Friday, July 10, 2009

Day 59: Well, see you all in two years!!!!

Well, I never thought I would say this, but this is my final post. I am now a missionary. I was set apart and I am ready to go. For those of you that have read my blog, thanks. To those same people, I love you all. I hope I get to see your lovely faces when I come back.

I will miss you all. Please send me your addresses, so I can write you. I can't wait to share the gospel. I know it is going to be awesome.

Well, not the usual eloquence, but I have a lot on my plate.

Big Gulps, huh? Welp, see ya in two years!

~ELDER Brandon Cruz.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Day 56: What a busy week!!!!! Last night of bball.... :(

So, I am soon going to be a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I seriously cannot wait. It seems like I have been waiting for this moment since before I was born. :) I was talking to Camille Anderson and we covered a great subject. We talked about how it is so awesome that I am going to preach the same gospel that has changed my life so greatly!Well, I have decided to make a list of all the things that I have experinced, in the church, that I wouldn't have had the chance to outside of the church. Heck, I can go on and on about it. In no order of preciousness to my heart. :)

1. I understand where I came from and where I am going. I know that I can live eternally with my family and Heavenly Father. I know that life does not end when I die, but that I continue to grow and continue to help others find the wonderful thing that is the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Plan of Salvation.

2. I get to serve the Lord for two years in Africa. Yes, in AFRICA!!! I get to bring happiness to the most wonderful people. These people are just like me. I searched and searched and searched for truth, and I didn't find it until I found the gospel. I know that I am going to work hard and that I am going to sacrafice a lot. I am ready for this challenge and I can't wait to enter this wonderful adventure.

3. I got to go through the temple. This was a wonderful experience. I felt so much love. I know that my family was there cheering me on. I actually felt them there. I know that they rejoiced when I went in to that Celestial room. I know that they have been waiting for me for a long time, and I KNOW that they are waiting to embrace me on the other side of the veil. I know that this long waited re-union is going to be so wonderful.

4. I have a testimony of things that I never thought I would. I know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God. I know this so much. I remember when I was taking the first discussion. A 19 year old boy named Elder Sam Decker read the first vision to me. I remember the power that was in the room. I knew many things at that moment. I knew I was going to get baptized. I knew the church was true. I knew that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon from golden plates. I knew that I loved Joseph Smith. The great thing is that I still know these things. I still know everything. I know that when I see him, and others, on the other side of the veil, that they will be proud of me. That the clasp of the hand won't be enough. That we will embrace one another like brothers. I know that I am going to thank him. I know that he is going to thank me. I know that we are going to get along just fine. I know that I will still learn much from him. I love Joseph Smith. I love that he had such a divine inspiration to ask Heavenly Father for the truth. I love that he had the power and super-human strength to restore the gospel. Joseph Smith is an amazing man, and every time I think or speak of him, my heart burns and my eyes tear up. I feel that power every waking moment, and I love it.

5. I have the best friends ever. I look up to all of them. I know that we were meant to be friends. I talked to KK one day. I asked him, "Do you think we were friends in the pre-existance?" He said, "Of course. Why else would I have found you?" I started to cry and I began to thank him. I know that my friends were on the winning side in the war in Heaven. I have witnessed it. I know that I look up to every single one of them. I love you all. Thank you for being my friends. Thank you for not giving up on me. Thank you for always being there when I needed you most. Thank you for being my family, when I thought I had none. Thank you for the light in your eyes. Its there. I know it. I've seen it. I've felt it. I love it.

6. I have had the strength to be bold and bare my testimony to my family. I love when a member of my family says something about the church. Whether it is bad or not. I know that I am here to help them. I know that I have been given the power to continue to be bold. To never hang my head when they poke fun at me. To smile when I feel like crying. To bare witness of the truth, when they aren't hearing it. I love my family, and I know that I will be able to embrace them on the other side. I know this because I have felt it. I can't wait to experience the feeling that I know.

7. I know that my redeemer lives. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that he atoned for all of our sins. I know that he gave us this beautiful earth and all of the wonders that are here. I know that, like me, he is the son of God. I know that I want to be like my big brother. I know that he wants me to follow in his footsteps. I know that I have felt him. Every time I bare my testimony, I feel like he is giving me the things to say. I know that he is going to be so proud of me. I can't wait to talk about him everyday. I can't wait to see him. I can't wait to hug him. I know that he is going to be so loving. I know that he is going to fill me with so much love. I know that he lives. I know that he loves. I know that Jesus is the Christ.

My readers, no Brothers and Sisters: I would like to remind all of you that I was not born in the church. That I had to find it. I would like to remind you that I love the church with every fiber of my being. I would like to remind you that I love you. Heck, the love that I have for you rivals Heavenly Father's, but never surpasses it.

I would like to bare a simple testimony: I know that the church is true. I know that President Monson is a living Prophet. I know that he is called of God. I know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet. I know that he restored the gospel in its entirety. I know that he translated the Book of Mormon. I know that I love him. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that I would die defending those words. I know that our Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us. I know the gospel is true. I know that what we have is real. What we have is real, brothers and sisters. Always remember that. I say all of this in the name of our savior and our loving big brother, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Well, I only suspect that I am going to have time for one last post. That will come on Thursday night. If I don't see you before I leave, I love you. Thank you for being such a huge example to me. I look up to every one of you. :)

Love,
Elder Brandon Yanez Cruz :)