SHARING
SOME COUNSEL!
Throughout my mission among the Kalahari San and
the "Reach Out Africa" campaign I can only praise and thank the Lord
for His grace, guidance and wisdom. I can truly testify that the more you give
of yourself the more you will receive - the more we give of ourselves the more
our mission is blessed and growing from strength to strength - www.deolaudes.blogspot.com
Just after sharing the inspiring email below, from
South African missionary Sarah-Leigh van Zyl (20), serving in mission among the poorest of the poor in England. Many requests
for permission to share Sarah- Leigh's testimony is received. We share it here.
"Whoever
wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow
me. For whoever wants to save there life will lose it, but whoever loses their
life for me will find it."
Matthew
16:24-25
(Please note all photo's are from the "Reach Out Africa" mission and "Jesus Film Project")
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Testimony from
Sister Sarah-Leigh van Zyl, missionary in England.
Yesterday
dated 3 months since the last zone conference (when half of the mission gets
together and we get counselled on how to be better), when I typed out and sent
all that I had heard and learnt from the spirit in the conference. This time
was no different. I learnt so much more. I am grateful for the spirit that was
able to be present at the meeting so that I could’ve received the revelation
that I need at this time of my life in order to be a better missionary and to
be better prepared for what is to come.
BE YE
THEREFORE GIVERS…
This was
the general theme of the conference that I picked up on. It was made known unto
me just how important it is to give of ourselves. It tells us in Matthew in the
Bible that we find our lives when we lose them in service of our fellow men. I
have found this to be true, being on a mission. I have learnt who I am and what
brings real happiness…and that is extending service and love to all,
without judging.
I will
mention some of the concepts that I learnt and revelation that I received in
the conference and then, what I will do to apply these things into my life:
1.
The tale of the two seas. This was my favourite! Listen to
this….There are 2 seas; the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. The Sea of Galilee
is lush, it is filled with many different species of plants and fish, and it is
colourful and vibrant. Then we have the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is poisonous,
toxic and anything that is there rusts and is ruined. There is no life or fish
in the Dead Sea and it cannot sustain life. The interesting thing is that they
both get the fed by the same source: the River Jordan. The difference between
the two is that the Sea of Galilee receives and both gives water, whereas the
Dead Sea just receives water and does not give. There is no flow.
The key to this is that we need to be givers in order sustain life and be vibrant. The Saviour was a giver. He gave a lot more than he received. We have the gospel, so we need to share it, we have love to share, so share it and we have precious truths that save lives, we need to share them. The happiest person shares all that he has. From your last piece of bread… to your testimony, even when you feel that you cannot share it. That directs us into the next thing I learnt….
*I will be a giver for the rest of my
mission and life. I will not keep anything to myself, but share all that I
have, whether it is temporal or spiritual. I will share my goods, my testimony
and any gospel truth that I find, openly, just like the Saviour did. I will not
be selfish.
2. Do not expect anything in return. It is part of the natural man to expect. We
expect payment at the end of the month, we expect a reward for doing well and
we expect some praise for our accomplishments. We expect baptisms when we work
hard and expect all things to be going well for us when we are being obedient
BUT, True givers expect nothing in return.
Are we
willing to give of our time, talents and if possible, our very souls and expect
nothing in return? We are not obliged to anything in life. All that we have is
God’s; even our very lives are gifts from him. We are to consecrate EVERYTHING
and be givers. Even if we have nothing left to give, being truly consecrated is
having faith to give even when we feel empty.
*I
will not expect any reward for my efforts in this life, but know that the
greatest reward is yet to come, and will not be given in this life.
3. No assumptions. How many times in life are conflicts sorted
out after just a little chat about it..Why is this? It is because we assume
things. We assume people are thinking or feeling in a certain way; we are not
mind readers and ought not to be. We need to assume that someone will not
accept the gospel just because of the way they look or speak. They atonement is
real and change lives like nothing else does. Those people are often the ones
in most need of the truths that the gospel has to offer.
*I
will better my communication by asking how someone feels or thinks, rather than
assuming I know. I will share the gospel with everyone and not assume that they
will reject. It is better to be disappointed than to have regrets that follow
from lost opportunities.
4. Make sure that you are doing YOUR
best, and forget the rest. We tirelessly compare ourselves to others and in turn totally overlook
the fact that we may be doing our best in this, but if our best is not like
someone else’s, we somehow think that we are not doing well. A story was shared
of a missionary that served in this mission that had the palsy. He could not
use one side of his body and thus, walking, eating or even speaking was a
struggle. Yet, he persisted. He did all that he could, even if it was half what
another missionary was doing. He tried his best and THE LORD WAS SATISFIED. We
just need to be concerned about what He thinks and forget the rest.
*I
will pray for strength from Heavenly Father to cease comparing myself to
others, but focus on what I am able to do well and work on my weaknesses. Much
easier said than done, but ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE THROUGH CHRIST’S ATONEMENT.
I know that Heavenly Father is there. HE
knows us better than we know ourselves and thus know what trials to bless us
with. I know that we will be happier if we look at trials as blessings, as ways
to become like God is. Heavenly Father loves us so much that he gives us trials
to endure, and even promises us with help to overcome them. I know that the
Saviour was the one central to the Plan that God has set for us. A sacrifice
needed to be made, but it didn’t have to be Jesus Christ who performed it, but
he did it WILLINGLY. I cannot help but shed a tear of two thinking of that
sweet, unfailing love of the Saviour. Let us show him our appreciation by
continuing to exercise our faith in him, using His atonement so that we can
repent and change and enduring to the end. I love my Saviour more than anything
and am grateful to be one of his instruments in the mission field. Without
Heavenly Father and the Saviour’s help I would not be able to do this work, but
I can do this because of them! I know that you can endure anything that is
placed in your path with their help.
I love you
all and am very humbled by your support for me being on the mission.
I pray for
you and look forward to the day next year when i will be reunited with you. Lots of love, Sarah-Leigh.
“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the
knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”
2 Peter 1:2
