This last weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to give my farewell talk in my home ward. It was wonderful. I'm super grateful that the Gordon's, Albretsen's, and other friends could be there! Afterwords, we had a fun dinner. I felt so much love and support from the people in the ward. Because many people that I love weren't able to be there, I posted a script of my farewell talk below. Hopefully it reads ok, I wrote it up pretty late so their might be some grammar mistakes...Oh well!!
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| Loved having family and friends here!! |
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| I tried to get a cute picture with all the boys... |
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| You can see from Cater's face how well that worked out (haha just kidding!) ;) |
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| What a cutie! |
Good morning. My name
is Kati Ford. My family is in this
ward. I imagine that most of you don’t
know who I am, due to the fact that I have attended BYU or the University
Branch in Kalamazoo since I moved here.
Since I can count on my hands the number of times I have been to a
meeting here, I thought I would start with just a little introduction. I’m 19 years old. I’ve played the violin for 10 years. I love to run. I also like to be creative and make
things. In November, I received a
mission call to Ukraine!
Brothers and Sisters, I am so excited to be here today. I am excited to share my testimony and
experiences with my family and friends that were able to be here today. I am also excited to be able to serve as a
missionary. I can’t believe that I get
this wonderful opportunity to serve the people in Ukraine and strengthen and
develop my testimony as I help people in Ukraine learn and feel of Christ’s
love for them. I know that Christ loves
and knows each of us and sharing that love with those that don’t know of it
will be a great blessing and opportunity in my life.
Today, I was asked to speak based on President Uctdorf’s
first presidency message from last month, entitled, “A Word for the Hesitant
Missionary”. I remember reading this
when it first came out. It was such a
powerful message for me, not because I was hesitant to be a missionary or
confused about serving a mission but because it was such an incredible,
wonderful advice from a member of our first presidency. As I have prepared to
serve a mission, I have received plenty of advice, both good advice and some
not so good advice. Due to the fact that
before the mission age change announced in October, I wouldn’t have been able
to serve a mission for another 2 years, my planning for a mission occurred much
faster then it typically does for others that have gone in the past. Therefore, I value such good advice. Good advice has helped me feel confident and
excited about serving my mission. Today
I’m going to share the top 5 pieces of advice that I have received as I have
prepared to serve a mission. I pray that
those preparing to serve a mission will accept my advice and apply it to their
lives but I also pray that those that may not be actively preparing to serve a
mission will apply the advice too. I
speak from example when I say that you never know how quickly your life can
change. In addition, every member of
this church has the opportunity to share the happiness and light that the
restored gospel of Jesus Christ brings to the everyday people they come into
contact with.
The first piece of advice I would share is the Learn to follow the spirit and to know what
it feels like when the Holy Ghost is prompting you.
When the announcement was made at
general conference to change the mission age, I had a lot of thinking to
do. I had the incredible opportunity to
attend a session of conference the next morning. As I prepared to go to that session, I
decided to fast to feel at peace, and that if it was the Lord’s will, to know
if I should serve a mission. As the
session started, I had made a list of doubts and concerns that I still had
about serving a mission. As our prophets
and apostles started to speak, I was overwhelmed with the strongest prompting I
have ever felt in my life, telling me to serve a mission and to serve now. Every questions or doubt that I had was
answered and as I stood up to sing “Called to Serve” as the intermediate hymn,
I knew that my prayers had been answered.
Although I had that wonderful
opportunity to feel such a strong prompting, most promptings and guidance from
the spirit is found through a still small voice or feeling. If we are living righteously and worthily to
have the Holy Ghost as our constant companion, then he will “help us in every
aspect” of our life. The Holy Ghost
speaks quietly, through feelings as well as into our mind. In 3rd Nephi, it teaches that, “it
is not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice…nevertheless…it being a small
voice…it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn”
As we are in an environment where the Holy Spirit can dwell, we will be able to
be in tune and better hear and understand the promptings of the Spirit. As President Monson warned, “Never postpone a
prompting.” I can testify that as we listen and heed the promptings of the Holy
Ghost, we will have success, both as a missionary, and it all other aspects of
our lives. I can’t imagine a better way
that my life could be, all because I followed the prompting to put in my
mission papers to serve a mission.
The second piece of advice I have in to be obedient.
When I first started to submit my
mission papers, I learned of what an extensive process it is. You have interviews with the Bishop, members
of the Stake Presidency, more meetings with the Bishop. The interviews never
seem to end. If you are preparing to serve a mission, or if you desire to be a
member missionary, I strongly urge you to be obedient. This is especially critical to young men and
young women preparing to serve. The
standards the Prophets have set regarding dating, movies, modest, and every
other standard in the For Strength of Youth led to standards that are necessary
to have for serving a mission or enter the temple. Your lives will be blessed as you are obedient
in every aspect of your lives. I was
blessed as I was a young woman to have great parents and leaders that helped me
make the right choices. Although I
didn’t know that I would serve a mission at age 19, the Lord knew and he
blessed me with parents and leaders that encouraged me to be obedient in
everything I did. Their love and support
made it easier for me to obey the standards and teachings of the gospel.
The third piece of advice I have is to look for the Hand of God in all things.
My family moves around a
lot. As we have traveled to different
places, I have had the Lord give me plenty of tender mercies that bless my life
and help me see the good in the situation I am in. After I had submitted my mission papers, but
before my call came, I was so anxious about where I would be sent. I was so worried that it was hard to sleep at
night. The day before my call came; I
went to the Provo temple to do baptisms.
The Provo temple was so busy that day that instead of waiting in the
Chapel to perform baptisms for the Dead; we were in a separate waiting room,
singing hymns. I remember praying for
peace that I would know that I was called by the Lord, and that I would be
happy wherever I was sent. Immediately,
the next song sung, was hymn 270, “I’ll go where you want me to go”. I’d like to read the first and third verses
of that song. They reads, “It may not be on the
mountain’s height,
Or over the stormy sea;
It may not be at the battle’s
front,
My Lord will have need of me;
But if by a still, small voice He calls,
To paths that I do not know,
I’ll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in Thine,
I’ll
go where You want me to go. There’s surely somewhere a lowly place,
In earth’s
harvest fields so white,
Where I may labor through life’s short day,
For
Jesus the Crucified;
So trusting my all to Thy tender care,
And knowing Thou
lovest me,
I’ll do Thy will with a heart sincere,
I’ll be what You want me to
be.” That message hit me like a rock as I realized that I would go where the
Lord wanted me to go. This call that was
coming came from the Lord. As we look
for the hand of the Lord in our lives and express gratitude for all our many
blessings, we will have the increased desire to serve God and our brothers and
sisters on this Earth.
My
fourth piece of advice is from President Uctdorf’s message where he counseled
to be filled with faith.
In his message, he said, “Have faith. The Lord can magnify the words you speak and
make them mighty. God doesn’t ask you to
convert but rather to open your mouths.
The task of converting is not yours – that belongs to the person hearing
and to the Holy Spirit.” In Preach My Gospel, they teach that “your success as
a missionary is measured primarily by your commitment…you can feel certain that
the Lord is pleased when you feel the Spirit working though you.” As we have
faith, and are filled with faith, we will be able to share the gospel with
others and the Holy Ghost will testify to those that we teach the truthfulness
of the gospel. As we share the gospel
and increase our efforts to share this message of happiness, we provide more
opportunities for those we love to feel the spirit.
My
final piece of advice is to Love others
and be happy.
As we love those whom we come in contact with, we will
desire to share the gospel with them. As
we grow to love someone, we desire for them to have the happiness and joy that
we know about. Serve those whom you love
and pray for them. Pray for them to
desire to know about the gospel. Pray
for them to learn of Christ’s love for them.
The second part of this final piece of advice is to be happy. After I received my mission call, I decided
to pick a scripture to be my mission scripture, to act as a motivational
message when I was feeling down. After I
searched and searched for a scripture, I finally came across one in Doctrine
and Covenants. It reads, “Be of good
cheer and do not fear, for I the Lord am with thee, and will stand by
thee. And ye shall bear record of me,
even Jesus Christ, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come.” I love that
scripture. We don’t need to fear because
the Lord is with us and watching and guiding us. As I share this message, there is no reason
to be unhappy. I am sharing the gospel,
which has brought me more happiness and joy then any other thing in my
life. Through the gospel, I can have an
eternal family. Through the gospel, I
can repent and be forgiven of my sins.
Through the gospel, I can someday be sealed to my husband for all time
and eternity. This gospel is one of
happiness and joy and I know that I can receive even more joy as I share this
message with others.
I know that this truly is the gospel of Christ. I know that God lives and that he loves me.
He loves each one of us and knows about our trials, pains, successes and
everything we do. He cares for us and
wants us to make correct choices. I know
that if we live righteously, we can be with our families for eternity. I know that the temple is the House of the
Lord. I’m grateful for the many ways the
gospel blesses my life. I’m grateful for
the opportunity I have to go on a mission.
I know I will miss my family but the joy and blessings that will come to
my family and me will make it more then worth it in the end. I love you all and
am grateful for all the advice, and the many ways you have helped me prepare to
serve my mission! In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
