Blossoming in DC!

Even though it was still snowing less than 1 week ago, I think I can safely say that warm weather is finally here! There are truly dramatic changes in the seasons here in the DC metro area. A lot of people told me how the area literally blossoms during this time of year, but I had no idea how many cherry trees were here! We turned down a street in downtown Rockville and it was just lined with them. Elder Gerber-Kai and I just went WHOA at the same time. Immediately I realized that all those blossoms, just a few days ago were trapped inside the trees. Even though we witness such a huge change in appearance, it isn't that the tree caught a bunch of blossoms to show on it's branches. The tree had those beautiful flowers budding inside the whole time! We also contain wonderful things just budding within our own selves. We unleash that potential by developing greater ability to love and serve others. By choosing to take some time out of our lives to help an old man move his furniture, talk with your friend who just needs some attention, or getting on your knees when you think you're just too tired to do so. (All of which I've experienced this past week.) Just as the tree had the resources and identity of a blossoming beauty from the time it was a seed, we also always have that identity that we are children of God. How can we even know that is the truth? I have come to know through the manifestations of my own spirit. In The bible we learn how that works exactly. "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,
that we are the children of God: (Romans 8:16)" The only way I can describe that feeling is by comparing it to how the cherry trees blossom. When I pray to Heavenly Father, I get this feeling that swells inside me that makes me smile with joy. I feel like someone is listening to me, and then I feel my thoughts just bursting forth with light and inspiration. Just like the buds just spring open with
flowers. We learn in the Book of Mormon that we have to go through this process because we came to this earth to walk by faith rather than by sight. If we skip the whole blossoming process, we don't get to see the beautiful transformation of the tree. Don't miss your opportunity to blossom in this life! Search for God and then nourish your faith. There are so many Chinese people that we teach that are
willing to listen but not willing to put the experiment to the test. They are not willing to try out faith because they are afraid they might be transformed. One of my friends from home serving in Arizona referred me to one of his long term Chinese investigators on Facebook. He says he cannot feel the existence of God. When we invited him to pray, we discovered he only knew how to pray in English. I don't think the process I was talking about works very well if you're praying in a language you don't really know. Try and reach out to someone this week and help them feel that they are a child of God! Maybe even someone in your own family, my sister Hannah was the first one to sincerely testify to me of the truth of a Heavenly Father that cares about me, I've never forgotten it.