Elder Cannon talk

Normally I’d start with a joke, but this is a very important topic, so I am going to be serious… probably… I spent a while pondering and writing this talk, so I could chastise myself, and teach you. This talk will either go great, or it will be terrible, we shall find out. The topic I am speaking on is about ministering. There are many parts to ministering, the main ones are, missionary work, Charity, and the 2 Great commandments. To start off, I will speak about charity. Paul’s message to the Saints at the time simple and straightforward:

Nothing you do will make much of a difference if you do not have charity. You can have all of God's blessings, the gift of tongues, prophecy, be able to understand all mysteries God, and possess all knowledge; even if you have the faith to move mountains, without charity it won’t profit you at all.

 As a service missionary, I've seen how important Charity, or what it is more appropriately called, the pure love of Christ, it is in each and every one of our lives. Whether we can directly see it or not. From the book of Mosiah sets the guideline we should use:

also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need, and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.

That Scripture is simple but it also isn't. It is important that you always remember to show God, that you are ready to be put in the path of helping others every day. You are able to provide missionary work as you all are disciples of Jesus Christ. You may not feel it now, I often feel the same way, but it is always there. So, how do we show God, that we are ready to come and follow Him? It is simpler than meets the eye it is:

A morning and an early search in the scriptures to know what we should do for the Lord can set the course of the day. So we may better know which tasks of all those we might choose matters most of God and therefore to us. I have learned that prayer is always answered if we ask and ponder with childlike submission ready to act without delay to perform even the most humble service.

That's why every year now, we have the amazing LightTheWorld program. There have been insurmountable about simple ways you can improve your life and the life of others. They range from giving blood, to donating second-hand clothing, to giving a prayer of gratitude for the amazing grace and charity that Jesus provides for us and others. There is an amazing scripture that I said probably 300  times in Boise, and perfectly describes our importance in the work of God

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

There won't be a very long time to prepare to, metaphorically, remove the bushel that may be placed on you, weakening your light. As such my dear Brothers and Sisters, there is another great truth that you must learn. It is that everything has a price. There is a price to pay for success fulfillment, accomplishment, and joy there are no freebies. If you don't pay the price that has needed for success you will pay the price of failure.

The last topic is on the 2 greatest of all the commandments. To love thy God and love thy neighbor as thyself. There will be a time you have to give up something you dearly love, to the God you love, even more, He will not forget your sacrifice. It is important that we allow these commandments to change us. There also is another wording to the commandment, and this is VERY vital for us to understand this version. Love thyself as thy neighbor. If we want to be exemplary followers of Jesus Christ, we need to be able to love yourself and forgive yourself, and you freely give others. Once we start allowing grace to change us, we can more easily be able to hear the promptings of the Spirit and help others along the path to eternal life because Today is the day that we represent. Today is a day that we exercise our faith, that we cast our old selfish selves aside and say what would He say if He were here today? What would He do if He were here today and what would He think if He were here today?  Those are the things that we must do, those are the things that we must say, that is the way that we should think. Today it's a day that eternity changes because today is a day that we walk with God.

Lastly, Ponder this question in your heart and will you consider what it would mean to you if you could join the Prophet Mormon in saying behold I am a disciple of Jesus Christ the Son of God I have been called of him to declare his word among his people that they might have everlasting life. I am a witness that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of the world it is my deep conviction that he has called us to teach and testify in his name before the world.
I testify that the Lord is hastening His work, and He is doing so now. Let me give you all a word of wording, that there is a danger in the word ”someday” because what it means is not this day. As I have previously testified, you don’t need a name badge to serve. Each and every one of you holds the banner of Jesus Christ. You can and will be a disciple of Him, and be His hands to LightTheWorld in others life, and your life. Where we will resort to the Lord, where?we will cry: Without thy help, I will fall. Lord, help me fly. Go to the edge where miracles happen to move into the realm of the miraculous welcome to the great apostolic work! It is my witness, as an apostle of Lord Jesus Christ, with a little ”a”, that this is the most important calling we can have in the church, in His name, Amen.