Only a Stone's Cast

Holla Familias,

So my companion is Awesome just sayin. Anywho her dad is in MOTAB!!!! HOW COOL IS THAT!!! So we saw him on TV. ha,ha and we also found out that Sister Shetselaar's son is also in Motab and Sister Maddox knows him too!! So that was pretty cool. Anywho, so yeah musical talents come from this familia. 

I have thought a lot about the talk "And Nothing Shall Offend Them" 

A part from it: "Let me make sure I understand what has happened to you. Because someone at church offended you, you have not been blessed by the ordinance of the sacrament. You have withdrawn yourself from the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Because someone at church offended you, you have cut yourself off from the priesthood ordinances and the holy temple. You have discontinued your opportunity to serve others and to learn and grow. And you are leaving barriers that will impede the spiritual progress of your children, your children's children, and the generations that will follow. Many times people would think for a moment and then respond: I have never thought about it that way." 

It isn't just for people who have been offended by people, but by doctrine, and for those who are just "too lazy" to go to church, they aren't "worthy" to go to church yet, so on and so forth! My goodness! The Doctrine is not wrong, it is the understanding of it that is off. Somethings need better explanation, no one really means to offend someone with the Truth. Just how we word it can come out wrong. But in all reality the person who needs to come back needs a Broken and Contrite Heart, or a better explanation won't even do. Desire to change. You can't squeeze someone into the Gospel, It doesn't work. We all ask the question how do we help others come back. Do you know what the answer is? Love. Love of God. When we Love God we are able to open up to different revelation to what we need to do. When we start to understand God's love for us and for him, we will learn how to love others more fully.  

Why would we deny ourselves of such awesome blessings? Well, I know. Because we don't know or understand the blessings, or what the Lord wants from us. It is a lack of knowledge - and that is it. We can't do something or expect something we have no idea about, or have a desire for it if we don't know it exists. 

Another Cool thing I learned this week, at District Meeting. We went out and Cast a stone to see how far we could throw a it. Because Christ was only a stone cast away from his apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane. We then put the stone in our left hand and tried to throw it as far as we could. Then we put all of our study materials for our mission in our right hand and tried to throw with our left hand again. It was really hard to throw that little rock while carrying the study materials and with the left hand. Some were disappointed that they couldn't throw the rock very far "aww man, I'm right handed.. I can't throw it that far... That was a bad throw let me do it again" The lesson from this was this though: When we have our focus on the Gospel, and on learning more of Christ. He will be closer to us. We want to be as close to the Savior as we can. So when we aren't studying or focusing on him, he is farther from us because we can throw our stone farther. Only a Stone's Cast away. Sister Richards comment was funny though "Good thing my first throw was really crappy, It was only like three feet away!" ha. Oh how life gets easier when we have the Savior closer to us in our lives. If we could only all see this in our own lives, and at all times, during thick and thin. 

Well This week was pretty Good! I loved Conference!! Lots about being Courageous, Strong, Loving, and having Faith! 

I think of the Story Elder Holland gave and it helped me re-evaluate what I would do in that situation... I probably wouldn't have reacted in such a calm matter... But now I know better ha,ha. Love all. 

I Loves You, Be good, Pray Always, Go to Church, and Read Your Scriptures. 

Loves,

Sister Karen Call