Time

SAN DIEGO — I only have about ten minutes to write this week. I am so sorry, I just ran out of time. It's funny that it happened because what I have been pondering lately is time. What precious moments these are.

There is a quote Sister Jarrett showed me from Elder Ardern's talk from a previous conference:

"Time is never for sale; time is a commodity that cannot, try as you may, be bought at any store for any price. Yet when time is wisely used, its value is immeasurable. On any given day we are all allocated, without cost, the same number of minutes and hours to use, and we soon learn, as the familiar hymn so carefully teaches, “Time flies on wings of lightning; we cannot call it back” (“Improve the Shining Moments,” Hymns, no. 226). What time we have we must use wisely. President Brigham Young said, “We are all indebted to God for the ability to use time to advantage, and he will require of us a strict account of [its] disposition”

"With the demands made of us, we must learn to prioritize our choices to match our goals or risk being exposed to the winds of procrastination and being blown from one time-wasting activity to another...

"... The poor use of time is a close cousin of idleness. As we follow the command to “cease to be idle” (D&C 88:124), we must be sure that being busy also equates to being productive. For example, it is wonderful to have the means of instant communication quite literally at our fingertips, but let us be sure that we do not become compulsive fingertip communicators. I sense that some are trapped in a new time-consuming addiction—one that enslaves us to be constantly checking and sending social messages and thus giving the false impression of being busy and productive.

"Satan will tempt us to misuse our time through disguised distractions... As many have already discovered, there is an increase of happiness in life as we use our time to seek after those things which are “virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy

"I know our greatest happiness comes as we tune in to the Lord (see Alma 37:37) and to those things which bring a lasting reward, rather than mindlessly tuning in to countless hours of status updates, Internet farming, and catapulting angry birds at concrete walls. I urge each of us to take those things which rob us of precious time and determine to be their master, rather than allowing them through their addictive nature to be the master of us.

Alma spoke of priorities when he taught that “this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God” (Alma 12:24)...  I testify that when help is prayerfully and sincerely sought, our Heavenly Father will help us to give emphasis to that which deserves our time above something else... 

To have the peace the Savior speaks of (see John 14:27), we must devote our time to the things that matter most, and the things of God matter most. As we engage with God in sincere prayer, read and study each day from the scriptures, ponder on what we have read and felt, and then apply and live the lessons learned, we draw nearer to Him. God’s promise is that... “[He] shall give unto [us] knowledge by his Holy Spirit”

I testify that there are great rewards for those who take time in mortality to prepare for immortality and eternal life.

A few days ago, I calculated out how much time I really get to teach each day until the end of my mission. When you take out time for sleep, eating, study, and don’t count the tours at the Mormon Battalion, the precious time left of my mission adds up to about ten days. Elder Zwick talked about how we as missionaries are to live the law of consecration, it is by the "perfect use of time". I think that statement applies not only to my life, but also to our lives.

We have been trying to do that this week — using our time perfectly. We have been more organized, more on time, and more planned out. What I have learned is that when I make an effort to perfectly use His time, He allows me to be part of His perfect timing. I have made a goal to do what President Monson asked. The other day we were driving (I was lost, of course), and we saw a girl walking alongside the road. I had this feeling to pull over. 

"Why?" I asked myself. 

We have to get to these people's house, I’m going to scare this girl half to death, and I’m not exactly sure what my companion will think. But my spirit thought, "No, you do it and you do it NOW," so we pulled over, and talked to Gemma (pronounced hemma). We testified boldly of the Restoration and of Prophets. She was astonished, and wanted to know more. That is God's timing.

God will use every second of your time, it just depends on how much you give him. Do you give him an hour? 20 minutes? 30 seconds?

Time is precious. Time is easily wasted. And time is something we will be held accountable to God when the day comes that we are reunited with Father.

I have felt and seen the joy that comes from giving your life to Heavenly Father. We are missionaries now and forever. You can’t turn back. You are and always will be disciples of Jesus Christ. I hope you do what I did. Calculate how much time you are using during the day. I think you will be surprised how much time you have. What will you use it for?

Prayer — and Salvation — don't come cheap

SAN DIEGO — Sister Miller is a hoot and a half. She is so great. We are definitely learning lots. I’m so glad she is patient with me. I’ve had my fair share of mess-ups as a trainer, but we just pick up the pieces, move on, and do it better the next time. I guess that’s good practice as a parent.

She makes me laugh all the time. I can’t remember all the funny things she’s done this week, but just the other day we were gassing up the car. It was on her side, so I had her do it. She got back in and we started driving up the freeway, all of the sudden I hear, "clunk, clunk, clunk." I look over at her and she has the biggest, widest eyes looking back at me. She forgot to put the gas cap back on!!!! Silly sister, I love her!

We are seeing a lot of success in the Helix Ward. I think I told you about adding some investigators (FINALLY) last week. Casey is one that we added. He has been taught many times before, but it just hasn’t clicked with him. We had a lesson with him at the church this week. We were able to teach him the simple doctrine that God is literally his father and that He wants Casey to build a relationship with Him through prayer, reading the Book of Mormon and coming to church. The Spirit was so strong.

There are moments as a missionary when you know you have completely given in to the Spirit and what he wants. Unfortunately as humans, often, we only partially give in, but when we fully surrender to heaven, the miracles easily slide right down from the heavens, and that power is manifested clearly and profoundly. We had one of those moments sitting in the lobby of the church with Casey. We committed him to be baptized, and he said yes for September 8th. I know there is a lot going against him, but he can do this, so keep him in your prayers!!

Speaking of prayer, Sister Miller and I were able to go to the Young Single Adult conference on Sunday for church. It was such a great sacrament meeting. Elder Haney, and a member of one of the YSA wards spoke on prayer. They read out of the Bible Dictionary about prayer, and it really touched my heart.

"The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but are conditional on our asking for them... We pray in Christ's name when our mind is the mind of Christ, and our wishes the wishes of Christ. We then ask for things it is possible to grant"

I have a huge testimony of prayer, but sometimes I think I have forgotten that I need to ask what is the right question to ask. I need to try to place myself in Christ’s shoes and make his will my will, and his wishes my wishes. I have a testimony that those kinds of prayers, sincere hard work, thought out prayers bring forth miracles. God does hear and answer us!

One last thing I want to tell you about before I go was about our goodbye party last night. Can you believe another transfer has ended? We all get together at the Battalion and the sisters leaving share their testimonies. Sisters Burden, Young, Nelson and Elder and Sister Stallings shared theirs. The Spirit was so strong, and I was so grateful to have served with these wonderful Disciples of Christ. Sister Young shared an experience she remembered with Elder Zwick, who said, 

"Don’t you dare be afraid of the hard things in life. Don’t take the road most traveled or the road of least resistance. There is more joy that comes from facing challenges and trials with faith."

I believe that with all my heart. Salvation is not a cheap experience. It wasn’t for Christ. Why would it be for us? Don’t be scared of the hard stuff! It will only make you stronger. 

I know Satan wants us to be afraid, but why should we be afraid? Christ has already paid the price. He has already helped us gain exaltation, we only need to live with faith, repent, keep our covenants, and endure to the end.

I guess my thought to you all today is to go forward with faith. Christ can heal you. He has healed me and continues to everyday.

Revelation, Sacrifice, and Miracles

SAN DIEGO — It was so great to talk to you on Sunday! First things first:

Grandpa Morgan: Just in case I don't get a letter written, THANK YOU for painting that picture for me. I cried a whole bunch when you told me. It means the world to me. I can’t wait to see it!

Everyone else, thank you for the birthday wishes, the cards. It was a great day!

I feel like I should start off with a good laugh first. Do you remember me telling you about TIWI? It’s the company that monitors our driving: how fast we are going, how hard we stop and whatnot. We have a little box in our car that warns us when we do something wrong. For instance, "Speeding violation" or "Aggressive driving".

Sister Kennington was leaving a message with the counselor to our mission president and I was changing lanes, and missed in my blind spot a car that was coming, so I slammed on my brakes, but was in the middle of both lanes so I had to get over and the car in back of me was not going to let me. While Sister Kennington is leaving the message, she yells, "the car is still coming!" and then I yell back, "Well, that car is an idiot (yes, I should have kept my temper, I know) and then all of a sudden, the TIWI box talks in its computer voice, "Aggressive driving!" Sister Kennington then realizes that all of this was on the message to President Hunt. We look at each other, down at the phone and bust up laughing as she finishes the message, knowing full well that President Hunt heard the whole thing. OOOPS!

I shared this experience with a few of you, but since Dad, Sara and any others reading this did not hear, I thought I would share it with you again. Sister Kennington and I were having a pretty rough day the other day, and were pretty low when we went to the temple for our temple shift.

I noticed a member standing out front (he was dressed in a shirt and tie) and went up to talk to him. He kept asking me questions like, "How many sisters serve per shift, what are zones like, how do zone conferences work" etc. I asked how he knew so much about missionaries and he explained that he was just released as a mission president in Ohio. We were so excited to talk to him, and asked what advice he had for us.

It was so cool to see how much that question meant to him. He pondered for a minute and looked at us, and said, "Sisters, that is a great question. Let me ask you something: If you could pick one lesson that you have learned from your mission, what would it be?"

Sister Kennington explained that she has learned the "Why" of the Gospel —why we do what we do. I honestly have learned so many things so fast, it is hard to grasp everything. But one of the biggest lessons I have learned is the eternal perspective of missionary work. After we explained, he looked at us, pointed each hand at Sister Kennington and I and said, "Sisters, my advice to you is when this part of your mission is over, is to teach these lessons you have learned to your husband and your children."

It hit me that what I am learning is not for myself. It is for those around me. I know that each of you have lessons you are learning from Heavenly Father as well. Are you sharing those lessons with your children? Your friends? Your family?

I feel that before I leave, I need to share 2 more things that I have learned this week with you.

I want to talk to you about what I learned from Elder Zwick about what he calls the "cycle of spirituality"

In D&C 132:50 it says,

"Behold I have seen your sacrifices and will forgive all your sins... Thus sacrifice brings forth a remission of sins."

In Moroni 8:26,  Moroni explains, 

"And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart. And because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the spirit."

In summary, if you want the Spirit, it requires a sacrifice on our part. King Lamoni's father was willing to give all he had to know God. What are you willing to give?

We had Zone Leader Council this week, and each of us went around and shared miracles in our areas. The scripture came to mind, "has the day of miracles ceased"? I add my testimony to Moroni that indeed they have not. Here is a testimony that miracles still happen every day.

One set of Elders walked up to the church and there was a note on the door that this woman wanted to learn more about the Church and to give please call her and teach her more.

Another set of Elders were teaching a man from Peru. As they were in one of the first lessons, he told the Elders to hold on, he called his family in Peru, and asked if they wanted to hear more. They enthusiastically said yes, and the Elders arranged for other missionaries in Peru to teach them.

Other missionaries were outside church talking to a woman and saw a man walk by. They felt the urge to talk to him. He explained that he always wanted to go in, but every time he knocked on the door, no one was there.

A friend gave a man at the marine base a Book of Mormon a long time ago. When he got to base, the only church he knew was "Mormons" he went to church, started reading and wanted to be baptized. That same friend is serving a mission just above us and was given permission to baptize him.

Have miracles ceased? I think NOT! Look for them where you are, if ye seek, ye shall find.

Imperfection, Action, and the Great and Spacious Building

SAN DIEGO – Heavenly Father has really decided to push and pull me around a little bit —and it is definitely working. I want to share with you some things today, some lessons I have learned: some experiences that have humbled me, and some moments that have strengthened my faith. It's a lot, so please bear with me.

Before I start, I want to tell you what I used to think of when I heard the word "missionary". I thought of a guy dressed in black pants, a white shirt, name tag on shirt, scriptures in hand ready to conquer the world. I thought they could do no wrong, they knew every answer, they never had a hard time, they never messed up. You can see that my understanding of what it means to be a missionary was very skewed.

I want to open up my life as a missionary and let you see that though I do have a black name tag on my shirt, I am imperfect: I mess up, and life is HARD for me many times. I cried myself to sleep last night; this week has been so hard. I am not telling you this to get your pity or sympathy. I am sharing this because I want you to know that I am just like you. And just like you, there are lessons that I need to learn to be a better daughter of God.

I hope that as I write by the Spirit and you read by the Spirit, that my experiences this week can help you learn something that God needs you to learn to reach your full potential as well.

First, let me share with you some lessons I learned:

Elder Zwick, if you remember, toured our mission a few months ago. This past month, he was touring Samoa, Tahiti, and other islands in the South Pacific. On his way back, he stopped once again in San Diego and wanted to take his family through the tour with some other close friends. He asked if he could have a fireside with the sisters at the Battalion. I want to share with you a story. I only have time for one, but maybe next week.

This story actually comes from Sister Zwick. She told us a story about her son Scotty, who is in his thirties and has some mental disabilities and thus lives in a group home in Orem while they travel around the world.

The temple President in Portland are the Zwick's good family friends. The president shared an email with Sister Zwick that his son had emailed to him. His son had been having a really hard time with his family and other things. He was really feeling low. But he was really excited for General Conference that was coming up, and he was praying and praying and praying that something one of the General Authorities would say would answer the questions of his soul.

Session after session ended and by the time the closing prayer was ended, he felt dejected and that God had not heard his pleas. Just at that moment his cell phone rang and the caller ID said, "Scott Zwick". Brandon wasn’t going to answer it, because phone calls with Scotty are often full of questions and last a really long time, and quite frankly, Brandon felt that he wasn’t in the mood, but something made him answer the phone. He heard Scotty's voice on the phone and he said, "Brandon, I just wanted to call you and tell you that Jesus loves you and I love you too." Brandon explained, that at that moment, he knew that God had heard him and did know who he was.

And all that he needed to know was that he was loved, by a Father in Heaven and by His Son, Jesus Christ.

Do you see what I mean when I tell you that what you do makes a difference! Listen to the Spirit when he urges you to do something. If you don’t act, God will use someone else to do his will, and what a shame it would be to not be trusted by God enough to follow out His will.

Second, Let me share with you an experience that humbled me. I think I will write this out of my journal because I really don’t want to retell it- I hate messing up!

May 3, 2012

"Today was really hard. We had our weekly training meeting where we train the sisters at the Battalion. Sister Kennington and I did the training and then separated to practice with the sisters. When we came back, my group was a little late, so they were already talking. I asked if my group could hear what was said. We went on with training, but I could tell something was hurting my companion. I looked at her and my heart sank. 

I knew that I had acted out of harmony with Jesus Christ, for I had caused her hurt. We talked and I came to the realization that I had made her feel that I didn’t trust her to wait for all of us to get back into the room and I didn’t work with her in unity. I have been trying so hard to be better at allowing others to lead, but I think the harder and harder I try, the more and more I seem to mess up. 

It is really hard for me to allow others to lead. It's a weakness I know I need to get over to become a true disciple of Christ. It may seem like a little thing that happened today, but I realize that if my companion felt badly about it, then it matters a lot. She is so gracious and so patient with me, something I admire in her a lot. I think this experience opened my eyes to how much Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ care. This little things that we do matter. The little ways we mess up, and then become better are a big deal. We don’t live life by the year; we live it by the hour, by the minute, by the second. It is day by day that we become who we are meant to become....."

Finally, I have one more experience I want to share, a moment that has strengthened my faith. Cinco de Mayo in Old Town is CRAZY. I mean ridiculous. Sister Kennington and I were at the temple in the morning and then on shift at the Battalion at night. A drive from the temple that usually takes about 10-15 minutes took us just over an hour.

We were driving bumper to bumper trying to get to our apartment, which gave us plenty of time to watch what was going on around us. It hurt my heart to watch how past feeling all of these people were. Alcohol, tobacco, loud, offensive music, inappropriate dancing and actions, immodesty (bad, I mean real bad). It was like a movie, driving through a sea of people who weren’t real, they were literally like zombies.

Later, Elder Seegmiller shared with us his experience with being down in the middle of it at the booth. He told the sisters there to watch him. He walked into the middle of the swarm of people making their way to who knows where and he would wave right in front of their face. None of them acknowledged him. None of them knew he was there. He related it to the great and spacious building. My heart started pounding as I heard that. The Spirit was teaching me that this experience was exactly that. My faith was strengthened by seeing how real Satan is, and how real the Savior and His Atonement are.

I am out of time, but I hope these lessons I learned have strengthened and helped you. In summary, help others, be humble, and go forward with faith.

Apostolic insights and lessons in leading

SAN DIEGO — I sure hope you are doing well. I pray for you all the time, I hope you know that. For some reason, It has sure hit me harder than usual how much I love and miss you! It sounds like you had a great General Conference. I hope your Easter is great too!

This week has been a crazy one! We were super busy with General Conference and we also had MTE (missionary training event) this week as well. I feel like I have been soaked with doctrine, now I just have to keep it all in!

As part of MTE, they always have either a health training or safety training, and this time it was a car safety training on what is called "TIWI". The Church is launching a new program to keep the missionaries better obeying traffic laws, so we now have GPS tracking devices in all the cars and we have to log in to them every day. If we speed, stop or start too fast, or anything like that it gives us a mark on our record and the GPS talks to us and tells us to stop. We have to keep in the "green zone" in order to be able to have driving privileges. Crazy huh?

It sounds like everyone loved Conference. I did as well. Some of it got interrupted having to take a tour, so I will have to watch it again later or wait for it to come out in the Ensign. Do you remember Elder Perry's talk? About Scott giving him a new tie each conference and about how bold he was in talking about the Book of Mormon? Scottie is Elder Zwick's son. The one who said one of the prayers in conference and who came to our mission to inspect it the other month. The one who we had an interview with.

I don't remember if I told you about Scottie, Elder Zwick's son, so I want to share a story that he and Sister Zwick told us about him and why he was on the plane that day, talking to the man about the Book of Mormon. Because Scott has a mental disability, he was unable to serve a mission. But when his little brother decided to serve, he promised Scottie that he would serve his mission for the both of them. So every week Scott would get word of what his brother was doing in their mission together.

At one point during that time, I think it was something like Elder Zwick had to do on another mission tour close to where his son was serving, and he asked the mission president of his son if they could visit or something. The mission president replied, "You can only come on one condition. If you bring Scottie. The whole mission has heard everything about Scottie from your son, and I want him to come serve with his brother for a week." 

Scott, in Elder Perry's talk, was already being a missionary on that plane, and continued to serve side by side with his brother as a full time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for that week. I just love that story so much! I'm not sure I got it exactly right, but super close.

About what else is going on: we are still working with our investigators, and they are slowly but surely moving forward.

I also wanted to leave you with something that has been on my mind lately. As this transfer draws closer to an end, I will most likely be transferred, and it will most likely be time for someone else to take the role of being the sister trainer at the Battalion. I have been looking back and asking myself what I could have done differently. I want to share a learning experience I had this week, as being a "coach" during MTE for some of the sisters.

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March 29, 2012

Today, I coached two of the sisters. It was a very good learning experience for me. As a coach, I sit on the sidelines as the sisters teach and afterward, guide them to focus on what we learned at MTE to incorporate it into their teaching. We had lessons that went pretty well.

The sisters are amazing at asking everyone for referrals. We had a dinner appointment with Wilbur and Edna, Wilbur is a non-member married to an active member, but he goes to Church with her every Sunday. Long story short: it was a pretty rough lesson, of which I shouldn't have talked, but I did- first lesson learned once again about being a leader: LET PEOPLE LEAD!

We had a tense few minutes in the car on the way to our next appointment. One of the sisters was crying along the way, and I started feeling a sense of despair and not knowing how to help the situation. To make matters worse, because we left Wilbur's late, we missed the next investigator for our next appointment, so tension was really high. Second lesson learned tonight: don't try to fix the problem when the environment is not right for the Spirit to be present!

I decided we needed to pray. I asked if I could say a prayer. I desperately begged Heavenly Father to send the Holy Ghost to guide us and help us know where we needed to be. It was so great to feel the Spirit once again with us, and I felt instantly that whatever happened next would be okay. We went to one of the backups they had, which happened to be a 14-year-old girl (whose parents they were trying to contact). As I sat on the sidelines and watched the sisters teach this girl about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I was hit harder than I ever had that this little girl was God's daughter. I walked away from the lesson, with a sure knowledge in my heart that God does know and He does care. 3rd lesson learned: I cannot lead without the Holy Ghost as a constant companion.

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I share this with you because each of us are leaders. Each of us are most definitely inadequate. If you think you are up to par, think again. God needs us to lead, and we must lead according to God's will, not our own. What you do makes a difference: how you interact, what you say, how you teach.

The missionary handbook teaches that we must minister to those around us. There is a difference between administering and ministering. To minister is to encourage, lift, inspire and bless. Administering is accomplishing the tasks to get something done. What kind of leader are you in your homes? at school? at work?

I feel like leaving you with an invitation from our Savior Jesus Christ: "What manner of men ought ye to be? Even as I am."

Preparedness, prayer, and the Ten Virgins

SAN DIEGO —I am kind of scatter brained right now. This morning Sis Kennington and I were at Zone Leader Council with Elder Zwick from the Seventy. He is touring our mission this week, and President Clayton picked Sister Kennington and I as the missionaries he interviewed afterward. I have a lot of thoughts and stories I want to share with you from the Past 2 days he has been touring the mission. Here is an excerpt from my journal about what happened yesterday-

February 20, 2012

Sister Kennington was starting a tour tonight. We were just about to start when I looked up, I being the one who was facing the front door, and saw our director, Elder Seegmiller, running up the stairs with the most frantic face I have ever seen. It was as though he had just seen a ghost or something. He waved me to come out of the tour with the frantic look on his face intensifying.

I am not one to get nervous, but seeing that look on his face, I have to admit, my heart started racing a little bit. Elder Seegmiller explained to me that he had woken up from his regular "p-day nap" to a voice mail from President Clayton explaining that they would be arriving at the Battalion any minute to inspect the sisters apartments (Mind you, they had told us they would be inspecting our apartments, but they told us it would not be until Friday this week). He asked for all the sisters' spare keys, and then disappeared to go meet President and Elder Zwick. News spreads fast at the Battalion, and I quietly watched as sisters became aware that their apartments may be inspected. Some of their faces showed their anxiety. I swear I could even see a green tint a few of them.

Are you as ready as you could be? (Matt 25:1-13)

One of the sisters voiced how unfair it was that he was coming today instead of Friday because they hadn't been able to prepare. I have to admit, I got a little anxious as I reviewed in my mind how our apartment had looked as we left it that morning. Thankfully, I had full confidence that it was clean enough, as Sister Kennington and I always have things picked up and cleaned.

I was thinking about that this morning as I was reading in the Doctrine and Covenants 33:16-17

"And the Book of Mormon and the holy scriptures are given for your instruction; and the power of my spirit quickeneth all things. Wherefore, be faithful, praying always, having your lamps trimmed and burning and oil with you that you may be ready at the coming of the Bridegroom. For behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, that I come quickly."

It was a wake-up call this morning as I thought of what happened with the apartment checks. As I was reading this scripture, I imagined President Monson announcing to the world: Christ is coming, He will visit the earth tonight, and judge every one according to their works.

I wonder what the world would do? Would some complain of the unfairness that Christ did not give them enough notice? Would some be anxious and green in the face at the prospect of the Savior inspecting their thoughts? Their actions? Would some run around frantically trying to fix things they would have done differently? Would we spend more time with our families? Would we read from the scriptures? Would we treasure the opportunity to repent? I hope and pray that we all would be able to take a minute to reflect on our lives and feel a sense of relief that we had done all we could do.

I want to share one more thing that Elder Zwick shared with Sister Kennington and I. We were able to have an interview with him. After the interview, he let us ask him any question. I asked him what is one thing that he has learned now that he wished he would have known when he was my age. He told us he wished he would have understood the power of prayer.


He then told us a story of when President Packer was younger, there was a huge flood that was destroying his property. President Packer called up Elder Zwick (before he was a general authority) and asked if he could bring some machinery over to help save the property and a bridge he and his sons had built. Elder Zwick went right over. As others were trying to save the bridge, Pres Packer drove he and Elder Zwick up a hill where there was a pond and some trees. President Packer told him that this is the place where he came many times to pray. He asked Elder Zwick, "Where is your pond?" 

I thought about that for myself. Elder Zwick kept saying, "I wish I had learned to prepare to pray."

This is what he meant. We need to prepare our hearts and our minds, we need to prepare the right environment as well, so that we can communicate more clearly with Heavenly Father. So today, I want to ask all of you reading this: Do you have a pond?

If you answered no, Please, find one! Heavenly Father wants to talk with you. Prayer is so much more than kneeling down sleepy, and puffy eyed at night and mumbling a few words and then jumping into bed without even listening for the answer. Believe me, coming from experience, that does not work. Prayer is powerful, it is sacred, it is real. God is there. He WILL answer us if we prepare to talk and to listen to him.

I have one more story to tell you. In the middle of Zone Conference today, Elder Zwick asked us if we would like to stand up. All of us of course took the opportunity to stretch our legs. Then Elder Zwick got a big smile on his face and told us a story. He explained that when he was first called into the Seventy, he was sitting in the temple with the Apostles and other members of the Seventy and it was a pretty small room. In the middle of the meeting, President Hinckley said, "let's stand" and then Elder Faust said, "Yeah, lets stand for something."

When I write you each week, that is what I hope you desire to do- to stand for something! There is more to our life than just living and breathing. Yes, work, friends, and fun is part of it, but does not even come close to our role in life. If anything, I hope you take an inventory of your life, and decide today if you have your priorities straight. If Christ came tonight would you be ready?