Dear Sisters,
In Elder Godoy’s talk, I Believe in Angels, he described challenges he faced after joining the church as a teen. “As I was trying to adjust to my new life, a new culture, and new friends, I felt out of place. I felt alone and discouraged many times. I knew the Church was true, but I had a hard time feeling part of it.” He describes himself as uncomfortable and uncertain trying to fit into a new religion. As a side note, many years later he gave a speech at BYU called Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Fight, that recounts the grit and determination that helped him keep covenants. He refers to various earthly angels that helped him along the covenant path, including a Young Men’s President and Home Teaching companion, Marco Antônio Fusco. “Despite my lack of experience and different appearance, he gave me assignments to teach in our priest quorum meetings and home teaching visits. He gave me the chance to act and to learn and not just be an observer of the gospel. He trusted me, more than I trusted myself.”
We talked about behaviors and Christlike characteristics we see in the life of someone who is striving to be an instrument in God’s hands. These include,
· Seeing the good in us.
· Mentoring us in new skills or responsibilities.
· Seeing us as a child of God rather than by worldly measures.
· Meeting our needs without seeking credit.
· A true friend will encourage us to keep God’s laws.
· Exemplifying steadiness and strength. Moroni (who would become an angel himself) is a great example of this. Even though he knew it would possibly cost him his life, he said, "and I Moroni will not deny the Christ".
· Giving us confidence and assurance in our time of need. An attitude of, “If more challenges come, we’ll deal with them together.”
We watched a section of a Conference talk referenced, The Ministry of Angels. It’s a powerful story of God’s love, covenants kept and angels. It starts at 8:55 and ends at 13:55.
As we make efforts, even those that seem small and simple, to do God’s work, we receive a promise in the Savior’s own words, “I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your [heart], and mine angels round about you, to bear you up” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:88).
Merry Christmas and much love!
Ruth
