the Atonement...

Last night Bishop invited us to come to his house for dinner. Sister Lavulavu and I are new to the area so we wanted to prepare a special spiritual thought for them and I've just got to tell you about it. After reading in John about the account of Jesus washing the apostles feet we decided that we would wash their feet..so before dinner we started our spiritual thought. We had Bishop's wife come sit on a chair and as Sister Lavulavu read the whole account of Jesus washing his apostles feet I washed her feet.

And I felt that much closer to the Savior.

Nobody can afford shoes here, so you can imagine the average Kiribati feet. Dirt and toenails that are falling off, with scabs and scars and open wounds on their feet. And I thought that that must have been how the apostles feet were too. And I could understand why Peter would say: "Thou shalt never wash my feet." Embarrassed that the Savior would see his dirt. Embarassed that the King of Kings would bow below to wash him. But the lesson I took away from this is really a lesson about the Atonement. Do we have the humility to let Jesus see our dirt? Bishop's wife was so embarrassed that a guest at her home would wash her dirty feet...and I can understand that, but I am so grateful that I truly walked in his footsteps this week to come to understand our Savior a little bit more...but it's not just a story about feet, or the Atonement, it's a lesson on baptism, because with that water and towel, Jesus can erase our sins -- or our dirt. He said himself to Peter: "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me."

It's my testimony that the greatest of us all has already washed our feet -- that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can be cleansed every whit. I love you, my sweet family, so much.

sister j

PS. I AM HEALTHY as can be. stronger than ever. more motivated. working hard. laughing...lots of laughing.