Hello Everyone,
Guess what? I got transferred again! XD 7 areas in almost seven months, I think that's a record. This time I'm serving in the Durham 5th Spanish Branch with Elder Salazar. So far we have been able to do a lot of good in the area. We have taught a few lessons, set a baptismal date and have discussed several ideas for finding new investigators. I hope to make a difference while I am here. I know that the Lord will use me as an instrument in bringing His children closer to Him and His Son Jesus Christ.
I have had some pretty amazing study sessions the past few days. Most of them focused on the heart and where we place our focus. We are taught in the Book of Mormon that God will grant unto His children according to the desires of their hearts, whether it be unto salvation or destruction. I mentioned in an earlier blog about Laman and Lemuel and how their hearts were set on their riches in Jerusalem, this disqualified them from revelation and caused their hearts to be hardened against the Holy Ghost and led to their apostasy and the creation of the Lamanite culture. Lot's wife was another example of how having one's heart in the wrong place can lead to destruction. When she disobeyed God and looked back at Sodom and Gomorrah longingly she was transfigured into a pillar of salt. These examples not only show a lack of love for Heavenly Father, but also a lack of faith and hope in the promises that He has made unto His children. We can renew our faith, knowledge and hope in these promises by heeding His holy Prophets, reading the scriptures that they have provided and by cultivating a personal relationship with God through prayer and pure worship, meaning emulation or trying to be like His Son Jesus Christ. A great way to hearken unto the Prophets which God has provided unto us is by listening to the General Conference this next Saturday and Sunday. During the General Conference many subjects with both eternal and temporal importance will be addressed. What a great blessing it is to have men and women called of God to administer His message unto them! I would invite all to participate in this conference this weekend and to come with a question to be answered. I know that as you do so in faith, that that and other questions will be answered.
I am so grateful for this gospel, for the opportunity to share it and see how it changes my life and the lives of the people I serve. I am grateful to have a Prophet and twelve Apostles on the earth who lead and guide us in the path Jesus Christ has set. I am grateful for the Plan of Salvation which contains simple, yet marvelous principles and doctrines that tell us who we are, where we came from, why we are here and where we are going. I am grateful for the direction that the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings into my life and for the testimony I have of the truths therein. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the church of Jesus Christ, that same church that He set up, restored again through a modern day Prophet. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and is another testament of His Son Jesus Christ and of His love and plan for each and every one of us. I know that we are all children of Our Heavenly Father and that He knows and loves us. These things I leave with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
With Love,
Elder Roberts
Guess what? I got transferred again! XD 7 areas in almost seven months, I think that's a record. This time I'm serving in the Durham 5th Spanish Branch with Elder Salazar. So far we have been able to do a lot of good in the area. We have taught a few lessons, set a baptismal date and have discussed several ideas for finding new investigators. I hope to make a difference while I am here. I know that the Lord will use me as an instrument in bringing His children closer to Him and His Son Jesus Christ.
I have had some pretty amazing study sessions the past few days. Most of them focused on the heart and where we place our focus. We are taught in the Book of Mormon that God will grant unto His children according to the desires of their hearts, whether it be unto salvation or destruction. I mentioned in an earlier blog about Laman and Lemuel and how their hearts were set on their riches in Jerusalem, this disqualified them from revelation and caused their hearts to be hardened against the Holy Ghost and led to their apostasy and the creation of the Lamanite culture. Lot's wife was another example of how having one's heart in the wrong place can lead to destruction. When she disobeyed God and looked back at Sodom and Gomorrah longingly she was transfigured into a pillar of salt. These examples not only show a lack of love for Heavenly Father, but also a lack of faith and hope in the promises that He has made unto His children. We can renew our faith, knowledge and hope in these promises by heeding His holy Prophets, reading the scriptures that they have provided and by cultivating a personal relationship with God through prayer and pure worship, meaning emulation or trying to be like His Son Jesus Christ. A great way to hearken unto the Prophets which God has provided unto us is by listening to the General Conference this next Saturday and Sunday. During the General Conference many subjects with both eternal and temporal importance will be addressed. What a great blessing it is to have men and women called of God to administer His message unto them! I would invite all to participate in this conference this weekend and to come with a question to be answered. I know that as you do so in faith, that that and other questions will be answered.
I am so grateful for this gospel, for the opportunity to share it and see how it changes my life and the lives of the people I serve. I am grateful to have a Prophet and twelve Apostles on the earth who lead and guide us in the path Jesus Christ has set. I am grateful for the Plan of Salvation which contains simple, yet marvelous principles and doctrines that tell us who we are, where we came from, why we are here and where we are going. I am grateful for the direction that the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings into my life and for the testimony I have of the truths therein. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the church of Jesus Christ, that same church that He set up, restored again through a modern day Prophet. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and is another testament of His Son Jesus Christ and of His love and plan for each and every one of us. I know that we are all children of Our Heavenly Father and that He knows and loves us. These things I leave with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
With Love,
Elder Roberts
