Camouflaged - I ADMIT IT!!

I was asked to sub in Relief Society on Sunday. It was on the talk by Elder Cook, "Live by Faith, not by Fear" given during October 2007 General Conference! I figured it would just talk about how the gospel will bring peace to our lives during these troubled times, etc! However, I got a total and complete REBUKING from the Lord. It was totally is set up to get you all pumped about following the prophet, having a spiritual environment in your home, being an example, etc. Then, it swings in and basically talks about how we have been commanded to be MEMBER MISSIONARIES!! YIKES!!

There was a statement Elder COok made that I love . . .

MANY OF THE MEMBERS ARE LIVING IN CAMOUFLAGE

What a great way to look at it! I am friendly! I talk to my neighbors! I know their names, their kids names, know lots of stuff about them. We talk over the back fences, all that good neighborly stuff! However, I know they have no idea that we are MEMBERS of THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS!! How sad is that! This return sister missionary that use to wonder how it is that Return MISSIONARIES could become so COMPLACENT about sharing the GOSPEL is COMPLACENT! I had a reality check!

I am not talking at all about SHOVING THE GOSPEL down the throats of our friends and neighbors! I am not saying I need to go over tomorrow morning and say, "Hey (insert neighbor's names), would you like to take the discussions and become a member of the CHURCH of JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS!! No no!! However, I am talking about involving the GOSPEL in our everyday lives, especially conversations!! How hard is it!?!?!? Not hard at all! Here is an example!

Monday you return to work or are talking over the back wall with your neighbor.

Co-worker/Neighbor: Hey! How was your weekend?
YOU: It was great! Saturday we laid sod, Sunday we attended Church and had a great lesson on Jesus Christ. How was your weekend?

OH! See, didn't force him to read the Book of Mormon! Just mentioned it casually! But, I left an window open for him to ask more questions if he so desired! It really is so easy to share the Gospel.

I think it is definitely important to LEAD BY EXAMPLE! However, it is important to also CREATE GOSPEL CONVERSATION, that would leave the door open for people to ask more about our faith!

It was just a GREAT reminder to me, of how much I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK! I WOULD SERVE A MISSION AGAIN IN A HEART BEAT! However, I don't need to dawn my LITTLE BLACK TAG to be ANGUISHLY ENGAGED in the WORK!! I need to make the GOSPEL a MORE PRESENT PART OF MY LIFE, in my conversation! It is easy for my to follow all the don't, and do the simple in my family dos. However, I need to work on the GET OUT THERE AND DO - DOs in relation to missionary work!!


So, my GOAL is to be MORE MISSIONARY MINDED!! Not in FORCE FEEDING the GOSPEL to people! But, in making sure I included my faith in conversation, and not passing up MISSIONARY OPPORTUNITIES!! I hate to say it, but this RM Sister is BIG CHICKEN - SCAREDY CAT when it comes to sharing the GOSPEL now! I gotta work on that! I LOVED MY MISSION - - LOVED LOVED IT!! I know most of us (there are those members out that are BOLD),but most of us can improve on this! So, I challenge us all to be more apt to open our mouth with LOVE and share our faith in Jesus Christ!!(GREAT BIG FINGER POINTING TO ME!!!)