Homecoming Talk

Homecoming Talk

Good morning my name is Samuel Allen, son of Scott and Jennifer Allen. I have recently returned from my mission in Madagascar. Madagascar is one of the most interesting places I have ever been. It is an island off the southeast coast of Africa. It is technically apart of Africa yet has its own culture and heritage. I went to the MTC on August 3rd 2016 and started learning the national language of Madagascar which is Malagasy; however, I could not speak it very well until much later into my mission. My first area was one of the dirtiest places on earth that a missionary is allowed to go. I walked through trash and sewage when it would flood because of the rain. After 6 months working there I was transferred to a beautiful beach province called Tamatave where I lived through a cyclone and bedbugs. When my time there came to an end I returned to the main city and started training a new missionary until the Plague broke out and we were all evacuated from the island. That time of my mission was very hard as I was reassigned to a new mission in California. When I got there, I was told that I would not return to Madagascar and my heart was broken for I loved being a missionary in that mess of a country. I struggled during my time there and prayed that by some chance I could go back to Madagascar. After 3 months I got a call from my mission President that I would be returning. I was so stoked to be going back and from that day on out I took advantage of my time left in Madagascar. The last area I served in was called Fort Dauphin, you should look it, its beautiful. I am very grateful for my mission, it was a privilege to serve the people in Madagascar and help them draw unto Jesus Christ.

The gospel of Jesus Christ as I understand it is the key to change and self-perfection. As we follow Christs teachings, keep the commandments, and make sacred covenants we prepare ourselves to one day live in the presence of our Heavenly Father.

In Madagascar I had the opportunity to participate in that process of change and self-perfection; for those I met and worked with and also for myself. The first thing I noticed when I got to Madagascar was how little they had. I would walk down crowded dirt paths filled with children playing with something they had constructed from a pile of trash as I walked to an appointment. The first lesson I taught was in a small one room house that required crouching if you were an average height and being content if you had to live there. The lack of electricity did not stop us from sharing the gospel with them as we taught late into the night; for the tomato paste can lanterns they owned were sufficient and provided enough light for us to read from the scriptures. They would ask for a lot as they saw us missionaries enter their neighborhoods and walk on their paths expecting us to bring a solution that would answer the prayers they gave every night. I felt discouraged at times that I could not help them in the ways that they always dream, with money and things of temporary value; however, I was continually comforted with the knowledge that the message I did have to offer would change their lives on an eternal perspective.

This talk is focused on change and receiving happiness, changing who we think we are in order to become who we truly are; the being that are Heavenly Father sees us to be; our full potential. Sacrifice is a crucial part of that changing process. I would like to relate this to an example of batteries and plugs. We all have our sources of happiness which are as batteries we plug ourselves into. These are worldly things which make those sources limited. We are all afraid to unplug ourselves from these types of batteries because we think we will lose our happiness. God has given us a battery that is more powerful and will last forever. However, in order to receive that happiness or even a fullness of it is to unplug yourself from the worldly batteries and then into Gods eternal one. Change is essential in this example of batteries and plugs.

Mosiah 27: 25-26 states, “And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; And thus, they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.”

This type of change consists of two parts; an inward and an outward change. For some making that outward change is simple but the inward change is absent. This is a situation where a person is not yet ready for the change or could even handle it. They let go of those worldly batteries and plug into Gods eternal one. However, over time they wish to go back; they begin to long for the old batteries. This happens to those who are not ready for the upgrade. They are not yet compatible with Gods battery.

Alma 60: 23 says, “Do ye suppose that God will look upon you as guiltless while ye sit still and behold these things? Behold I say unto you, Nay. Now I would that ye should remember that God has said that the inward vessel shall be cleansed first, and then shall the outer vessel be cleansed also.”
In the last area that I served there was a girl that we were teaching. She had the sincerest desire to become a member of Christs church. However, when it came time for her to be interviewed for baptism we found that she had not fully given up on old bad habits. She wasn’t ready to be baptized at that time. We gave her more time to prepare and she didn’t give up; she continued to learn and attend church. When the second interview came around we were so excited for her, but shortly found that she had slipped. She was with some friends the previous night that didn’t share her same values and was pressured to do things she knew were wrong.  This time we left it up to her to decide whether she was ready or not. We told her that she could go ahead and be baptized if she felt like she was ready to repent and change her life but also explained that her baptism would be so much sweeter if she waited and properly prepared herself for that experience. If we plug ourselves into Gods battery without being fully prepared or compatible with it then we won’t be able to endure. She decided to wait until her inward and outward vessels were in sync. She was shortly later baptized. I remember how powerful the spirit was at her baptism knowing that she had been through so much to get to where she was.

Brad Wilcox once stated, “Heaven won’t be heaven for those who are not heavenly.” He also said, “No unclean thing can enter the kingdom of God; however no unchanged thing would even want to.”
Moroni confirms that truth in Mormon 9: 3-4, “Then will ye longer deny the Christ, or can ye behold the Lamb of God? Do ye suppose that ye shall dwell with him under a consciousness of your guilt? Do ye suppose that ye could be happy to dwell with that holy Being, when your souls are racked with a consciousness of guilt that ye have ever abused his laws? Behold, I say unto you that ye would be more miserable to dwell with a holy and just God, under a consciousness of your filthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the damned souls in hell.” If we are not ready for the kingdom of God then we wont even want to be there.

Another analogy that I may present: We are in a world that has trees everywhere and evenly spaced, each tree has its own fruit. When we hunger we draw near to one of these trees in hopes of being nourished. The fruit from these trees offer a temporary joy and satisfaction. In this world there is also the tree of life. The fruit from that tree promises everlasting joy and stops hunger. If we were to only dwell at the tree that we are currently at we would miss out on the opportunity of partaking from the eternal fruit.

One thing from the previous story that I would like to bring to light is that the other trees or things in this world that bring us that temporary satisfaction are not all bad. They along with the tree of life have been given to us by God. We are to partake from these trees and receive the joy that comes from their fruit. However, if those sources of joy hold us back from seeking the ultimate blessing then they could result in stopping our progression and in sense dam us. Worldly fruit will not fill us after this life.

Every so often on my mission I would meet people that would settle at where they were at. I would point them in the direction of so much more and they would not even try and seek for something better. We should all be Seekers of truth…

“And, behold, one came and said unto Jesus, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?  And he said unto him… enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, thou shalt do no murder, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, honor thy father and thy mother: and, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. The young man saith unto him, all these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, if thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again, I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, with men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”

Talmage expounds verse 24 of Matthew in his book, Jesus the Christ. He explained that in those days the eye of a needle sometimes referred to a small alley way where if you were to enter riding on camel you would need to strip it of all its baggage. Likewise, we must too strip ourselves of our baggage to enter the kingdom of God.

We all have worldly possessions and habits that we may be firmly attached to. We are not asked too often in this life to give all that we have to the poor and then devote our entire life to the savior. However, this story teaches us that we must be willing if we were to be.

Yoda once said and I quote, “You must be willing to give up that which you love most to truly be free.”

God has a plan for us so that we may receive a fulness of joy and return into his presence. He has given us commandments and has taught us to make covenants so that we may accomplish that purpose. God has a huge influence on our lives and continues to direct our paths; however, he does not force us to do anything. We have the ability to choose for ourselves. whether we keep those commandments and make those covenants with him or take our own paths leading to an eternal end.
Moses 1: 39 states, “The Lords work and glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”  Jesus Christ is the center of the plan of salvation. Because of him and only with him can we ultimately change ourselves to be ready for the kingdom of God.

Christ can be related to a house cleaner. A house cleaner will enter a home and clean anything that he has access to. Rooms that once were disorganized would be put in order. Things that are dirty would be made clean. We may all be willing to let Christ into our metaphorical homes however most of us deny him full access. We keep rooms locked. Christ will change us when we give him access for that is his divine role. The Gospel offers something better than we may do on our own. If we trust him with full access every aspect of our lives would be enhanced. Locked rooms only hold us back.
Elder Bruce R. McConkie once profoundly stated, “The Savior is like a refiner, his mission is to cleanse purify, and refine the human soul so that it can return to his fathers’ kingdom in purity, free from dross.”

The greatest thing I have learned on my mission is that there really is a God. He exists and is in the details of our lives.