She was more ready for the gospel than I was to teach it. I have learned that is Heavenly Father’s way to lead us to reach higher than we could alone. I was in my second area on my mission. Hirosaki, Japan. A smaller branch of 45 active and faithful members. We met her through a member, and she became one of my closest friends. She just wanted to hear about christian religions, but from the very first words we spoke to her the Holy Ghost testified they were true. She never doubted, and she never hesitated to faithfully follow the commitments we asked of her. She gained her testimony through the Spirit, and I was blessed with the opportunity of baptizing her only a few weeks later.

Following the baptism I had a chance to sit and speak with her about the ordinance and covenant she just made. I had only been in Japan for 6 months, and my Japanese showed it, but she patiently and humbly listened to every word I spoke. There was a love that she had for me, that become SO strong. It was a respect and reverence that she saw and expected of me, that I didn’t even consider of myself.

I have asked myself, “What was that for? Why did the Lord give me that blessed chance? What is the Lord’s will in that?” It wasn’t until this year, almost 4 years later, that I have come to understand part of why it all happened. He wanted me to grow. He wanted me to change. And He knew I wasn’t going to get there on my own. So he let a woman, who had more faith and worthiness than I had ever known personally, come into my life and demand the best of me. Even better than my best, so that I could extend my calling and become the stronger man for the Lord and for my life.

I now know that that is typically the way the Lord works. He gives us people, and demands, and situations that require us to become something that we are not. Something stronger and more worthy of the blessings of the Spirit that we could not possess before then. And with it comes expectations to live up to that standard. What is the pearl cast before swine worth? Still a pearl of great price, though useless if not valued and used as it should be.

So I have become something more again. I have taken the greatest of endeavors to learn to become more. And that is what life is about. It is for stretching forward more than I am able, more than I can possibly do alone. And as long as I keep stretching forward when the Lord puts another pearl before me then I will end up reaching my potential within the Kingdom of God. I have the power to reach my potential, it only lies within my ability to seek the Lord and do His will. Keep true to the path and you will not fall off, you cannot fall off. I have learned that, and I want others to learn that. So I will try and keep writing on this blog, and inviting others to ponder their own testimony a little more. Hopefully you have felt your testimony as I have written. Hopefully you will decide today is the day you need to reach out and pick up the pearl the Lord has laid before you. Perhaps you can find its value in your life.

That is my prayer for you, my readers, this day. I share that in the name of Jesus Christ.