The End of an Era: The Zach Athans Story

I enjoyed my days in the youth program at church. I really did. I knew most people in the stake. I felt I was generally wanted at the activities by my peers.

Well, yesterday I think it finally dawned on me that I really am not a youth anymore.

Here is the scenerio.

I get a text and it said paraphrasing a little "Tyler says get your butt over here" (It was the Charlotte South Stake annual Zions camp). I informed the textee that I was out of town. The textee then responds "My bad. I meant to txt a different zach."

Its offical goodbye youth and hello adulthood (even though I have been adult for a year+)

A Bunch of Random Thoughts I feel that need to be expressed in the form of blog

#1--We had stake conference...it was amazing the spirit was just about ready to explode. I kept thinking a lot about my mission during this time. Now that I am in the home stretch I guess you could say, I really am starting to get pumped. People ask me if I scared and I very quickly respond NO. I remind them that fear is the opposite of faith. However, there are a few things that I am nervous (being nervous and being scared are two totally different things) about: being in a new country, eating food in a new country and how my body responds to it, and learning freaking Portuguese. I am ready to leave tho.

#2--When I get back everything will be different. I thought about this when I was at my best friend copes last night. We were talking about how big Cheeks (Presley) had gotten in two years and then how when I get back his 7 month year old be as big as Cheeks who is 2. I really did get to thinking about how different everything will be when I get back. I think things change fast now and everyone is getting married just wait till I am away for two years. Change is good but I must say I will miss being eye witness to it.

#3--If anyone watched to The Office it was amazing...if that was the last one I saw till I got back...I would still be laughing

#4--I was thinking about why I might have been doomed to a four month wait for my mission. Other than the Lord having is timeing for me I know another reason. A while back I prayed about something and I did not listen to the answer. It took a while and I believe that Lord wanted to show me that by following Him the first time...I would not have had to wait 8 months and see that his ways were better from the get go...YOU LIVE AND LEARN

Service and The Book of Mormon

As I was watching and listening to General Conference today, I was deeply touched by two talks. The first was by our beloved prophet, Thomas S. Monson. He is a prophet who's theme will be, I believe, all about service to others. He is great example of that just like the Master. His talk inspired me to make it a point each and every day to provide some amount of service to my brothers and sisters. It reminds me of the Boy Scouts of America slogan, "Do a Good Turn Daily" Me being an eagle scout still need to carry on and live those princples. I know Father will be bless us as we do this because a prophet of God has said, "when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of you God" This is my goal for the upcoming days, weeks and years.





My second impression came from the testimony of Jeffrey R. Holland, who is an apostle of the Lord, Jesus Christ. He bore POWERFUL witness of The Book of Mormon. I think it is important for me because I will soon be baring my witness to the divinity of this book as well. As I was reading in the Book of Mormon this evening a witness came to by the spirit once again testifying of its truthfullness. To all my blog reading sphere (which is not a lot of people) I want all you know that I KNOW the Book of Mormon is real. That is does indeed stand with the Bible in baring witness and testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ. That Christ did visit his people in the land we now call the Americas. That we organized his church among them as he did with his apostles in Jersalem. That it was preserved through the ages and that Joseph Smith, that hero of mine, did translate it through the gift and power of God. I have a testimony of all the holy scriptures. I know that God speaks. Not that he spake but that He speaks. I have heard his prophets speek this weekend and I know their words to be true. My hope and prayer is that my faith will be like that of the prophets of old as I soon embark on this Mission for my Father. All I can do is to "Search Diligently, Pray Always and be believing and all things shall work together for your good." It is my faith that as I always rely on Father and Jesus Christ they will support in all that I do.






Joseph Smith Jr. Said, "Shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad."
Shall we not go on?