Well, here's a place I haven't visited in a thousand years. I've had three kids since the last time I blogged. But I'm here for a school assignment, and that's what really matters.

This week, I had a conversation with a friend who is no longer in the church. He is disenchanted with many things about the church, and we talked a little about church culture vs. the gospel. It was a good opportunity for me to bear my testimony of the Book of Mormon. There are definitely things I’m not sure about sometimes, but I do know that the Book of Mormon is true, and I know I feel closer to Jesus when I read it. I think bearing your testimony is not something you do to change other people's minds, but more to strengthen your own testimony and also, to avoid the regret that can sometimes come because we don't speak our truth when we feel it is necessary. 

I really enjoy reading about the Sons of Mosiah. Their missionary work has been such an important story for me – even though no one wanted them, and the scriptures don’t talk much about how they were feeling, except to say, at one point, that their hearts were depressed and they wanted to turn back, they still pressed forward and bore their testimonies. Missionary stories are some of the best to read, because I feel that they inspire a missionary spirit. Ammon is my favorite missionary: He served the people of Ishmael because he loved them. How did he love them? They never loved him, in fact, they tried to kill him, at first. But somehow, God helped Ammon to love the people of Ishmael and to serve them with no thought of anything at all in return. 

In the Christmas season, I often wonder what I can do to serve others. How can I learn to be like Ammon, and like Alma and Amulek, and like all of the other great missionaries? They seemed to know how to serve others without very much knowledge of the people they were serving. They were able to pray to know what to do, and then they were able to serve people, and because of their service, many were brought closer to Christ. 

Bearing my testimony is a good way for me to know how to serve others. Anything I can do to feel the Holy Ghost, will help me be close to the Spirit so I can know what to do to serve others like the people in the scriptures. I am glad that I have a knowledge of my Savior, and that I know that He loves me.