BLOG for June 21, 2012

How is it already June 21?!" 7 months ago today we were all at the Manti Temple for my Endowment Session. Hard to believe that.

 

I have had the opportunity to interpret for a Deaf Family (my favorite), Deaf woman and for a young girl with autism. Other than that, President approved the ASL sisters to practice interpreting each Sunday for Sacrament meeting, so we can prepare for Pageant season when (so I've heard) there are a lot more Deaf people. My skills in the interpreting area have definitely improved. My facial expressions are still awful haha! I need to work on that. For the most part though, I am able to get the concept across and stay up to speed with the speaker or the play.

Another area where my testimony has grown is trusting God. Walking up to a stranger in the Visitor Center, opening my mouth and getting to a point where I have found their need and am testifying to them of a gospel principle that can help change their life can be daunting to do in a matter of 20 minutes, sometimes and often less.

My testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith has grown immensely. He "suffered wrong rather than [did] wrong" as John Taylor would say. He showed faith in every footstep in restoring the Gospel of Jesus Christ back on the earth where it belongs. Evidence of his divine mission: he brought forth an ancient record and translated it by the power of God for these latter-days. I echo what Brigham Young said, "I honor and revere the name of Joseph Smith". As do I. The same for each prophet who succeeded him down to our current prophet Thomas S. Monson, who leads this church under the direction of the Lord. I wish I had had time enough--or made time enough--to read President Monson's Biography: The Rescue. Have you read it?

A time when I had to be brave and follow the Spirit was doing my first tour in Carthage jail. That place is so sacred that I don't want to mess anything up, or say anything wrong. I studied the material and watched 2 or 3 tours, then my companions said, "Alright Sister Zibetti, it's your turn." I said, ''I'm not ready. I'll just watch today", but they said, "You didn't come on a mission to 'just watch', you came to testify. C'mon."
Oh boy! My heart jumped. I practiced part of it with my comps and botched it, but they made me go anyway. One of them went with me. The Spirit was DEFINITELY there guiding my thoughts and words and heart because I said things right and remembered most names, dates and quotes. My companion did most of the tour, but of the parts I did, I felt the guidance of the Spirit. It turned out to be a really positive experience and actually, Lex's brother and his wife were on the tour. haha! I know that trusting God and taking a step into the dark is when the light is flicked on, or we receive a flashlight. I was indeed able to testify in the martyrdom room.

When was a time in your life that you felt guided by the Spirit? Do you have an experience where you took a step of faith into the complete dark? What happened?