Holiday in Cambodia

Ok, so this week has nothing to do with a Holiday in Cambodia, I just couldn't think of a subject line so I used Elder Nielsen's. Huzzah for plagiarism. This week was a really good week. For pretty much the first time in my mission we met most of our goals (but I won't tell you what those goals are, because compared to numbers in Cambodia, Mexico, or Mozambique they are look really low). What matters is that we met them, and we taught a lot of lessons compared to what we normally reach.

I got to go on exchange with Elder Tison, he's from the Marshall Islands. It was a lot of fun. We taught a few people and were able to get a hold of an investigator that has been off the map for a while. I had a lot of fun with him. The next day (Wednesday) we taught a bunch of lessons. We were able to have members with us for all of them too. One of them is a girl named Chelsea. She is open to learning about religions and wants to find a good church to raise her daughter in. She has attended a lot of churches and met with missionaries from Baptist churches, Jehovah's Witnesses, and other evangelical people. And she told us that with all of them after meeting with them for a while she had these feelings of uneasiness, and she just felt like she shouldn't continue with them. But when she met us, she had feelings of peace, and felt like this was good. We explained the role of the Holy Ghost and taught her about the Book of Mormon. Unfortunately she got a little bit of anti from some friends, but we were able to take care of it. Now she just needs to search for truth and pray about the Book of Mormon. She is solid though, she's gonna get baptized.

We have an Investigator named Bill who is in his late 50s and has been investigating the church on and off since he was 14 (talk about an eternal investigator). We don't spend a lot of time there because the likelihood of us baptizing him is very slim since no one else has before. He has read all the standard works, and a lot of Books from the church. Unfortunately he also likes to read the bad stuff too. He recognizes the false things in those other books, but his idea is he wants to know it all before he makes a final decision. He suffers from a need to understand everything intellectually before he'll try spiritually. He is not relying on the Lord in any way. This is a perfect example of what we need to not do. But he feeds us dinner sometimes, he takes us to a place with really good catfish and we discuss things there.

The best things about this week though have been things I have learned from my personal studies. One thing our ward mission leader said the other day was how the Books of Alma and Helaman were written for our time, and how there are showing us some of the things that happened to them leading up to Christ's first coming, and that will happen as we lead up to Christ's second. I have noticed a lot of things in there that are taking place. one of the things is in Helaman 5:2 For as their laws and their governments were established by the voice of the people, and they who chose evil were more numerous than they who chose good, therefore they were ripening for destruction, for the laws had become corrupted. We can see this today in some places, and even here in America. Things like homosexual marriage/activities, where the Bible and Book of Mormon teach us very clearly that there are severe penalties for such sins, and those penalties are not just for those participating, but for those supporting it as well. There are other parts where we see that as the people of the church are righteous, many souls are brought to baptism to make covenants with God. When they are wicked, the work ceases, and there are punishments fr everyone. This is a serious time. This is the time when we need to be on our game. We need to be focused on the things that really matter. Living the gospel as individuals and families, helping others to do the same, making and keeping covenants, serving missions if we're in that position in life, repenting of our sins and transgressions, studying, teaching, learning, and applying the gospel of Jesus Christ will do more for our future and the future of our families that anything else we can do. I know this is true.

So my invitation to you is to live it!I love you!

Elder Braxton C Foust--

Conference

This week was a really good week, and it was all topped off with General Conference. This conference was incredible. If you didn't watch all of it, repent and watch it.

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/sessions/2012/10?lang=eng

President Monson made the announcement that the minimum age for missionaries has changed, so that means if Jaden chooses to, he can leave as soon as 6 months after I get home instead of 18 months after, that's so crazy.

That was such a great start to conference, hearing the changes there. The work is going to increase dramatically, and we're going to see miracles happen. I won't get to see any 18 yr olds in my mission, but I know that when they start showing up things are going to take off.

I loved every apostle's talk. They were all things I needed to hear. Elder Anderson's was perfect for people in Texas, talking about how the Doctrine is taught by all 15 apostles, and the principles are found openly, not in some obscure paragraph somewhere. In other words, 98% of anti-mormon material needs to just be forgotten, because it is just nonsense. the other 2%, comes from people not understanding basic truths of the Gospel, and they just believe differently (and wrongly, by the way. I will be that bold to say.) In my studies I have been reading the New Testament again, I came across this the other day

  

37 ¶Now when they heard this, they were apricked in their bheart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men andbrethren, cwhat shall we do?

 38 Then Peter asaid unto them, bRepent, and be cbaptized every one of you in the dname of Jesus Christ for the eremission of sins, and ye shall receive the fgift of the gHoly Ghost.

 39 For the apromise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are bafar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

 40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying,aSave yourselves from this buntoward generation.

 41 ¶Then they that gladly areceived his bword were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about cthree thousand souls.

 42 And they continued astedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine andbfellowship, and in breaking of cbread, and in prayers.

These men who were baptized received a spiritual witness that Peter's testimony of the Atonement was true. They knew that he was a true apostle of Jesus Christ, and they accepted the fulness of the gospel. Now look again at verse 42. "they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine." Because they know they are apostles, they know that their doctrine is the doctrine of Christ. In the same way, once you gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon, you know that these living apostle's today, and their predecessors back to and including Joseph Smith, are apostles, and you know theat their doctrine is the true doctrine of the Father.

 Back to General Conference, Elder Russell M Nelson gave one of my favorite talks. He explained that if you have any question concerning life, eternity, God, Christ, the gospel, the atonement, or if you need help spiritually, physically, or want help knowing more about family history, or a multitude of different things, "ask the missionaries. They can help." 

But by far my favorite talk, the one that totally pumped me up was Jeffrey R. Holland. He has always been my favorite, and this conference he did it again. His talk was first talked about when Peter and some of the other apostles went fishing after Christ's Resurrection. He talks about how Christ taught Peter that the commission was eternal, not just while Christ was here. And how there needed to be a change.

This makes me think about my mission. Is there a change in my nature? When I go home will I be the same person I was when I left? Will I have the same immature desires and habits? Or will I do as Paul says in 1 Corinthians "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." I need to change my nature. I need to go home and be something I wasn't before. Not just act differently, but Be different. Anyone who goes on a mission and goes home without changing their nature has wasted the Lord's time and their own. So I need to be able to say I have not wasted my time, or the Lord's. I feel like I can say that, but I am in the "endure to the end" phase.  Of course the Atonement is there for those who did not change, they still can. But I don't want to need to figure out how to change once I have the world's distractions again. We all need to be constantly growing, changing, repenting, and becoming more and more Christlike.

That's why I love Elder Holland's talks, because he pumps me up to change.

  

I love y'all! Have a great week!

----Elder Braxton C Foust--

A seed. A Tree. A Covenant.‏

Well, I am at a really weird spot this week, cause I don't really have much to talk about. It was another regular week in Weatherford. On Friday we had Zone Leader Council, it was really good as always. We had really good trainings from President and Sister Sagers about leadership and obedience. It is a good time to be a missionary. We were told that in November we will have another general authority visit, Elder Shayne M. Bowen of the 70 will be visiting. Here's a video you can check out from a talk he gave in general conference. http://mormonchannel.org/video?v=1795507066001 It is really good. Anyway, in preparation for that we are studying the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood (found in D&C 84:33-44). I studied it this morning for the first time and I learned a lot. A couple of the things that we covenant when we receive the Priesthood are "magnifying our calling", spreading the gospel, "diligently studying the words of eternal life", and "living by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God". The blessings that come are of sanctification by the holy ghost, renewal of our physical bodies, and eventually receiving eternal life. If we break the covenant, "But whoso breaketh this ^acovenant after he hath received it, and altogether turneth therefrom, shall ^bnot have forgiveness of sins in this world nor in the world to come." D&C 84:41.

It's kind of a big deal.

"So if you have made covenants, keep them. If you haven’t made them, make them. If you have made them and broken them, repent and repair them."

 - Elder Jeffrey R. Holland.

It reminds me of Alma 32, after the analogy of planting the seed, now looking at the tree. So you have planted the seed (the fullness of the gospel) in your heart, nourished it, and it grew. You know it is true. "37 And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit.
 38 But if ye ^aneglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out."
If we do not keep the first principles of the gospel, if we do not study the Book of Mormon and the Bible, if we do not go to church to partake of the sacrament to renew our covenants, if we turn away from the fullness of the gospel, the testimony dies. And when those people turn away, they lose blessings in this life, and eternal life in the life to come. 

Again, Kind of a big deal.

So we need to make and keep covenants. We need to help others make and keep covenants. We cannot receive salvation without them. No one can. It takes more than "accepting Christ in our heart" We cannot just confess Christ, and cry unto him. Matthew 7:21 "Not every one that ^asaithunto me, ^bLord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that ^cdoeth the ^dwill of my Father which is in heaven" We need to do the Father's will, and his will is for us to make and keep covenants, just as it has been since the beginning of time, and how it will be until the end. 

It is really quite simple. Read the scriptures, make covenants by ordinances performed by the priesthood authority, go to church to partake of the sacrament to renew the covenants you made with God by the priesthood authority, and pray sincerely for guidance and direction and answers to questions, and then be humble enough to follow the guidance and direction and answers given to you. I promise that as you do, you will find peace in this life, and eternal life in the world to come.

I love you all! Live the Gospel! Share the Gospel! Listen to the Prophet and Apostles this weekend!

--Elder Braxton C Foust--

The best time of year

It's finally starting to hint that it may be getting cooler, which is awesome. The last couple weeks have been a lot cooler than before, so that is good. But the last couple days have still been about 90. But, I may not see another triple digit day the rest of my time in Texas. That's a weird thought. But the best thing about the cooler weather is that more people are out and we can talk to them easier now.

This week was really good. We are working really hard to find, teach, and baptize. We are starting to see more people that are interested, and that are willing to do a little bit. Now we are just working on helping them be willing to do a lot.

We found a new part member family this week. They met with missionaries before, and she learned something that concerned her, but she never told them what it was, they had no idea that there was a concern really. So they just kept teaching and it never went anywhere. She eventually told them that they are probably not doing much good there and should go work with someone else. We went over there not knowing all the details, but were able to sit down, and as we taught the spirit worked on her and after telling us that she was fine where she was and everything, she finally blurted out her concern, and it was obvious that she is not only not fine with where she was, but really she was worried about eternity. She had a friend tell her that she was going to hell and things like that, so we taught about the Atonement. She felt the spirit a lot, and now she is very willing to have us back.

We had a couple people drop us, and Gus (who has still been in and out of the hospital) told us that his sister told him to stop meeting with us. So he doesn't really want us to go by his house anymore. But he still wants to come to church. So hopefully we will be able to teach him there and eventually he'll decide he's ready to be baptized.

Yesterday in the YSA branch the pianist was out of town, so they asked

 me to play for sacrament meeting. Luckily they asked a week ago so I was able to figure out what I wanted to play. It was fun to get to play up there, but it is weird to play with people singing along.

Today is a really busy p-day, so I will have to end it here. I love y'all!

--Elder Braxton C Foust-

Insanity

This week has been insane. It has rocked, we have gotten a lot of work done. Elder Border is exactly what I needed to get pumped up and what this area needs to get into shape. Our work styles are a lot more compatible than Elder Moore's and mine, and so we work really well together.

We have been doing a lot of tracting, and we are finding that people are still about the same receptiveness as before, but we teach better together, so more gets done. Yesterday we met a lady who lived in Idaho most of her life, so she thought she knew all about the church, and had some common concerns, but as we taught the Restoration, things were explained to her in a way that made a lot more sense and she committed to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. One of her concerns was one I have heard a lot, but it is one that I never really understood the root of the issue. Behind every concern there is some point(s) of doctrine that are not understood. As we talked with her, I realized what the Doctrine is behind this concern. The concern is "Mormons believe that Christ and Satan are brothers." I realized something though. When people have this concern, it is because they believe that Christ is the Father, or in other words, they believe in the Trinitarian view of 3 in 1. One in being, which is completely false. The implications of this false belief, when tied to our understanding of the premortal existence implies that Satan is the Brother of our Father in Heaven. But when you understand that we are all spirit children of our Father in Heaven, and that Christ is NOT the Father, but his son, a separate being, and then you realize that we were all together as our Father's children, and that Satan rebelled, it is no longer this big scary thing. The Bible calls Satan a Fallen Angel. He was a spiritual son of God, but did not keep his first estate (meaning he did not accept our Father's plan to come to earth and receive a body and use agency.) As we resolved her concern, a lot of barriers were removed. I love the fullness of the gospel, because it makes so much sense.

Another great thing about transfers is that like I said last week we have three new missionaries. One of them is named Elder Weaver, he is from Kaysville and graduated from Davis High this spring. He was in Dean and DeAnn's stake, I know that because he asked if I was related to Landon Foust and said he was in his stake. It was fun to talk to him and try to find people that we both know, but we have very different types of people we hung around, he doesn't know Jaden either. But as soon as he saw me he said "Yup, I know I've seen you before." Jaden, you should ask Sam Barlow about this kid.

Have you ever heard about the Texas State Fair? They always deep fry tons of stuff there, and they have  new things they do each year. This year one is Deep-Fried-Bacon-Wrapped-Cinnamon-Rolls. I want to try one. Unfortunately the fair is out of my area.

Elder Border is a really cool guy. He is from Ogden. He played basketball in high school. He went to Fremont and Ben Lomon (idk how you spell that). He also played basketball at Dawson Community College in Montana, and then came on his mission. He is my second 6'6" companion (the first being Elder Pipher). We have fun together. We even got in a bash the other day and we rocked it :) not that i look for those, but when they come, sometimes you have to put these "Christians" in their place. It has made me love the Bible more though, and I have really gained a testimony of the Bible being out here.

Well, I need to wrap it up, I love y'all! Have a great week!

--Elder Braxton C Foust-

The tenth day of the ninth month in the year of our lord, two thousand and twelve

What is significant about 9/10/12? well, simply put, it's today. Which makes it a good day. In fact, it makes it a great day. Also, as I was typing this i was just reminded that tomorrow is 9-11. I heard Courtesy of the Red White and Blue the other day, which is what I often think about whenever I hear about terrorism, 9-11, or other things that have to do with our Liberty, Justice, and Freedom. This is America. One thing Texas has done for me is help me be more patriotic. There is no place in the world like America. Land of the Free, Home of the Brave. I am going to have a "come and take it" flag in my room when I get home, cause that's how I feel about America. Just try to bring us down. Nobody can. Nobody, except for us that is. In the world we live in, where morals and ethics are decaying around us, we are bringing about our own demise. Sodom and Gomorrah may be forming around us. Babylon the Great is building up again. We need to keep the commandments of the Lord and eliminate these cities, and instead build Zion around us. (if you don't understand what those are, read the Old Testament, and the New Testament, and the Book of Mormon. All of them explain those.) We need to keep the commandments so that we can prosper in the land. We need a place to start right? So let's start with these. Living the Law of Chastity,  Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy, and Living the Law's of Tithing and Fasting. If these three laws are kept, the rest fall into place, and we can experience Zion around us. That's why the City of Enoch was translated. That's why the people in the Book of Mormon were righteous and had no poor among them for 200 years after Christ came. These simple laws were kept.

Anyway, that was a random tangent that all came from me having no idea what to put in the subject line. Funny how those kinds of things happen.

 Transfers are this week. Elder Moore is leaving me, he is going to Hurst North to be with his MTC companion, Elder Jansen (who replaced me in Denton 3 months ago). My new companion's name is Elder Border. I have no idea where he is from, or really anything about him, other than he is tall and plays basketball. Maybe he'll be able to teach me how to actually shoot right. One of the wards in our zone is closing, that's the ward that Elder Johnson (from DHS) was in, he is going to Arlington to be a ZL with his trainer, Elder Ford (who was in the MTC with me). And a ward that has had  a senior couple in it for a long time is getting a set of elders in it now instead. I'm really excited for this companionship, because one of them is a New Missionary (missionaries are not supposed to use the word Greenie), fresh from the MTC. And his trainer is Elder Warburton. I am stoked to have him nearby again. (if any of you don't remember, Elder Warburton is my trainer too). This will be his third "son," so I will have another brother in the mission now. Our zone is actually going to have 3 New Missionaries in it, so it will be fun. I am way excited for this coming transfer.

 Last Friday morning we spent a few hours at the Keller's home doing service. They were putting in Dog Runs and needed help with the big gas powered Auger. The thing about it though is that Texas dirt is not exactly friendly. There was about two or three inches of dirt, and then we hit solid clay. But we got 8 holes dug and 8 posts set, it was fun. Then we used the chainsaw to trim a big tree. It was a lot of fun. Afterwards he fed us Elk and Deer steaks for lunch, he bow hunts all the time. They are actually going this weekend, and he said if he gets one he'll give us some filets. I'm excited for that. They gave us a bunch of tenderized deer steaks that we took home and Chicken Fried, they were delicious. I'm glad Texas has shown me what a real chicken fried steak is. It is good stuff.

 Well, time is short today, so this will be a shorter email. I love y'all! Have a great week!

--Elder Braxton C Foust--

Faith, Hope, Charity, and Love qualify him for the work

Developing the Christ like Attributes is not the easiest thing to do, as with every blessing from our Father in Heaven they require effort. They require a sincere heart, real intent, and faith in Christ in order to develop. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave a talk once where he talked about Faith, Hope, and Charity being three legs of a stool. They are all dependent on each other, and without all three, one's foundation cannot stand. So how do we exercise these attributes and develop them. We have to do things that we would do if we had them. It is a cycle. As we do things that develop faith, our faith grows. As our faith grows, we do things that develop our faith. It applies to the others as well, to all Christ like Attributes. It is not possible to change your nature without changing your behavior. It is impossible to live the Spirit of the Law without living the Letter of the Law. It is impossible to be a good person without doing good things. It is impossible to be a follower of Christ without following Christ. It makes sense.

 So it is impossible to BE something without DOING the things that they do. But is it possible to DO something without BEING that? yes. A missionary can work hard because they know it is what they are supposed to do, but that is the end of their reason, they are not BEcoming the missionary, or the child of God, they have potential of being. The same goes with any of us in any situation. If we are doing things without our heart in it, whether it be doing those things grudgingly, or if we do them passively, we are missing out on opportunities for growth. DOing without BEing is hypocrisy. Saying you are something without Doing it is deceiving others and yourself.

 So why do I bring this up? I don't know. But it is still true.

 We had a lot of times to develop love this week. each time we sacrifice something for someone else we see blessings. For example, three nights in the past 8 days have been given up so we can travel to far parts of the zone to do baptismal interviews for the District Leaders. Is it worth it to lose proselyting time for that? of course! That is 5 people entering the waters of baptism, performed by the priesthood authority, and given the Gift of the Holy Ghost so they can progress further in this life. Once those of these who are male receive the priesthood, they have authority greater than any pastor, preacher, evangelist, or any other religious figure in the world. They have the authority to perform the ordinance of baptism for others. How incredible is that? How awesome is that? God loves us, so he has provided a way for us to be happy, to follow him, and to receive all of his blessings. And he is the same yesterday, today, and forever, so just as in days of old, he is orderly. He is organized. Not just anyone can hold this authority, but everyone may, if they will simply follow Christ and be baptized by one who holds the authority.

 This past Friday was Zone Leader Council. It was an amazing meeting, as always. We had great trainings on how to develop our faith, how to help missionaries in the zones that are struggling, and how to teach more effectively. Afterwards we were able to find a jumpsuit for one of those 5 people i talked about a second ago. We needed a 5XL suit, and fort worth had one, so we got it on the way back to Weatherford. It was still too small for the guy, but he got into it. When we got back to Weatherford we saw the Keller Family again. we had a great lesson on the Plan of Salvation, and we are going to do service over there on Friday morning. We have had some very busy days, and they are only going to get busier. This Saturday we get transfer information, so 'll let y'all know on Monday if Elder Moore or I go anywhere.

This was a weird email, sorry about that. I love y'all, Have a great week and find someone for the missionaries to teach :)

 

--Elder Braxton C Foust--