Here is the talk that I gave. Feel Free to give it to the sister to put on the bulletin board and also give a copy to the Young Women and Relief Society Presidents. I am also going to develop pictures and send them to you today.
My name is Sister Evans. I was baptized into the church on September 28th, 2008 and was confirmed a member of the church on October 19th, 2008 because... they forgot. I have been a member for four years now. I joined the church because of how I felt in Young Women. My leaders were phenomenal. I truly appreciate all that Sister McGee and Sister Hilton did for me. They were so kind to me. My first time walking into the church building was for Mutual. At that time our young women program was pretty small. But I instantly felt important and loved. I am so grateful for the girls and for their strength and courage to follow the Savior. I am also extremely grateful for this church in helping me to realize my divine potential and divine worth. I was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan which if you know me, explains my sarcasm and also explains my emphasis on the love that Heavenly Father and Christ have for each and everyone one of us. Living in Detroit it is very easy to lose sight of one's eternal perspective. It is difficult to even believe in yourself or your capabilities. I am sure that my life was extremely different than most people here in this room. However, we are all here on equal footing. What brought us here? What keeps bringing us back each Sunday? This month is March Madness in sports you know? It is also Spring Break, why don't we get a break from church? Can I also just say 8:30 A.M. is pretty early? Nevertheless we are here.
I came to church not because I was told that we have to give a talk, nor am I here because I am a missionary, I came to church because I want to partake of the sacrament. I have burdens and I sin all of the time. I am so not perfect. I need the calming effect of hymns, prayers, and the Priesthood. At the Davis’ home, where we live, the Priesthood is ever present. In my home in Detroit my family is not members of the church so I do not have that presence. At church I am surrounded by those who do have the Priesthood. But what does that have to do with Airplanes? It doesn’t. What does matter is the ordinance of the sacrament which gives us access to the Atonement that allows for us to receive the grace of Jesus Christ. He is why we are all here. WE need Him because without him we cannot return to Heavenly Father. Coming to church helps us to be completely focused on our Elder Brother. Coming to church is but one way that we can keep our minds centered on Christ.
A girl in the Centreville Ward asked me and my companion, “Are we Christians”? She said that another girl asked her that question and she said: “No, I’m a Mormon, I know it, I live it, I love it.” We replied: “Oh yes, we are Mormon but we are especially Christian. We then asked her in confidence if she had been reading the Book of Mormon. In Preach My Gospel it reads: “A central purpose of the Book of Mormon is to convince all people that Jesus is the Christ.” By reading the Book of Mormon we become closer to Christ. We learn about Him, we grow in our faith in Him, and We follow His example.
When I was younger it was extremely difficult for me to pray. I knew that I was supposed to pray after all I wanted to be the girl version of Daniel. I wanted to pray even when it was against the law and be thrown into a den of lions and play with them. However, I feared praying because I worried that if I prayed and God didn’t answer that it would mean that He wasn’t really there. In the Bible Dictionary under “Prayer” it reads:
“As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are His children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part (Matt. 7:7–11). Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant but that are made conditional on our asking for them.”
In the last few years I have been able to get over that fear and I know that God is my Father and Christ is the Savior. I know that they love me so much. Through prayer I have come to know that Christ is my Savior, He did indeed exist, and He died for me. He knows my name and He knows my character.
When I made the decision to go on a mission, I was nervous. I didn’t have family to lean on for support, I did not know anything about the missionary training center, nor do I like talking to people a Triple Whammy. I had nothing to compare a mission to. Going on a mission also implied, unbeknownst to me: I would enter the Holy Temple and receive my own endowments and I would need to by church clothes that would be appropriate to a missionary. I thought, oh I will figure this all out in the 3 weeks that I have between the end of the semester at Brigham Young University- Idaho and going to the missionary training center. Then I realized there is no such thing as modesty in the shopping centers in the city, I have to set-up the appointments to interview with both my Branch President and Stake President, actually have the interviews with them, buy temple clothes and then go to the temple, buy missionary supplies, pack it all away, write and give a farewell, etc. I am so grateful for my wonderful Relief Society Sisters and my Adopted Mormon parents (the Owens) for being my saving grace. They were so kind. The countless hours they spent with me and preparing me can never be made up. I leaned what it meant in Matthew 25: 34-40
“34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
I was the recipient and I know that they were the hands of the Lord. I am grateful for my Savior in sending such wonderful people into my life to allow for me to learn to develop a lasting, eternal, relationship with my Savior.
Now all of that was my introduction of myself. Now, Brother Holdaway asked me to speak on how we can all prepare for Easter. We can all do this by:
Coming to church and accessing the Atonement and Grace of Jesus Christ through partaking of the sacrament.
2. Studying the scriptures and learning about Christ, increasing our faith in Him, and following the examples that He sets before us.
3. Praying to Our Father in Heaven to know that Christ is our Savior, ask if the Atonement happened.
4. We can prepare for Easter by serving other. Easter is a happy message! Why not share it with the world? The Lord is Risen. In Preach My Gospel it says: “Your good works will help people recognize you as a servant of God….”
I hope that helps. I apologize if my message seemed too lighthearted but I know that laughter heals the soul.
I would like to end by bearing my testimony, I know that God is my Father in Heaven and I know that Christ is risen. I am so grateful for Him. I know that the Priesthood, which allows for us to do sacred ordinances like the sacrament, has been restored. I am grateful for leaders who hold that Priesthood. I am grateful for the prophet Thomas Spencer Monson and I am excited to see him in a few short weeks. I am grateful for Christ showing us the importance of the Priesthood. I am grateful for the resurrection which allows for us all to be resurrected. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ.
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