My Farewell Talk

I gave my Farewell talk this week in my ward. It was quite a nerve racking experience, but I learned a lot about my self for those who weren't there to hear it here the words and I'm trying to download the audio of it.

My Farewell Talk

I am so grateful for this opportunity to speak to you today.  I am so grateful to serve a mission and give my farewell talk.  But I think that we shouldn’t call this a farewell talk, we may be leaving for an amount of time, but let us call it the opening remarks to this great journey on a mission.  And when I return I will give the closing remarks of what I have learned on my journey. 

 Because these are my opening remarks to my mission, I guess it would be appropriate to share why I decided to serve a mission.  It started when I was a small girl and I wanted to be just like my mom and when I learned my mom served a mission that is when I knew I wanted to serve a mission to help me be like her.  As I grew older, my reason remained the same. At the end of high school, I started to plan the rest of my life I had decided that I wanted to major in chemistry and after I graduated, I would serve a mission at the age 22.  And I didn’t think of it much until last October when President Monson Gave the announcement of the age change, I knew at that moment that was exactly what I needed to do.  I set up and appointment with my bishop about starting my mission papers.  While I was working on my mission papers, our stake had a stake conference where the focus was on the importance of serving a mission and helping us know if our reasons for serving a mission was a good reason.  I remember this Sunday so vividly.  I was sitting very close to the front and I could see all the other girls in my stake listen very intently the message President Zenger was giving.  He told of an interview that he had with a sister finishing her papers and her process of deciding why it was she wanted to serve.  And as he told the story and as he encouraged us to really think why we wanted to serve.  As I sat in my chair ignoring all others that are around me, I realized that my reason for being just like my mom was no longer a good enough reason even though she is quite an awesome woman.  So I thought about my life and looked back on what the gospel has brought me, it has brought me so much joy and comfort, and I have seen the change that it has brought in so many others life.  So my reason then became because I wanted to share the joy that the gospel brings to all of His children. 

Allot of the joy that comes from the gospel is the knowledge that comes from the plan of salvation.  The plan of salvation answers so many of life's questions, “why am I Here, what is my purpose and where am I going?”

The plan of salvation answers the first question "who am I?" when we are told that lived with our Father in Heaven before we came to earth.  in preach my gospel it says

"God is the father of our spirit. We are Literally His children, and He loves us. We lived as spirit Children of our father in Heaven before we were born on this earth. "

When Jeremiah was called to be the prophet the Lord told him (Jer 1:5)” Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

The Lord told Jeremiah that he was his son and that he had a special calling.  He also told Moses of who he is The Lord said “And I have a work for thee, Moses, my son; and thou art in the similitude of mine only Begotten; and mine Only Begotten is and shall be the Savior, for he is full of grace and truth; but there is no God beside me, and all things are present with me, for I know them all.”

This that was also told to Moses applies to us too.  We are Children of God and we are made after His image and that He Knows who we all are and Loves us all. 

The Lord tells us of our role and our nobility when he speaks to Abraham:

 22 Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;

 23 And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.

From these scriptures, we learn of our purpose and our divine destiny and our role in life.  And This is part of the plan of salvation.  He Has a Plan for each one of us that will lead us back to Him. 

So where are we going and what is our purpose?

Our purpose is to gain a body, to be tested, so that we can return and live with our Heaven Father again and live with our Families Forever.  By having, the knowledge of what the plan consists of allows us to live in a way that will allow us to return to Him. God First sent Adam and Eve to earth in the Garden of Eden who fell from God's presence so that they could multiply replenish the earth.  And because they fell, we are mortal and we are imperfect.  And because we are imperfect, we cannot return to live with Him in this imperfect state. Because of the Lord’s love for us, Jesus Christ paid the price of all our sins and sorrows and  that gave us the power of the atonement, which gives us an opportunity to be cleansed of our sin and our imperfections.  And only through the power of the atonement Can we be cleansed of our sins and imperfections and be able to live with God again.  So that is our purpose to live in such a way that we can live with Him Again and to share the gospel with all of His children. 

Neal a Maxwell said this

“Our Father’s plan provides for redemption from the Fall through the atonement of Jesus Christ. As the Only Begotten Son of God and the only sinless person to live on this earth, he made a perfect atonement for all mankind. It applies to everyone unconditionally as it pertains to the resurrection from temporal, or physical, death, for all shall rise from the dead with immortal bodies as a result of the Atonement. However, the Atonement is conditional as it pertains to each person’s individual sins. It touches everyone to the degree that he or she has faith in Jesus Christ, repents, and obeys the gospel. Exaltation and eternal life with God are reserved for those who keep the commandments.

Mortality, then, is the time to test our ability to understand our Heavenly Father’s plan and, of course, our willingness to be obedient. Obedience is essential to obtain exaltation and eternal life. King Benjamin explained that “the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the children of men, to declare these things to every kindred, nation, and tongue, that thereby whosoever should believe [in] Christ, … the same might receive remission of their sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy” (Mosiah 3:13).”

The Lord asks us of our obedience to the commandments that He has given us and to the covenants, we have made with Him.  When we are obedient to the commandments and the covenants that we have made shows the Lord how much we love Him and how much we want to return to Him.  The Covenants that we make are very important part of the plan of salvation that allows us to live with Him in the celestial Kingdom.  The covenants of baptism, endowments, and sealing are saving ordinances that allow us to live with our father in Heaven again.  As we live up to the promises we make it will allow us to become more like our Father in Heaven and become perfected in Him. 

Neal A Maxwell also States

We must understand the basic doctrines and receive the saving ordinances that are essential for our eternal exaltation and happiness. Our present mortal state places a veil of forgetfulness over our minds, allowing us to prove ourselves able to “do all things whatsoever the Lord [our] God shall command” (Abr. 3:25). But even though our present long-range view of eternity is limited, the Lord has not left us without direction. He has provided scriptures and Apostles and prophets through whom he has revealed his plan for our exaltation and eternal life. And we have the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, to guide us."

This Guidance that we are given is for us, to help us to return to live with Him again.  He Gives us this guidance that allows us to return to Him.  He gives us this guidance because He Loves us sooo much and wants every single one of His children to return to Him.  By living in such a way that allows us to live with Him again, we can live with our family forever. 

We call this the plan of salvation, the plan of Happiness and the "great plan of the Eternal God” We call the plan this because of what it is.  His plan brings us salvation and brings us joy and happiness and it is of our Father in heaven.

I love having the knowledge of the plan of salvation and that the Lord purpose is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

"God’s whole purpose—His work and His glory—is to enable each of us to enjoy all His blessings. He has provided a perfect plan to accomplish His purpose. We understood and accepted this plan before we came to the earth. In the scriptures God’s plan is called a merciful plan, the plan of happiness, the plan of redemption, and the plan of salvation."

 By having the knowledge and Following His Plan, we can have immortality and eternal life.  Knowing that this is Gods purpose brings me joy He Want me Jessica ward to come back to live with Him and he Wants all of you all of His children to return to Him one day. 

I am grateful for the opportunity that I have to share this message with all those that I meet on my mission that they may also feel the joy this gospel brings.  I am grateful for all those that have taught me and have helped me grow in the gospel and in my confidence, those that were willing to see passed my quirks and to see me as the Lord sees me and how that has helped me see all of you as the Lord does His precious sons and daughters.  I want to let you know that I have a testimony of my savior Jesus Christ I know That He died for me He paid the price of my sins and of my sorrows and pains, And He paid for all of mankind. I know the Book of Mormon is a book of true scripture that testifies of Jesus Christ and His mission on the earth.  It Tells of True people that lived and experienced great miracles and heart ache just like us, I know that it contains true doctrine and principles.  I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet Of God that restored this church to the earth and did translate the book of Mormon. I know that Thomas S Monson is a true prophet on the earth today and that he will never ever guide us astray.  I know that there is a power in prayer and that He does hear the words that we speak and he know what is in our heart and he cares about everything we do no matter what it may be.  I know that we can live together as families forever.  I know that the Holy Ghost is there to guide us and comfort us.  I know that serving a mission in Barcelona Spain is what the Lord needs me to-do right now in my life.  I know He is watching over us every second of our lives even when we feel, He is, not there He is. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

We also took some missionary pictures and some Family ones here they are:

What a Crazy Family I have.  

Love Jessy Ward 

p.s. the audio is no good I wont put it up but you can read it in my voice it will be just like you were there.  

A Chinese branch

So last week I was at institute and I received a call from a member of the high council in my stake asking if I would give a talk in the Chinese branch in three days and that the talk would have to be ten to fifteen minutes long  and that it would be about how testimony and conversion help us live our covenants. I was like this perfect I just got out I the temple and made covenants. So the following morning I spent several hours preparing my talk and then babysat then the next day I continued to work on my talk until I began to babysit. By Sunday it was pretty perfect (well kinda). Any way so I was ready for my talk and it was about the right length for the only time ever. So I arrive in the Chinese branch of about 25 people. I sat and listened to to the announcements and the programs were passed out I realized the topic by name was about serving The Lord on a mission. I thought cramp that's not what my talk was about but I worked it to be semi about serving a mission. FYI when you speak in a ward in which you speak the language you only to prepare a talk half the length.  I thought that I was appropriate to post this talk on here so here it is 

Talk:

Today I would like to speak about how having a testimony and becoming truly converted helps us live our gospel covenants. I would like to start with a story of a young man who gained a testimony became converted and lived his covenants. This young man’s name is Alma, king Noah’s priest, he was in the room when Abinadi prophesied of the king’s wickedness and told of the gospel. Alma sat and listened and believed the words of Abinadi. Alma knew that Noah would kill all those who believed on Abinadi’s words. So Alma ran and wrote the words of Abinadi so that he could teach others of faith and repentance. As Alma taught the people they began to accept the word and had a desire to be baptize and make covenants with the Lord. Alma then baptized the people in the waters of Mormon how greatly were these people were blessed because they had made a covenant with the Lord.

 
How blessed we are to have the opportunity to be Baptized, or have been baptized, so that we can make covenants with our loving Heavenly Father. For us to be able to take part in this covenant we must believe and have a seedling of a testimony. When we have a baptismal interview we are asked about the strength of our testimony. Does our testimony consist of the following; That Jesus Christ is our redeemer and savior, we have a loving Heavenly Father, there was a restoration of the church of God through Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon is true and that Thomas S. Monson is called of God to lead us in these days. Elder Bendar said relating to testimony “Knowing that the gospel is true is the essence of a testimony. Consistently being true to the gospel is the essence of conversion.” So that belief that we have as we are baptized is our testimony as we continue to grow in our knowledge of the gospel the stronger our testimony will grow. “A testimony is a gift from God and is available to all of His children. Any honest seeker of truth can obtain a testimony by exercising the necessary “particle of faith” in Jesus Christ to “experiment upon” (Alma 32:27) and “try the virtue of the word” (Alma 31:5), to yield “to the enticings of the Holy Spirit” (Mosiah3:19), and to awaken unto God (see Alma 5:7). Testimony brings increased personal accountability and is a source of purpose, assurance, and joy.” As we develop our testimonies we begin to act upon the principles that He asks us to do like to pay our tithing, and fast offerings, but then also to serve those around us. As we begin to act we are becoming converted to the Lord and His example. 

Our testimonies grow at different rates at different times in our lives. On one particular occasion my testimony grew rapidly. It was the summer of my junior year in High school. As youth we were participating in a program entitled STOMP, students trying out Moroni’s promise. I was really excited to accomplish this goal. I want to read the Book of Mormon all the way through for the first time in my life so I began to read about six pages a day. As time went on other things got placed in the space in which I had set aside to read. but as the summer went on I continued to read but not at the pace that would allow me to complete at the scheduled time. The summer ended and I hadn’t finished, however I still wanted to finish reading so I set a new goal that I would finish before October general Conference. So I read and I made it, I finished minutes before conference started but I knew that as I finished reading the last few verses of the book of Mormon the spirit whispered to me that the book of Mormon was indeed a book of true scripture and that through Joseph smith did translate the book of Mormon. As I now read the scriptures I still get hear the spirit whisper that these words are true.

Most of my testimony however was not because of amazing experiences but of a gradual knowledge and accepting of the word of the Lord. my testimony of tithing, prayer, the restoration, are not because of magnificent experiences but because the spirit whispering this things were true,
In your lives there are experiences, and there is a gradual growth that lead you to believe what you believe and help you develop that testimony that you cherish so deeply, and because of the testimony you cherish you live the laws of the church and follow the guidance that you have given by the Lord.

 

“For many of us, conversion is an ongoing process and not a onetime event that results from a powerful or dramatic experience. Line upon line and precept upon precept, gradually and almost imperceptibly, our motives, our thoughts, our words, and our deeds become aligned with the will of God. Conversion unto the Lord requires both persistence and patience.“

In Helaman 15:7-8 states
7 And behold, ye do know of yourselves, for ye have witnessed it, that as many of them as are brought to the knowledge of the truth, and to know of the wicked and abominable traditions of their fathers, and are led to believe the holy scriptures, yea, the prophecies of the holy prophets, which are written, which leadeth them to faith on the Lord, and unto repentance, which faith and repentance bringeth a change of heart unto them—
8 Therefore, as many as have come to this, ye know of yourselves are firm and steadfast in the faith, and in the thing wherewith they have been made free.

“Samuel the Lamanite identified five basic elements in becoming converted unto the Lord: (1) believing in the teachings and prophecies of the holy prophets as they are recorded in the scriptures, (2) exercising faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, (3) repenting, (4) experiencing a mighty change of heart, and (5) becoming “firm and steadfast in the faith” (see Helaman 15:7–8). This is the pattern that leads to conversion.”

As we apply these elements in our life we will become converted, when we believe the teachings and prophesies of the Lord, we continue to develop our testimonies. When we act upon our testimony, we continue to develop that faith that the Lord's plan is what we need to do. 

When we repent, it allows us to use the atonement that has been given us because of His love for us. When we are truly repentant we grow closer to our savior and understand just a minuscule more of how much he loves Us. And because of the growth closer to our savior it allows us to have a mighty change of heart. 

What defines a mighty change of heart? In Mosiah he tells us what a mighty change of heart is. it is that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually. As we have a mighty change in heart it allows us to turn our will into the Lords will and to do it continually. 

And finally to become firm steadfast and immovable. So what does it mean to be steadfast and immovable? That with diligence that you will keep the commandments of the Lord, even if you stand alone. 
When we take these steps: (1) believing in the teachings and prophecies of the holy prophets as they are recorded in the scriptures, (2) exercising faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, (3) repenting, (4) experiencing a mighty change of heart, and (5) becoming “firm and steadfast in the faith”, to become converted it helps us grow closer to the Lord and help us align our will with His. And as our Will is aligned with His we are fulfilling our part of the covenants that we have made with the Lord.

 

What are some of the covenants that we make with the Lord at baptism. Well Alma explains the covenants that we make as he teaches the people in the waters of Mormon.

 

These are the words of alma to these people
8 ... Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;
9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—
10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

So as we align our lives with the Lord’s we will have a desire to mourn with those that mourn, comfort those that stand in need of comfort, bear another's burdens, to stand as a witness at all times  in all things and in all places. And as we desire these have can live our covenants more completely. 

As we accept covenants with The Lord at baptism and in the temple we have an opportunity to renew them each week as we partake of the sacrament. Not only do we renew them but as we listen we again remember what we covenanted to take at baptism. They are to keep the commandments, always remember Him, and that we are willing to take upon us His name.   

 

And we attend the temple each time we have the opportunity to understand the covenants a little more each time.

I am so grateful that I had the opportunity this week to go through the temple for the first time and how grateful I am that I made those covenants with the Lord, because of the Faith and testimony that I Have in Him and His Gospel and I am willing to do His will. I have the opportunity this July to go and serve a mission in Barcelona, Spain for 18 months. How grateful I am to dedicate a portion of my life to do the Lords work and bring others unto Him so that they may also have the desire to grow closer to Him and to make covenants with Him. 

I have testimony that by developing our testimonies through prayer, scripture study and podering, that we will have desire to do His will and become truly converted unto Him. By being truly converted unto Him allows us to live our covenants more fully with the Lord. 
…… In the Name of Jesus Christ, amen

 

Went to the temple

So last week I had the opportunity to take out my own endowments in the Washington DC temple.  It was a fantastic experience.  I am so grateful to be a member of this church. As I entered into the temple the spirit I felt was so sweet and so over whelming. Some things that happened that I hopefully never forget. First as we were waiting at the doors of the distribution center to open we saw like six caterpillars crawling around in the carpet and they were all following Dad and and one ended up crawling on to mom's temple bag and how she freaked out and it was so funny to see her reaction to the caterpillars.  The other thing was the Brother at the records office knew I was going to Spain and then proceeded to ask if I knew Portuguese and I said that I didn't of course know Portuguese and then he said "that's OK because you'll when you get there."  I responded with a shy yes of course, while thinking " that is not the language they speak in Spain."

What a great day spent in the temple with my parents.  I grew closer to my mother as we meditated quietly together while waiting for instruction.  I also grew a love for the spirit that is there in all the parts of the temple.  

I decided to serve

When I was a little girl I decided that I wanted to serve a mission and I was really excited by the primary Hymn "I Hope they Call Me on a Mission".  I also knew that my mom and dad had both served missions and I wanted to be just like them.  Until just recently that was still my reason in the back of my head.  Then October 2012 general conference where Thomas S. Monson gave the announcement about the mission age change and then I knew this was what I needed to do.  So I called my parents and told them that was what I was going to do and they knew that's what I would say after they had heard the age change.  Well I talked to my bishop and started my mission papers, and while I was in the midst of working on my papers we had our stake conference up at school and President Zenger asked those who had recently decided to serve missions to decide why we really wanted to serve a mission. It was that day when I realized that my reason of going on a mission because my parents went on a mission was no longer good enough, then my reason became because I have seen and experienced the joy that the gospel brings and I want to be able to share the opportunity to find that joy to as many of God's children as I can.  I am so glad that I have the opportunity to serve the people of Spain and share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them. I am so excited to be in Spain. 

Here is a video of me opening my call.