Hey everyone!
This
week I had some great personal studies! I want to share with you some
of the things I studied because I think they can benefit all of us!
First I want to invite all of you to read 2 Nephi chapter 2, it talks a
lot about how we can be redeemed through Christ our Lord. In verses 6-8
it talks about how we can be redeemed through Christ's grace and mercy,
but we need to come unto him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit.
In other words, we need to come unto him through repentance and feel the
power of the Atonement change us.
This
chapter also talks a lot about the creation and Adam and Eve. This is a
great chapter in the Book of Mormon but honestly this is the most I got
out of this chapter; we can choose to receive eternal life. God has
given us agency and there is always a path for everyone to receive this
gift. It is our choice to use our agency righteously and
follow Gods commandments. If we keep the covenants we made when we
chose to follow Christ, through baptism and confirmation (which my
little Sister Bree did on Saturday, congrats Bree! You have started on
the path to Salvation, I'm so happy for you keep up the good work!) the
priesthood, and through the temple, we will receive eternal life. We
always have a choice, if you are having thoughts that you don't have a
choice then these thoughts are from Satan. We can always choose good or
evil, but God has given us the option because he wants us to choose good
and experience joy. I highly suggest that you read this chapter, it's
an awesome chapter!
I
also suggest that you read 2 Nephi Chapters 31-33. In these chapters
Nephi talks about the Doctrine of Christ, he teaches us how to imply the
Doctrine of Christ into our lives too!
Now
remember the talk I gave you all last week to read? Following up is
exactly what I'm going to do next week, so I invite you to read these
chapters, study them and ponder them, and next week I want to hear some
results from what you read.
We
had Elders Larry Y. Wilson from the Second Quorum of the Seventy and we
had Elder Kim B. Clark from the First Quorum of the Seventy tour our
mission yesterday! It was amazing to hear a message about the Book of
Mormon directly from some of the Lord's most consecrated servants on the
planet. We
had a strong focus on the Book of Mormon, and I want to share a quote
with you that Sister Spendlove gave us at our MLC (missionary leadership
council).
"It
is not just that the Book of Mormon teaches us truth, though it indeed
does that. It is not just that the Book of Mormon bears testimony of
Christ, though it indeed does that, too. But there is something more.
There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives
the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater
power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception.
You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path. The
scriptures are called “the words of life” (D&C 84:85),
and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon. When
you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in
greater and greater abundance."
-President Ezra Taft Benson,
- 6. “The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, 6–7.
- This quote is very powerful and I love how President Benson says that we will find power to avoid deception and power to stay on the strait and narrow path. It reminds me why God gave us the commandment to read the scriptures everyday. He gave them to us for that reason, so we can have a good state of mind throughout the day and be focused on what really is important. We need to stay on the straight and narrow path which is something that is a lot easier when we diligently study the scriptures.
I
really had my eyes opened this week on something I can improve on as a
missionary, and that is using the Book of Mormon more in the Lords work.
This is his work, not ours, we need to do it his ways and align
ourselves with his will to be the most effective missionaries we can be.
I've set some specific goals for what I'm going to do to change as a
missionary which in turn will help me become a better lifetime disciple
of Jesus Christ.
One
of them is using 1 Nephi Chapter 1 as a resource in introducing lesson
one. It sounds kind of weird but 1 Nephi Chapter 1 has a lot of
similarities with the first lesson. Here are some examples; the Lord
appeared to Lehi in a pillar of fire, he also appeared to Joseph Smith
in a pillar of light. The people tried to murder and kill the prophets,
which is what brought us the Great Apostasy. Those are only a few
examples, but I'm going to trust the guidance of a 70 from the Lord and
try using this chapter in the Book of Mormon. We also had a huge focus
on reading with our investigators and teaching them how to "liken"
themselves to the scriptures. I'm going to do that as well. I know the
Book of Mormon is true. I want to invite anyone that is reading this
letter to read the Book of Mormon with a friend. Help them "liken" the
scriptures to themselves, help them apply its teachings to their lives.
Also if you are reading this and you haven't read the Book of Mormon
before, I invite you to find a friend that is a member of the church and
read it together with them. Pray and ask God if the book is true. I
know the Lords answers our prayers when we ask with sincere faith, and
the Book of Mormon will always be a source of answers.
I'm
not sure yet if I'm getting transferred or not! Transfers are in a week
so I'll see what happens but I'm not sure what's going to happen yet. I
know that whatever happens, it is the Lords will and I will always
sustain his will and do whatever he needs me to do.
I love you all and have a great week!
Love,
-Elder Strate
We gave our Ward Mission Leader a cake because his birthday was last week! His name is Brother Orellana, he's pretty cool! He served in the Ogden mission about 2-3 years ago.
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