Missions

I am at a time in my life when I have alot of friends either leaving on missions now, or getting ready to. It's sort of a scary thing right now to know that we are all going out in the world on our own, but it's an amazing feeling to know that we won't really be on our own. The Lord will always be watching over us, and come pain or suffering, we know he will be there.

I went to a missionary farewell today for my buddy Thomas, and he gave a very inspiring talk. He based his whole talk off of a story that he heard once, that goes a little like this.

A man had a dream one night that he was walking along a beach, and the Savior was with him, showing him scenes from his life. He showed him the good times, and the bad ones. Every scene he was shown showed footprints walking along the path he chose, and most of the time there were two sets of footprints, showing him that the Savior was walking with him the whole way. In some scenes, the man was distressed to see that when things were really low for him, he saw only one set of footprints along the path. Upset and concerned, he turned to the Savior and asked him, "Lord, why in my greatest times of need did you leave me? Why when I needed you most did you not walk beside me?" the Savior sighed, and replied softly, "My dear, dear chlid. In those times when you thought I had gone, those times when you needed me the most, when you see only one set of footprints in the sand, those were the times when I was carrying you."

I love this story, and I loved the talk that he gave after telling it. He told us about his life, and all the times where he felt like the Lord was carrying him, and it got me thinking about when I have felt the Lord has carried me along. Thank you Thomas, for helping me to think about how the Lord's hand has been in my life.

I have other friends who have left, and friends who are anxiously awaiting their day. I have friends who are putting papers now, and those who are just starting the process. Wherever they are in the process, it's amazing to me to see the change that it has made in the live's of my friends, and the influence they are having on me.

I am grateful for the great friends that the Lord has given me, and the amazing influences I have in my life, and I wanted to share that with whoever may be out there reading this.

-Tenacious Tenor