A long time ago when I got my mission call, most of you will remember that I was less than disappointed to be going to the Arizona Tempe Mission. Fear not... over the past year I have had so many profound experiences that have helped me understand just how inspired mission calls are, and there are MANY reasons I am grateful to be serving in this mission.
One of those reasons is the diversity of culture we enjoy. I always hoped to go abroad for my mission so I could learn about and experience a foreign culture. An example of the many benefits of serving stateside is that rather than being able to experience one country or culture, it has been fun being exposed to a wide array of places, people, and customs. I love getting to know members from all over the world, trying their food, and learning about their home countries. Most of these experiences have been within the Hispanic culture, but this weekend, we got an inside look to the Navajo Indians. We were invited to a ward activity on Saturday night for dinner, and got to see some hoop dancing - it was fun to "socialize" with members and recent converts within that ward, and experience something new.
Our investigator Manny was baptized this weekend. It has been an interesting process teaching him. He accepted a baptism date in our first lesson with him, but it has still been a journey getting him to this weekend. Suffice it to say he has quite a heavy history, and some things he had to work through. It has been amazing to see how the Spirit has worked through us, blessing us with the gift of discernment to understand his needs, and also see how his testimony of the restored gospel has grown through that same spirit.
During his baptism on Saturday I was impressed by the speaker that gave a talk on the ordinance of baptism. She bore sincere testimony of the power of the atonement and the remission of sins. It really hit me how intense that is - especially for someone like Manny. To know that everything in his past was completely wiped away that day because of his decision to be baptized. He, and everyone that chooses to follow Christ into the waters of baptism, are literally given a "clean slate" and a new life.
On the condition of sincere repentance we are all given that opportunity to "wipe our slates" every Sunday as we partake of the sacrament. Those of us who have made sacred covenants with God renew them as we promise to follow him and always keep his commandments (Moroni 4:3), and as we do that the Lord forgives us of our transgressions and "remember[s] them no more." (D&C 58:42). What an incredible promise - I think with our human minds and memories we are unable to comprehend what exactly that means, but I believe there are lessons we can learn from it.
First, that if Christ is so willing to forgive and forget, we should do the same to our trespassers.... And second, we must remember that this includes forgiving ourselves. If we come to the Lord in sincere repentance, confessing and forsaking our sins he will forgive and we are made whole through his atonement.
Just as we use water to physically clean our homes and bodies, the waters of baptism, and the sacrament represent that cleansing power of our Savior. He is the only one that has power to say: "Be thou clean" and this is the gift he offers us. Take a moment to think about how you can effect the cleansing power of his atonement in your life, and I know you will feel a difference spiritually, just as you would from a physical cleansing.
Love you tons,
Hermana Richelle Ouellette
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