Rika Ito McIntyre 信仰ー 私の改宗について

　信仰ー 私の改宗について My Faith - Conversion Story - I am a Mormon!

あれは私が東京の専門学校の入学試験のために夜遅く、勉強している時期でした。ある朝、眠い目をこすりながら自転車で通学中の私の隣を車が勢いよく通り過 ぎていきました。その時、危なく体のバランスを崩し倒れそうになった

私は、ハッとして、しっかり眠気が覚めました。もしかしたら、車にはねられていたのか もと。その日の夜は朝に起こった事が頭から離れず、もし今日死んでいたらどうなったんだろう。両親は悲しむだろうか、妹たちもこんな自分勝手な姉でも悲し んでくれるだろうか。死んだら今まで勉強してきたことが無駄になってしまう。そこから私は、なぜこの世に、生まれてきたのだろうと誰に聞いたらよいのかも わからないような大きな疑問を持つようになっていました。そんなある日、道端に無料英会話と書いたチラシを見つけ、東京の外語学校に行こうと思っていた私 は、さっそく友人を誘い参加してみました。その英会話ではアメリカから来ている若い先生達が親切に英語をそれぞれのレベルに分けたクラスで教えてくれまし た。数回通った頃、学校のクラブの先輩もここに集っていることを知り、彼女が私を日曜日の集会にも誘ってくれました。その時、いつもは楽しく英語を教えて くれてる先生達が末日聖徒イエスキリスト教会の宣教師として福音を教えるために日本に来ているのだとわかりました。そして彼女たちが教会の事について話し 始め、３つの質問をしてきたのです。１．私たちは生まれる前にどこにいたのでしょう。２、なぜこの地上に生まれてきたのでしょう。３．私たちは死後どこへ 行くのでしょう。その質問を聞いたとき私は、この人たちは私が探していた答えを持っていると感じました。それ以来、私はこの教会のお世話になっています。 ニックネームでモルモン教会と呼ばれたりもしますが、正式には末日聖徒イエスキリスト教会と言います。この教会に出会ったおかげで日々変わりつつある社会 のモラルに惑わされることなく、（実際、高校の同級生数人の友達は卒業後妻子持ちの方に誘われて付き合うこになって、困ってると）　私の好きだった、宝塚 のモットー、清く、正しく、美しく（？）を保ち、今の主人と出会い家族を持てたことが、大きな祝福の一つと感じています。皆さんの中にも、夜空を見て宇宙 の広さを感じるとき、大自然の雄大さを見るとき、この世には人間が作り出せない、それ以上のものがあると感じるときがあるかもしれませんね。また人生に対 して、虚しさを感じたり、人が信じられなかったりする人もいるかもしれません。そんな時は、私たちの霊の父である、神様（天の父）、そして私たちの霊の長 男であるイエスキリスト（救い主）の事を学んでみてはどうでしょう。宗教は心の弱い人が一人で生きていけなくて、何かに頼りたくて、そんな人のためにある もの、とある人が私に言ってきたことがありますが、私はこの教会に入って、弱い人達（人を頼りにする）より、強い人が多いのだとわかってきました。子供を 事故で無くした母親がいつか息子と会えること知っていると教会で話すとき、それは弱い母親の姿ではありませんでした。信じること（信仰）がこれほど人を強 くするものなのかと。私自身の子供たちにしても、それぞれに何かあっても自分たちはこの教えを通して結ばれているという、同じ所（天の父のもとに戻る）で いつか会えるということを教会に通い福音を通して学ぶことにより、わかっているのです。それにより、普段はケンカをしたりしていても、自然と一致すること ができます。人は宗教と聞くと嫌がる方も多いかもしれませんが、私の中ではすでに生活に密着しているもの。私たちがこの世を安全に進めるような（誘惑がな いわけではありませんが）道しるべとなるのが福音です。これを読んで教会の事がもっと知りたいと思った方はこちらをどうぞ。
www.ldschurch.jp

Never Under Estimate Your Influence on Others

I had the honor of attended a funeral today for a friend who served as an LDS Bishop when I was a youth growing up in in Visalia, California. He was not my bishop, but when I needed to talk to a bishop, he was the bishop I called. He loved the youth and they loved him. He was a great example to me and had a tremendous impact on my life.

http://www.utahvalleyfuneral.com/obituaries/Patrick-Schofield/

As I remember the influence he had on me, it just reinforced the notion that we should never underestimate the influence for good we may have on people as we strive to help and serve them. We may feel our little acts of service, concern and love do not make a difference, but I think in most cases, they make more of an impact and difference than we may ever know.

Bishop and Sister Schofield have 13 children. All were at the funeral. There were also over 50 grandchildren their. What a legacy! As I think of Bishop Schofield, I see a man who chose to serve God and his family first. He was successful in his business, but his business was a means to an end.  His treasure was his family and his testimony of the Savior, Jesus Christ. I can only imagine the treasures he has prepared for himself and his family in heaven.

Until we meet again Bishop!

Good vs. Great - Service, Sacrifice and Example - Treasures in Heaven

The difference between good and great is very subtle. And the world’s definitions of greatness vary. Let me explain some of the attributes of true greatness as I see it by sharing some examples. Think about these two great historical individuals from modern society, Mother Theresa and Ghandi. Both these individuals are considered great by most people who are familiar with their lives. Why? What sets them apart from other people? As I thought about this, I realized they are not considered great for what they did or accomplished per se, but for what they did for others and the examples they set. Neither held positions of formal power or authority nor sought for such recognition. The legacy they left was the impact they had on millions of people through their service, sacrifice and examples.

This kind of greatness is not the same as the greatness that may be achieved by an athlete that scores the most points or wins the most championships. That kind of greatness is based on what they accomplished largely for themselves. In a sense, it was for personal glory, satisfaction or even for money. Don't get me wrong, I respect great athletes, but that kind of greatness is not lasting and will eventually fade or even be forgotten. It is not the true greatness I am talking about or personally striving for.

Now think of the Savior, Jesus Christ, the greatest of all. The great sacrifice he made for each of us individually and all mankind, the infinite atonement. It is what the Savior did for each of us that defines His greatness. It was in His doing the will of the Father and not himself. It was His great example of a perfect life. Service, Sacrifice and Example!

True greatness does not fade with time. It is remembered and endures. It is an infinite atonement!

True greatness comes from sacrifice. It is achieved when one does something that merely good people choose not to do. The Savior said, not my will, but thine. To those who choose greatness it is not really a sacrifice to do so, it is simply choosing the right thing when faced with tough personal choices. It is submitting your own will and desires to a greater good, one that will benefit others. True greatness comes from consistency. It is being grounded in true principles and not wavering even when the wind seems to blow against you. It is achieved when you become a light and example to others, not because of your position or status in the world, but because of your character and the standard you have set for others.

I have come to the conclusion that the most important thing we can do in this life is to become more like the greatest of all, Jesus Christ. He is our example. We come to be more like Him when we follow his example and strive to develop the same attributes He possessed and exhibited throughout His mortal ministry. These attributes of Christ are a key to achieving greatness in this life and they are the Treasures He spoke of when He admonished us to Lay Up Treasures in Heaven. Attributes like Charity, Kindness, Love, Service, Sacrifice, Faith, Hope, Diligence, Virtue and Humility are some of the Treasures we must acquire on earth and lay up in Heaven. These aspects of greatness are enduring and the only things (besides our eternal families) we can personally take with us into the next life.

For our missionaries:

The difference between being a good missionary and a great missionary may be found in your attitude and motivation. Your desire to serve, your willingness to sacrifice and what kind of example you set will certainly define what kind of missionary you become and how you will be remembered when you complete your mission. That will be your legacy. Are you here to score a lot of points or compete with others? Or are you here to serve the Lord and help others come unto Christ through your service, sacrifice and example. Are you here to do your will or out of obligation to fulfill your duty or someone else’s expectations? Or are you here to do the will of the Father because you love Him and your fellowman? You can follow the program and go through the motions and be a good missionary. Or you can be great missionaries by doing the will of the Father in all things, as did the Savior.

Through our service, sacrifice, and example we will help people come unto Christ. Each of you has the potential to influence the lives of hundreds, even thousands, of people through your work as a missionary. We help people come unto Christ by inviting them to make and keep commitments. As we teach true doctrine, testify and show a good example, people will begin to have faith in Christ and the courage to keep commitments and obey the commandments. These commitments prepare people to make and keep covenants. The first covenant people need to make to prepare to return to our Father in Heaven is done through the ordinance of baptism. Be bold in your efforts to invite people to change and keep commitments. It is how they repent and come unto Christ. It is how you will play a role in helping them come unto Christ. It is how you will influence the lives of people as a missionary and how you will become a Great Missionary. Don't settle for good, when you have the potential to be great.

President and Sister McIntyre