Who wants to be a butterfly? I love butterfly's. I think they are some of the most interesting insects in the world. To think that from a catterpillar can come a beautiful butterfly. Thats what catterpillars do best...Change!
Who likes change? If anyone raised their hands then I need to talk to them to find out the secret. I think the majority of us out there don't like change. The reason why? Change can often bring a lot of fear and trepidation. If you have read my other posts you know how I love using the dictionary, so once again I wanted to get the definition of change. The dictionary says that the word change means:
1.to become different: Overnight the nation's mood changed.
2.to become altered or modified: Colors change if they are exposed to the sun.
3.to become transformed
I really like these definitions. I chose those definitions that were verbs. The reason being is because the change I’m talking about is the change that has to do with changing oneself. Some of our greatest fears come from when we actually decide to change ourselves, our personalities, our views, our beliefs.
As a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I ask people to change almost all of these things. As a tool in God’s hand I help people to change those things in their life that are not in accordance with how God would have them live their lives.
When I think of change I think of an experience that I had while serving here as a missionary. As missionaries we get the opportunity to meet hundreds of different people with different backgrounds and beliefs. The wonderful thing is that the gospel is for everyone and even though we may have different views or beliefs, if it’s God’s gospel then it should be right for everyone.
Back to my experience though…Someone I met as a missionary was a great lady named Sonja. Sonja is a mother of one daughter and married to a great guy. She lives in Upper Darby Pennsylvania. Living there with her in-laws she was struggling to find a faith in Jesus Christ. Then on a cold December morning two sister missionaries from the church knocked on her door. After explaining who they were they taught Sonja a few points of our beliefs. Sonja then began to investigate the church and started seeking to know if it was true. At first there was a lot of disbelief and uncertainty, plus probably some amusement at the beliefs she was being presented with. Over months missionaries taught her and prayed that she might come to understand these things and believe them for herself. Then after months of prayers and lessons Sonja had an experience, a change of heart through the Holy Spirit, that this message was true. Then Sonja’s countenance changed. She began to have a greater faith not only in God, but in baptism, in Jesus Christ, in Repentance. There was a light and goodness about Sonja that everyone can still feel when they meet her.
Sonja is an example to me of change.
-“And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;…” –Mosiah 25:27
Let us all choose to change. Let us choose to become more like Jesus Christ.
"God never said that it would be easy, He only said that it would be worth it."
Elder Bergloff, Your thoughts on change are very appropriate this week, aren't they? I am so glad that you have been called to serve in Philadelphia and that the members (and future members) of our ward have been blessed by knowing of your kindness, compassion and love of our savior. It isn't easy serving here, but the lessons you have learned, of loving unconditionally of working hard and of putting your trust in God's hands will bless you and your family's lives forever. Merry Christmas and Thank you! Bishop McBride
This is where it all began...
As a Mormon we get the opportunity of serving a mission. A mission is a two year commitment to serve God by teaching people His Gospel. I decided at an early age that I would serve a mission. So at 19 I filled at all the paper work and sent it into our church headquarters. Now for the wait. I now had to wait to see where I would be sent to serve my mission. At last the envelope came with my name on it. "Elder Bergloff, you have hereby been called to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Pennsylvania, Philadelphia mission." My first thought after reading Philadelphia was, "Where is it?" After that I had to prepare for the full-time service to God. This included buying luggage, clothes, medicine, shoes, books; trust me the list goes on. After getting everything my time to leave was here. On March 11, 2010 I drove the 6 hours from my home to Provo, Utah where I would spend 3 weeks at the Missionary Training Center. Then after that I was off to Philadelphia!
1 comments:
Elder Bergloff,
Your thoughts on change are very appropriate this week, aren't they? I am so glad that you have been called to serve in Philadelphia and that the members (and future members) of our ward have been blessed by knowing of your kindness, compassion and love of our savior. It isn't easy serving here, but the lessons you have learned, of loving unconditionally of working hard and of putting your trust in God's hands will bless you and your family's lives forever.
Merry Christmas and Thank you!
Bishop McBride
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