Man! I Love Revere!

MAN! I love Revere! I know I am supposed to be serving here at this time in my life. My life has changed dramatically since I started viewing everyone as my spiritual brother and sister, and understanding that we all have divine potential in the eyes of the Lord.

I heard my boy, Elder Bybee, gave his talk before he departs for the MTC. Also, Elder Garner is already in the MTC! I don’t know if I was seeing things, but I am pretty darn sure I saw him yesterday on the leadership training broadcast. Go get em’ Elder Garner!  Make me proud boy! Elder Smith is going in this Wednesday I believe? Oh man, Club 29 (group of friends from school) is on 3 different continents, and speaking a mix of 4 different languages! We just need Sam and Jacob to go out and Club 29 will be officially international!

So here in Revere there are a lot of Cambodians! I love my Cambodian friends. There was a Cambodian program out here, but it no longer exists. Anyway, Elder Wright and I go over every Friday to our Cambodian family, the Sen’s, and have dinner. We have our Grandma Sen who spoils the Elders! We love our Grandma Sen and we know she loves us! She has been having the Elders to dinner for over 10 years now! How do we know she loves us? She wants to do our laundry every Monday morning, and if we don’t bring her our laundry, Grandma Sen gets upset with her Elders. I hope my wife is like that. Anyway, Grandma Sen and I are in the process of making a quilt together. We eat with Grandma Sen, Tita (a granddaughter), and Ryan and Ritchie (grandson’s), and it is hilarious! Grandpa Sen is out in the back yard man handling their garden! Ryan is 11 and Ritche is 8 and they are High-lar-e-ous! Ritchie makes faces that just crack you up.

Yesterday was the 1^st Presidency’s Leadership Training Broadcast. It was phenomenal. Whether or not you are in a leadership position, I would recommend you watch it. It will be a benefit to every member in the church.

In the Leadership Training we were privileged to have the Apostles and Prophet address us. The main focus was how members & missionaries can be cohesive in accomplishing the commandment of our Heavenly Father to preach his gospel.  L. Tom Perry said some  things that inspired and motivated me to be a better member and missionary. He said it is time for missionaries to rise to the occasion in this “new era” of missionary work. It’s time for young men and women to rise to the occasion.  But it was something else he said that got me really thinking. He said with the demanding call for missionaries to step up, there is no greater time than now for members to rise to the occasion as well. Missionaries will not be able to fulfill their/our purpose without the members.

What also stood out to me was President Boyd K. Packer’s address. President Packer is a man who I especially love, admire and respect.  He has been a spiritual resource and has brought comfort to me, and influenced my family. President Packer taught us how to teach. He said we need to abandon the script and rely on the spirit.  When we succeed in teaching we need to give little credit to ourselves, and recognize our Heavenly Father instead. The greatest and most important teaching done in the church is by the mothers. He said we need to take heed of the council of our parents and church leaders, especially the Apostles and the Prophet. It is time to go forward and to be obedient. There isn’t anything we can’t be forgiven of.  There was a remark of President Packer’s that instantly stood out to me. For those who don’t know President Packer, he is 88 years old and is slowing down due to his elderly age. President Packer has dedicated his life to the Gospel. He has engulfed himself in the teachings of Jesus Christ. He said in his address that he still needs to learn a lot more. WHAT!? It made me realize I really need to humble myself when it comes to thinking “I know everything.” There is a lot more to learn and I hope I will still be seeking knowledge when I’m 88.

I know and am so comforted that we have modern day Apostles and Prophets that are here to guide us. It comforts me to know that our Heavenly Father works through men that have been called of God. I sustain the Apostles and Prophets as seers and revelators, and I know and promise that if we will follow their words we will never go astray. I know there are people who have been prepared to hear the Gospel message and I know we need to do everything in our might to find them and bring them the peace of the Gospel.

I know that Heavenly Father lives. I know that he lives. Heavenly Father lives and he is there for us.

Elder Tait.

2 Years. Make it count.