Dear Everyone,
I want to apologize for not writing last week, I got caught up in letter writing and in planting some day lilies. ^^ *sigh* I had a wonderful week full of service and learning. I learned a lot from listening to both Elder and Sister Bednar and by immersing myself in the scriptures. There is power found in the written word of God. It is the Word of God speaking to us from the mouths of His servants the prophets. It is the words of Christ that, if feasted upon, will "tell us all things what we should do." There is a marvellous spirit about reading the word of God, but there is a greater measure of that spirit in doing the word of God. From listening I learned that we must act in accordance to correct principles having shown our faith, which is a principle of power and action in all beings, unto God in those principles through our action and thereby recieve a witness from the Holy Ghost, our hearts are softened and we are brought to a knowlege within our hearts that they are true. The invitation to act leads to action which then leads to the reception of the power of the Holy Ghost and the changing and refining influence that comes therefrom. There is a difference between knowing in our minds that the Gospel is true and knowing in our hearts that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is once again upon the earth in its full and pure form. It is this difference that is the difference between having a testimony of the Gospel and being converted to the Gospel. The difference between knowing that home teaching and visiting teaching are correct principles and the execution thereof. Until we abide by correct principles we cannot truly be converted. Until we abide by correct principles we cannot be true agents unto ourselves, but are left to be acted upon. It may be said that one is converted to the church and then begins to live correct principles. The truth is that they have received a testimony by hearing the truth and being invited to act upon that testimony, they are then converted as they act upon that testimony and begin living the principles that have been taught. The priciple is that we act and then we receive the strength or knowledge we need to accomplish the commandment. Nephi declared: "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know the Lord will give no commandment unto the children of men, except [H]e shall provide a way for them to accomplish the thing which [H]e commandeth them." Here we are counseled to go and do for the Lord will provide a way. In the Doctrine & Covenants we are counseled to open our mouths and they will be filled, not that our mouths will be filled so we can open them. When we act we recieve the power. This can be a life changing principle if you allow it to be. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, as restored through Joseph Smith has this theme threaded throughout it. For example, we seek more than anything to have the Atonement to take effect in our lives, to fully take effect. Every ordinance and activity in the church points to the Atonement and helps us to allow the Atonement to take a greater effect. We have faith in Jesus Christ and show forth our faith unto repentance, this allows us to be blessed with grace, or the enabling powers of the Atonement, to help us to overcome our weaknesses. As step into the waters of baptism we show our faith by taking the name of Christ upon us and entering into the Baptismal Covenant. We then recieve a remission of sins and can continue to receieve a remission of sins through worthily partaking of the Sacrament and renewing those covenants. We then have hands laid upon us and are commanded to recieve the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is not thrust upon us, but are given the opportunity to have His companionship as we show forth our faith in being worthy to have His companionship. All from acting in accordance with correct principles and not being acted upon. I testify that as we live in accordance to correct principles, especially those set forth in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we will recieve a fuller measure of the Holy Ghost in our lives and we will invite more fully the effects of the Atonement.
I know that this church is the Church of Jesus Christ, build up once again on this earth for His latter-day saints. I know that I am a child of God, I know that God lives and that He loves each and every one of us. I know that we have a prophet on the earth today, even Thomas S. Monson. I know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, born of Mary over 2,000 years ago. I know that He lived and died for us and that He does yet live for us. In Him is our hope secure. In Him and only Him does true faith rest. May our faith rest upon Him and the path that He has shown, even His Gospel. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
I want to apologize for not writing last week, I got caught up in letter writing and in planting some day lilies. ^^ *sigh* I had a wonderful week full of service and learning. I learned a lot from listening to both Elder and Sister Bednar and by immersing myself in the scriptures. There is power found in the written word of God. It is the Word of God speaking to us from the mouths of His servants the prophets. It is the words of Christ that, if feasted upon, will "tell us all things what we should do." There is a marvellous spirit about reading the word of God, but there is a greater measure of that spirit in doing the word of God. From listening I learned that we must act in accordance to correct principles having shown our faith, which is a principle of power and action in all beings, unto God in those principles through our action and thereby recieve a witness from the Holy Ghost, our hearts are softened and we are brought to a knowlege within our hearts that they are true. The invitation to act leads to action which then leads to the reception of the power of the Holy Ghost and the changing and refining influence that comes therefrom. There is a difference between knowing in our minds that the Gospel is true and knowing in our hearts that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is once again upon the earth in its full and pure form. It is this difference that is the difference between having a testimony of the Gospel and being converted to the Gospel. The difference between knowing that home teaching and visiting teaching are correct principles and the execution thereof. Until we abide by correct principles we cannot truly be converted. Until we abide by correct principles we cannot be true agents unto ourselves, but are left to be acted upon. It may be said that one is converted to the church and then begins to live correct principles. The truth is that they have received a testimony by hearing the truth and being invited to act upon that testimony, they are then converted as they act upon that testimony and begin living the principles that have been taught. The priciple is that we act and then we receive the strength or knowledge we need to accomplish the commandment. Nephi declared: "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know the Lord will give no commandment unto the children of men, except [H]e shall provide a way for them to accomplish the thing which [H]e commandeth them." Here we are counseled to go and do for the Lord will provide a way. In the Doctrine & Covenants we are counseled to open our mouths and they will be filled, not that our mouths will be filled so we can open them. When we act we recieve the power. This can be a life changing principle if you allow it to be. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, as restored through Joseph Smith has this theme threaded throughout it. For example, we seek more than anything to have the Atonement to take effect in our lives, to fully take effect. Every ordinance and activity in the church points to the Atonement and helps us to allow the Atonement to take a greater effect. We have faith in Jesus Christ and show forth our faith unto repentance, this allows us to be blessed with grace, or the enabling powers of the Atonement, to help us to overcome our weaknesses. As step into the waters of baptism we show our faith by taking the name of Christ upon us and entering into the Baptismal Covenant. We then recieve a remission of sins and can continue to receieve a remission of sins through worthily partaking of the Sacrament and renewing those covenants. We then have hands laid upon us and are commanded to recieve the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is not thrust upon us, but are given the opportunity to have His companionship as we show forth our faith in being worthy to have His companionship. All from acting in accordance with correct principles and not being acted upon. I testify that as we live in accordance to correct principles, especially those set forth in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we will recieve a fuller measure of the Holy Ghost in our lives and we will invite more fully the effects of the Atonement.
I know that this church is the Church of Jesus Christ, build up once again on this earth for His latter-day saints. I know that I am a child of God, I know that God lives and that He loves each and every one of us. I know that we have a prophet on the earth today, even Thomas S. Monson. I know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, born of Mary over 2,000 years ago. I know that He lived and died for us and that He does yet live for us. In Him is our hope secure. In Him and only Him does true faith rest. May our faith rest upon Him and the path that He has shown, even His Gospel. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
