred journey is that we obtain a holier and higher confidence for our day-to-day lives within our covenants made through Jesus Christ. Such confidence is the pinnacle of our divine connection with God and can help us increase our devotion to and gratitude for Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice. It fortifies our ability to love and serve others, and it strengthens our souls to live in an unholy world that is increasingly dark and discouraging. It empowers us to overcome the seeds of doubt and despair, fear and frustration, heartache and hopelessness that the enemy tries to drive deep into our hearts, especially when life is hard, trials are long, or circumstances are difficult.” - Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ, Elder Ulisses Soares - Grew confidence through daily scripture study - Grew confidence through daily prayer - This confidence led me to see others the way God does and I want them to have this confidence… • CHARITY - When I think of charity, I think of Companions, President and Sister Gallacher, Senior Couples, other Missionaries, so many Members, people I met while finding. (Café Friends, Dennis, Yvonne, Shepherds, Seren) - 2 Nephi 26:30- “Wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish.” Conclusion: - It was always my dream to serve a mission, but I found what my real dream was. - I have changed from I believe to I know. - Acts 23:11- “And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.” - And the night following the Lord stood by me, and said, Be of good cheer, Natalie: for as thou hast testified of me in the UK, so must thou bear witness also at home. AMEN