Hello everyone,
I apologise for not writing last week and will try to make it up by writing a good bit today. The past two weeks have been full of service and I have been able to volunteer at a few places including: the Athens Drive Public Library, Meals on Wheels and at the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. I have also spent a good portion of my time with the Spanish Elders and providing rides for them all over the newly formed Cary District. All in all it has been a pretty swift two weeks.
In my study I have learned much about the power of covenants and the great capacity for happiness Latter-Day Saints have by living up to these covenants and by learning and living basic gospel principles. We should be the happiest people on Earth! When we are tired we can not only pray for strength, but also for the comforting power of the Holy Ghost. When a loved one dies, we know they are not so far away. When we marry, we know it can last beyond this life. When we face tribulations and trials we take comfort in knowing that they are for our good. We have the far reaching bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood that bind us across culture, race and time. We have the knowledge of a loving God, Our literal Father in Heaven. We have knowledge of His Son, Jesus Christ and His love for us. We have a testimony of His sacrifice that provides a way for us to overcome our mistakes and release us from the bondage of sin through repentance and obedience to the will of God. We have faith that "Whosoever believeth in God might with a surety hop for a better world, yea even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith which maketh an anchor to the souls of men and would make them sure and steadfast always abounding in good works being led to glorify God." As we more fully recognise the hope in our lives and the great blessings that we have, let us be sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works and glorify God for all that He has given us by sharing this great blessing with all around us. That they make partake of the Love of God more fully in their lives, which is most desirable of all that is desirable, and find a greater measure of joy each day of their lives.
On the topic of covenants I was reading 2nd Nephi chapters 7 and 8 where Isaiah is speaking and as I look at it from the viewpoint of what Christ has promised to those who keep their covenants I found this message: Christ will never abandon us or sell us. We sell ourselves through iniquity and transgressions and in doing so sell our inheritance for pottage. Christ has all power, He is the way, the truth, the light. Only through His name are saved. We need to seek Him. He was obedient and was trusted by the Father and was given great wisdom, power and blessings. He hath made the barren fruitful, the lame walk and the blind see. We need to trust in Him to make us whole. Remember the things of the world are temporal. They are but means to a greater end. His purposes are eternal. Don't lose sight of the purpose. Be not afraid of the mocking and afflictions, for they are but a small moment, but His salvation and righteousness are eternal. He will comfort us, for He has stretched forth the heavens and laid the very foundations of the earth and all this to prepare His people for salvation. Therefore, but on purity and righteousness and cast off unclean traditions, loose thyself from the bondage of Satan. These are the power of covenants: They give power to the Redeemer to call us His and to make us His, power to cast off our filthy garments and put on purity and righteousness and in so doing loose ourselves from the bondage of Satan. To pass away to cup of fury from us through repentance and receiving strength through afflictions by remembering the power of the Almighty God to save. The power to make the barren fruitful, the filthy clean, the lame walk and the blind see. The power of cleansing and ultimately bringing us unto Christ. The promise that as we do our best we will never be abandoned by the Lord, but may always have His Spirit to comfort us. To dry up the seas before us, to wound the dragon, to help us overcome trials and temptations, to obtain gladness and joy and to have sorrow and mourning flee away. His purposes are eternal, His means are all around us. Look and live.
I know that this is a gospel of Happiness. I know that there must be opposition in all things, not just that there must be sorrow for joy to exist, but that for every winter there must be a spring, for every death a rebirth and for every disappointment a recompense. Whether in this life of the next we know not. I have faith in the plan of salvation, that we might all return to Our Father in Heaven as we follow His Son Jesus Christ and the example He has set for us. I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is our Savior and Redeemer. He suffered and died for us by choice, out of His great love for us that we might have a way to return, as He did, to the presence of Our Father. These things bring me joy and as I have freely received I freely give to all my testimony of the truthfulness of these things. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
With Love,
Elder Roberts
I apologise for not writing last week and will try to make it up by writing a good bit today. The past two weeks have been full of service and I have been able to volunteer at a few places including: the Athens Drive Public Library, Meals on Wheels and at the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. I have also spent a good portion of my time with the Spanish Elders and providing rides for them all over the newly formed Cary District. All in all it has been a pretty swift two weeks.
In my study I have learned much about the power of covenants and the great capacity for happiness Latter-Day Saints have by living up to these covenants and by learning and living basic gospel principles. We should be the happiest people on Earth! When we are tired we can not only pray for strength, but also for the comforting power of the Holy Ghost. When a loved one dies, we know they are not so far away. When we marry, we know it can last beyond this life. When we face tribulations and trials we take comfort in knowing that they are for our good. We have the far reaching bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood that bind us across culture, race and time. We have the knowledge of a loving God, Our literal Father in Heaven. We have knowledge of His Son, Jesus Christ and His love for us. We have a testimony of His sacrifice that provides a way for us to overcome our mistakes and release us from the bondage of sin through repentance and obedience to the will of God. We have faith that "Whosoever believeth in God might with a surety hop for a better world, yea even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith which maketh an anchor to the souls of men and would make them sure and steadfast always abounding in good works being led to glorify God." As we more fully recognise the hope in our lives and the great blessings that we have, let us be sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works and glorify God for all that He has given us by sharing this great blessing with all around us. That they make partake of the Love of God more fully in their lives, which is most desirable of all that is desirable, and find a greater measure of joy each day of their lives.
On the topic of covenants I was reading 2nd Nephi chapters 7 and 8 where Isaiah is speaking and as I look at it from the viewpoint of what Christ has promised to those who keep their covenants I found this message: Christ will never abandon us or sell us. We sell ourselves through iniquity and transgressions and in doing so sell our inheritance for pottage. Christ has all power, He is the way, the truth, the light. Only through His name are saved. We need to seek Him. He was obedient and was trusted by the Father and was given great wisdom, power and blessings. He hath made the barren fruitful, the lame walk and the blind see. We need to trust in Him to make us whole. Remember the things of the world are temporal. They are but means to a greater end. His purposes are eternal. Don't lose sight of the purpose. Be not afraid of the mocking and afflictions, for they are but a small moment, but His salvation and righteousness are eternal. He will comfort us, for He has stretched forth the heavens and laid the very foundations of the earth and all this to prepare His people for salvation. Therefore, but on purity and righteousness and cast off unclean traditions, loose thyself from the bondage of Satan. These are the power of covenants: They give power to the Redeemer to call us His and to make us His, power to cast off our filthy garments and put on purity and righteousness and in so doing loose ourselves from the bondage of Satan. To pass away to cup of fury from us through repentance and receiving strength through afflictions by remembering the power of the Almighty God to save. The power to make the barren fruitful, the filthy clean, the lame walk and the blind see. The power of cleansing and ultimately bringing us unto Christ. The promise that as we do our best we will never be abandoned by the Lord, but may always have His Spirit to comfort us. To dry up the seas before us, to wound the dragon, to help us overcome trials and temptations, to obtain gladness and joy and to have sorrow and mourning flee away. His purposes are eternal, His means are all around us. Look and live.
I know that this is a gospel of Happiness. I know that there must be opposition in all things, not just that there must be sorrow for joy to exist, but that for every winter there must be a spring, for every death a rebirth and for every disappointment a recompense. Whether in this life of the next we know not. I have faith in the plan of salvation, that we might all return to Our Father in Heaven as we follow His Son Jesus Christ and the example He has set for us. I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is our Savior and Redeemer. He suffered and died for us by choice, out of His great love for us that we might have a way to return, as He did, to the presence of Our Father. These things bring me joy and as I have freely received I freely give to all my testimony of the truthfulness of these things. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
With Love,
Elder Roberts
