How great and marvelous

Today, church was, in one simple word, wonderful. Sacrament meeting today was one of the most spiritual ones I've ever experienced. It's high council week, and my daddy was the high councilman speaking. :) But before him, the speaker was Annika Blake, a newly returned sister missionary. Like really new. She came home Friday. So she had that enthusiastic, I-love-the-Gospel spirit about her.

Ok, hold on, I need to go back a little bit. Yesterday, I went to a friend's baptism. Baptisms always make me happy, usually because it means I see lots of family. But convert baptisms make me happy in a different way. At the eight-year-olds' baptisms, you feel so proud of them. And they're excited. But this is something that they've grown up knowing would happen, expecting to happen, and a lot of them probably don't think twice about it until they're older. It's just a special day that they think is normal for every eight-year-old to have. But when someone is being baptized because they've searched for truth, they've yearned for it, sometimes even fighting for it, it's a slightly different experience. I actually have been thinking about that baptism - and, the Gospel, in general - a lot today. I'm really grateful I went to it, because I think that's went led me to the awesome sacrament meeting today.

The thing about a convert's baptism is that the Gospel, at one point in their lives, was new. A lot of times, I think members who were born in the church take a lot of it for granted. I remember in 6th grade, one of my friends was getting baptized, and he was so excited and talking about it at school. This one kids was surprised and asked "You're just barely getting baptized?" At first I was confused by this question. I forgot that in most churches - all? - people are baptized when they're babies. And so I guess it's a little foreign to them that people get baptized later. Even converts. How do they baptize converts in other churches? Huh.

Anyway, converts (I'm sorry, I hate using that word. We're all supposed to be converted to the Gospel, right? I just can't think of a different word. It also makes me feel like I'm labeling them or something.) have had to search. They've had to gain a testimony differently. At least, for me, I've pretty much had a testimony my entire life. I don't know if that's normal...granted, it's not like I've known everything since I was five. Nuh uh, I still don't know a lot. My testimony is still developing. Converts have had to start new, building on true principles they've been taught before, and erasing others that aren't true. And I know several people who have had to wait years for their baptism. Some have had to wait until they turn 18. Some, like my sister-in-law were able to be baptized before they were 18 because of their own little miracles. These people, persistent and steadfast, are people I admire. They continually do all that they can, whether baptized or not. They show a conviction and a faith, that proves to their Heavenly Father that they are willing to wait and willing to do whatever it takes.

So, I love baptisms and think converts are cool. Kay, now back to sacrament meeting. The actual sacrament part was...amazing. But that's another story. So, the talks. First off, I love Annika. She used to be my sister's best friend when they were younger. She's the sister to one of my sisters-in-law. So, though, we're not like buddy buddy, I know that's she's a pretty awesome girl. I remember, a few weeks before she was off on her mission, she ended up giving a lesson to my Sunday school class. She was like, "Um, so I don't have a lesson planned, since I was just asked to come in here and teach..." and then proceeded to give a fabulous lesson on faith. See! I even remember what her lesson was on! From that moment on, I knew she was bound to be a wonderful missionary.

So, she gave her talk. And it was amazing. It just drew me in. Now, forgive me, if you think I'm a horrible person, but I have a hard time paying attention in sacrament meeting, sometimes. I still listen to the talks and stuff, but a lot of the time I get distracted by the little kids and start playing peek-a-boo with them or making funny faces at them. But with her talk, it was like I couldn't take my attention away. There was such a strong spirit. And two things came to mind, so very strongly. One: I love this Gospel. And I know - I KNOW, not just think, not just believe, I know - that it's true. I've seen and experienced too many things to say anything different. Two: I want to be a missionary. So, so, so bad. I remember, when I was four or five, my primary teacher, Sister Scott, said she was going to go on a mission. At first I was confused. Since when did girls go on a mission? That's the boys' job! But then, I decided that girls going on missions was absolutely the coolest thing ever. From that moment on, I've wanted to go on a mission.

The past few years, I've been trying to be a missionary. A lot of times, I feel like I'm not really doing anything, like I'm not being very helpful. Like the things I do aren't really making a difference. But, then I look at the way I've grown. I look at how my testimony has developed. How I've been trying to be the best I can be. Maybe, just maybe, I'm doing something. Maybe I'm being an example for someone. But, I don't know. I really don't. I just hope, and keep trying to be a light and to be the best Beth I can be. I try to share the Gospel with my words and with my example. Why? Because there's nothing better than this Gospel. This great and marvelous work. I love it. Nothing brings me greater happiness. And I want others to have that happiness. It's just...it's great and marvelous.

If, once I'm done with this blog, you guys don't really take much away from it, I hope that you know that I have a testimony of this church. I hope that it has helped strengthen your testimony is some way. But, I know this church is true. I know Joseph Smith restored the Gospel and was a true prophet. I know the Book of Mormon is true. It's my favorite book ever! I know Thomas S. Monson is the true and living prophet, and leads and guides this Church under the direction of God. I know that Jesus Christ is my elder brother. He loves us, He suffered for us, and has made it possible for us to repent and be resurrected. There's no other person I want to be like. I know that families can be together forever. And the Gospel? Yeah, it's awesome. It's my favorite thing ever. The end. :)