Writings from West Virginia: A Consecrated Year

Hello Family and Friends!

2014 has long since left, and 2015 is here! I've had the chance to reflect on this past year and this coming year in the past couple days. A few missionaries and loved ones back home have brought something interesting to my attention in the recent weeks. 2015 is a special year for me, because it is the only year of my life that will be spent 24/7 in the service of my Lord. It is my consecrated year. I would encourage all of us to reflect upon this coming year and what it brings. While most of you are not engaged in full-time service to the ministry, most, if not all, of you, have a love of our Savior Jesus Christ. See what you can change. See how 2015 can go down into your history as a consecrated year to you. I promise you with the authority that I have been given that The Spirit of The Lord will show you how to become what The Savior can see in your future.

Now that I've got that off my chest, let's jump in to my past week!

On Tuesday, I was able to go on exchanges with Elder Garrett in Hillsville! The exchange was a little different, as it lasted until Thursday! That's right, New Years Eve! We had a blast together, as I'm sure you can see from the pictures. We ate a lot. Didn't get a whole lot of sleep either, haha. Elder Garrett has been almost exactly a year longer than I have. Throughout the day and the night leading up to midnight, we had the chance to talk to each other about what I just talked about above. I shared with him my hopes and dreams for this coming year, and he in turn shared with me his triumphs, decisions, and even regrets as his Consecrated Year came to a close. We toasted Martinelli's Sparkling Cider at 11:59, Wednesday, December 31st, 2014 to the past that we have learned from, and the future that holds its opportunities and experiences in store for us, and took them from our lips at 12:00, Thursday, January 1st, 2015. A song I stumbled across recently goes quite well with this subject. Check it out! https://www.lds.org/church/news/new-2015-mutual-theme-songs-videos-encourage-youth-to-serve?cid=HPMO122914592&lang=eng

On Thursday, we had Zone Meeting! It's always great to see everyone in the Bluefield zone. I was particularly happy to be able to see Elder Bingham, who's serving in our zone currently. He came out with me, and we had the opportunity to talk about how fast time has gone by. In Zone Meeting, we talked about a lot of things, but one thing in particular I liked was listening. We talked about truly listening to those people who are talking to us. I saw a MormonAd a few days ago that went along with it. It showed a man and a girl, presumably on a date, and the guy was only looking at his phone. His dessert lay untouched on the table, while the girl he was with waited for him to look up, her treat long since eaten. If I recall correctly, the subtitle said, "People deserve your attention, not just your presence." I thought that was awful poetic. It seems in this world, and I am not innocent by any means, we can get caught up in just being there. Sometimes we don't even realize it! We can be comfortable where we are, being around those we love, but those we love want our attention as well as our presence, and I think that they deserve it, too.

On Friday, we said good-bye to a less active woman who was moving. She left Wytheville with a bad taste in her mouth, on terms that were less than desirable. She was unfortunately leaving and divorcing her husband of five years. A lot of circumstances that we need not go into here went into her decision, and ultimately, the decision was her own. All we can do is pray for her and hope that her life will be peaceful and happy wherever she is. While we said goodbye though, and thinking about the situation after, I was struck with how different her life could have been. How much happiness could have been there. I was also struck with the blessings that I have been given in my life. The circumstances and opportunities that I have been given by The Lord. I realized how much the gospel and families are connected to each other. Something we tell our investigators in the first to lessons that we teach them, The Restoration and Plan of Salvation, is about families. We talk about how families are an integral part of this church. We talk about the blessings we get from uniting our family to the gospel. I realized that this church not only brings peace and knowledge to ourselves individually, but also peace to our spouses and children and parents and siblings and all others who we are close to. Due to mortality, our circumstances and decisions can sometimes result in consequences that "we had not forseen in happier times, and certainly had not wanted," but that is the glory and incredible promise of the church, isn't it? Our families can be blessed no matter what has happened in the past, but what can happen now, in the future, with our renewed commitment to Christ and our family.

I am so thankful for these members out here in Wytheville. On Saturdays, we have the chance to go to Sister B's house to eat dinner with her, her 23 year old son C., and The Gr's, a recent convert family. They recently returned from less-active status, and they invite us over every Saturday. I am thankful for people like them in this church who take care of us and love The Lord so much that they would sacrifice their time to have us over. I wonder if we could do the same thing as these awesome people do!

I've been out 7 months now, as of yesterday. I am so thankful for the time I've had to serve and hope to serve for much longer and greater. I love you all! Thank you for being so supportive of me and your prayers in my behalf. They are needed, and they are felt.

Love,

Elder Brax Johnson