Joel had a hard time getting onto his mission, Satan was working so hard on him. He had scheduled his farewell, family had traveled from all over, all the food was ready, and poor Joel was playing soccer a few days before and broke his wrist, needless to say the farewell was cancelled the night before. We were already here and there was plenty of yummy food to eat so we decided to dig in. It was so much fun and we were glad that it was because now that it was cancelled he was going to have to reschedule it for another time. he was able to reschedule it for a few weeks later after he had surgery and, we did it all again. I am putting the talk that he wrote so for those of you who missed the actual farewell. It won't be as good as Joel talking but hey it's the next best thing right?!
Joel’s Talk
Good morning brothers and sisters. I know you’re all probably thinking to yourselves…
“He’s really doing it; he’s really going on a mission”. For those of you who don’t know me that well, I guess I should tell you I’m a little accident prone. And if this gives you any clue to how bad it might be….. My mom calls me BUBBLE BOY!
In the last few years, I have had a broken shoulder, torn rotator cuffs, torn pectoral muscle, sprained both knees and ankles, back injuries, car accident, tore a tendon in my ankle, and about 8 concussions. The most recent accident was a broken thumb (and that’s only in the last 5 years of my life). About 2 years ago, I had my mission papers all filled out and was planning to submit them the following Sunday. I went snowboarding and had an accident. I tore the tendon in my ankle. I was no longer considered healthy enough to go on a mission, so I had to wait a long time for it to heal. About a year and a half later I finally got my papers completed. For those who don’t know the Church now has prospective missionaries fill out papers on line and they are then approved and submitted to Church headquarters through the Bishop. After many hours I finally had them finished. Then I let, newly called Bishop Broderick, know and it was his turn to do his part. A day or 2 later I found myself at work and my phone started ringing. I answer the phone and its bishop Broderick. He tells me he thinks he may have made a mistake . . . and he may have deleted my mission papers. I went home and checked to see if they were still there, and sure enough, they had been deleted. So now, not only did I have Satan trying to stop me from going on a mission, but now the bishop was too. But don’t worry; I got back at the Bishop. Last Tuesday I had to get a medical release from the doctor who did the surgery on my thumb. After I saw the doctor I had to call the Bishop to let him know all was OK so I could get the go-a- head to enter the MTC Next Wednesday. In stead of telling him it was OK, I decided to tell him that I had developed an infection and would not be able to go for several months. I could hear the panic in his voice when he said “oh man really?” (He, he) I think he is as anxious for me to be able to leave as my parents.
-Life is an open book test
My farewell was originally supposed to be on the 28th of Sept., but was set back because of the surgery I needed to fix my thumb. But hey I’m here!! After a few set backs with my mission, you can imagine I have heard the phrase “Everything happens for a reason” a lot! So after I got my mission call to the Santiago Chile East mission, I really started wondering why I was called there. So after praying for some revelation, some friends told me that they had been to Chile and the people there really laid back and are late EVERYWHERE!! That’s when it hit me, that’s why I’m going to Chile, because if you know me at all you know I’m late just about everywhere I go. So I’m gonna fit right in, and bond with the people of Chile. Common ground
So today I have been asked to speak on The Atonement. In the Pre-existence there were 2 people who came forward with plans; Lucifer being one, and Jesus Christ the other. Satan’s plan was to force us to do right and not have free will. Christ’s plan was for all men to have free will and to be able to choose right from wrong, which also allowed us to commit sin. That’s where the atonement of Christ comes into play.
So what does the word Atonement mean?? The bible dictionary describes the word as a setting “AT ONE” of those who have been estranged (sinned and become distant from god) and denotes the reconciliation of man. Sin is the estrangement. The purpose of the Atonement is to correct or overcome the consequences of sin (or repent). And because of Christ’s Perfect sacrifice we are covered unconditionally and are able to repent and become clean of our sins.
How did Christ make it possible for us to do return to him?
1 NEPHI 10:21
So no unclean thing can enter into the presence of God and dwell with God. This is a problem for most of us. Because no men save it were Jesus Christ has ever lived on the earth and been perfect. We are all imperfect, and at some point and time in our lives we will have sinned. Having committed sin, we can no longer make it back right to him right?? The only way we can become clean again is if someone was to pay for our sins, and that person would need to be free from the bonds of justice, which means perfect, having never sinned. Jesus, being the only perfect person, was the only person who could do this.
ALMA 38:9
So he went to the garden of Gethsemane and took upon the sins of EVERY BEING who has or ever will exist. Christ suffered more pain than anyone of us could possibly imagine. He bled from every pore in his body.
-If you think about it, every time you commit sin, you are causing Christ to suffer that much more pain.
After suffering for our sins, Judas an apostle betrayed him and sold him for silver. Soldiers came to bring Jesus to Pilate the governor. When they came, John, while trying to defend Christ, cut one of the soldiers ears with his sword. Jesus stopped John, Healed the soldier’s ear and then said to John, “Thinkest though that I cannot now pray to my father and he shall presently give me 12 legions of angels?” At anytime Jesus could have protected himself and stopped any of this from happening but he let it happened because he knew it had to be.
Pilate asked the people what they wanted to do with him and they chose to crucify him. Before they crucified him, they spit on him, whipped him, beat him, mocked and tortured him. After suffering through all of that they then put spikes through his hands and feet and nailed him to the cross where he then died. He did all of this because He loves us that much!! And even while on the cross he begged for the fathers mercy for us saying, “father forgive them for they know not what they do.”
Pearly Gates:
Footprints story:
-He wants us to return to him. All you need to do is try your very best to be clean and pure and if you aren’t, repent and get to that point.
-I hope that when the time comes that I can say with an honest and clean conscience that I did everything I could. And I hope that all of you will be able to say the same.
-Please don’t let Christ’s sacrifice be for nothing.
MORONI 6:8 But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real intent they were forgiven.
-Thank parents
Friends
Bishops
Teachers
Atonement
BOM
“Hit the ground running”
He is seriously the cutest missionary ever!
Our family in front of the MTC minus some spouses and children
Jesse, Cassidy, Joel, and Tate
Brianne, Joel, and Nate
Dad, mom and Joel
The moms get to put on the missionary tag, I think that it is such a special tradition. I know it meant alot to my mom that she got to put it on him for the first time.
Joel and myself. We might be smiling but it was a sad but exciting day.
Poor guy, he got the flu the morning he was going onto the temple, I felt so bad for him.
