Fulfilling our Callings :)

Hello everyone!! :) I sent this story to Sister Bryans by letter a few weeks ago (I think it was actually last year, haha). But I thought it would be nice to share it here as well because I think it can apply to any part of our lives. 

Sister Clements (the wife of the current Mission President) shared this story with the youth at an activity we did last year themed: Take Flight. She said that when one of the General Authority's came to speak to the missionary's he shared this story with them. She started out by drawing an image similar to the one below on the board. Then she labeled it, the 'blue' person is our calling(s) to be: a missionary, mother/father, Bishop, etc, the smaller person (the white one) is us.  

She explained that our callings (in this instance full time missionary service) are bigger then we are at that moment we are supposed to fulfill them. We feel so small that we begin to feel overwhelmed. As we do the missionary work we become better at it and we better fill our role and calling. She also told us that we can prepare for our calling by our actions and choices beforehand. So that when we are finally asked to fill this role/calling we have less space to fill- less need to grow into the role. She then surprised us by saying that when we fill this role so it's 'snug like a glove' we move on to the next calling. Missionary's work and work to become the best missionary they can be and then once they have done it they get released from missionary service. Then they get married... and need to fill the calling of a mother or a father. Each time they receive a new calling it takes time to fill it, sometimes more or less depending on the preparation they have put in beforehand. 

It was cool to hear this story because I have seen this happen! When my cousin came home he had changed, and he had become a missionary. By his actions and words he had changed and we could all see it. Now he is trying to fill another calling, but it took time before it fit just right. 

I also think this is an encouraging thing to remember when we are overwhelmed in any calling we are have. When mothers or fathers feel like they are not succeeding they need to remember that they are still growing into that calling. We all need to be preparing now for our future callings. We can do all thing with the help of the Lord!

Doctrine and Covenants 123: 17 says, "Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."

~Onaleigh