This week we had the chance to go to Jacksonville. Elder Zwick, one of the seventy, did a devotional on Wednesday night to local bishops and ward counsel(?) members. On Thursdaywe had a multi-zone conference. All of it was just incredible. The conference on Wednesdaywas about members sharing the gospel and helping the missionaries find to teach. He had so many incredible experiences that he shared. He told of Gordon B. Hinckley in the Salt Lake City temple with the brethren. He opened up the scriptures and turned to some versus in Mormon 6. Elder Zwick read the versus. He said the prophet opened the scriptures almost as if they fell open to the page. He remembers the prophet getting chocked up as he read it and he looked across the room to see Elder Packer with a tear running down his cheek as the prophet read: "O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord! O ye fair ones, how could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you! Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen. But behold, ye are fallen, and I mourn your loss. O ye fair sons and daughters, ye fathers and mothers, ye husbands and wives, ye fair ones, how is it that ye could have fallen!" They soon started Preach My Gospel. Elder Zwick talked about President Monson's words in conference: "now is the time for members and missionaries to come together, to work together, to labor in the Lord's vineyard to bring souls unto Him." He said that the prophet doesn't have someone to write his script and that he knows that those words were chosen very prayerfully and specifically. Now is the time. He said that doesn't mean in a month or a year, but now. He had all of the bishops stand up who were present and had someone pass around the microphone. He asked a few questions to individual bishops. He asked one of the bishops why it was so important to share the gospel now. The bishop went on about why he felt now was such an important time. Elder Zwick then asked him "when was the last time you had missionaries in your home to teach someone you had invited". The bishop said it had been a while. Elder Zwick wasn't doing this in a belittling way, but made a huge point. At the end of his talk, he said, by a raise of hands, how many of you believe you can have someone in your home for the missionaries to teach in ten days? There were some hands that went up, but not all of them. He said, "If President Monson were in the room, there would be a very different response". Elder Zwick said that not only is the Lord counting on us, but so is the prophet. My dear mother, father, brother, sister, cousin, friend, and whomever else is reading this, If you are not making a diligent effort to share the gospel, you will be held accountable. I know it is hard, but it is our duty. I was thinking about the fact that I was born under the covenant and experienced the joys of the gospel from the moment I entered into this world. I asked myself this morning why. The spirit taught me something in that moment. Because God trusts me, and every single one of you, to share it. I think the hardest thing about sharing the gospel with my dear friends is realizing the eternal significance that it will have for them by accepting the gospel. And I don't want to mess that up. This is Satin. Just like in the game of soccer, we miss every single goal that we do not shoot. Pray for the courage to open your mouth. Miracles WILL and DO happen. I just want each and everyone of you to know that I have a deep testimony of this gospel. I know it is true and the only way back to our Heavenly Father. We must live the gospel of Jesus Christ to be saved. We cannot settle for mediocrity. Read your scriptures daily and pray morning and night. Now is not the time to slack off. My intent is not to preach to everybody, but I feel this so deeply that I feel compelled to share my feelings and thoughts. I am very imperfect. I do not profess in any regard to be perfect. I have many, many weaknesses. I know, however that I need to do my very best to follow Jesus Christ. When the time comes for me to stand before the judgement seat and see my Savior before me, I want to know that I gave it my very all. I love all of you and pray for you often to have the courage to share. In this I humbly testify.
Sister Jensen
Now is the time for members and missionaries to come together, to work together, to labor in the Lord’s vineyard to bring souls unto Him. -President Monson
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