Continuing the Legacy

Last week here in the MTC! I leave for Georgia next Tuesday the 19th in the early morning. Am I excited? Yep! I'm I ready? Sure thing! Can I speak Spanish?? Claro que si! ......Mas o menos...... I'm not worried about the language. I'll just give it my all this week and arrive ready to really learn it en el campo (the field)! The MTC has helped me better understand my purpose as a missionary, which is 'Invitar a las personas a venir a Cristo..', to invite all others unto Christ. As long as I truly understand that idea, there is nothing that can completely stop me from serving faithfully to the end! Sure I might be slowed down by a few things here and there, but never completely halted. 

Thinking of that, i'm reminded of the film I was able to watch last night. 'Legacy'. I had never seen it before and all I knew was it was about the pioneers or something. And ya, it was. It was about the struggles, challenges, doubts, hopes and testimonies had by the few members of the newly organized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Of course some of the acting was a tad cheesy, but it was still really great! It painted the picture for me again of how much trial the followers of that supposed prophet Joseph Smith faced. Settling down in one place for enough time for a mob to be organized against them. Looking for their Zion through the mud, rain and frost that fell over the graves of their children and siblings. What faith! They never stopped! Even now as I type this short summary of their experiences I am feeling the same way when I as watching it last night. My heart swelled and my eyes watered as I thought back to the actual people, the actual families that were knocked back forth as they did what they felt had to be right! Some may have fell by the wayside but the for the most part they showed their faith and unshakeable conviction in the their Savior Jesus Christ and his newly formed Latter-day Church. I pray that by the time I die I can say that I had even an ounce of the faith that they had then. 

Well that was the spiritual message of the week from me! :) Please keep all the missionaries around the world in your prayers as we keep all of you in ours. 

Con Amor,

Elder Vance