This week was great! We are still working with the same people as last week, but they are progressing! Hopefully they will be prepared for baptism my last Saturday! That would be extraordinary. I'm pumped for the upcoming week. As my mission is coming to a close I feel like my desire and fire to share the gospel has only increased. The Lord has blessed me with so much energy to keep going, and I'm so grateful for that.
Yesterday we took the Barrera family to temple square! We did a lot of cool things! First, we saw the Christus statue.
Afterwards, we continued to God's Plan for the Family and proceeded to watch the Restoration movie afterwards. I'm eternally grateful for the early saints of this dispensation. They suffered trials and afflictions beyond our comprehension but they persevered to the end. Their example for us is inspiring. I love watching that movie. I also love the example that the Prophet Joseph Smith is for us. No matter what the situation was he always had faith that the Lord was still with them. He was always willing to accept the Lord's will, even unto death. It was such a good experience for the Barreras and they told us afterwards that they learned so much! After that we went to show them the temple model and took pictures around the temple together.
I found a relative of the Steffensen family from Magrath! I saw her last name on a tag and saw that she was from Norway so I asked her if she knew anyone from Canada! So yep, I met one of Sabrina's cousins Miranda!
Pretty cool eh? It was a great way to end the week.
Yesterday at church I gave a talk. Our branch mission leader, Genaro, told the Branch Presidency that I had to speak before I left haha so they gave me a chance yesterday! The asked me to speak about the temple.
In preparation I read Doctrine & Covenants 109. This section is when Joseph Smith dedicated the first temple of our dispensation in Kirtland, Ohio. The promises that came from this prayer apply to us in any temple anywhere in the world. I read the section and studied it carefully. After studying it, I made a list of the Lord's promises given in that revelation to Joseph Smith.
The Prophet Joseph Smith asked the Lord that the Saints receive the blessings promised to them in various revelations already given:
- That God’s glory would rest upon His people and upon the Kirtland Temple (see D&C 109:12–13).
- That those who worship in the temple would be taught properly (see v. 14).
- That the people would “grow up” in the Lord, receiving a fulness of the Holy Ghost. (v. 15).
- That the house of God would be all it was meant to be with no unclean thing permitted therein (see vv. 16–20, which are paraphrased from D&C 88:119–20).
- That when the Saints transgressed, they would return quickly to the Lord (see v. 21).
- That His servants could go forth armed with power and protected by the angels to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth (see vv. 22–23).
- That He would establish His people forever against all the enemies who fight against them (see vv. 24–33).
- That their sins would be forgiven (see v. 34).
- That the powers of Pentecost would come upon them (see vv. 35–37).
- That the servants of God would have the power of the covenant and bear testimony of it throughout the world (see vv. 38–44).
- That the servants of God would be delivered from the calamity of the wicked and the judgments that are promised (see vv. 45–49).
- That the Lord would have mercy on the nations of the earth, softening their hearts to prepare them for the gospel message (see vv. 54–58).
- That stakes of Zion would be appointed so the gathering might roll forth.(see v. 59).
I know that the Lord always fulfills his promises. He is a perfect being and cannot lie! These blessings are real, and I know that I have seen and felt them. My talk went well, at least I think it did! Hahaha
Well, that's what I have for this week! Take care!
Love,
Elder Strate
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