The Character of Christ

DEAREST FRIENDS AND FAMILY!

Another week down at the MTC and it went by SO. FAST. Time is just the weirdest thing ever here...I feel like I got here yesterday but also like I have been here my whole life. It's so bizarre. 

My companions and I actually spent Thursday night in the ER. My companion started to feel faint after gym time and all of a sudden she was on the ground. She could barely speak and her whole body was shaking! She couldn't feel her arms and it was just so scary. After a while of trying to get her to calm down, the nurse at the MTC said she needed to be taken to the emergency room. We hopped in a van and it took us to the hospital. Lucky for us, there were two Elders in the van who quickly and willingly gave her a blessing. Although her symptoms didn't improve, there was the BIGGEST sense of relief and comfort in that van. The Elder that offered the blessing was actually Zach Winn from Rexburg! I think half of Madison High School is here. :) ANYWAY, long story short, everything was fine and we went on with the rest of our week. :)

Sunday night was one the most mind-blowing nights of my life. After our amazing, evening devotional with Sister Elaine S. Dalton and her husband, we watched "The Character of Christ" by Elder Bednar. It BLEW. ME. AWAY. Seriously I was speechless the entire rest of the night. He taught that NO human being could have survived the pain of the atonement. His agony was so great that he bled from every pore.

Why? Why did he do that? Why would he go through the most agonizing, horrific pain for someone with a "soul so rebellious and proud as mine?"

He. Loves us. He LOVES US!!!!! He loves ME! And I know he loves you!!!! It hit me right then and I knew it with my whole heart! His love is so perfect that he was willing to do ANYTHING so that we might return to live with him.

Guess who met Joseph Smith?  Woo!!

Elder Bednar then taught that when "the natural man" would turn IN, Christ turns OUT. He told the story of a mother who had lost her only daughter in a terrible accident. A lady in her ward hadn't heard about the accident and called her. She called CHEWED her out and was SO angry because no one in Relief Society had gone over to her house to deliver dinner to her and her daughter who had the flu. The natural man would have gotten defensive, angry and turned IN, but on her way to the hospital, she stopped by this woman's house and brought her dinner. She. turned. OUT. 

When she got to the hospital, her first request was to call the mothers of the other two girls in the accident to let them know they were injured, but were going to be alright. SHE understood the true character of Christ and what it meant to not only follow Christ's example, but to be a DISCIPLE of Him.

Wow. Wow wow wow. I was seriously blown away. Elder Bednar then added, "Brothers and Sisters, if all you have is a testimony, you're in trouble."

...like what? I was so confused. But then he explained that unless you are TRULY CONVERTED unto the Lord and his gospel, NOT just the programs or people, you are in danger of falling away. 

I want my conversion to the Lord to be SO STRONG that even if one of the members of the quorm of the twelve fell away, I would STILL know that this church is true because of what I have personally witnessed from the Lord. Our dedication and conversion is TO HIM. Not just the programs or people. 

So turn OUT! If you have a testimony, become CONVERTED! I love my Savior and I am so grateful for Him. I hope you all have an amazing week. I LOVE YOU!

Love, 

Hermana Hayes