David and Goliath

Dear Family & Friends,

This week I am lacking a notebook of all the events from the week because it's water festival outside and that's treacherous business! So all I have with me today is a hawaiian shirt, giant crazy yellow glasses, my camera, and some clear baggies. Pictures to come next week, as this internet place is kinda ghetto.

This week we got to watch conference and that was beyond what I expecting. I want to challenge everyone to review those talks as closely as possible. There are major themes running through them, did you notice?

One that has been most impactful was the idea of "Who do you trust?"

Let's talk about it a little. There were a number of apostles that brought up this idea of "heed not to what people say!" How concerned are we about what people think about us? How often do we hide in the crowd when really someone should be standing up for what's right?

The influence of the world is increasingly negative towards the simple truths of having good morals. With technology and complexity of lifestyles, people are trying to make "doing the right thing" more complicated. It's all about "rights" and "tolerance" and "accepting everyone for who they are."

My dear sweet friends. If we really knew who we were, had there never been a veil between here and our original heavenly home, would we really allow ourselves these excuses? "Well, that's just the way I am. It can't be helped."

I testify to you that all habits, all behavior, all hearts, can change. Society's change does not define what's right. God's laws are God's laws. And coming from someone who truly loves God's laws, I urge you with all my heart to be brave and be "true to the truth that our parents have cherished."

What Elder Holland said after visiting our area here in Asia. President Senior got to go and meet him! -- https://www.lds.org/church/news/the-church-is-wonderfully-well-in-asia-elder-holland-reports?lang=eng

Anyway, I want to share an experience from this week that will explain the message I want to send today. Do you remember the story of David and Goliath?

This last week I was walking along a bridge to get across the road. On this bridge, however, a very scary, big, insane man resides much of the time, but it is the only way. He has chased us madly before twice, grabbed us both twice, and honestly, given us a good scare plenty of times because he's crazy. Sister Croft and I have felt that he has a little 'something dark' about him that makes him so scary.

But this particular day as I walked up the flight of stairs to cross this bridge, I had a thought. "If you see this man, put your hand up and raise your authority."

I thought to myself, "Wait, what? I'm gonna do WHAT? David and GOLIATH this??"

So I reach the peak and realized the bridge troll was there. Uh oh. But the spirit was strong and made me feel confident. This man was huge! He could literally throw me over the bridge if he wanted!

I made that walk towards him. He noticed us. He rose to his feet and barked like a dog, to which I raised my hand to the square with an unexpected confidence, thinking, "I am a representative of Jesus Christ."

I cannot explain to you accurately what happened.

He shriveled away in fear. He literally crouched to the ground with a whimper, protecting his collection of trash in his grocery cart.

Goliath came down.

I felt as if I had a light radiating off of me that would allow him to come nowhere near me. He then stood up, knowing he could not pass my drawn line, and spit at me.

I walked on across the bridge, wiping the spit from my face and clothes. Victorious. Darkness cannot overtake light. Goliath will never take down a confident David.

Go ahead and try to convince me where the world's authority comes from. There's one authority to which all must heed-- despite popular vote.

I know with a surety that God's power is infinite and abounding. He is not quiet. He does not work in secret. And He administers upon the earth today through the warning voice of the prophet-- whose authority, I trust.

God makes David's out of all of his children if they are willing to be. You can overcome your Goliath's. You are so much more than what society's rules would claim you to be. Your "rights" include invoking the power of heaven.

"Let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; for behold he is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands?" (1 Nephi 4:1)

I love you all,

Sister Painter