Sacrament Talk

Sunday was a pretty exciting day as well.  Christine and I were asked to speak in sacrament meeting!  At first I was kind of excited because I really want to become a better speaker and I know these opportunities are good learning experiences.  Dad always tells me that whenever we moved into a new ward he would introduce himself to the bishop and let him know that he would speak as soon as the bishop needed him to.  He said that it drove my mom nuts, but if he wanted to become a better speaker there was no better way than to put yourself it situations where you can grow.  But when I got my topic I started to get nervous.   I was asked to speak on the second article of faith, “men will be punished for their own sins and not for Adam’s transgression.” 

This topic seemed like one of the most difficult topics I have ever been asked to speak on in church.  But as I spent the week reading and learning about the fall I learned a lot!  It was a great opportunity to step outside my comfort zone and study some of the doctrine and I haven’t quite understood. 

The best part about us getting the chance to speak was that we invited Phyllis to come to church with us.  Phyllis is a very faithful Christian and attends her own church services every week at 10:30am.  Every week she also teaches Sunday school, except for the last Sunday of the month.   We were lucky enough to speak on the last Sunday of the month at our 9am meeting.  She had no excuses why she couldn’t come with us to sacrament!  So we brought her with us J 

She said that she enjoyed our talks.  She commented that some of the differences in doctrines between our church and her church were brought out in my talk.  As I spoke on the second article of faith and men being accountable for our own sins, I talked a lot about the importance of our works on this Earth.  In Phyllis’s church she believes that everyone is saved completely by the grace of God.  All you have to do is accept Jesus and your Christ and you are saved.  During my talk I mentioned the importance of keeping the commandments and in doing all that we could to become the best people we could.   Christine and I had the chance to have some gospel discussions with her that night.  It was really interesting.  It made me realize how much more intense I need my scripture study to be.  To talk to a strong, faithful Christian woman who was married to a pastor really makes you realize how much more I need to come to understand the scriptures.  But it was a great experience.

I also got to help one of the ladies in our ward during relief society and hold her 7 week old baby girl.  It was the best thing ever!  I had forgotten how much I LOVE little babies.  She was the most adorable thing and she mostly slept and cuddled up to me through the entire meeting.