Dedicated To Vernon Evertson

First of all, I need to share an experience I had today:

In my ward, there are a lot of elderly people who can't make it to sacrament meeting. Because of this, each week four of our 6 priests have to take the sacrament to their homes. And, as I'm first assistant, and because a chunk of the Priests is almost always unable to go for various reasons, I've gone every week for the last two months, maybe more. I can't tell you have amazing it has been to be able to go every week, to feel of the Spirits of those who are so much further along the journey of life than I am.

In my taking of the sacrament to those who are homebound, I have been able to build some amazing relationships with some of these people. I realized today just how much those relationships mean today when I learn that one of these elderly angels on earth had a stroke yesterday, and will not be on this earth much longer. There is a real possibility that I blessed the bread for him for the last time today. In ways I would never have imagined, this man, Vernon Evertson, and his wife, Verna, have changed my life. They have shown me what it means to endure to the end. They have also show me enduring love, and sticking my your spouse through everything. I will miss Vernon Evertson very much when he goes.

Thank you, Brother Evertson.

I also need to talk a little bit about Christmas considering it's on tuesday. As I've grown up, I've learned what Christmas really is about: It's about love. The true Christmas Spirit is love. Love of family and friends coming together to enjoy each other's company. Love of each of us for those around us that we don't think about as much; the poor and the needy. Love of a Father giving His Son that we might be redeemed from our transgressions. It's about love, and it's about Christ. I heard something interesting in seminary the other day: Christmas only matters because of Easter. Without the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, Christmas wouldn't mean anything.

Let it be our prayer that Christ will always be in our hearts and minds, and we will carry the Spirit of Christmas into our lives in have it burn within us for the all of this coming year, and year afterward.

Preston Miller 

Faith

I have a love/hate relationship with faith.

Here's the problem: I need to be in control. That's a just a person need that I have. It's the way I work. I need to be in control of my life, of what is happening to me, and of the way things are going. When I'm not, I feel powerless. But, I am also a perfectionist, and the fact is I'm not perfect. So when I'm in control of things, they turn out imperfectly. I want to control things and make them perfect, but when I'm in control, I mess stuff up. It makes for a big issue.

Thankfully, I don't have to always be in complete control of everything around me, and I can give it over to God. When he is in control, things turn out perfectly. But that requires that I trust, and that I give up my control.

And this, my friends, is when faith comes in. Faith is trusting in the Lord enough that I can let everything go, and not worry about it, and completely out of control, and know that things will work out anyway! When I am able to truely have faith, I don't have to worry about a thing. I cannot tell you how awesome it is to not have to worry about anything. I am able to trust in and rely on the Lord completely. It's an incredible feeling.

Like I said, though, I have a hard time getting to that place. I have a need to control, so I don't like letting go. But when I do, it's one of the most amazing things ever.

I misspoke earlier. I don't have a love hate relationship with faith. I love faith, and the amazing things that it does for me in my life. I hate the fact that I have such a hard time actually have true faith.