Kinda a day late, but I couldn't send it yesterday, so it'll
have to do. So, yea; all you mothers - past, current, and future - out there,
hope you had a great day yesterday! I enjoyed being able to call home; it was
very nice. I won't put much of it here, but I pray that everyone had a great day
yesterday. For us, it was Fast and Testimony meeting, as the week before we had
General Conference. It was interesting hearing lots of testimonies (or, as E.
Beaufeaux called them, thanktimonies; haha) thanking their mothers. What was
interesting is that a few of them also testified of the Book of Mormon, which
was great. I think the Ward is slowly starting to read it daily, and it's
starting to help them. One sister, I need to get her name (she's very old),
came up and gave a simple but powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon. She
shared how she was a Methodist, went to a Methodist school, sent her kids
there, etc etc etc, until she was 50. That's when she first received the Book of
Mormon. She's since read it many times and she knows "that it is 100%
true." She shared of how important the lessons we learn in it are, how she
can't read anymore but she still listens to it via audio CD every day, and then
gave this wonderful piece of advice to the members of the Church (as the
Nephites then were): "Now that you are in this Church, which is 100% true,
you must stand firm and not be like the Nephites who were destroyed... because
they knew what was right, but they refused to do it." It was very
powerful, and I was so happy to hear an elderly sister share such a moving
testimony of the Book of Mormon and Jesus Christ, of Whom it testifies. It was
wonderful.
We are planning on a baptism this week! Br. Philemon should be baptized. We do have some concerns that we need to work with, but if all goes well, he should be fine! I'm happy for him. We'll try to meet the wife as time goes on; right now she's not that interested.
Other than that, things are going well. The area seems to be heading back on the rise; we should be able to get some Ward Missionaries here soon, which would really help the work. Once the Ward actively participates in missionary work, things will pick up big-time. Which leads me to my invitation for this week: do missionary work! You members are expected of the Lord to actively help the Full-time missionaries in your wards and stakes to find those ready to teach. There are many more out there than we often think. We simply haven't found them. It is the primary responsibility of the members to help prepare people for the missionaries to teach (see Preach My Gospel for more on that). It is then their responsibility to help fellowship those the missionaries are teaching, especially those the members refer. It will bring wonderful blessings into your lives as you do so; there is nothing greater than serving the Lord in His vineyard. There's something interesting about what the Lord says in D&C 31; I think I've mentioned it before, but I want to bring it up here again. He states: "Thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you... Wherefore, your family shall live. Behold, verily I say unto you, go from them only for a little time, and declare my word, and I will prepare a place for them" (D&C 31:5-6).
If we labor in the Lord's vineyard, He will labor in ours. Are you having family problems? Do missionary work! It will help, for "your family shall live." Are you having a hard time with school, or work, or anything else? Do missionary work! God "will prepare a place for them." Do you want help overcoming temptations? Do missionary work! "And your sins are forgiven you." Few things can bring greater blessings than being actively involved in missionary work. Which makes sense, because if you're actively involved in missionary work, you'll be reading the Book of Mormon daily, you'll be praying morning and night and throughout the day for missionary opportunities, you'll be constantly trying to keep the standards of the Lord that you can testify of them at any moment.
Also, those who are not members of the Church, you have the responsibility to do missionary work in learning of what we share is true! This Gospel will bless you, and you can know from God it is true. Read the Book of Mormon, learn with the missionaries, pray and ask God, in the name of Christ, if the book is true. Attend Church and see for yourself. More importantly, feel the Spirit testify to you concerning the truthfulness of what we share. I promise you it will bless your life, no matter your condition.
I love you all! This work truly is the Lord's. Take care, and God bless!
To finish, here's Pres.' letter:
Dear Elders and Sisters:
President Henry D. Moyle, who served as a counselor in the First Presidency,
once said the following concerning missions and missionaries:
I shall go to my grave saying that missionaries . . . never
rise in their entire life above the stature they carve out for themselves in
the mission field. (as cited in Sacred Truths of the Doctrine and Covenants,
Salt Lake City, 2: 21 - 22)
I was pleased to receive a recent email from one of our former missionaries,
Elder Gabriel Dominic. He shared with me the great news that he has recently
been called to serve as the executive secretary in the Abuja Nigeria District.
The calling he has received isn't as important as the kind of life he is
living, but he is rising to the same stature he obtained when he was a
missionary. He was a fine man as a missionary and he is a fine man now that he
is home.
The following words of Moroni concerning the relationship between this world
(mortality) and the next (life after death) have always interested me: " .
. . he that is righteous shall be righteous still; he that is happy shall be
happy still; and he that is unhappy shall be unhappy still" (Mormon 9:14).
Moroni is describing the final judgement, but the principle can be true for
life. We reap what we sow. If we are faithful, obedient, and happy as a
missionary, we will be faithful, obedient, and happy after we return home. The
major difference is that once we enter one of the kingdoms of glory we cannot
progress or regress to another. We can change as a missionary. If we are being
less than obedient as a missionary we can change and literally change the
course of our future.
The prophet Lehi taught:
Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all
things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose
liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose
captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he
seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. (2 Nephi 2:27)
The Lord taught Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery:
Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that
shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your
reward. (D&C 6:33)
Please remember that how you serve your mission doesn't only affect you, your
companion, the people you teach, and the entire mission, it will also have a
tremendous impact on your future spouse and children. The kind of missionary
you are in the present will largely determine the kind of husband/wife and
mother/father you will be in the future. The Lord needs each of us to be the
best we can be.
Thanks to each of you for what you are doing to bless the lives of so many---
including those who will be a part of your future.
Much Love,
President Judd" (Pres. Judd, Your Mission: A Prophecy of Your Future)--Elder Collings
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