Yesterday my companion and I were able to baptize our investigator, and good friend, Bella Oliverio. She is 16 years old. In the last month, we were able to teach her all of the lessons, and then baptize her! It was such an amazing experience to see how much the gospel of Jesus Christ blessed her life, and allowed her to find peace and happiness; the true peace and happiness in this life can only come through Jesus Christ.
Bella first became interested in the church a few months ago, when she learned that some of her friends at school always seemed to be happier, and saw that there was a difference in the way that they chose to live their lives. She began driving herself to church at 9 am every Sunday morning, and began to see and learn more about what it was that made life different for her mormon friends, and what it was that made them happy all the time. She could see that the choices that they made and the lifestyles they had were different form the one she had been living, and simply saw the happiness that came from being a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
She approached us a month ago, and told us that she wanted to be baptized as soon as possible. When we asked her why she wanted to be baptized, she made it very clear that she had been reading the Book of Mormon and making changes in her life to become more like the examples the other LDS kids were setting at school. She had found happiness in living a lifestyle that was in harmony with the gospel and knew that being baptized and following the example of Jesus Christ was something that she wanted to do; not because her friends told her to or because her parents wanted her to do it, but because she wanted to change. She wanted to be better. In fact, her friends didn't even think she would be baptized, or that a whole lot would come from her attending church every week. And her mother is not a member of the church, nor is she currently very interested in learning more, but Bella found joy in being among the saints, and learning who Jesus Christ was, why we follow his example, and how he can bring us peace from the sorrows and trials in this life. Bella is so grateful for the light that the gospel has brought into her life, and I know that when we exercise our agency, we can choose to come unto Christ. We all have faults and short comings in this life, but when can lay down our burdens, and realize that we can be cleansed of our sins, and forgiven, no trial that we face, no burden that we carry, is enough to keep us down. Before coming to earth, we all experienced a premortal life that allowed us to grow and become stronger. We chose to come down to earth, knowing that we would experience these hard things and be tested. We lived with our father in heaven before we came down to earth, and we can all live with him in the celestial kingdom again. Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End, are the steps we take to get back to him. Each step we take back towards our heavenly home, and our Savior Jesus Christ, brings us happiness and joy in this life. By attending the temple, living the gospel of Jesus Christ, and truly being happy, others will see the joy the gospel brings. By being happy, we are shining the light of Christ. True eternal happiness is what we have to share with the world. Be in the world, but not of the world. Be an Example of the believers. Invite others to "come and see" by the way that you choose to live your life. You never know who might be watching, and want to know more. Just like Bella, there are those around us at school, work, etc. who are searching in life. Searching for happiness. That is our ultimate quest. People settle for other lacking forms of 'happiness' that this world has to offer, because they do not know Christ. If we can live the gospel, others will see the difference that it makes in our lives, and want to know more, when the time is right in their lives.
Being able to be someone's true eternal friend is the greatest gift we have to offer our lost brothers and sisters. We shine the light, so that they can follow us, and find the path so that they can return back home through the gospel of Jesus Christ, and receive eternal life. We can also help others return to live with father again, by doing temple work. There is so much joy that comes from serving the Lord, in whatever capacity we can in life - but being happy and joyous in living the gospel is one of the greatest gifts of all.
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/happiness-your-heritage?lang=eng
I encourage you all to continue to seek for happiness, and remember how much you are loved, even though sometimes life gets you down, we can continue to seek for happiness in living the gospel of Jesus Christ. Remember who you are! ALWAYS! In that; you can never fail.
Go With God,
Sister Megan Chapple
Bella first became interested in the church a few months ago, when she learned that some of her friends at school always seemed to be happier, and saw that there was a difference in the way that they chose to live their lives. She began driving herself to church at 9 am every Sunday morning, and began to see and learn more about what it was that made life different for her mormon friends, and what it was that made them happy all the time. She could see that the choices that they made and the lifestyles they had were different form the one she had been living, and simply saw the happiness that came from being a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
She approached us a month ago, and told us that she wanted to be baptized as soon as possible. When we asked her why she wanted to be baptized, she made it very clear that she had been reading the Book of Mormon and making changes in her life to become more like the examples the other LDS kids were setting at school. She had found happiness in living a lifestyle that was in harmony with the gospel and knew that being baptized and following the example of Jesus Christ was something that she wanted to do; not because her friends told her to or because her parents wanted her to do it, but because she wanted to change. She wanted to be better. In fact, her friends didn't even think she would be baptized, or that a whole lot would come from her attending church every week. And her mother is not a member of the church, nor is she currently very interested in learning more, but Bella found joy in being among the saints, and learning who Jesus Christ was, why we follow his example, and how he can bring us peace from the sorrows and trials in this life. Bella is so grateful for the light that the gospel has brought into her life, and I know that when we exercise our agency, we can choose to come unto Christ. We all have faults and short comings in this life, but when can lay down our burdens, and realize that we can be cleansed of our sins, and forgiven, no trial that we face, no burden that we carry, is enough to keep us down. Before coming to earth, we all experienced a premortal life that allowed us to grow and become stronger. We chose to come down to earth, knowing that we would experience these hard things and be tested. We lived with our father in heaven before we came down to earth, and we can all live with him in the celestial kingdom again. Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End, are the steps we take to get back to him. Each step we take back towards our heavenly home, and our Savior Jesus Christ, brings us happiness and joy in this life. By attending the temple, living the gospel of Jesus Christ, and truly being happy, others will see the joy the gospel brings. By being happy, we are shining the light of Christ. True eternal happiness is what we have to share with the world. Be in the world, but not of the world. Be an Example of the believers. Invite others to "come and see" by the way that you choose to live your life. You never know who might be watching, and want to know more. Just like Bella, there are those around us at school, work, etc. who are searching in life. Searching for happiness. That is our ultimate quest. People settle for other lacking forms of 'happiness' that this world has to offer, because they do not know Christ. If we can live the gospel, others will see the difference that it makes in our lives, and want to know more, when the time is right in their lives.
Being able to be someone's true eternal friend is the greatest gift we have to offer our lost brothers and sisters. We shine the light, so that they can follow us, and find the path so that they can return back home through the gospel of Jesus Christ, and receive eternal life. We can also help others return to live with father again, by doing temple work. There is so much joy that comes from serving the Lord, in whatever capacity we can in life - but being happy and joyous in living the gospel is one of the greatest gifts of all.
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/happiness-your-heritage?lang=eng
I encourage you all to continue to seek for happiness, and remember how much you are loved, even though sometimes life gets you down, we can continue to seek for happiness in living the gospel of Jesus Christ. Remember who you are! ALWAYS! In that; you can never fail.
Go With God,
Sister Megan Chapple
Bella's Baptism!!
We went to the temple as a mission this week to do a session! So Amazing!