Elder Scott Learning, Living and Sharing the Gospel in Perú: Choose Obedience

For a couple months now I have been asking Elder Scott to send me a spiritual thought for this blog. Due to the business of his schedule and the short periods of time he has devoted to writing, it's been hard for him to find a moment to complete this request, but this week he sent me a gem. It comes from For the Strength of Youth pamphlet which he highly suggests everyone read because as he put it, it’s definitely not just for youth

I really enjoy the final paragraph out of the Agency and Accountability section, “You are also responsible for developing the talents and abilities Heavenly Father has given you. You are accountable to Him for what you do with your talents and how you spend your time. Choose to do many good things of your own free will.”

Heavenly Father gives all of us our own unique talents. Normally they are things that we thoroughly enjoy doing as well, but we are the ones responsible for growing these talents. Are we doing what we need to do to accomplish this or, are we wasting time on things solely of worldly importance: Netflix? Facebook? Instagram? Snapchat? WhatsApp? I can honestly say without a doubt that before my mission I was. I wasted way too much time doing things that are only of importance in this life (except for WhatsApp, haha. That’s something only big down here, but everything else I definitely was part of.) Instead we need to be using this time to develop our talents and abilities that God has bestowed upon us. Because these talents are not just of importance here in this life, but will be used for eternities. This life is the time Heavenly Father has granted unto us to prepare for immortality and eternal life. It’s an incredibly short time. Now is the time we need to spend diligently learning and growing these God sent gifts because we will need them forever.

So, are we doing what we need to do to accomplish this? Or, are we wasting our time following the sneaky temptations of the Devil? He doesn’t want us to be prepared. He wants us to waste the small time we have to prepare because he doesn’t want our happiness.

I want to end on a quote found in the paragraph above, “Righteous choices lead to lasting happiness and eternal life. Remember, true freedom comes from using your agency to choose obedience; loss of freedom comes from choosing disobedience.”

I can testify that these things are true. True freedom comes from obedience to the commandments and guidance given by our Heavenly Father. When we follow His laws instead of following the ways of the world, then we’ll receive true, lasting happiness and be prepared for immortality and receive eternal life.

I want to share these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

I love this missionary so much! I love his testimony, his faith, his insight, and his devotion. What a gift and blessing he is to me and so many others.

A few more photos from one of his P-day's in Salaverry and the day they were able to attend the Trujillo Temple.