So, lots of things happened this week. Unfortunately, not among them was baptismal interviews. We had two candidates who were suppose to be ready for baptism, but neither came to Church on Sunday, so they missed their interview and their 3x requirement, so they can't be baptized until hopefully the 13th of Aug. Why is that day so special? Hmmm... No idea.[Jacob's one year anniversary]
Speaking of baptisms, someone apparently left the font turned on, so when they restored water to the pipes, guess what? Yup! It flooded all over the floor. Someone got there on Tuesday to shut it off (I have no idea when water was turned back on) and we clean it up before District Meeting.
We taught Michael's roommate - he got a room, btw! [if you remember from last week, when he chose baptism he got kicked out]- Matthew. He's also a Nigerian, and he's working at the furniture building shop thing in front of the chapel, so he knows the Church. We started teaching him, and after answering some questions he leaned back, smiled, and said "I love you guys!" He went on to explain that, since we entered the room, he had felt a Spirit about us, and he really wanted to know why. That's why he bothered to turn off the TV and talk to us. He then said that, while he has no idea what we're talking about (haha) he wanted to know more. So, hopefully things will work out there. He happily committed to be baptized once he knew these things were true. I greatly appreciated his remarks, because people so rarely thank us for what we're doing for them. Now, I'm fully aware that we're not doing this for the praise of the world. But it is always nice to hear someone's gratitude for the light that we bring into their lives. I truly appreciated his generosity in giving us that appreciation and expressing his thanks for the hard work we are doing.
Finally, due to scenarios not necessary to explain to still get the spiritual message from it, I have 3 thoughts to go over, so bear with me. The first has to do with what PMG says about "A Successful Missionary." Among other things, it mentions that a successful missionary works hard, gives his best effort, and - here's the part I liked / found interesting - "seeks earnestly to learn and improve."
When I read that, I wondered why that was there. I understand that we're always suppose to be growing and whatnot, but I never thought about how our success as missionaries is partly dependent on how earnestly we seek to improve ourselves. We studied this in Companion Study, and I found two things that expound the reason for this. The first has to do with the Parable of the Talents (or whatever it's called; haha) found in Matt. 25:14-30. In short, the Lord delivers talents (money) to his servants. One gets 5, the other 2, the other 1. In a short time, the Lord has them account for what they did with the talents given them. The one with 5 gained another 5; same with the one with 2 (gained 2). But the last, with only 1, hid what he had and gained nothing. As such, he is cast into outer darkness for being a "wicked and slothful servant" (Matt. 25:26). How was he a slothful servant?
In D&C 50:24, it states "That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day." This helps us see that when we receive light, our capacity grows. When we live up to the light we've received, we are given more light. Thus, when we do our best, God blesses us with a greater capacity. Our best increases, and we become capable of doing better. When we then move up and live our better best, we are blessed and given increase again, over and over, until at last, far into the eternities, we become like our Heavenly Father. However, if we do not increase ourselves and live up to our new capacity, but remain where we have been, we fail the new light given us, and it is taken from us. Thus our capacity is diminished, and we lose our increase and our reward.
As missionaries, and as members of His Church, we owe it to our Heavenly Father to always do our best in all things, to constantly grow and increase. That is the blessing and the path that leads to eternal exaltation.
Second, one of the biggest fallacies we as humans face is thinking that we are the exception to God's councils. We feel that we are capable of riding the line and not crossing over. We feel that the words of the Prophets, their councils and their advice, are not meant for us, that we are strong enough to withstand the temptations of the devil without following their words. How true are the words of Jacob, wherein he states:
"O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish" (2 Nephi 9:28).
When we tell ourselves that we can withstand the devil, that we need not do everything that the prophets council, with exact obedience, because we are strong enough to resist by ourselves; when we do this, we will fail. We will fall. We will be damned. For we cannot withstand the devil; we cannot escape temptation; we cannot do anything, save we rely upon the Lord our God, even Jesus Christ, and hearken unto His words which He speaks through His servants, the prophets.
Which brings me to something that came across my mind while pondering the other day, which is in a way off-topic, but still worth mentioning. How many of us have prepared ourselves the way the prophets have counseled? How many of us have food storage? How many of us have savings? We must have these things; they are given us to prepare us for an inevitable future. How vain and foolish, and sad would it be, for so many of us to be climbing out of the despairs of life, out of the graves of debt and the pits of poverty, to simply be thrown back inside because we were not prepared for the future events that will surely come? How terrible would it be to climb out, finally free of our terrible bondage, just to be wrapped again in those dreaded chains because an unforeseen tragedy befell us, and we were not prepared? I say unforeseen, but it has been seen; our prophets have seen it, they have warned us of it; have we listened? Research these things for yourselves, and prepare properly. Do not let a lifetime of struggle be lost in a moment of disaster.
Finally, I wish to bear my testimony of the power of prayer. Whenever we are in need of guidance, whenever we are in need of knowing where to go, or what to do, or how to do it; whenever we need anything, we can and must go down on bended knee and ask our Heavenly Father what He wants us to do. I spent a decent amount of time praying to Him on Sunday, discussing several things that were upon my mind, and I received council and guidance as to what I need to improve on, what is going well, and what to expect. I have found considerable solace in prayer, and I know that all others may find the same. Go unto Him; do so when you are free from the troubles of the world. Do not simply cry to Him when you are sinking in the depths of despair. You cannot feel the peace and calmness that you can when you are simply desiring direction. When we are flailing about in darkness, we can merely shout for help, and head towards the light in a rushed state. If any of you are finding yourself in darkness, this is exactly what you should do; do not get me wrong. Pray to Heavenly Father, and He will give you the light and the guidance to get out of the darkness. But once out of the darkness, take time to pray unto Him, that you may avoid falling back in. You will receive a peace and a calmness that you cannot find when fighting blindly. I love the Lord for the Mercy and Compassion He has had on me, and I know He has answered my prayers. He will do the same for you.
I love you all! I know The Book of Mormon is True. Read it, and pray, and you will receive the help and the tranquility that you need to prosper and grow in life. Of this I testify.
--Elder Collings
Speaking of baptisms, someone apparently left the font turned on, so when they restored water to the pipes, guess what? Yup! It flooded all over the floor. Someone got there on Tuesday to shut it off (I have no idea when water was turned back on) and we clean it up before District Meeting.
We taught Michael's roommate - he got a room, btw! [if you remember from last week, when he chose baptism he got kicked out]- Matthew. He's also a Nigerian, and he's working at the furniture building shop thing in front of the chapel, so he knows the Church. We started teaching him, and after answering some questions he leaned back, smiled, and said "I love you guys!" He went on to explain that, since we entered the room, he had felt a Spirit about us, and he really wanted to know why. That's why he bothered to turn off the TV and talk to us. He then said that, while he has no idea what we're talking about (haha) he wanted to know more. So, hopefully things will work out there. He happily committed to be baptized once he knew these things were true. I greatly appreciated his remarks, because people so rarely thank us for what we're doing for them. Now, I'm fully aware that we're not doing this for the praise of the world. But it is always nice to hear someone's gratitude for the light that we bring into their lives. I truly appreciated his generosity in giving us that appreciation and expressing his thanks for the hard work we are doing.
Finally, due to scenarios not necessary to explain to still get the spiritual message from it, I have 3 thoughts to go over, so bear with me. The first has to do with what PMG says about "A Successful Missionary." Among other things, it mentions that a successful missionary works hard, gives his best effort, and - here's the part I liked / found interesting - "seeks earnestly to learn and improve."
When I read that, I wondered why that was there. I understand that we're always suppose to be growing and whatnot, but I never thought about how our success as missionaries is partly dependent on how earnestly we seek to improve ourselves. We studied this in Companion Study, and I found two things that expound the reason for this. The first has to do with the Parable of the Talents (or whatever it's called; haha) found in Matt. 25:14-30. In short, the Lord delivers talents (money) to his servants. One gets 5, the other 2, the other 1. In a short time, the Lord has them account for what they did with the talents given them. The one with 5 gained another 5; same with the one with 2 (gained 2). But the last, with only 1, hid what he had and gained nothing. As such, he is cast into outer darkness for being a "wicked and slothful servant" (Matt. 25:26). How was he a slothful servant?
In D&C 50:24, it states "That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day." This helps us see that when we receive light, our capacity grows. When we live up to the light we've received, we are given more light. Thus, when we do our best, God blesses us with a greater capacity. Our best increases, and we become capable of doing better. When we then move up and live our better best, we are blessed and given increase again, over and over, until at last, far into the eternities, we become like our Heavenly Father. However, if we do not increase ourselves and live up to our new capacity, but remain where we have been, we fail the new light given us, and it is taken from us. Thus our capacity is diminished, and we lose our increase and our reward.
As missionaries, and as members of His Church, we owe it to our Heavenly Father to always do our best in all things, to constantly grow and increase. That is the blessing and the path that leads to eternal exaltation.
Second, one of the biggest fallacies we as humans face is thinking that we are the exception to God's councils. We feel that we are capable of riding the line and not crossing over. We feel that the words of the Prophets, their councils and their advice, are not meant for us, that we are strong enough to withstand the temptations of the devil without following their words. How true are the words of Jacob, wherein he states:
"O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish" (2 Nephi 9:28).
When we tell ourselves that we can withstand the devil, that we need not do everything that the prophets council, with exact obedience, because we are strong enough to resist by ourselves; when we do this, we will fail. We will fall. We will be damned. For we cannot withstand the devil; we cannot escape temptation; we cannot do anything, save we rely upon the Lord our God, even Jesus Christ, and hearken unto His words which He speaks through His servants, the prophets.
Which brings me to something that came across my mind while pondering the other day, which is in a way off-topic, but still worth mentioning. How many of us have prepared ourselves the way the prophets have counseled? How many of us have food storage? How many of us have savings? We must have these things; they are given us to prepare us for an inevitable future. How vain and foolish, and sad would it be, for so many of us to be climbing out of the despairs of life, out of the graves of debt and the pits of poverty, to simply be thrown back inside because we were not prepared for the future events that will surely come? How terrible would it be to climb out, finally free of our terrible bondage, just to be wrapped again in those dreaded chains because an unforeseen tragedy befell us, and we were not prepared? I say unforeseen, but it has been seen; our prophets have seen it, they have warned us of it; have we listened? Research these things for yourselves, and prepare properly. Do not let a lifetime of struggle be lost in a moment of disaster.
Finally, I wish to bear my testimony of the power of prayer. Whenever we are in need of guidance, whenever we are in need of knowing where to go, or what to do, or how to do it; whenever we need anything, we can and must go down on bended knee and ask our Heavenly Father what He wants us to do. I spent a decent amount of time praying to Him on Sunday, discussing several things that were upon my mind, and I received council and guidance as to what I need to improve on, what is going well, and what to expect. I have found considerable solace in prayer, and I know that all others may find the same. Go unto Him; do so when you are free from the troubles of the world. Do not simply cry to Him when you are sinking in the depths of despair. You cannot feel the peace and calmness that you can when you are simply desiring direction. When we are flailing about in darkness, we can merely shout for help, and head towards the light in a rushed state. If any of you are finding yourself in darkness, this is exactly what you should do; do not get me wrong. Pray to Heavenly Father, and He will give you the light and the guidance to get out of the darkness. But once out of the darkness, take time to pray unto Him, that you may avoid falling back in. You will receive a peace and a calmness that you cannot find when fighting blindly. I love the Lord for the Mercy and Compassion He has had on me, and I know He has answered my prayers. He will do the same for you.
I love you all! I know The Book of Mormon is True. Read it, and pray, and you will receive the help and the tranquility that you need to prosper and grow in life. Of this I testify.
--Elder Collings
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