Leave Your Nets Behind!

I was talking to my companion one evening and she told me about an email her cousin sent her. It related a story about Jesus Christ in Matthew 4:18-20. Those verses read, 

18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

20 And they straightway left their nets and followed him.

The thing that struck her cousin, and in turn struck me, was that the apostles dropped what they were doing and left everything behind to follow the Savior. I absolutely love that analogy. In our lives, we all have things that we just need to leave behind for a greater opportunity ahead. That may mean having to let not so good friends go and find new ones, or take a step in the dark not knowing where to go, or letting go of the burdens we have placed open ourselves, or even leaving behind the sins, or bad things that we have done in our lives and become new. Whatever it may be it is worth the struggle. When we leave it all behind, we find greater joy than we have ever experienced before.

In the Book of Mormon, there is a story about a group of men that were members of the church in ancient times, and their names were Alma and the sons of Mosiah (to read the full story, read https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/27?lang=eng). As a group they went around the town taking many people away from the church and doing bad things. One day, Alma was doing bad things and was visited by an angel that said he needed to repent or change his ways, or he would not be able to live with God again after he died. He awoke from that vision and from that second forward he began to repair the wrongs he had done, he completely turned around. He says later on in the Book of Mormon that, "there was a mighty change wrought in his heart." He was a changed man along with the other sons of Mosiah. They chose to leave what was in the past, in the past and they moved on to greater, more important pursuits, that in turn made them happier than they had ever been before. Later on, they all go on missions to preach the word of God and they find great success.

After reading this story, I was amazed at the power of repentance. Repentance is change, and change is hard! But, through Jesus Christ, we all can receive the peace that comes through turning ourselves and our lives to Him. If these people that were doing horrible things can leave their nets behind and change to become more like their Savior so can we! The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of change and I get to preach it! How exciting is that! I am not perfect but I know that the gospel changes lives! Through Jesus Christ, all can be made right, all guilt can be swept away, and all happiness can be restored, but to be able to be changed, we have to leave all that is wrong behind us and never return. We have to change and become a new, just like Alma and the sons of Mosiah.

I am so blessed to have a Savior who made it possible for me to leave my nets behind and be changed through repentance. Only through our Savior, Jesus Christ can we receive the peace and happiness that comes when we change. I want you all to know that I know, more than anything in my life, that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the perfect and only way to true and lasting happiness in this life, and happiness in the life to come. Even through trials, He is there with open arms, waiting for us to come to Him and lay our nets at his feet. I love my Savior and it astounds me that even though we mess up, we can always come back because of His sacrifice. I end with my testimony, said in the lyrics of "I Stand All Amazed" written by Charles H. Gabriel:

1. I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,

Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me.

I tremble to know that for me he was crucified,

That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died.

Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me

Enough to die for me!

Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!

2. I marvel that he would descend from his throne divine

To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine,

That he should extend his great love unto such as I,

Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify.

Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me

Enough to die for me!

Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!

3. I think of his hands pierced and bleeding to pay the debt!

Such mercy, such love and devotion can I forget?

No, no, I will praise and adore at the mercy seat,

Until at the glorified throne I kneel at his feet.

Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me

Enough to die for me!

Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!

-Hermana Zimmerman

 My companion and I outside the temple

My district at the temple (fun fact, the Mexico City temple is the biggest temple outside the U.S.)

My Casa

So one night, my companion and I were walking back to our casa and I stepped in a big mud pile I couldn't see in the dark. Sad day, but all is well, and shoes are clean