January 14, 2013 - My last talk in Chile :(

Hello hello,

Well it is now officially hot here. We're talking in the 90's everyday. I finally took the wool blankets off my bed and we sleep with the window open. Ahhhh. I love summer time:)

Yet lackest thou one thing

This last Sunday I gave my last talk in a sacrament meeting in Chile ... I shared two stories, one of the wealthy man who asks Jesus what he must do to receive eternal life (Lucas 18). Jesus answers him and says, ''Yet lackest thou one thing...''

All of us lack one thing that keeps us from eternal life ... it is our heart. Jesus did not ask this young man to give up all his material things because those with material things won't inherit eternal life, rather Jesus knew that the young man's heart was set on his wealth, and that he hadn't given his heart to God.  ''Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days.'' (D&C 64:34)

Where are our hearts set?

I then told the story that Elder Uchtdorf  told in a talk in the April 2011 General Conference called Your Potential, Your Privileges ... it is now a Mormon Message too. I would tell you what it is about, but it would be better if you just go to YouTube and watch the video. The point of my talk in church was that if we want to live according to our privileges and enjoy the fullness of the blessings which are ours we need to give that one thing that we lack...our heart. And that usually means the things that our heart are set in.

For me going on a mission was one of the ways that I have given my heart to God, I was afraid to serve a mission, my heart was more set on my fears and staying where I was comfortable than doing what the Lord required and giving Him my heart. But as I have tried to be willing and obedient to the call of the Lord, I have felt His love in my life and have experienced great joy and blessings. There is still much to give of myself and my heart to the Lord, but I am grateful to have had this opportunity to give Him my heart.

What ''one thing'' lackest thou?

With love, Hermana Bowns
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