Based Upon a Firm Foundation

Well, I got to visit a castle this week!!! Oh man that was so sick!! We ended up having a holiday yesterday which made it so that we couldn´t do our shopping or emails but we still had time to go hit up a castle...haha I finally got to reach that goal and I am super stoked because it was one of the really large ones. It´s just ruins but a huge part of me enjoys that way more than the ones that have been maintained. I got to run around like a little kid pretending to be legolas and shooting down orcs off of the walls...yup, mission accomplished. The view was also super amazing! I absolutely loved it! I got plenty of pictures so I´ll be sure to send some. I think I took a couple hundred...better than I usually ever do so I hope that you are happy mom!! Being at the castle also helped me think a little bit more about the wear and tear of the elements on something that, at one point in time seemed so sturdy, that is now wasting away. At the same time though, there is still a chance to repair it. (If someone wanted to haha) I find that our testimonies are the exact same way, and also our lives. What an eye opener it was to find out that grandpa had passed away. I never felt like he would ever pass away. Just that invincible Super Man that was always flying around fighting crime at night without anybody having any idea about it. Reading that took the fight out of me a little bit, not going to lie. And then I realize how blessed I am. I know for a fact that I will see him again. There is no question or doubt in my mind about that. I also know that when I see him I will be with my family for eternity. Some may say that I am being a little overzealous in what I am saying but why not? Why should I let myself have less than what I know I can obtain. I have recieved a confirmation of my testimony and so no matter what satan throws at me I will hurdle it and move forward. No matter what person says I can´t do it, no matter who tries to affect me I won´t let it happen. I felt that confirmation. I know it was real. That will never change. Time will not dull the truth no matter how many times those who are against it try to snub it out. Sometimes the truth is not easy to come by. Sometimes it is even harder to swallow. Every moment we live we must conciously decide whether we want to let those forces affect us. Why must we build ourselves upon a firm foundation? Because I know that no one will try harder than satan to bring us down. He uses countless means to make that happen, sometimes he will even go through our closest friends and family. Even those at church. We are all human, and because of that we must work every day to keep what we have obtained. Don´t let others take away from that happiness or that truth. It is killing me to see how many people I serve who have had this truth, this light, and they turn away after they have obtained the fruit because they are embarrassed or have taken offense. It kills me to pray day in and day out for people and then have them reject me harder than before. It kills me to say hi to people and have them scoff at me and make fun of me as I walk around trying to help them find the happiness I feel and so I then come to a crossroads...I can Choose to go forward, I can Choose to be happy, I can Choose to let the light of Christ shine through me and touch those that are ready to see it, or I can Choose to sink into that pit of despair, that Hell of knowing that I could´ve have made it but I chose not to. I know that what I am writing may seem harsh or intense but why should it be anything different? I used to find myself thinking the same things. When others would call me to repentance and I knew that I was guilty of the things that they said, and so I would make excuses for myself by trying to dull the import of the words that they had shared. I am a weak vessel. I know this. And because of that I can talk from experiece. I have let plenty of other people affect me and my testimony, but that was because I based my testimony on others. How can we be built upon a solid foundation when it is built upon someone elses that may or may not just crack...and where are we then? So, my invitation to you, is to build up your own testimonies and then shore them up so that they can best anything that is thrown at them, and if you´ve lost them go find them again. Don´t lose out on the opportunity to become something greater than you could have ever imagined. If you need help, I will be there. If you need words of comfort, I will be there. If you need German Chocolate, I will be there. If you need a friend, I will be there. If I fall through, he won´t. Like I say every week. He is there, but you can´t find anything if you are not looking. I pray for you all every single week. I ask for your safety and for the blessings that you need to receive to be received. I love you all. I am excited for the time when we will all return and be together again. I pray for it, i hope for it, and I continue to chase after it. Have a wonderful week!!

Elder Lee