Years Rush By

It was nineteen years ago that I arrived home to Sacramento, California, from a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Netherlands. It was a life-altering experience, for me personally. I was prepared and excited to come home and see my family but as that big Boeing 747 airliner took off from the Schipol Airport, in Amsterdam, the feeling became final and the greenery that I had grown accustomed to and the people I had learned to love were going to become a memory. There were people that I had said my last goodbye to, in this life. As I sat in my seat and watched the country disappear into the distance, my heart ached. I had learned the culture, language, and various customs of another people. I loved so much about these people and I didn't know when or if I would ever return. I still long for the day that I return. Although I came home, physically, a piece of my heart resides in Holland and that piece will always remain.
I am so grateful for the opportunity that was given to me to learn and grow there. It was in Holland that I went from a young man to a man. It was a time when I relied, solely, on my Heavenly Father.
I am amazed at the way that time races by. It doesn't seem like very long ago that I was there. The smells are familiar to me. I can taste the food. The sights were breath-taking. It was the opportunity of a lifetime. I am a better person because I answered the call of a living prophet of God to go and share the message of hope to the Dutch people.
My mission was just the setting of a strong foundation that has and will continue to sustain me throughout my life.

Going Forward With Faith

I sat in church today, feeling especially grateful for the blessings that are showered upon me in my life.  My Heavenly Father, and His Son, care about me a great deal--and I can feel it.
I need to mention a couple of personal things that I feel in my heart.
This Wednesday, my oldest niece enters the Missionary Training Center, in Provo, Utah.  She is about to embark on one of the greatest adventures she will ever have.  It will be her privilege to serve as a full-time missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, called to labor in the Indiana Indianapolis Mission.  I love her and I am extremely grateful that she has decided to go and serve.
Because of her upcoming opportunity, I have thought about some of my own experiences as a missionary.
I attended a missionary conference where Elder Robert Dellanbach, who was a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy.  When he spoke, he reminded me of my own dad.  He was loving and sincere in the delivery of his message.  He challenged us to go home, that evening, and express our gratitude for all that we had in our lives, in our personal prayers. 
I accepted his challenge.  I knelt down on my knees and began to thank my Heavenly Father for everything that He had blessed me with.  When I closed my prayer and opened my eyes, the night had passed completely and the sun was beginning to rise.  I had spent the night on my knees in prayer.  I still had energy to go throughout the day.  I felt grateful to have had that experience.  It taught me that I was extremely blessed.
No matter what the circumstances are in life and no matter how difficult things seem to be, Elder Dellenbach's challenge is still very real.  Take the opportunity to thank heaven for all of the good that you have in your life.  You might be very surprised.
I am committed to move forward, in faith.