My
Story
In 1998 I was sitting with my oldest daughter, Kirstyn Rust, when the spirit told me that I needed to be a better father! Since I was less active from church I had not felt the spirit for several years, but knew this was a familiar feeling. Then, 4 weeks later the missionaries called me and I knew that this was a prompting from the Holy Ghost! Elder TJ Uriona talked to me and invited me to church that week- Easter Sunday, April 12, 1998. This prompting to act was the event that changed the course of my life forever!
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TJ Uriona and I 2023
Since that day I have dedicated my life to serving the Lord, in whatever capacity that I am asked. Mosiah 2:16-17 King Benjamin stated that he spent his days in service to his people. He shared this not to boast, but to teach his people this is what Christ wanted for us all to do, serve the Lord by serving others. Becoming a true disciple of Christ and Ministering to the one!
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Ministering with The Power and Authority of God
As I have served others through the years, I have learned that it is only through true discipleship that I have grown closer to the Savior. I have felt His love, and desire to help others to feel it as well. In President Nelsons 2018 April general conference address, Ministering with the Power and Authority of God, he states the following-
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"A hallmark of the Lord’s true and living Church will always be an organized, directed effort to minister to individual children of God and their families. Because it is His Church, we as His servants will minister to the one, just as He did. We will minister in His name, with His power and authority, and with His loving-kindness."
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As a disciple of Jesus Christ I have been drawn to this effort of ministering to individuals, the children of God and their families! I feel it is the single most important thing we can do as members of the Lords church, minister by the Power and Authority of God! President Nelson also stated the following that I have felt so strongly about through my life-
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"...there are doors we can open, priesthood blessings we can give, hearts we can heal, burdens we can lift, testimonies we can strengthen, lives we can save, and joy we can bring into the homes of the Latter-day Saints"
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As disciples of Christ, as ministers of the Savior, we are in the business of saving lives. It doesn't get any easier to understand than that. I know We are those who have been “called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of [our] exceeding faith,” to do this work.