Come Unto Yourself

This last week I was thinking about how I can help others more in their lives, whether that be my investigators, my companion, the missionaries in my district, my family at home, or my friends outside of the mission. I want to do all I can to bring ALL unto Christ. I really enjoyed the talk that Elder Robert D. Hales gave this past General Conference. He talks about the Prodigal Son and how he CAME home. These were some of the things he said that hit me and impacted my life.

"The Savior told His disciples about a son who left his wealthy father, went to a far country, and wasted his inheritance. When a famine arose, the young man took the lowly job of feeding swine. He was so hungry that he wanted to eat the husks meant for the animals.


Away from home, far from the place he wanted to be, and in his destitute condition, something of eternal significance happened in the life of this young man. In the Savior’s words, “he came to himself.” He remembered who he was, realized what he had been missing, and began to desire the blessings freely available in his father’s house.


Throughout our lives, whether in times of darkness, challenge, sorrow, or sin, we may feel the Holy Ghost reminding us that we are truly sons and daughters of a caring Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we may hunger for the sacred blessings that only He can provide. At these times we should strive to COME TO OURSELVES and come back into the light of our Savior’s love."

This last week we had a Leadership Training meeting. I love my mission president. I know President Bunker is an inspired man that has been called of God. He said something that really struck me. He said, "You see God in everything else. You see some God-like potential because that is something you feel in YOURSELF."

That is what we have always seen in Juan. Yesterday I had the opportunity to confirm Juan. It was an amazing experience and I could see that he has really changed. He wants to change his life around and follow the example of Jesus Christ. I felt the spirit so strong as I performed his confirmation. He received the gift of the Holy Ghost. Now he has that constant companion, that gift from our Heavenly Father to lead and guide him every day for the rest of his life. After his confirmation, I felt a sense of happiness that I have never really felt before. This last month Elder Lopez and I have been praying for him every day. It really was tough because we knew that Juan wasn't in a good place. He strayed off the path, but with much prayer and help from our Heavenly Father, we were able to help him come back, and come unto himself. Our job as missionaries is to do just that, to turn others to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We are the guides, we are the instruments. I know in my life I have had people like that, the ones that turned me around so that I could come back and be in the arms of my Heavenly Father again. I know that our Heavenly Father will always be waiting; waiting for us to come out of our darkness and back into His presence. I love my mission and I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ changes lives, because I have seen it. We are all children of God. That is who we are and we must ALL come unto ourselves.

Les Amo Muchisimo,

Elder Vance