Called to serve!
Okay, so picture this...an eight year old little girl playing with her seven year old little brother. It is a Sunday afternoon and we are bored out of our minds. I mean, what is there to do on a Sunday afternoon when you absolutely abhor naps and can only watch those Living Scriptures movies? Don't worry. I have since repented and have truly recognized their value and worth.
After exhausting every available, meaning few, options, we finally settle on an activity. We proceed to excitedly gather our materials and set up our stage. What is our stage you might ask? A table which is meant to be a pulpit. What are our materials? Picture stories that we pulled out of our Family Home Evening box along with our scriptures. We then take turns giving each other talks and bearing our testimonies as if we were in Sacrament meeting.
I know it may sound a little...weird. However, I can still remember those feelings as I stood up, in front of my imaginary "congregation" which my brother, Shay, so humbly played the part of. He listened intently, quietly, and whispered amen as I shared my simple little message and I did the same for him.
To be honest, I have no memory of what I said that day or what Shay said that day. However, that memory has stuck with me all these years and I remember it with a certain happiness in my heart. I remember what I felt. There was an excitement and firm confirmation as I bore testimony of what I, as a little eight year old child, knew to be true. Even though it was only in front of my little brother, something significant happened that day. A little seed was planted. A seed of desire to bring others unto Christ. Throughout the years, I haven't been the only one growing. That little seed has begun to sprout and grow as well. With guidance and direction from a loving Heavenly Father, I put in my papers to serve a full-time mission. I am full of gratitude and love for my Heavenly Father. I look back on that day in my parent's room where Shay and I pretended to teach one another, and I think about today and how in a few short months time (3 months exactly) I will join my brother out in the missionary field. Even though we will be 4,422.9 miles apart, we will be close as we serve the Lord with all our might, mind, and heart together in these Latter-days and labor to bring his children into his fold. What a great blessing! We love the Lord. We love his gospel. We love his children. But that love is nothing compared to the love that Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ, feels for every single person in this world. And that is what my brother and I are out to testify and share. You have a loving Heavenly Father who knows and loves you.
CALLED TO SERVE AS MISSIONARIES FOR THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
After exhausting every available, meaning few, options, we finally settle on an activity. We proceed to excitedly gather our materials and set up our stage. What is our stage you might ask? A table which is meant to be a pulpit. What are our materials? Picture stories that we pulled out of our Family Home Evening box along with our scriptures. We then take turns giving each other talks and bearing our testimonies as if we were in Sacrament meeting.
I know it may sound a little...weird. However, I can still remember those feelings as I stood up, in front of my imaginary "congregation" which my brother, Shay, so humbly played the part of. He listened intently, quietly, and whispered amen as I shared my simple little message and I did the same for him.
To be honest, I have no memory of what I said that day or what Shay said that day. However, that memory has stuck with me all these years and I remember it with a certain happiness in my heart. I remember what I felt. There was an excitement and firm confirmation as I bore testimony of what I, as a little eight year old child, knew to be true. Even though it was only in front of my little brother, something significant happened that day. A little seed was planted. A seed of desire to bring others unto Christ. Throughout the years, I haven't been the only one growing. That little seed has begun to sprout and grow as well. With guidance and direction from a loving Heavenly Father, I put in my papers to serve a full-time mission. I am full of gratitude and love for my Heavenly Father. I look back on that day in my parent's room where Shay and I pretended to teach one another, and I think about today and how in a few short months time (3 months exactly) I will join my brother out in the missionary field. Even though we will be 4,422.9 miles apart, we will be close as we serve the Lord with all our might, mind, and heart together in these Latter-days and labor to bring his children into his fold. What a great blessing! We love the Lord. We love his gospel. We love his children. But that love is nothing compared to the love that Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ, feels for every single person in this world. And that is what my brother and I are out to testify and share. You have a loving Heavenly Father who knows and loves you.
CALLED TO SERVE AS MISSIONARIES FOR THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
To learn about the process of how missionaries are called, read this :) It is quite amazing.
http://www.lds.org/ensign/2010/05/the-divine-call-of-a-missionary?lang=eng
http://www.lds.org/ensign/2010/05/the-divine-call-of-a-missionary?lang=eng
Write to us!
In the Field (Till May 2013)
Elder Shay M Bingham
Brazil Manaus Mission
Rua Loris Cordovil, 1066
Alvorada 1
69042-010 Manaus - AM
Brazil
55 92-3656-6241
Provo MTC (June 6, 2012-August 8, 2012):
Sister Jasmine Rae Bingham
Mailbox 309 SLCS-UT 0808
Provo Missionary Training Center
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604
United States
In the Field (August 8, 2012- December 2013)
Sister Jasmine Rae Bingham
Utah Salt Lake City South Mission
8060 S 615 E
Sandy, UT 84070
United States