The Foot Race Talk: "A Proud Grandson"

I am truly on a spiritual high today.  My day didn't start out in a very promising way.  Our door was "pennyed" so that we couldn't get out.  We also didn't wake up until 6:45 which was real late.  However those were perhaps the only things that went wrong with my day.

I gave my talk on the importance of journals.  For perhaps the first time in my life I have prayed for inspiration on a talk and then exercised the faith to receive it.  I had an entry to read out of my journal (my foot race).  I thought that it would be of some inspiration to someone.  However I didn't quite know how to read it without feeling as though I was bragging.

We came to the meeting and just before we walked into the room I received the inspiration on how to do it.  I treated my journal as if it had been my Grandfather's.  I pretended that I found it, then I read the part as though I was a proud grandson reading about his Grandfather's mission experiences.  I felt the spirit with me when I read it so I read with confidence and emotion.  I think it was well received.  I got a lot of compliments from the elders in my district on the talk.  I felt totally unworthy of the praise because I know that Heavenly Father provided the inspiration for the talk and the spirit was there while I was giving it.  There is no way that it could have gone wrong.

In our culture class I learned a great deal.  Our instructor Elder Reed Harris talked to us on the importance of having charity for the people in Bolivia.  I came out of class with a new feeling towards that word.  The spirit again was in that class and it taught me a great deal.  I felt so good.  We then went to family home evening.  I felt the spirit there again and very strongly.  All the contributions of them members of my district fell upon my heart.

I was finding (with directions by the spirit) things in both The Book of Mormon and New Testament that worked right into the lesson.  Tonight I felt love for my district, true love.  I wanted to hug the sisters like I could the elders but just had to settle for a good handshake.

To top off the night, Elder Brown and I had a real good companionship inventory.  We talked more freely than ever before.  It is now 10:30 and time for bed.  I wish I could write more but it is a rule.  I can't wait to pray!