"And We Did Prosper Exceedingly"

A word I have come to love this week is prosper.

Its a word we become familiar with as we study the scriptures.

We learn that the people begin to prosper as they obey the commands the Lord has set before them.

An obedience that at times comes with a cost. Many are unable to keep their course straight. The prosperity soon demishes.

All because of choices.

A cycle of prosperity.

"We all make choices & our choices make us."

"It is our choices that show who we truly are."

I began thinking about what my choices say about my heart.

What is the condition of my heart?

What does my heart tell Heavenly Father about me?

This last week i was faced with a very challenging choice.

A choice i didnt want to have to make for myself.

I got a message offering the opportunity i had to extend my mission until April.

It was a message that i wasnt anticipating at all.

My heart weighed heavy as i had to make a decision quickly.

This situation seemed to consume everything in me.

I couldnt focus on anything.

I began to feel myself sink.

I didnt know what to do.

I didnt want to make the wrong choice.

For a few days i was scared to pray because i was scared of the response i was going to receive.

The weight continued to increase.

My strength began to decrease.

I didnt want to make the wrong choice.

One night i finally mustered enough courage to get on my knees.

As i began praying i received the most overwhelming peace.

A peace that i was yearning for.

Sacred words filled my mind and led me to scriptures that i would need to study in the morning.

"But, verily, I will speak unto you concerning your journey unto the land from whence you came. Let there be a craft made, or bought, as seemeth you good, it mattereth not unto me, and take your journey speedily for the place which is called (South Jordan)...And in this place let them lift up their voice and declare my word with loud voices, without wrath or doubting, lifting up holy hands upon them. For I am able to make you holy, and your sins are forgiven you."

"And it mattereth not unto me, after a little, if it so be that they fill their mission, whether they go by water or by land; let this be as it is made known unto them according to their judgments hereafter."

"And now continue your journey. Assemble yourselves upon the land of (Utah); and hold a meeting and rejoice together, and offer a sacrament unto the Most High.

And then you may return to bear record, yea, even altogether, or two by two, as seemeth you good, it mattereth not unto me; only be faithful, and declare glad tidings unto the inhabitants of the earth, or among the congregations of the wicked.

Behold, I, the Lord, have brought you together that the promise might be fulfilled, that the faithful among you should be preserved and rejoice together in the land of (England). I, the Lord, promise the faithful and cannot lie.

I, the Lord, am willing, if any among you desire to ride upon horses, or upon mules, or in chariots, he shall receive this blessing, if he receive it from the hand of the Lord, with a thankful heart in all things.

These things remain with you to do according to judgment and the directions of the Spirit.

Behold, the kingdom is yours. And behold, and lo, I am with the faithful always. Even so. Amen."

Tears filled my eyes.

With everything within my heart i would have loved to stay until April.

But i couldnt shake the words that filled my mind as i felt inspired to leave in February.

This is one of the hardest things i have ever had to do.

But i know it is the better right.

Why do i tell you this experience?

In life we are faced with choices.

A lot of times heavenly father gives us the opportunity to choose the better right.

And i know within those choices he prospers us.

Prosper means to make successful.

And through this choice i feel successful, even if it is hard.

I feel after i was able to make this choice the Lord has astonished me.

He has prospered me.

I saw his prospering yesterday.

I was on an exchange with such a beautiful sister. Her desire to do good is inspiring. We were praying so hard that the Lord would bless us with individual who were prepared for the gospel.

It all started on the bus when we contemplated talking to this lady at the front of the bus. Praying for strength we began teaching her about the book of mormon.

"I will start reading now" she said.

For the next hour she read. Reading the appearance of the Saviour to his people. She loved it and she said she will finish it as soon as she can!

It came time to go back out to find people. It was dark out but we knew there were people who needed us. We started walking down the street.

We saw that one shop full of people.

We needed to go in, we just felt it was right. We started talking to the owner and invited her to come and see. After we were done talking we were going to leave a man inside the shop said, "hello sisters"

We were caught by suprise. He went on telling us that he served a mission a long time ago and had since fallen away. He then proceeded to tell us how his wife had just submitted a request to recieve 2 spanish Book of Mormons. Come to find out the sisters were trying to get in contact with this mans wife but wasnt able to!

We instantly ran back to the flat and grabbed her books. Heavenly Father was so aware.

We continued to walk. As we made it out of the town center we saw that one girl.

"What is something that has made you smile today?" "Funny you ask that, i was just talking about how hard my day had been."

We continued talking. Teaching her about faith. She then started speaking about how she has been praying for a sign to believe. We were her sign. Her life will forever be change. Her prayer was answered.

When we went back to the flat to grab the Spanish book of mormons we decided to grab a Romanian book of mormon just in case. You never know who the Lord will place in your path.

Time came for us to head home. This lady came up to the cross walk we were about to cross at. We started talking to her. Getting to know her. We asked her where she was from and she said, Romania.

My mouth dropped and before i could even turn to face to this sweet sister she had already pulled out the book of mormon.

We handed it to her and her face lit up with joy. She was so excited to start reading a book of truth that is all about Jesus Christ!

Heavenly Father was so aware of her.

The Lord has prospered me.

He has astonished me.

I know he is so aware of me and the people here in beautiful England.

This will forever be a week i will never forget.

No matter the choices i will ever make i know that the greatest choice i have ever made was serving the Saviour.

It has changed my life!

Everything about it means everything to me.

Choose to prosper in the hands of the Lord.

Choose the better right.