Called to Serve Him: Letter #52

This week, I could tell you all the things that happened and what not, but I really feel like I just want to talk about one thing that has been on my mind and that happened this week. This week, I found out that a less-active from the ward in Feucht, Brother Miller, has passed away. He was from America and had lived here in Germany for about 25 years. I was down-trodden. I was devastated. Even as I write this email, it is very hard for me.

The night that I found out about what happened, as I needed comfort, I naturally turned to my Heavenly Father and asked Him what I was doing. Did this really matter? Was his wife ok? I felt like my work, was in vain. Honestly. He never ended up coming to church, and I felt like he was in the same situation as when I found him. But, then I turned to the scriptures. I flipped to Alma 34, and started reading. Amulek, after Alma had finished preaching, stands up and starts proclaiming about the Messiah and how through Him and His Atonement, we can be saved. One thing that stuck out to me, was when he says: "And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name." I know that to be true. Honestly, I know if I hadn't met with Brother Miller almost every Saturday, fixed practically everything in his house, tried out new tools, had a new project every time, called him on his birthday, had his classic pancakes with cinnamon and peanut butter, hadn't given my testimony and my love for him and his wife and the gospel, I know that he wouldn't have accepted Christ again in the afterlife. But I KNOW people. When we believe on CHRIST, we will be saved. This life is too short to just go through it and feel like, I am doing okay. It doesn't matter too much if I do this. Or, I know I should be doing this. But, this makes me personally feel better... NO. We are all sons and daughters of God. WE are given and chosen, by God, to live His PERFECT Plan of Happiness. We will have hard times, we will have questions, and our faith will hit rock bottom some days. BUT WE WILL NOT SHRINK. I know that through the Gospel and the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can and will be saved. But, the time is NOW. We need to do something on our part. Give it our all. Don't hold back. WE are the deciders of how ready we want to be to receive our Lord after this life. And just as much as we should care about what we are doing, that means we need to look out for each other. There is not enough time in this world to tear each other down, to judge, to justify it and walk around with pride. CHOOSE NOW who you will serve. Christ paid the price, so we could live, so we could be given that chance. Don't mess up that chance. Don't let others miss this chance either. My desire for these people in Germany, and everyone else, is to come again to our Heavenly Father. We are ALL children of God. We ALL deserve to live with Him again. This is my testimony, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder Mayne