Il Miracolo del Sacrificio (The Miracle of Sacrifice)


11/ 21/2024 Il Miracolo del Sacrificio



What an amazing, whirlwind experience the MTC was! Wow. 10 days of 12 hour long learning marathons, accompanied by constant spiritual highs that can only be experienced in a place like the Missionary Training Center. In it, you find a concentrated population of 2,000 people, whose whole focus 24/7 is on following the Savior Jesus Christ, and learning to love and serve people like He did. 


As I pondered this one night, I was taken back to 32 years ago, as a 22 year old missionary serving in El Salvador. My days and nights were completely focused on the happiness and well being of others. I was about 16 months into my mission experience, and I remember one morning having an epiphany:  I was completely happy and utterly content doing what I was doing. I had left my home, my comforts and my girlfriend (who at this point was no longer my girlfriend...haha) to dedicate myself and sacrifice my own wishes and wants for the well being of others. And yet, contrary to all rational and practical thinking...I found myself completely satisfied and couldn't remember a time in my life when I was happier. I remember thinking..."why would I ever want to do anything else?" 

Well, life rolled on. I went home, got ambitious about finding a job, a wife, starting a family, and "finding my fortune". I worked hard with an end goal of one day retiring early to spend the rest of my years in ease and comfort, doing the things I wanted when I wanted. 

Those things all happened eventually (though maybe it wasn't a "fortune" per se, haha), and I realized that while I had accomplished all of those goals, the end pursuit of wanting a life dedicated to my own pleasure and comfort had not created the lasting happiness that I had always thought it would. Why not? 

It all came full circle as we walked back to our room tonight after another spiritual experience; the familiar epiphany (again) came quietly. Happiness is found in the sacrifice to others. The most rewarding  things in life (marriage, parenthood and especially discipleship) all come at the cost of personal sacrifice. I've heard it said that "Love is measured in Sacrifice". The greater the cost, the deeper the love. That has always stuck with me. Our greatest joys (and deepest heartaches) come when we freely give ourselves to others in love and service, expecting nothing in return. The depth of our ability to love is directly proportionate to our pain of loss. And we cannot experience either without completely giving ourselves away. 

So here I found myself again, 32 years later, on another mission, having the same feelings of joy and asking myself the same question; "Why would I ever want to do anything else?" I think Jesus was on to something when He said in Matthew 10:39: "He that findeth his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his life for my sake, shall find it." There is a miracle in the dynamics of that economy.

This mural in the MTC (one of about 12 that each span an entire wall) was a stark reminder to me of the Savior's piercing question to Peter as he hauled in a massive catch of fish..."Lovest thou these more than me?" I couldn't help but identify with Peter in this story...and I was grateful for the reminder that the Savior gave to him (and me).

I went back and listened to Elder Holland's talk, "The First Great Commandment"...probably one of the most beautiful (and piercing) portrayals of this account
I've ever heard. 

https://youtu.be/ueK1UfGwHas?si=TO7LhqYgPbC1CHMB

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