This is my final entry for my Faith project. (Finally!)
My new YW president had come up with a cool idea with one of her old friends back in Chile. Now they're both in a position in the Young Women's presidency in their respective wards, so they'd thought it'd be cool if we could videochat with the girls in Chile. And yesterday, that actually happened.
Me and 3 other girls arrived at the president's apartment (I'll call her Rena for short). Turned out they'd wanted to use Facebook videochat (though I'd been expecting Skype), so we all had to go through todo el rollo of friending the girls from Chile on FB before we could all get the chats working. It took a long time to get everything figured out, but eventually it was done. Eventually, we sat face-to-face with girls on the Southern Hemisphere, all the way on the other end of the Americas' landmass. It was a little weird to think about.
Conversation was a little awkward at times, since we had to do questions like "What's your name? Age? Hobbies?" etc. but I think, overall, it was fun for everyone. There was one girl, Claudia, who I had the feeling I would get along with the best if we met in person.
We used a lot of time just on asking each other about their lives and stuff, but there were a few minutes near the end of the activity where we were supposed to go one-on-one with one of the girls from Chile to talk about spiritual stuff. I'll admit that, while I doubt anyone noticed, I was glad to get Claudia for this bit.
We both ended up talking about Faith- a little bit about how we got it, why it's important in our lives, stuff like that. I wish her audio worked a bit better, cuz sometimes I missed a few words that she said. I didn't want to mention that, though, because then maybe a long time would be spent trying to fix the issue instead of talking. So, I sucked it up and hoped I got the good parts of what she was saying, cuz I remember that I liked a lot of what I heard.
The thing that stuck out the most to me was that I'd started to say how I was grateful for temple sealings and all that, and she responded that she hasn't gotten to do that because her parents were separated. The separation had happened just a little bit before her family met the missionaries. I felt a bit bummed out that she can't until her whole family baptized, but she was still excited about using the opportunity to have an eternal family when it comes. I was excited about it, too, because... Yeah, the eternal family deal is one of my favorite things about being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Our family has a strong tie beyond what most people get to have, one that cannot be broken. We will see and live with each other and be a family after death. But I can feel that tie even while on Earth. It's part of what helped me feel better about my sister moving out. We're still connected, and we're literally sisters forever!
I'd actually said so to Claudia (with words that weren't quite as good), and she seemed to like it... I hope.
Yeah, I just hope she gets to get sealed with her family. That would be so awesome.
Anyway, after that, we had to finish up with the activity. Rena and her friend in Chile thanked us and each other for being part of this, we took some pictures with the girls in Chile (by sitting in front of the TV, hehe), and then said goodbye.
While Rena's husband went to pick up pizza (and after we ate), she wanted us to do little interviews about the experience, and I ended up going first. Yeah, I seriously lack eloquence when it comes to just talking. I have much more with written word, and even then sometimes it's not very eloquent. Yeah, I struggled with coming up with something good to say. I somehow got out the words to say a few things for the questions (and some of the things I'd said earlier in this post I mentioned), though I'm wondering how much editing I'd need on that video she's putting together that documents this whole thing... Probably more than the other girls, since they probably had more time to think about what to say and stuff.
A question I was supposed to answer was "How has Personal Progress helped you in your life?" I'd actually immediately thought back to this, the Faith project, which sadly took over a year to finish, but I'm glad to say is now done.
At the very beginning I'd been scared of trying to do this, because I was having the hardest time trying to think of experiences to write about. I mean, I don't really remember when I got my testimony for the Church; just kinda felt like I always had it. Unsurprising, since I was born into the gospel and I hardly remember anything from my childhood.
But, as this project kept going, I realized I have had more spiritual experiences than I gave myself credit for. I'd felt the love and blessings I'd received from God more than I thought. If I only just bothered to remember that day, and how I felt...
Many times since I've started this project, I've had thoughts that affirmed my testimony in how being part of the Church blesses lives and blesses my own. I can get so frustrated or confused or whatever sometimes, but I can be happy that I know the truth about many things. Here's a good quote I'd thought up a week or two ago that I just wanna mention:
It's easier to live with a purpose when you know the truth.
It's true, really. People say "What's the meaning of life?" as a joke lots of times, but everyone wants to actually know. And we know the answer.
I don't know what can't be appealing about knowing for sure that you're never alone, that you can be forgiven, that you can be with your family forever... The wonderful messages always given that we may take for granted at church, especially after hearing it so many times, is exactly what we need to hear sometimes.
I know I'd already talked about the temple, but I actually have something else to mention. My parents had been asked to accompany the missionaries to an investigator house. They'd wanted my parents to talk to the parents there about the importance of marriage and eternal marriage, and maybe help them feel a little better about baptizing.
It was weird to hear about their story, because they were one of those couples that after aaaaaaall this time if having a family, they never had bothered to get legally married. They said they hadn't been to their old church, the Catholic one, in years because they had sinned. I'd wondered why they didn't just freaking get married if they actually loved each other- they're still together and have three kids, so they probably do- and people freaked cuz they weren't wearing the rings. Now I realize that maybe just getting married wouldn't have solved the problem in the Catholic Church's eyes, so they didn't see the point.
Look, guys. Just like what my mom had said on that visit, being legally married isn't just what will allow you to get baptized and be able to make covenants and receive many blessings, but it's good for your family and your kids. It's good for your kids to be able to know that their parents are happy in their marriage.
Don't give me that look, people that don't believe in marriage and/or abstinence before marriage. It is proven your kids are happier. Heavenly Father knows how families can be happiest, and having kids while already in a healthy marriage is how it's done.
Anyway. While this was going on, I was basically just watching the whole thing, but, while the adults had been talking about the blessings of going to the temple and stuff, I felt really strongly like I should say something. Say something about how I am grateful to have an eternal family, and how great it was to enter the temple for the first time, and stuff like that.
I don't know how much help I would've been, since I would've been kinda reiterating some stuff that had already been said, but I really felt like it should be said. My heart beat fast and my mind and my mouth were like "SAY SOMETHING!"
If only everyone had stopped talking for longer than a second, I could've entered the conversation. But nope, I literally didn't get the chance, and they shifted to a different topic, and I just kinda internally deflated.
GAH!
Well, at least my testimony was shared to myself as I thought about what I'd say and felt the Holy Ghost being like "Yeah, that's good, I like that! It's true!"
I also hope that couple get baptized. That would mean they'd get married, then baptized, and later get sealed, and be happier and happier!
I know that we can see the hand of God working in our lives in both the small and big things (which is why I've been mentioning more and more things like the un-coincidences in my everyday life in my diary) if we just try to see it. I know Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are all real and love us very much. I know the Book of Mormon is true and all the modern prophets were called to serve Him. Joseph Smith was not a fake. Nothing ever taught in our Church was made up one day- this is all what Jesus Christ taught and asked of us. The Church is here to make our lives better and happier. Christ's Second Coming is so close, and we must do what we can to prepare for it, like gaining a testimony and maintaining it. May we all endure to the end. Amen.
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