A Time to Remember

What are the chances that my conference on using satellite data for understanding the earth’s hydrology in South America would be in Lima, Peru, in exactly the same place where the one mission president from our stake is currently serving? My hotel is even in their mission boundaries, which in itself is pretty amazing since there are six missions that make up the greater Lima area!

What an amazing lunch and few hours we spent together and I came away uplifted and strengthened by their goodness and God’s great love for missionaries and those who look out for them. They are just two months in, and seem to be loving it. They are striving to create their own culture in this newly formed mission (Peru Limatambo) that was created from parts of three other missions. One thing that Presidente Glazier told me that really stuck out comes from D&C 84:57 where the church is admonished and told they will remain under condemnation until they remember the Book of Mormon. He is encouraging his missionaries to remember the importance of the Book of Mormon in their teaching and testifying and promising them increased success as they do.

It really is no different for our stake. I believe we all have a testimony of the Book of Mormon, the keystone of our religion, but it is easy to become busy in our day-to-day lives and take lightly what it teaches us. There are so many things we learn from it, including our stake theme this year to raise a Title of Liberty in our homes. I have always felt as the summer closes and our children/grandchildren return to school (which pushes us into a more structured lifestyle), that it is important to reevaluate where we are and how we are doing. Here are a few things that you might consider as items to discuss in your family councils:

1. Do you remember the Book of Mormon, and are you raising a Title of Liberty in your home?

2. Now is a great opportunity for fathers to give priesthood blessings to their children. Where this isn’t possible, for whatever circumstances, you might ask grandfathers or other family members, ministers, or leaders.

3. How is your family doing at Come Follow Me? If your family is a little like mine then things probably got a little out of whack at times this summer. Now is a good time to recommit and try again to develop good habits.

4. Are you praying for opportunities to minister and then acting on promptings to do so?

There are other things that might be pertinent to your family, but please take this time to re- evaluate. No matter what, do not become discouraged if you feel a bit of déjà vu. You are doing far better than you think you are, we don’t have to perfect, we just need to keep trying. The apostle Paul also wrestled with overcoming the natural man tendencies we all have. This week’s Come Follow Me lesson covers his writings in Romans 7-16. I love what he taught in Romans 8:18, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." This life was intended to be challenging, where we learn from our choices and experiences both good and bad, but let us never give up hope in Jesus Christ and the depth and expanse of His great Atoning Sacrifice!

President Nelson