I can hardly believe that this day is here. Mixed emotions, of course. :) I am just so incredibly grateful for this time I have been able to serve the Lord as His full-time servant for the last eighteen months.
The last couple weeks have been such a blessing--Matt Marquez is getting baptized on July 11th, and Casey Cook has a baptismal date now, as well! The Lord has blessed us with miracles, and I couldn't be more grateful. I know I was supposed to be here in the Wellington Ward for the last six months, and I know I was supposed to be here in the Fort Collins, Colorado Mission for the past eighteen months. Now, it is time for me to turn the next page of my life. I know the Lord won't leave me; I know He will be here for me in all I do. He is constant. I have a burning testimony of this gospel. I know Christ is the Head of this church. We are watched over so much more than we realize. I have received guidance and direction from the prophets, seers, and revelators; they are called of God. Their words are truth. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. I have gotten nearer to God by abiding by its precepts than by any other book. We have the same organization that Christ established. Covenants bring power. God always keeps His promises when we keep ours. The gift of the Holy Ghost is SO real, and I know that He will guide us, warn us, comfort us, testify of truth, and so much more. With faith, all things are possible! The gospel of Jesus Christ is the way. I feel so blessed to have seen the Atonement change people's lives as they have lived His gospel and sought for truth. God will answer your prayers and fill you with light as you live His gospel and obey His commandments. All of it is true--I know it is. I pray each of you will continue to seek Him. He wants you to know Him! I am so grateful for His love and the Atonement of my Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you all for the support, love, encouragement, and prayers you have given me. :) You have all been so instrumental in the hastening of the Lord's work. I love you all!!!!!!!!! (p.s. find me on FB-- Marissa Budge) :) Please stay in touch!!!!!! Love, Sister Marissa Budge It has been a really great week--my faith has definitely increased, and the Lord is talking care of His vineyard. Miracles! :) As I am sure many of you are aware, the First Presidency has been placing a lot of emphasis on the Sabbath Day. We have been receiving trainings in ward council, zone conference, and Sacrament Meeting. I have been thinking a lot about the Sabbath Day this week, and I felt the difference in how I was filled during Sacrament Meeting because of it. President Foster (stake president) came and spoke in our ward yesterday on the topic, as well. It was absolutely amazing to note the difference in reverence as the congregation exited the meeting yesterday! In order to increase our faith, be more protected from the world, and become more spiritually filled, we must hallow the Sabbath Day! I invite you all to prepare for the Sabbath Day, for the Sacrament, this week. How will you give the Sabbath back to the Lord? What sign do you want to give Him on the Sabbath? I know as you increase your faith, your understanding of the Sabbath will increase. I know as you become more consecrated on the Sabbath, your faith will increase.
For some reason, my life just keeps pointing back to Lehi's vision of the Tree of Life in 1 Nephi 8 and 11. Seriously like this whole transfer. Over and over. There is so much to learn from these chapters! I would remind you all to continually HOLD FAST to the iron rod. Hold fast to the words of the living prophets, as well as the words of ancient prophets. Study their words. Listen to how the spirit would teach you. Increase your faith by preparing for and keeping the Sabbath Day holy. I know that as we do hold fast, the adversary won't be able to overpower us to blindness. Love, Sister Budge It has been a really good week. Sister Helsing and I have definitely seen miracles and felt the guidance of the spirit as we have acted in faith. We had a good lesson with Brother Marquez--still progressing and agreed once again to be baptized when he knows it's true. We are really focusing still on helping him understand the importance of truly studying and praying about the Book of Mormon. He's a scientist, so we're helping him understand what the spirit feels like. He's really starting to get it. I believe he will be baptized soon! :) We had the opportunity to work in the mountains this weekend and meet some really incredible people! LOVE the mountains! :) *****I want to close with a quote by President Ezra Taft Benson: "The Lord has on the earth some potential spiritual giants whom He saved for some six thousand years to help bear off the kingdom triumphantly and the devil is trying to put them to sleep. The devil knows that he probably won't be too successful in getting them to commit many great and malignant sins of commission. So he puts them into a deep sleep, like Gulliver, while he strands them with little sins of omission. And what good is a sleepy, neutralized, lukewarm giant as a leader? We have too many potential spiritual giants who should be more vigorously lifting their homes, the kingdom, and the country. We have many who feel they are good men, but they need to be good for something....In short, we must be shakened and awakened from a spiritual snooze." We have SOO much potential as the sons and daughters of God! I invite you all to assess where your testimony is. What are you doing to nourish it? Serious troubled times are coming, and we need to decide where we stand. The adversary's power is increasing, and the Lord needs His saints to prepare for His coming. Love, Sister Marissa Budge P.S. My homecoming is going to be on June 23rd at the church building in Paris, Idaho; haha trust me, it's not too hard to find--just off of highway 89 :) It will be at 9:00--Sacrament is first!!! (Sorry to all of you I told it was last. :/) I would love to see whoever is able to make it!! <3 |