Packets of Light - A New Year's Quest

"Scriptures are like 'packets of light' - that illuminate our minds and give place to guidance and inspiration from on high.  They can become the key to open the channel to communion from Heavenly Father and his Beloved Son Jesus Christ." Elder Richard G. Scott

I just recently received such a “packet of light.”

The Chinese language is rich in expressiveness, and characters are often full of beautifully descriptive messages. I’ve been studying the Chinese version of the Book of Mormon in my morning scripture reading. Now, I really can’t read a lot of Chinese characters, but I like to study them nevertheless, comparing them with the English version. I often learn revelatory insights that come as “packets of light” – shedding a little more light and truth as I study God’s word.

Courtesy of Flickr - Bai Shi Li

In English when we conclude our prayers, we conclude by saying, “In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”  While the phrase has powerful meaning, it can nevertheless become a routine phrase that we don’t think about much if we become a little casual. But that’s where Chinese can enhance our understanding.

In Chinese, the same phrase is, “fèng YēSū JīDū de míng, āmén .”  Or, in characters: 奉耶穌基督的名,阿門。 It’s a phrase. You learn it. You memorize it.  You know what it means – we do all things in the name of our Savior.

But as I studied carefully, I thought about the word 奉, or fèng. The above phrase is not literally translated, “in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.” But rather, “fèng” Jesus Christ’s name, amen. And “fèng” does not mean “in”.

What does fèng mean, then?

I looked it up. Fèng = to present respectfully (to superior, ancestor, deity etc.) / to esteem / to revere, to offer.

We aren’t just ending our prayer in the name of Jesus Christ; we are offering it up with the highest esteem and respect. We express our deepest reverence for Him and for His holy name.

It’s as if we are saying, “With the highest esteem and deepest respect, I offer this prayer with reverence, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”

The endings to my prayers now take on a whole new meaning.

奉, or fèng.  What a powerful word!  Feeling grateful for this “packet of light.”

"(Heavenly Father) has placed packets of light in our path both in individually appropriate doses and at the intervals that will both stretch and rescue us in our own unique circumstances.  As we receive, remember, and act on the truths in one customized packet of light, we prepare to receive new light, and the light grows brighter and brighter." - Elder Bednar

Inspiration or personal revelation can come to all of us no matter who we are. We know that every person born on this earth is born with what we like to call "the Light of Christ". Some might just call it our conscience, a light, a voice, a prompting, a gut feeling. But whatever you choose to call it, it is very real and a powerful guiding tool for all of us. The more we listen to this "light of Christ", or guiding influence in our lives, the more we'll be led to find more of these "packets of light" along our path. 

This year, join me on a quest. No matter what happens out there in 2021 - good, or bad, calm or scary, peaceful or violent, refreshing or suffocating, there will be packets of light strewn along our paths by a loving Father in Heaven. Let's look for those packets of light!  Let's find them!  Let's bring that light into our hearts and lives to make our souls brighter and brighter!

Courtesy of Flickr.com R Boed

Our Mission Call

We have been called to serve in the Taiwan Taipei Mission, beginning July 1^st, as office specialists.  We are very excited about this!  Taiwan, we hear, is an amazing place, and we look forward to having the temple nearby as well.  We will serve for 18 months, speaking English – although just for fun we are studying Chinese each day and have an MTC teacher tutoring us twice a week via Zoom. 

Taiwan has two missions - Taipei and
Taichung. We will be in Taipei.

For most senior missionaries, learning the language of the country is not required. As we found in our last mission in Vietnam, translators are standing by eager to assist, and many people already know English – so language is really not a problem.

Mission President Michael L. Peterson and
his wife Shelley Peterson

We feel it a great privilege to serve the Lord on a mission.  A senior mission is such a growing and stretching experience. It is one way we can share our testimonies with others, help build up His kingdom in whatever way He needs, and serve in an area where we are truly needed.

Our mission president and his wife are President Michael L. Peterson and Shelley Peterson.

Before our last two missions, we had sold our home in Missouri and thus had little worldly concerns on our missions.  Now we have bought another home, and plan to rent it out while we are gone.  We are blessed to have found a young couple we feel comfortable with who will be caring for our home. The hand of the Lord was evident, and we are so grateful.

As we prepare ourselves over the next several months for our mission, we seek to know most of all how the Lord would have us prepare. Our service will be to Him and to the mission president in whatever way they need us to serve. Missions are the best!  Grateful to be called to serve.