Week #62: The Lamb and the Lion : September 12, 2017 – September 18, 2017 (Miri)

Having dinner with some members.

This week flew by! I don't even remember much of what happened. All I knew was we were busy every day and didn't even know where to fit in our studies most of the days. One of the highlights this week was celebrating the birthday of one of our branch members. We hoped to give her a day she would never forget. We baked her a cake and biked over an hour and a half to her home (mostly because we got lost...) When we arrived, she was with her mom and little brother. Her mom was about to leave for work, and she was going to be left babysitting her little brother. No one showed up to wish her happy birthday. She was going to spend the night watching not-so-great movies. We arrived with a cake and hoped to make her birthday like none other she had, serving others. We took her to heart attack another member who lived nearby. Then we picked up that member and went to dinner. We had a great talk about her interests and the future. She is very realistic and because of circumstances, didn't see too much for her future. She just wants to give back to the one who loved and raised her, her mom. She has a very good heart and noble ideas. She is amazing!

Sister Vranes eating a great Malaysian lunch.

Another highlight this week was meeting our three convert 18-year-olds for a movie night. One of the members actually brought their two siblings who are not members to watch Finding Faith in Christ with us. It was a very simple depiction of Jesus Christ and his life. In Malaysia, we learn that a lot of the members here are converts from either Christianity, Buddhism, free thinking, or another faith. They do not have much of a background knowledge of Jesus Christ. This movie taught so simply, yet powerfully. I learned a lot as well and the Spirit filled the room. Sometimes, watching a video versus just reading adds new life and character. If you do not know a lot about the life of Jesus Christ, or what He did, I invite you to learn so now by going to lds.org/Christ

For a spiritual thought, I would like to share this video from Mormon Channel Studios https://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-channel-studio/mormon-channel-studio-david-lindes . The musician, David Lindes, sings an original song about forgiveness. He gives a beautiful thought and insight to the story of the lamb and the lion. In Church, we teach that Christ will come a second time to earth. When He does, there will be perfect peace for one thousand years. This is called the Millenium. In the scriptures, a depiction of perfect peace is given by a lamb and a lion laying down together. They will be friends and will not hurt each other. Many of the stories in the Bible about Christ are both physical and metaphorical. This story is metaphorical of the perfect peace that is offered to us through Christ. We will not want to hurt one another. The lion will put it's weapons down and will not bite the others.

Sister Vranes...it's a good thing I bike!

David Lindes further explained about the lamb, who has to be willing to eventually forgive and trust the lion again. It goes both ways. That is the beautiful part about the Gospel and the peace it brings when we are willing to live a life that follows Jesus Christ. We too have to become like the lamb and the lion. Because of Jesus Christ and His Atonement for us, we too can be healed and become this perfect depiction of peace. Through Christ, we can lay down our weapons of war, stop hurting others, and become as the lion. Through Christ, we can find strength beyond our own to forgive and trust again, and become as the lamb. Through Christ, we can be healed. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.