Leaning on Faith

Last Friday, I opened my mission call. I have been assigned to labor in the Buenos Aires North Mission. I will be speaking Spanish (my two years of German are really paying off haha), and leave for the Provo MTC June 17. Holy cats, Batman!! Is this even real? Never in my mind did I ever think I was going to Argentina! I don't think I ever even considered South America, really. But it's so cool. The more information I look up about the area, the more a perfect fit it seems for me. Minus the crime and stuff, but lets just ignore that for now, yeah?

My very good friend Tiffany Lemon recently posted on her blog the process she went through as she decided to serve a mission (it's super good. read it here), and it has inspired me to do the same. Well kinda. So here it goes...

I was met with opposition very shortly after I began preparing to start my mission papers clear back during the end November. A few days after getting my wisdom teeth out, I was hit quite strongly with feelings of doubt and confusion regarding my testimony. How did I know this was the true church? Was I just following blindly because I had grown up learning the gospel? How can I believe in something that seems so impossible? These thoughts hit me VERY suddenly and VERY deeply. I had never really received a "lightning strike" or an overwhelming burning in my bosom confirming what I had been taught was the truth... so did this mean that what I had been brought up being taught was wrong?
No, it did not. What I've learned in the months since then is the beauty of faith. Through a lot of struggling, frustration, pleading, searching, and blessings from a wonderful father, I have gained a deeper understanding of what faith is. Let me share.
1- FAITH IS NOT PERFECT KNOWLEDGE
Just as it states in Alma 32:21, faith is not a perfect knowledge. It is a hope for things which are not seen, which are true. In Romans 8:6-7, it says hope that is seen is not hope. That's a witness. (And from accounts from scriptures, a witness does not always guarantee strong members of the Gospel. Remember Laman and Lemuel?) In verse 7 it states, "But if we hope for that we see not, then we with patience wait for it" We are not going to receive a testimony simply because we want one, which bring me to my next point...
2- FAITH IS FOLLOWED BY ACTIONS
Faith without works is dead, it says so in James 2:17. How do we show our faith? Simple. By living the commandments we have been asked to follow. By going to church, paying tithing, visiting the temple, and living righteously. (Don't you just love the Primary answers? They're so plain yet so true.) We also show faith by experimenting on the word (see Alma 32:27). God does not want people to just blindly follow; if that were the case He wouldn't have given so many rather large books of scripture. So, are you already doing these things? Congratulations, you are acting on your faith. Go you.
3- PATIENTLY WAIT
This is so hard, especially when we live in a world where so many questions can be answered by a Google search. But I like to think of it this way: In the school of life, right now I'm about a third grader. Third graders don't know all that much. I just have to keep on living by the Gospel standards and experimenting on the word. Keep Calm and Morm-On.
4- RECOGNIZE HOW THE SPIRIT COMMUNICATES WITH YOU
I really like this article from the New Era. As much as I would like to, I do not feel the prompting of the Holy Ghost like a lightning bolt of spiritual goodness. And that is okay. Peace after going to the Temple, a moment of understanding in Seminary, a quick thought encouraging my to do something, those are often ways I feel the Spirit. Nothing big and grandiose. It's small and simple.
5- DON'T UNDERESTIMATE YOUR TESTIMONY
Don't let the adversary tempt you to doubt what you already know to be true. Remember the work you have put in. Write stuff down so you're less likely to forget.  You won't regret it.

While there is lot in this Church that is hard for me to grasp, I believe it speaks truth. Through following its principles it has made he happy. It has kept me safe. I don't know how I will be able to share the Gospel with the Argentine people when I'm so young and unseasoned, but I have the faith to go out and share what I know. And I am so excited.