a snipet from a letter

so... i thought i'd posted this on my blog but i hadn't.
this is part of my so-not-weekly-anymore letter to my friends on missions. I don't want to rewrite what was around it so you can read it as is haha

One last thing I want to share before I wrap this up is what we learned today in Brother Wilcox’s institute class.we were talking about one of my favorite chapters in the BOM, Alma 32. Specifically verse 28. I hope I can explain this as well as he did. He said there are 4 ways faith can grow/ a testimony can be gained.

1. Swelling within your breast.
This is the typical one that most people look for – this or a burning in the bosom. Basically a sign that the church is true through physical means. He says (and I agree) that we tend to focus on this one too much. This is a physical, spiritual and sometimes emotional (which isn’t always that safe) way to know the Church is true

2. Enlarge the soul
This means the soul becomes better- in short, you become a better person. There are many people in the church who know that the church is true just because it makes them a better person and it’s simply a smart way to live. He told us a story of how his sister came to him and was worried about her husband because he’d never had the “swelling in the breast” or “Burning of the bosom” moment. But Bro Wilcox asked if he was a good father, husband, and member of the church. She said yes. He said then why are you worried? Haha. I understand where she was coming from, but if he knows the church is true through his own ways, then he doesn’t need to have that moment of epiphany. This is a social way to know.

3. Enlighten the understanding
I definitely think that Bro Wilcox leans in this direction a lot of times, which is great cuz he’s just an intellectual. Basically, the Book of Mormon, the plan of happiness, the word of wisdom, how everything came to be, it just makes sense. There’s no way an uneducated farm boy could create such an amazing book. If this helps people believe, more power to em baby! This is an intellectual way to know.

4. Delicious
This I think is the one that I lean to. Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints just makes me plain happy. That’s all there is to it. When I get up to bare my testimony, I don’t cry (which isn’t a bad thing… many people cry haha) but I’m just beaming. I’m SO happy and I have SO much love for everyone in the church and everyone out of the church too because I know they are daughters and sons of our Heavenly Father. The scriptures are good and delicious, the teachings of the church are good and delicious. I love everything about the church. The happiness that I feel being a member is why I know this is the true church.

This was an awesome lesson. Basically, it’s great to have that one moment when you know the church is true, but for many people that never comes. They just know because they can feel it, it makes sense, they just know. I never had an “aha” moment. It was basically just “silly Stacey, you know it’s true.” Awesome awesome lesson that I think both new members and life long members must remember. :D

I feel so lucky to be in my church. it just makes sense, it's a good way of living, it makes me happy, and it's the WHOLE truth. Thank you mommy and daddy for sure. Love you all!