I actually really love having Elder Antonio as my companion, we're obedient and the Spirit is such a wonderful guide as we speak. I can't tell you how many times we'll be teaching, I'll finish talking and then I'll think, 'dang it, I should have said that!' And then he'll say exactly what I was inspired to say and didn't. It's really awesome to watch the Spirit work through us towards the hearts of these people here, even though they are very hard hearted and many don't really want to change. However, we are still finding people! Our baptism for the three kids is this Saturday, and I am so excited for them! Even though they're young, and don't understand everything the Gospel has in store, they understand that it is an important decision to make!
We visited a family this week, the three kids are members, but the parents aren't. They want to be baptized, but they're afraid of being hypocrites when they don't live up to the promises they make at baptism. To quote President Deiter F. Uchtdorf,
Some might say, “I don’t think I could live up to your standards.”
All the more reason to come! The Church is designed to nourish the imperfect, the struggling, and the exhausted. It is filled with people who desire with all their heart to keep the commandments, even if they haven’t mastered them yet.
Some might say, “I know a member of your Church who is a hypocrite. I could never join a church that had someone like him as a member.”
If you define hypocrite as someone who fails to live up perfectly to what he or she believes, then we are all hypocrites. None of us is quite as Christlike as we know we should be. But we earnestly desire to overcome our faults and the tendency to sin. With our heart and soul we yearn to become better with the help of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
If these are your desires, then regardless of your circumstances, your personal history, or the strength of your testimony, there is room for you in this Church. Come, join with us!
I love this talk so much, here's the link to the rest;
This is so true! I talked to the parents about the purpose of baptism. When we are baptized, we not only receive a remission of our sins, we not only receive the Spirit, but we also receive the opportunity to obtain eternal life, or a life forever with our loving Heavenly Father;
2 Nephi 31:17-18;
For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost. And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.
THIS is why people are baptized into this church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Because they know this is the way to achieve eternal life. Of course, just because you may be baptized in the church does not mean you or I automatically gain eternal life, you and I still have work to do. Life with a perfect being such as Heavenly Father requires us to work to become better.
2 Nephi 31:19-20;
Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.
PRESS FORWARD. The covenants we make at baptism are sacred and we need to keep them the best we can. So far, these parents are correct in their fears, because they know that they are human and imperfect still. What they are forgetting is the power of Repentace. Christ did not suffer in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross for the perfect people.
Mark 2:16;
And when the scribes and Pharisees saw [Jesus] eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are wholehave no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
He came for all of us imperfect souls who need His help to overcome our sins. We can't do it alone; it just doesn't work like that. He is the way.
2 Nephi 31:21;
And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
What people need to understand is this is the only way, there is no other. We must live like Christ, become like Him, in order to gain this wonderful blessing of eternal happiness in His Glorious presence.
Sorry this isn't very much of an update, but not much else happened in this week. The Church is true! I love being a missionary! And I love all of you! Have a great week!
Elder Connor
- Walking/running all day gets you pretty thirsty man...
- The District!
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