Foust in Fort Worth: Guess what..............the Book of Mormon ...It's still true.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Guess what..............the Book of Mormon ...It's still true.

First of all, before I forget, Next week is transfers, so do not send anything to the Killeen address after like Thursday of Friday at the latest, or I may not get it. I'll let you know where I'm going (or staying) next week.

Because it was a holiday the library was closed yesterday, and the internet was down at the church so we couldn't use the computers there either.

I forgot my journal today, so I don't remember a lot of details off the top of my head.

This past week has been really good. Tuesday morning we mowed a lawn for a couple hours, and then we spent the rest of the day doing the work.

Wednesday we had a great district meeting. We learned more about the Doctrine of Christ (that was this month's focus) and about using the baptismal invite in lessons. We also practiced teaching people about prayer. It was a really good training. After it was over Warburton and I went to visit a less active member that he met one day and we set up a return appointment with her to teach the gospel to her 10 yr old daughter. She's excited to learn and will probably be baptized soon.

Thursday was our weekly planning. After we finished that we went to visit the non-member wife of a member who just deployed because she is interested in learning. But she didn't answer the door. So we tried to contact some other people and didn't really do a ton of actual teaching. But it was still good to be out and working. After dinner we had a double exchange, which is where we take two members out, and split up (which is where the term splits comes from) and hit double appointments. I went to two less active families, the Abrams and the Mezenens with my exchange, Brother Azerado. The appointments went alright, they weren't really productive because although both families set up the appointments with us, neither one was really interested in learning much. It was frustrating. I get along with Brother Azerado really well. He is a great guy. He had to turn down a really good job. Tech support at Blizzard Entertainment. The first 2 weeks of his job would be a 40 hour work week of playing World of Warcraft so that he could learn the game. Then the next 2 would be Starcraft 2. But because I'm a missionary I don't care about that kind of stuff :)

(not to mention I’ve never been a fan of WoW anyway...) But still, it's sad he had to turn it down.

Friday was an awesome day. We had Zone conference, which is when President Sagers and the Assistants come down and give us a training and stuff. Goes from first thing in the morning to 4 in the afternoon. It was way good. The week before he gave us an assignment to read some talks about the Holy Ghost and come prepared to talk about him. We learned a lot about the Holy Ghost and his role in our lives as members, and as missionaries. It was awesome. That night there was a double baptism for the other elders in our ward. The guys baptized were Andres Silva and Nate Helsham. Both are married to less active members, but now their whole families are active. Brother Silva has been investigating for about 5 months, and was being taught for most of that by Elder Nelson, my old ZL who became AP. Because of the Zone Conference, Elder Nelson was able to be at the baptism, and Andres asked him to baptize him. It was awesome. Nate was just golden; he soaked everything he was taught up.

Saturday was cool because AJ Lohr had signed up to go out on exchanges with us all day. So we taught Devan lessons 3 and 4 with AJ there, then went south and tried to teach some people, then we went back to the apartment to get lunch. AJ went home to eat, and then was going to get gas and his Debit card wouldn't work, so he had to go to the bank and get that resolved, so we were back on our own for the rest of the day. We visited a member that has decided that the church has nothing for him. He is very deep into Free Masonry and it has completely screwed up his head. Some of that stuff can really mess with you if you aren't ready for it. We've actually worked with him a little, but without much success. We've actually learned a lot about masons and templar’s and that kind of stuff in Killeen, because there is a large amount of masonry out here, and a couple members of the ward are in it. But that's the kind of stuff I would steer clear of it I were you (you being anyone who reads this).

After that experience we taught Mitch about the priesthood, preparing him to be ordained a priest and get the aaronic priesthood this coming Sunday. He loved it all. After that was dinner with the Silva Family. It's amazing how there is a tangible change in someone's demeanor after baptism, and Andres was different. He was practically glowing. It was awesome. Dinner over there is always a fun time. We usually get some great quotes from dinner over there. "They want me to cook Puerto Rican, but I get confused... I am Mexican!" -Sister Silva (now, after Andres brought up us all getting married and having kids eventually) "when you fall in love you don't think right. Your heart skips, You get all lovey dovey, it's just weird" (-Andres) "Right now, that's how we feel when we see cake!" -Elder Warburton. (as Sister Silva brings out a Red Velvet cake for desert).

Sunday was awesome, Devan was interviewed for baptism and he is ready. There is just one problem that WB and I were not aware of. And that is he is on probation from a DWI from 2 years ago. So he has to be interviewed by a member of the mission presidency, either President Sagers or one of his counselors. Luckily on Monday night President Lunt was driving through Killeen and was able to stop in and interview him. He feels that Devan is completely ready as well, but he can't have any outstanding fines with his probation. As soon as the fines are taken care of Devan will be in the water ready to be dunked, the sad thing is we don't know how long that will take. Anyway, Back to Sunday, I finished the Book of Mormon again. I postponed reading the last chapter so I could during the Sacrament. And, I prayed about it afterwards. Guess what... It's still true.

The Bishop is being deployed, so he had to be released. Everyone knew it was coming obviously, but it was still sad. Luckily, as soon as the new bishopric was called everyone had the feeling that it was right. I am very pleased with the new bishopric. Brother Christensen (who has been the 1st counselor for the last 2 bishops, both of which were only in for a year due to the Army) was called as the 1st counselor again. Brother Piekarski (who owns that 7 foot python) was called as the Bishop. And right before all of this, it was proposed the Brother McKinlay (who was the young men's pres) be ordained a High Priest, so we all knew that he would be in as well. This bishopric is going to be awesome. Dinner that night was actually at Brother Christensen's house. It was excellent. And very entertaining. They have 3 little girls, Mia-10, Roxy-8, and Carmen-3. We got some great quotes then too. As brother Christensen is squeezing Guacamole from a pouch his daughter Roxy says "are you sure that didn't come out of Carmen?" And later in the dinner, Mia wanted some chips. But they were on the other side of the table. She refuses to say anything to the Elders because she's shy, so she asked her parents to ask them. But Brother Christensen (knowing she's shy) said "why don't you ask the elders?" and she just shakes he head. As you can imagine, this goes on for a while. It was great. He finally asked for them for himself, and then had to guard them from her because she tried to steal his. After about 5 minutes of this he said "Mia, would you just ask the elders for the freakin' chips?". We all busted up because it was hilarious.

back to something spiritual...

"The God Portrayed in both Hebrew and Christian Scripture asks, not just for commitment, but for our very lives. The God of the Bible traffics in Life and Death, not niceness. And asks for sacrificial love, not benign whateverism" -Kenda Creasy Dean, Quoted by D. Todd Christofferson.

I really like this quote, because it is true. it also reminds me of a quote from my district leader (who goes home next week) :(

"Modern Christianity is watered down. It's like really lame Kool-aid" -Elder Rank.

Guess what, this one is true too.

You cannot and will not be saved in the highest glory of god without the FULLNESS of the Gospel. And Guess what, IT'S RIGHT HERE!!! If you don't believe me, so what? I'm not asking you to take my word for it. Don't take any earthly power's word for it. Men can lie, men can cheat, men can deceive. BUT GOD WILL NOT LIE TO YOU! SO ASK HIM!!!! Pick up the Book of Mormon, and read the introduction. Then re-read the last 2 paragraphs of it. Then open up to Moroni 10:4-5. Then re-read those 2 verses. and then... ACT!!!! If you believe in Christ, than prove it! Ask if FAITH! And guess what, faith is an action word! Faith without works is dead. So ask god. don't take my word for it, take his. I Promise you you will get an answer.

Love you all! Have a good week!

No comments:

Be of Good Cheer

Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith. My dear brothers and sisters, I express my love to you. I am humbled by the responsibility to address you, and yet I am grateful for the opportunity to do so. Since last we met together in a general conference six months ago, there have been continuing signs that circumstances in the world aren’t necessarily as we would wish. The global economy, which six months ago appeared to be sagging, seems to have taken a nosedive, and for many weeks now the financial outlook has been somewhat grim. In addition, the moral footings of society continue to slip, while those who attempt to safeguard those footings are often ridiculed and, at times, picketed and persecuted. Wars, natural disasters, and personal misfortunes continue to occur. It would be easy to become discouraged and cynical about the future—or even fearful of what might come—if we allowed ourselves to dwell only on that which is wrong in the world and in our lives. Today, however, I’d like us to turn our thoughts and our attitudes away from the troubles around us and to focus instead on our blessings as members of the Church. The Apostle Paul declared, “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 1 None of us makes it through this life without problems and challenges—and sometimes tragedies and misfortunes. After all, in large part we are here to learn and grow from such events in our lives. We know that there are times when we will suffer, when we will grieve, and when we will be saddened. However, we are told, “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.” 2 How might we have joy in our lives, despite all that we may face? Again from the scriptures: “Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you.” 3 The history of the Church in this, the dispensation of the fulness of times, is replete with the experiences of those who have struggled and yet who have remained steadfast and of good cheer as they have made the gospel of Jesus Christ the center of their lives. This attitude is what will pull us through whatever comes our way. It will not remove our troubles from us but rather will enable us to face our challenges, to meet them head on, and to emerge victorious. Too numerous to mention are the examples of all the individuals who have faced difficult circumstances and yet who have persevered and prevailed because their faith in the gospel and in the Savior has given them the strength they have needed. This morning, however, I’d like to share with you three such examples. First, from my own family, I mention a touching experience that has always been an inspiration to me. My maternal great-grandparents Gibson and Cecelia Sharp Condie lived in Clackmannan, Scotland. Their families were engaged in coal mining. They were at peace with the world, surrounded by relatives and friends, and were housed in fairly comfortable quarters in a land they loved. Then they listened to the message of the missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and, to the depths of their very souls, were converted. They heard the call to gather to Zion and knew they must answer that call. Sometime around 1848, they sold their possessions and prepared for the hazardous voyage across the mighty Atlantic Ocean. With five small children, they boarded a sailing vessel, all their worldly possessions in one tiny trunk. They traveled 3,000 miles (4,800 km) across the waters—eight long, weary weeks on a treacherous sea, watching and waiting, with poor food, poor water, and no help beyond the length and breadth of that small ship. In the midst of this soul-trying situation, one of their young sons became ill. There were no doctors, no stores at which they might purchase medicine to ease his suffering. They watched, they prayed, they waited, and they wept as day by day his condition deteriorated. When his eyes were at last closed in death, their hearts were torn asunder. To add to their grief, the laws of the sea must be obeyed. Wrapped in a canvas weighed down with iron, the little body was consigned to a watery grave. As they sailed away, only those parents knew the crushing blow dealt to wounded hearts. 4 However, with a faith born of their deep conviction of the truth and their love of the Lord, Gibson and Cecelia held on. They were comforted by the words of the Lord: “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” 5 How grateful I am for ancestors who had the faith to leave hearth and home and to journey to Zion, who made sacrifices I can scarcely imagine. I thank my Heavenly Father for the example of faith, of courage, and of determination Gibson and Cecelia Sharp Condie provide for me and for all their posterity. I introduce next a gentle, faith-filled man who epitomized the peace and joy which the gospel of Jesus Christ can bring into one’s life. Late one evening on a Pacific isle, a small boat slipped silently to its berth at the crude pier. Two Polynesian women helped Meli Mulipola from the boat and guided him to the well-worn pathway leading to the village road. The women marveled at the bright stars, which twinkled in the midnight sky. The moonlight guided them along their way. However, Meli Mulipola could not appreciate these delights of nature—the moon, the stars, the sky—for he was blind. Brother Mulipola’s vision had been normal until a fateful day when, while working on a pineapple plantation, light turned suddenly to darkness and day became perpetual night. He was depressed and despondent until he learned the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. His life was brought into compliance with the teachings of the Church, and he once again felt hope and joy. Brother Mulipola and his loved ones had made a long voyage, having learned that one who held the priesthood of God was visiting among the islands of the Pacific. He sought a blessing, and it was my privilege, along with another who held the Melchizedek Priesthood, to provide that blessing to him. As we finished, I noted that tears were streaming from his sightless eyes, coursing down his brown cheeks and tumbling finally upon his native dress. He dropped to his knees and prayed: “O God, Thou knowest I am blind. Thy servants have blessed me that my sight might return. Whether in Thy wisdom I see light or whether I see darkness all the days of my life, I will be eternally grateful for the truth of Thy gospel, which I now see and which provides the light of my life.” He rose to his feet and, smiling, thanked us for providing the blessing. He then disappeared into the still of the night. Silently he came; silently he departed. But his presence I shall never forget. I reflected upon the message of the Master: “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” 6 My brothers and sisters, each of us has that light in his or her life. We are not left to walk alone, no matter how dark our pathway. I love the words penned by M. Louise Haskins: And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: “Give me a light, that I may tread safely into the unknown!” And he replied: “Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than [a] light and safer than a known way.” 7 The setting for my final example of one who persevered and ultimately prevailed, despite overwhelmingly difficult circumstances, begins in East Prussia following World War II. In about March 1946, less than a year after the end of the war, Ezra Taft Benson, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, accompanied by Frederick W. Babbel, was assigned a special postwar tour of Europe for the express purpose of meeting with the Saints, assessing their needs, and providing assistance to them. Elder Benson and Brother Babbel later recounted, from a testimony they heard, the experience of a Church member who found herself in an area no longer controlled by the government under which she had resided. She and her husband had lived an idyllic life in East Prussia. Then had come the second great world war within their lifetimes. Her beloved young husband was killed during the final days of the frightful battles in their homeland, leaving her alone to care for their four children. The occupying forces determined that the Germans in East Prussia must go to Western Germany to seek a new home. The woman was German, and so it was necessary for her to go. The journey was over a thousand miles (1,600 km), and she had no way to accomplish it but on foot. She was allowed to take only such bare necessities as she could load into her small wooden-wheeled wagon. Besides her children and these meager possessions, she took with her a strong faith in God and in the gospel as revealed to the latter-day prophet Joseph Smith. She and the children began the journey in late summer. Having neither food nor money among her few possessions, she was forced to gather a daily subsistence from the fields and forests along the way. She was constantly faced with dangers from panic-stricken refugees and plundering troops. As the days turned into weeks and the weeks to months, the temperatures dropped below freezing. Each day, she stumbled over the frozen ground, her smallest child—a baby—in her arms. Her three other children struggled along behind her, with the oldest—seven years old—pulling the tiny wooden wagon containing their belongings. Ragged and torn burlap was wrapped around their feet, providing the only protection for them, since their shoes had long since disintegrated. Their thin, tattered jackets covered their thin, tattered clothing, providing their only protection against the cold. Soon the snows came, and the days and nights became a nightmare. In the evenings she and the children would try to find some kind of shelter—a barn or a shed—and would huddle together for warmth, with a few thin blankets from the wagon on top of them. She constantly struggled to force from her mind overwhelming fears that they would perish before reaching their destination. And then one morning the unthinkable happened. As she awakened, she felt a chill in her heart. The tiny form of her three-year-old daughter was cold and still, and she realized that death had claimed the child. Though overwhelmed with grief, she knew that she must take the other children and travel on. First, however, she used the only implement she had—a tablespoon—to dig a grave in the frozen ground for her tiny, precious child. Death, however, was to be her companion again and again on the journey. Her seven-year-old son died, either from starvation or from freezing or both. Again her only shovel was the tablespoon, and again she dug hour after hour to lay his mortal remains gently into the earth. Next, her five-year-old son died, and again she used her tablespoon as a shovel. Her despair was all consuming. She had only her tiny baby daughter left, and the poor thing was failing. Finally, as she was reaching the end of her journey, the baby died in her arms. The spoon was gone now, so hour after hour she dug a grave in the frozen earth with her bare fingers. Her grief became unbearable. How could she possibly be kneeling in the snow at the graveside of her last child? She had lost her husband and all her children. She had given up her earthly goods, her home, and even her homeland. In this moment of overwhelming sorrow and complete bewilderment, she felt her heart would literally break. In despair she contemplated how she might end her own life, as so many of her fellow countrymen were doing. How easy it would be to jump off a nearby bridge, she thought, or to throw herself in front of an oncoming train. And then, as these thoughts assailed her, something within her said, “Get down on your knees and pray.” She ignored the prompting until she could resist it no longer. She knelt and prayed more fervently than she had in her entire life: “Dear Heavenly Father, I do not know how I can go on. I have nothing left—except my faith in Thee. I feel, Father, amidst the desolation of my soul, an overwhelming gratitude for the atoning sacrifice of Thy Son, Jesus Christ. I cannot express adequately my love for Him. I know that because He suffered and died, I shall live again with my family; that because He broke the chains of death, I shall see my children again and will have the joy of raising them. Though I do not at this moment wish to live, I will do so, that we may be reunited as a family and return—together—to Thee.” When she finally reached her destination of Karlsruhe, Germany, she was emaciated. Brother Babbel said that her face was a purple-gray, her eyes red and swollen, her joints protruding. She was literally in the advanced stages of starvation. In a Church meeting shortly thereafter, she bore a glorious testimony, stating that of all the ailing people in her saddened land, she was one of the happiest because she knew that God lived, that Jesus is the Christ, and that He died and was resurrected so that we might live again. She testified that she knew if she continued faithful and true to the end, she would be reunited with those she had lost and would be saved in the celestial kingdom of God. 8 From the holy scriptures we read, “Behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in [Him], they who have endured the crosses of the world, … they shall inherit the kingdom of God, … and their joy shall be full forever.” 9 I testify to you that our promised blessings are beyond measure. Though the storm clouds may gather, though the rains may pour down upon us, our knowledge of the gospel and our love of our Heavenly Father and of our Savior will comfort and sustain us and bring joy to our hearts as we walk uprightly and keep the commandments. There will be nothing in this world that can defeat us. My beloved brothers and sisters, fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith. I declare that God lives and that He hears and answers our prayers. His Son, Jesus Christ, is our Savior and our Redeemer. Heaven’s blessings await us. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Guess what..............the Book of Mormon ...It's still true.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Contributors

Blog Archive

Feedjit