Katelyn Elgaaen in Utica New York: June 12, 2017 Service :)

This week one of the main things that we did was pull weeds! We served 4 different people for 2 hours each... That adds up! The best part about the service was seeing the increase of love in myself for the people, and also watching an increase in love that the person had for us.

In my scriptures study this week I was in Romans. Chapter 8:38-39, "Neither [a bunch of terrible and powerful things]... shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." This is powerful! How often do we fell like Heavenly Father and Christ are 'not really listening' or 'are too far away'? These two verses testify that Nothing could ever separate us from God's love- Nothing. 13:8-14 This is talking about obeying the law and putting on the Armor of Christ to help us obey. It is said that loving one another is the highest commandment because everything else falls underneath it. "Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." The last few verses tell us to 'put on the Armor of light' and ' put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.' By putting on the Armor we will be better able to serve and understand and love our neighbors. Through Christ All things are possible, including love for another.

In Church a few of the speakers talked about families and being prepared spiritually. One of the speakers mentioned the story of the 10 virgins with oil. He said, "The oil of preparedness is attained drop by drop. Each act of faithfulness and kindness adds a single drop to our lamps. Spiritual preparedness cannot be shared."

The next speaker talked about having a testimony, but being able to make sure that our children or youth have one as well. A quote she used was, "The more surely you rear your children in the ways of the gospel of Jesus Christ, with love and high expectations, the more likely that there will be peace in their lives."- President Hinckley Someday everyone, including children and the youth will be faced with challenges when they need oil in there lamps. You can give them a lamp, tell them and show them how to fill it, and even allow them to watch you put a few drops in your own lamp. But eventually they will need to fill it themselves. The speaker said, "Home is not the quiz, it is not the test. They (children and youth) will get enough of that outside in the world. Home should be the place where answers are given. We must create a home where we are safe and can prepare to fill our lamps." How interesting is this idea of having home be a place of answers, a refuge, and the location where we don't need to spend oil, but can conserve and save it.

I hope that all of us will try a little bit better to give the youth and children the opportunities to fill there lamps. Because light in this darkening world is much needed, and it is something that they must start now to obtain.

I hope that all of you are able to fill your lamps a bit more this week and that you all have a week full of learning and laughter!

https://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/the-music-of-the-gospel

wonderful video that goes with the talks from church!