On My Hero's Shoulders

Last week I found out that I am STAYING in Davis for another transfer! I am so excited to stay here for the next 6 weeks! That means that I will have served here for 6 months at the end of this next transfer. I know that the Lord kept me here for a reason, and I am grateful to Him for the opportunity to stay because it was really important to me. The more time I spend here, the deeper the love grows in my heart for these people, especially for Selena and Luis. They both are getting baptized on the 14^th of July. Their family has become reactivated in the church and all of them are so much happier in their lives. The biggest change they have made is that they are all reading The Book of Mormon together. That has brought the spirit into their home and to their families. My heart is so full of gratitude, because a key reason that I wanted to stay here was so that I could be part of their baptisms. To all of you that are preparing to serve missions, are on missions, or are returned missionaries, this is why we serve; to help others come unto Christ. Through faith in Him, repentance, baptism by immersion, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end, we can bring others to our Savior. I love my mission. I’d like to share the following quote from Jim Valvano:
"My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me".
In my own life that has been the case with my dad. While on my mission I have realized how big of a role both my parents have played in my life, and how my father has sculpted me into who I am today. From an early age, I knew that my father always believed in me. That is one of the many gifts I have received from him as my father. It never mattered what the situation was or how big or small the circumstance, he was always cheering me on. I would like to dedicate this blog post to my own father, the man I have looked up to for the last 20 years of my life and the one who I will continue to look up to forever.
I consider myself lucky to have a father, and to have had one for this long of a time. Many children and teenagers grow up without a fatherly figure in their lives and so I am grateful for the father I do have. I know that before this life he was called and he was chosen to be my earthly father; that has been God's plan from the beginning, to put us into families so that we could be loved, learn, grow, and so that we ALL could have an opportunity to follow Jesus Christ in our lives.
A latter-day prophet once said, "A father's calling is eternal and its importance transcends time. It is a calling for both time and eternity."- Ezra Taft Benson
I can remember numerous times when my father put me on his shoulders. When we were at a park or in the zoo, if I got tired he would lift me up and put me on his shoulders. That act alone is an act from a father. I will never forget the feeling of being on my father's shoulders. It seemed that I could fly, all my burdens were gone and there was a giant sense of relief, to know that he was there for me, carrying me upon his shoulders. It was one of the best feelings ever, to be on the shoulders of my hero. Together we were unstoppable. From that young age he had such a great impact on me. My father has been there for me just like that throughout my life and I know that his love for me will continue into the eternities. I know that my father is not a perfect man, but I do know that the love he has for me and my sisters is perfect.  He will always be my father and I will always be his son. My dad is my hero.
I know we all have a Heavenly Father, and He has given us a way so that we may be burden free and lifted up in our lives. He gave His only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, so that we can be freed from the burdens and sorrows in our lives. Heavenly Father cares about the lowest ones on the ladder. He NEVER will abandon us because he is literally our Father. I know that I have an earthly father and a Heavenly Father who both love me and want the best for me. I know the role of a father is important, and because of that, I want to strive to one day be the best father I can possibly be. I am grateful for this last Sunday, and for the opportunity we had to celebrate the lives of our fathers, and for that, I LOVE YOU DAD! I hope you all say that enough to your own fathers because I know they love you. I love my time here and my mission!

Les Amo,

Elder Vance