A Warm Shower or Freezing Rain?

January and raining, never thought it would happen in New York!

It wasn't quite as wonderful as I thought it would be.

The temperature just above freezing it was raining

and cold. 

We spent the morning hauling logs outside 

and my companion quickly found out his jacket wasn't waterproof. 

The warm shower was more welcoming than ever before.

Sitting on the couch I was sad to say that neither of us

were very excited to get out in the rain again and knock on doors.

However knowing that we were on the Lord's time

we put our jackets on and headed out. 

Trying to look through the darkness and rain

we couldn't find the address we were looking for. 

A little discouraged and wanting to just talk to someone

I pulled the car over and parked in front of the nearest house.

We knocked on the door and lo and behold,

the man answering the door takes a Book of Mormon

and agrees to have us return to talk about it.

You know how grateful we were?

We got back in the car and started cheering and fist pumping!

Then of course we took the reverent moment

to give a prayer of thanks to Him who led us there.

Are you in that freezing rain?

It gets pretty cold.

Or are you singing and taking your time

in the warm steamy shower?

If we spend life in our comfort zone,

and not putting ourselves out there to help others

and to challenge ourselves,

we could very well turn into raisins under the warm water.

When you step out into that freezing rain

That miracle will come.

And as President Uchtdorf says,

"It will be glorious."

Think of a way you stay inside the warm shower

and make a change today to get out in that freezing rain!

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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Common Misunderstandings

Talking to people all day every day about religion,

we get asked a lot of questions!

I've noticed a trend with some main misunderstandings of our beliefs

doctrine

and purpose.

That's why I'm dedicating this blog post to debunking those misunderstandings! :D

Here are three of the most common misunderstandings:

1. We are here to trick people into joining our church.

Our purpose is to INVITE others

to come unto Christ through Faith in Him,

Repentance,

Baptism and receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost,

and Enduring to the End.

We want people to try our message out themselves

by kneeling and asking God if what we share is truly His message!

The last thing we want are those we teach to accept our word alone

without the witness of the Holy Ghost that it is true.

2. We save ourselves through our works.

This is easily the most common one we get as missionaries.

"Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah;

for he is full of grace and truth." 2 Nephi 2:6

We gain eternal life/saved through  and only through Christ's grace.

That is the cleansing power that allows us to be comfortable

in our Heavenly Father's presence and allow us to live with Him after this life.

Christ has said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15

That is what He asks for us to do.

Love him and therefore feel his Grace working in our lives.

That is why we believe our actions or works are so important

because Christ has asked us to act by keeping his commandments.

"faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone...

shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works."
-James 2:17-18

Our faith without works is dead and we believe strongly

that true faith leads to ACTION.

3. We worship Joseph Smith.

Our church has been given the nickname "Mormons"

but the true title is

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

We believe that God has called a prophet in these days

and the first prophet to restore his church in our day is Joseph Smith.

We have a current prophet President Thomas S. Monson.

Christ is the center of our worship services.

Yes we discuss Joseph Smith often because he restored Christ's church!

He brought back, in it's fullness, The Lord's kingdom

to the earth today.

It was through honest studying of the Bible

and personal prayer in which He received a miraculous answer!

His story is miraculous as those prophets of old in biblical times.

We worship Christ as our Savior and our weekly services include the sacrament

which is a reminder of Christ's sacrifice for all of us.


Christ is our Savior and I can testify that His kingdom is on the earth once again.

I can also say without a doubt that you can know it too

through your own experience.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Contact the local missionaries here.





 

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One Step at a Time

The young men president over our congregation recently asked us to talk to his youth!

I LOVE these opportunities.

We felt inspired to talk about how, when, and why we decided to serve a mission.

As I was testifying of how I came to have the strength to take that step into my mission

I realized when I took that step, I didn't have the knowledge I could do it for two years.

I honestly didn't know if I would be able to do it.

However I did know the Lord's promises were true.

"I can do all things through Christ." Philippians 4:13

I knew He had a prophet on the earth today and after the revelation of the "age change."

It was manifested to me that now was the time.

The Lord will make it possible to do anything He commands us to.

"For I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men,

save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing

which he commanded them." 1 Nephi 3:7

He had commanded me and I knew he would provide a way.

Walking away from my family, knowing I wouldn't see them for two years,

was the hardest thing I've ever done.

I promised myself I wouldn't look back as I walked through those doors.

Sitting down in a huge congregation of missionaries I felt a definite power.

That night and continuing nights after I received strength for the next day.

Not for the next two years, but for the next day.

That's how God works.

He gives us enough to take one step at a time,

because if He gave us strength for the two years,

I wouldn't have the blessing of being constantly reminded how truly dependent on Him I am.

Jesus Christ is my Savior and yours.

Through His Atonement we can overcome and do anything.

In the name of He who makes all things possible, Jesus Christ, Amen.

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Step into the Wilderness

Often when we follow the counsel of The Lord,

we will have to tarry in the wilderness before we find our promised land.

This pattern is shown time and time again.

Lehi was promised a great land,

and he tarried 8+ years in the wilderness before he arrived.

The Israelites were promised a great land,

and they tarried in the wilderness for 40 years before they arrived.

Blessings and answers almost always come line upon line, precept upon precept.

There was a change that I was earnestly trying to make in my life.

No matter how hard I tried I seemed to always fall short.

Amid my frustration a challenge was extended to me to read the Book of Mormon 20 minutes a day.

Grudgingly I accepted the challenge not know the affects it was going to have.

I soon found myself lost in the stories and teachings of the prophets.















On my knees I sought for an answer once again to know of the truth of the Book.

My heart was once again touched and my testimony strengthened.

All during strength came to me.

I was happier.

My life was simpler.

The relationship with those around me grew

I was able to become more Christlike,

and in the end, I made the change, that seemed impossible to
accomplish not long before.

The Book of Mormon has power.

We will be blessed as we search and ponder it's teachings.

The blessings and answers will not come until we take that step of faith,

step into the wilderness and the unknown,

take the chance and trust in God,

and receive that witness from your Heavenly Father of the truth of it's power.

I know and testify that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.

It was translated by a prophet called of God

and we have a prophet on the earth today.

It will bless your life in ways that seemed impossible

The Book will change who you are.

Take the step of faith,

and read it.

And most importantly,

Pray about it.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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