The First Great Commandment

Today's blog post is brought to you by Sister-Dannika McBride, a former companion for whom I have only feelings of great love! While we were serving together she was asked to speak on a Talk by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland called the First Great Commandment. In it Elder Holland speaks about how Christ needs Disciples. Sister McBride shared this story from her own life that really touched my heart on how the discipleship of others really does make a difference in our lives, and with her permission I am sharing it with you. . .

"A few years ago, I turned away from the church. At the time I felt justified for what was a conscious decision. I blamed the imperfect people I found in the church, and felt as if expectations of my leaders for me to live up to my standards all the time was controlling and restrictive, but in reality, I had never developed more then a shallow testimony, so as soon as I went to college and was out of the influence of my parents, I simply left.

For a while I still believed in attending a church, it didn't necessarily mean the true church. I went once or twice to mass, and for a few weeks I thought I made quite a good baptist. But those never fulfilled me spiritually, and left them too. Eventually, I began to feel the wear and tear of every day life, stress and anxiety started eating at me, and as a result of my earlier choices, the gentle and

reassuring touch of Holy Ghost was no longer a regular and reassuring occurrence. This lack of the spirit affected me more deeply then I at first realized, and I began to be depressed. I began to wonder, if there was a God, how could he leave me so alone. It never occurred that I was the one who turned away from him. After a time I stopped believing in God all together. I don't want you to think that I was wildly different from now, but I had rejected anything that reminded me of God, and as a result I felt empty, unhappy, and my view had become more bitter.

 I would not be here today, or where I am in life if it wasn't for my mom, and a girl named Laura. Laura grew up a member, like I had, but unlike me she had developed her faith, and actively worked on growing her testimony. She was sweet, pure, and she shined with the light of Christ. She became my roommate for the second semester at college, and like any good future college roommate, she Facebook stalked me. Upon reviewing my status', she determined two things. I was not a member of the church, and, she thought I would make a great Mormon. With those two assumptions, she went forward in faith, and tried her hardest to convert me.

If you know me well, it shouldn't surprise you to know that I played along, and I didn't tell her I was already a member, if an inactive one. I let this tiny girl, pull me all over campus to various institute activities, missionary lessons, and even church a few times. I feel a bit sorry for those Elders now that I am in their position, I'm sure they thought I was a baptism ready to happen. Laura, in her pure and honest way softened my heart greatly, around her I felt the glow of the spirit once more. She wasn't even upset with me when I admitted that I was already a member. Instead, she seemed to consider me a great success story, and was proud to stand next to me as we told the missionaries.

    " well elders, we got her!"

 They were less pleased, but giving them a cake certainly helped erase ill feelings.

Without Laura's missionary efforts, I would never had been open to my mother as she approached me with the plea to read the Book of Mormon, and to pray. Without Laura and my mom, I would still be so very lost, and I will forever owe my life to their efforts.

As you spread the light and love of the gospel, It will fill your life and brighten your view, and it will help you to grow ever stronger in this faith. Not only that but you WILL feel the spirit more abundantly in your life, and never will you regret a life filled with the spirit of Christ."

I too know that one will NEVER regret a life filled with the spirit of Christ!

A Missing Phone

    The other day, my companion and I were walking to go visit someone, there weren't any parking spaces close to where we were going so we drove down the street a ways to park and walked the rest of the way. As we were walking we were talking to people and we came to a man that was rummaging through the trunk of his car. He had a bottle sticking out of his pocket, so to start a conversation I asked if he had a baby. He looked up and smiled and said he had a daughter.

  We started talking to him and found out he had lost his phone. We called it for him hoping we would be able to hear it and find it, or if it wasn't there that somebody would pick up and he could meet them to get it back, but we were disappointed on both accounts. We talked some more and got to know a little bit more about who he was and where he was from (somewhere in South America) and finally as we were about to leave I had the thought to call again. We did and this time someone answered...speaking Spanish! Since I know almost no Spanish beyond Hola and Burrito, I hurried and gave the phone to the man so he could talk to them and arrange to get his phone. When he finished the conversation he handed the phone back to us, thanked us and ran off to reclaim his lost cell-phone. Later he gave us a call to let us know he got it back and to thank us!


I was so happy that we could be a part of this small tender mercy from Heavenly Father. I know that God is watching out for all of us and that He even cares about the small things in our lives.

The Restoration

    "I saw a pillar of Light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other --

This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!"

Joseph Smith Jr.

I remember in the first area of my mission, my companion and I were invited to a lesson with another set of missionaries. It was a young woman and we were teaching the very first lesson we usually teach people, the restoration lesson. We started teaching her, telling her how God loves us, he wants us to be happy, he has given us families to learn and grow with, he has given us prophets to Guide and direct us. They point us to Christ and to teach us of His gospel. Even though people throughout all of history have rejected His prophets, He would always call another to set us back on the path to salvation through His Son. Then, He gave us His Son, Jesus Christ, who set the example for us and made possible our salvation through His atonement. After Christ died for us, Christ's chosen apostles, to whom He gave priesthood authority went forth and taught the Gospel, but they were rejected by the world at large...which plunged the world into a long period of apostasy, or a falling away from the fullness of Christ's teachings. Priesthood authority was lost and so were important truths, but just like the pattern of old, God reached out to his children in love and prepared the way for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be restored in its original form back to the earth. Inspired people realized that doctrine had changed or been corrupted and they tried to put it back, but none of them could. They didn't claim to be prophets, but they opened the way for religious tolerance and produced a climate so that we could again have the gospel restored to us.


As we were teaching it seemed as though the world went still, everything was quiet and the spirit entered into my heart. As we continued to teach I felt a peace and a calmness that was incredible. We started to share about the ending of this time of apostasy. In the 1820's in New York there was a young boy named Joseph Smith. He was a normal person just like you and me. He had some of the same questions that permeate our souls. What is the truth? How can I be saved? Which church is right for me? How do I receive a remission of my sins? Joseph sought answers to his questions, he attended different churches and read from the bible and he came to a verse in James. James 1:5 "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."


Joseph read this and he knew what he needed to do. He needed to pray. Early one spring morning he went to a grove of trees knelt down and began to offer up his first out-loud prayer. As he prayed he had the amazing experience related at the beginning of this post. He SAW God the Father and Jesus Christ our Savior! As we shared this with her the spirit became so strong, It was almost a tangible presence in the room. It was the strongest feeling I have ever felt and I knew without a doubt that this had actually happened! I know that the Spirit which guides us into all truth (John 16:13) could not lie to me. I knew that what I had just said was true. I know that Jesus Christ told Joseph Smith that none of the churches on the earth were His church, the way he had set it up, and that in time, with much preparation, the Fullness of Jesus Christ's Church and Gospel would be restored.


I know this to be true with all my heart. This morning I finished reading the Book of Mormon. I read it cover to cover, and while I have read it before, this time I read with the purpose of really coming to know that it is true. I know that the Book of Mormon was translated by the power of God, that Joseph Smith, highly uneducated man that he was, could not have written that book. A book that testifies of the Savior, of Christ's divinity and atonement, that teaches me that Christ not only suffered for my Sins but for all the things I go through. That helps me understand His grace. That answers the questions of my soul. He just couldn't have written it!


This morning I prayed and asked Heavenly Father if the book I had been reading is true and I feel in my heart that it is. I feel great peace and comfort saying that. I have had doubts, I have had questions, but I know it teaches true doctrine and because I know this from the fruits of the Spirit in my life. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is, just like the name says, Christ's Church.