Sunday Thoughts

Awhile back I did these Sunday thought blog posts. I would like to restart them. I found that I benefited from them and loved the chance to have them where I can go and look them up again.
First off I know I have some readers that may not know so  I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Our church is also known as Mormons. I don't know why but I felt that I needed to say that.
Anyway awhile ago, Avery and I had a chance to go to my parents and stay with them for a couple weeks. The Sunday that we were there my former Seminary teacher was speaking at all the wards with the Senior class Seminary council. His talk has still stuck with me to this day. He talked about how him and his wife had lived in Monticello for awhile (I think he said a year) when a gentlemen approached him and asked him when he was going to decided to be apart of the community. He confessed that he was a little taken back and slightly hurt. But as he thought about it more and more it made sense what this man was saying. He then explained that even though they had participated in many community events they were still renting and had set any real roots. He then related this to the gospel. he said that when we are young we "rent" the gospel and our testimonies from our parents, family and friends. But as we get older we need to realize that renting will only take you so far. Pretty soon you will need to decided if you are only a renter of the gospel or if you want to take it into your life and own it. He then said that this cant happen all at once, it'll take time. He said as we come to know certain principles of the gospel and see the power of that principle for ourselves then we can own it. My mission president also once told me that it is a wonderful thing to be able to know something for yourself. and to be able to say I know. But it's an even greater thing to know it so much that it infuses in you and makes you want to be a better person. Then not only can you say that you know, but then you can testify of it's truthfulness. I will be the first to admit that I have quite a few principles in the gospel that I still rent. So my goal is to work on it. Learn more about these principles until I can finally say that I am an owner of the gospel, not just a renter.