Farewell Talk Take Two

Good morning my name is Meredith Jones but starting Wednesday I will be going as Sister Jones and serving in the Salt Lake City temple square mission. 

Temple square is easily one of the most unique missions so here are some fun facts: I had an extra week of historic site training in the mtc, it’s a sisters only mission, about 4 million people visit temple square each year, it’s the smallest mission geographically at 1 square mile, I’ll be living across the street from the conference center, we have 1 hour church every Sunday at 7:45 am, I will be the fourth Sister Jones in the mission at once, my P day switches every transfer, roughly 90 out of 150 sisters serving there are not from the US representing 39 Countries and 37 languages. 

I don’t know if many of you know this but I actually left on my mission in January only to return home two months later. 

Coming home from my mission was not an easy decision. I can genuinely say I’ve never been happier than I was on my mission. But the whole time I was out there I had feelings of guilt and remorse for past transgressions. It got to a point where the guilt was taking over all my thoughts and making it difficult to focus on missionary work. So, I humbled myself, took a leap of faith, and talked to my mission president. This ultimately resulted in me getting sent home to fully use the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Once I got home, I was heartbroken. I wasn’t a missionary, I could no longer spend time in the temple, and it felt like all my preparations to serve were going to waste. I had some of my lowest moments those first three months at home, but, as I turned to Christ and deeply studied the atonement, I felt peace. With time, prayer, fasting and help from priesthood leaders I was able to be forgiven and live in accordance with the covenants I have made. 

Throughout this whole experience I have been reminded of the story of the woman who got caught committing adultery. For those of you that aren’t familiar with the story. While Christ was doing his earthly ministry a crowd would often gather at the temple to hear him teach. One day as he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd and said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the sand with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone.” When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” She replied and said “no lord” And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

The woman was brought to Jesus, she may have been naked or barely clothed, being caught in the act. Surely, she felt naked as her sin was uncovered and bare for the world to see. Although my situation and choices were different I sat in front of the same God, having transgressed and feeling exposed. Similar to the woman; a Savior was provided, love was extended, and I was able to come closer to Christ. Forgiven instead of condemned, saved instead of stoned, exposed yet covered in grace. Just like the woman picked herself up and changed her habits, so have I, turning over a new leaf without forgetting what I learned from the last one.

On temple square we have a few regulars that we see at least 3 times a week. There was a sweet older man named Bob who would come to temple square everyday no matter what even if it was just for five minutes. He had some disabilities resulting in him being in a wheelchair and having some major speech delays. I’ve talked with Bob on many occasions while crossing paths on Temple Square. One slow day while me and my companion were walking around the Seagull Monument we saw Bob wheel in. My companion and I kinda gave each other a look of disappointment but continued to walk up to him as he greeted us with his usual enthusiastic “aloha.” We asked why he was there that day. After a short pause, he shook his finger at us and in his broken, guttural, almost indiscernible speech said, “you know I’ve asked myself that many times. God why am I here? I can’t walk, I can’t talk, I can’t work, people don’t understand me. God why am I here?” Then while he was struggling to speak, whipping his drool from his chin, he said only one word “experience.” Bob unexpectedly taught me this valuable lesson with his wisdom and understanding.

Many times like Bob, I have wondered what I am doing here. A great example of this is Enoch. At the time of Enoch’s call to serve, he became acutely aware of his personal inadequacies and limitations. I suspect all of us at one time or another in our church service have felt much like Enoch. But I believe the Lord’s response to Enoch’s pleading question is instructive and applies to each of us today. “And the Lord said unto Enoch: go forth and do as I have commanded thee, and no man shall pierce thee. Open thy mouth, and it shall be filled, and I will give thee utterance… behold my spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me.” Enoch ultimately became a mighty prophet and a tool in God’s hands to accomplish a great work, but he did not start his ministry that way. Rather, his capacity overtime was magnified as he learned to abide in and walk with the Son of God. 

In order to walk with the Lord we have to strive to have faith, integrity, humility, be righteous and commit to the Lord. At times this seems like too much to handle along with the demands of normal life. Something I have come to realize is that if you have integrity and keep promises you have made with the Lord everything else will fall into place. 

As members of the church we covenant at baptism to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ. Like those baptized at the Waters of Mormon, we covenant to become His people, “to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; … to mourn with those that mourn; … comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places.” Our ministering one to another in the Church reflects our commitment to honor those very promises.

When we partake of the sacrament, we renew that covenant to take upon us His name and make additional promises to improve. Our daily thoughts and actions, both large and small, reflect our commitment to Him. His sacred promise in return is “If ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.”

But do we always stand by our promises and covenants or are they sometimes half hearted commitments, casually made and easily broken. When we say to someone, “I will pray for you,” do we? When we commit, “I will be there to help,” will we? When we raise our hands to sustain a fellow member in a new calling, which means to always give support, do we? 

Elder Rasband shared a story about how one night as a youth his mother sat with him and spoke of the importance of living the word of wisdom. His mom said, “I know from the experiences of others, from years ago, the loss of spirituality and sensitivity that comes from not following the Word of Wisdom.” She looked right into his eyes, and said  “Promise me, Ronnie, today, that you will always live the Word of Wisdom.” That night he made that promise to her, and has held to it all these years.

That commitment served him well when he was in his youth and in later years when in business circles where substances flowed freely. Elder Rasband made a decision in advance to follow God’s laws, and never had to revisit it. The Lord has said, “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.” 

I know that Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. His Atonement is infinite and perfect and has helped me endure my greatest trials and has enabled me to feel my greatest joys. I am filled with so much joy knowing that I get to go serve the Lord and the people of Salt Lake with my whole heart. There is no doubt in my mind that the Lord knows each of us and longs for us to come unto Him. Throughout my life, I have felt that I am not alone and that I am loved perfectly by my Father in Heaven. The knowledge of my divine identity as a daughter of God is so sacred to me. All my confidence, light, hope, optimism, and strength comes from that knowledge and from Christ's infinite Atonement. 

I just love this gospel! There is no way for me to fully and properly express my testimony here but I hope to more fully bear it through my missionary service and throughout my whole life. I am giving it all to Him even though it will not be easy. I am so grateful for the opportunity to glorify God through my mission. I know the joy that comes from the gospel and I hope to share it with all who will listen. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen