WEEK 43: The Journey of the Lost Sheep

Hello everyone! 

Let me start off by saying I am doing well and I am no more sick! woot woot! So thankfully I was able to have a full week of service.

This week was sweet honestly. We have two people preparing for baptism.  And one of them, is absolutely incredible and so ready. Her name is Sister Lynda. Every lesson I have with her I leave feeling so edified and uplifted.

This week I was also blessed to preform the ordinance of baptism for the other elders convert . He was a really big dude and they weren't sure if they would be able to do it so they asked me if I could help them. I'm not going to lie it wasn't easy.  We ended up asking him to kneel down haha. That worked pretty well.

One thing I have learned this week from my studies of Jesus the Christ is the cleansing power of the Atonement. I read the parable of the lost sheep and saw it in a different way. The Shepherd left the 99 to save the one. When he found the one he took him on his back and carried him home. He then rejoiced, for the one that was lost is now found. 

This shows us the worth of one soul. Maybe that one soul is us, but no matter how far we travel away, the Savior will carry us back to safety. I also love how he put him around his shoulders and carried him all the way home. Think of the closeness and the personal relationship this one sheep developed with his master. This journey he was able to spend so close to his master was one that none of the other 99 were able to experience. I assume after this experience that the one recognized and loved his master on a deeper level from then on, most likely even more so than the other 99. 

Now relate this to us. No matter how far we drift away, the Savior is there. He will pick us up and walk every step of the way with us back to safety. When we are unsure or unable to walk he will carry us and put us on his shoulders. He won't risk losing us again. Now think of the personal relationship you can build with Him. In order to make it back you will have to lean on him, trust in him, and draw nearer to him. Finally when you make it safely home you will know him, recognize him, love him and follow him more closely. You will have gone through a faith building trek back that others have not. 

The greater the sin the longer and harder the journey. It won't be easy coming home but if you make it think of how much stronger spiritually you will have become. You will have had no choice but to learn and recognize the masters voice. You will have been in times where getting on your knees in humility and praying to the Father for strength is the only option. You will start to finally understand how truly strong you are, and that with the Saviors help you can overcome anything.

So in conclusion let's stop looking at those who have once gone astray but are now back in the fold as weaker, and more likely to run away again. Let's not label them as trouble makers, or less obedient then us. Let's instead look at them like our Father sees them, because to Him they are spiritual giants. And if you have gone astray just open your eyes and lift your head. You will find that our master, and eldest brother Is standing above us, hands stretched outward ready to receive us.  We just need to leap into his arms and trust in him to take us back to safety.

Anyways thats just a little about my week and my personal insight on things. Love you all!

Elder Pace

NOTE:  He hasn't been able to send pictures lately but his mission president's wife posted these from the Tamale Zone Conference the end of February.