Sunday, February 18: Talk in Sacrament Meeting, beginning of mission

 Kylene spoke in the Silverleaf Ward Sacrament Meeting on February 18, a few days after beginning her home MTC experience. So many friends and family came to see and hear her testimony and many others tuned in to listen via Zoom. Here is the text of her talk:

Buon Pomeriggio Fratelli e Sorelle! Good afternoon, brothers and sisters! My name is Sorella McCune
and last Sunday I was set apart as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. For
those of you who don’t know, I have been called to serve in the Italy Rome mission. I’ve had a fun
week of home MTC and I’ll be heading to the Provo MTC this Wednesday for the rest of my training.
This week has been a roller coaster for sure as I’ve adjusted to being a missionary, but God has been
with me every step of the way and I am just filled with excitement to be a representative of Jesus
Christ and share His love with the world. I am so excited to share with you my thoughts today and
most importantly my testimony of Jesus Christ.
I would like to start with a quote by C.S. Lewis, who was an incredible British author who
wrote Mere Christianity, The Chronicles and Narnia, and many other books. He said, “Faith is the art
of holding onto things despite your changing mood and circumstances.” I love this quote so much.
There are a lot of things changing and shifting constantly in our world and in our lives. It could be
moving to a different city, unexpected death or illness, starting a new job, or even a change in your
daily routine. All of these things can have an impact on how we view the world and how we treat
those around us.
Ever since I can remember I have known of Jesus Christ. He was in the primary songs I sung,
in the way my mom took care of me, and the scriptures I read each night. As I grew up, however, I
came to know Jesus Christ in a much more personal way. As I grew and life began to get harder I was
faced with challenges and my personal faith was put to the test. The questions became “Where do I
look when I need to find peace? Where do I turn when I can’t find the answer? Where do I go if
someone or something fails me?”
I had one of these experiences this past week while doing my at-home missionary training.
You wake up Monday morning, bright and early at 6:30 am and jump right into being a missionary,
even that very first day:). You study the scriptures and the language you are learning by yourself and
then with your companion before getting on your first of two 3-hour video calls. You are put with
another missionary who becomes your companion, and also with a larger group of missionaries which
forms your district, all of whom you have never met before.
Now picture all of that…and then imagine doing it all in Italian….that is the adventure I have
begun hahaha.
As you can imagine, I was feeling pretty overwhelmed, not only with the demanding
schedule of being a missionary, but also the things I was expected to know and do and then to teach
to others. Although we are all unique, I’m sure many of you have had similar experiences to mine.
Feeling overwhelmed, inadequate, and maybe unsure how you will even begin again tomorrow.
I would like to testify to you that I have seen the answer to those struggles in my own life. I
saw it this week and I have seen it many times before. The answer is Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ
is what sustains me.
Now let’s go back to my story about my past week. One day I was getting ready to get on my
second Zoom call of the day when the power went out. No Wi-Fi, no lights, and no charger to give
power to my almost dead laptop. I was stressing so much running around trying to find somewhere to
go but all of the houses and businesses around me also had no power. I was feeling so overwhelmed
already and didn’t know if I could handle missing important content in my class that started in 30
minutes. As I knelt down to pray I told Heavenly Father that I was giving this mission thing my all. I
asked Him if He could help the workers to get the power restored quickly. But I told Him, if not, I had
faith that I would find a way to get on this Zoom call. I discussed options with my dad and about two
minutes before the Zoom call was supposed to start, when we were about to hop in the car and drive
to find somewhere with power, it came back on! This was such a testament to me that Heavenly
Father is watching over His children. Though it was something small, like the power coming back on,
He knew that His daughter needed it badly in that moment and He blessed me for my effort and faith.
In Alma chapter 36, Alma is testifying to His son Helaman about the power of God he has
seen in his own life. Alma’s story is both powerful and drastic. As he went about “seeking to destroy
the church of God…God sent his holy angel to stop [him] by the way.” Alma experiences a complete
change of heart and becomes one of the great prophets of the Book of Mormon. In verse 27, Alma
says, “And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, in all manner of
afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put
my trust in him, and he will still deliver me.”
My mom loves using the phrase, “Remember who you are and what you stand for!” Every
day for as long as I can remember she would tell us this when getting dropped off at school, going to a

friend’s house, or heading out for a sporting event. Whatever it was we were headed off to, my mom
always took time to remind us that we are children of God and what values we live by. Knowing that
God loves us makes all the difference in every aspect of our lives. Every child, every teenager, and
every adult of any age is known and loved by God. This is such a simple yet powerful truth that
sustains me throughout my everyday.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught, “Our Heavenly Father loves us profoundly and
perfectly….His is a Father’s love--universal to all yet personal to each. Jesus Christ shared with the
Father this same perfect love. When the Father elaborated His great plan of happiness, He called for
one to act as a Savior to redeem us--an essential part of that plan. Jesus volunteered, ‘Here am I, send
me.’ This divine love should give us abundant comfort and confidence as we pray to the Father in the
name of Christ. Not one of us is a stranger to Them. We need not hesitate to call upon God, even
when we feel unworthy. We can rely on the mercy and merits of Jesus Christ to be heard.”
I am so grateful for the opportunity to carry this special message to people in Italy and
throughout the world. Everyone deserves to know that they are children of God and loved by Him.
I love the truth that Jesus Christ is our advocate with Heavenly Father. Some synonyms for
advocate that I found are: protector, champion, supporter, promoter, and missionary.
How special that I get to act as a representative of Jesus Christ. Just has He has been my
champion, supporter, promoter with the Father, I get to be a missionary for Him and His gospel.
Even if you feel that you don’t have any reason to believe in God, even if you feel that He is
silent, I testify that choosing to have faith in Jesus Christ is always the right decision and best decision
for your life.
Every time that I have chosen to have faith in Jesus Christ, even when I have doubts,
questions, or trials, I have seen tender mercies and blessings beyond measure. I have also been filled
with an added measure of joy that I know can only come through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ IS joy. I
know I will not feel joyful or happy every single moment on my mission or throughout my life, but I
know and have seen that as I continually turn to Christ He will bring true and lasting joy to me. This
church truly is a gospel of joy.
1 John 1:4-5 says: “And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is
the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no
darkness at all.”
Elder Robert M. Daines said, “To serve in this church is to stand in the river of God’s love for
His children. This church is a work party of people with picks and shovels trying to help clear the
channel for the river of God’s love to reach His children at the end of the row. Whoever you are,
whatever your past, there is room for you in this Church. Grab a pick and shovel and join the team.
Help carry His love to His children, and some of it will splash on you.”
I add my testimony to Elder Daines’ that as you serve God’s children you will feel the love
that only Jesus Christ can bring. This is His work.
I overheard a lady in the temple tell a story a couple weeks ago that really stuck out to me.
She told of a reporter for a newspaper who in the months leading up to a temple dedication
published criticizing, mean articles about the church and the temple. Before the temple was
dedicated it was open to the public to be able to walk through and see it. This reporter went to the
open house and after doing so published only one more article about the temple which said, “Well I
don’t know much about the temple of about that church, but I do know one thing. They believe in
Jesus Christ.”
I know the temple brings me and others so much peace and joy because its focus is truly the
Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so excited to meet and make friends in Italy and to be able to help them on
their covenant path that eventually leads to the temple.
One of my favorite scriptures, which is also my mission scripture, is Omni 1:26 which says,
“And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of
Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer
your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end;
and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved.”
Brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ is my rock. He is what sustains me and keeps me going each
day. After people meet me I want them to be able to say, “Well I don’t know much about her, but I do
know that she believes in Jesus Christ.” I am so grateful that I have the opportunity and have made
the decision to wear his name across my chest and to be a representative of Him. I love Him. I know
He is the way to true joy in this life and in the life to come.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ; amen.