Dear Everyone,
This past week has definitely been an enlightening one. I was able to continue my service at the Healing Place Thrift Store and one of the days that I volunteered there I was able to stand for virtue, truth and righteousness. I am so grateful for the moral code established by a loving Heavenly Father for His children's happiness and the opportunity to share that. I returned to the Temple on Wednesday morning and the Spirit there was so sweet. There is a peace there that is clearer and more pure than anywhere else, even my recently cleaned room. Speaking of my room, my companion and I were instructed to clean the apartment to make it decent for the new missionaries arriving in. We cleaned the apartment really well and the spirit of peace that entered in had such an effect on me that I wanted to make my room like that. So, I did. I came back home, threw away about three bags of trash and then organized the rest of my chaos into some order. Well, at least it is neat. (sort of) Neat enough that I am not overcome with despair when I enter my room. Cleanliness truly is next to godliness. The next step is to make my future apartment like this.
I joined the missionaries in teaching a couple of times this week and the blessing of being able to teach by the spirit fell upon me. I found myself asking the right questions, giving correct answers and the Spirit was so strong there. I remembered to invite to act, to promise blessings and to bear my testimony which I had gained by following that principle or doctrine. Somehow I usually leave one or more of those out and it will nag at me for a day or two, sometimes I will still be thinking about it six or seven months later to make sure I do not repeat the same mistake. I have gained a greater appreciation of not only the companionship of the Holy Ghost and the revelation, gifts of the Spirit and comfort that come from Him, but for the personal and deep tender mercies of the Lord in daily discipleship. I receive and I believe each of us receive little "love notes" from God on a daily basis saying "I'm here, I do love you" or "You are my child, do not forget that." These small and simple, yet profound witnesses are testaments of God's love for us. I know that as you pray to see God's hand in your life and to feel and see His love, you will begin to see more clearly the words and feel more deeply that love which you have longed to feel and that identity, that real you that you have longed to find.
I know that I am a child of God and so are you. Never ever forget that. Do not let the ways of the world rob you of that identity or that self-worth. You are not defined by beauty, fame, fortune or any other worldly value, but by the eternal nature God gave you and the peace of living within that nature defies all worldly "happiness." True joy is found in God's love as shown in the atonement, sacrifice and resurrection of His only Begotten Son in the Flesh. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know by the power of the Holy Ghost, and because of the pure love that flows from that testimony and the foundation of faith that is in Him, I am. I am able to become who He would have me be. Through Him we have a Prophet on the earth today, through Him we have His Gospel, through Him we have hope for a better world. It is that faith that give us "the [assurance or basis] of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Which enables us to act in accordance with correct principle and receive the power to become who He would have us become. He knows us, He loves us, He has suffered all and bore the weight we could never bear, yet stands triumphant. These things I know and bear witness of, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
With Love,
Elder Roberts
This past week has definitely been an enlightening one. I was able to continue my service at the Healing Place Thrift Store and one of the days that I volunteered there I was able to stand for virtue, truth and righteousness. I am so grateful for the moral code established by a loving Heavenly Father for His children's happiness and the opportunity to share that. I returned to the Temple on Wednesday morning and the Spirit there was so sweet. There is a peace there that is clearer and more pure than anywhere else, even my recently cleaned room. Speaking of my room, my companion and I were instructed to clean the apartment to make it decent for the new missionaries arriving in. We cleaned the apartment really well and the spirit of peace that entered in had such an effect on me that I wanted to make my room like that. So, I did. I came back home, threw away about three bags of trash and then organized the rest of my chaos into some order. Well, at least it is neat. (sort of) Neat enough that I am not overcome with despair when I enter my room. Cleanliness truly is next to godliness. The next step is to make my future apartment like this.
I joined the missionaries in teaching a couple of times this week and the blessing of being able to teach by the spirit fell upon me. I found myself asking the right questions, giving correct answers and the Spirit was so strong there. I remembered to invite to act, to promise blessings and to bear my testimony which I had gained by following that principle or doctrine. Somehow I usually leave one or more of those out and it will nag at me for a day or two, sometimes I will still be thinking about it six or seven months later to make sure I do not repeat the same mistake. I have gained a greater appreciation of not only the companionship of the Holy Ghost and the revelation, gifts of the Spirit and comfort that come from Him, but for the personal and deep tender mercies of the Lord in daily discipleship. I receive and I believe each of us receive little "love notes" from God on a daily basis saying "I'm here, I do love you" or "You are my child, do not forget that." These small and simple, yet profound witnesses are testaments of God's love for us. I know that as you pray to see God's hand in your life and to feel and see His love, you will begin to see more clearly the words and feel more deeply that love which you have longed to feel and that identity, that real you that you have longed to find.
I know that I am a child of God and so are you. Never ever forget that. Do not let the ways of the world rob you of that identity or that self-worth. You are not defined by beauty, fame, fortune or any other worldly value, but by the eternal nature God gave you and the peace of living within that nature defies all worldly "happiness." True joy is found in God's love as shown in the atonement, sacrifice and resurrection of His only Begotten Son in the Flesh. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know by the power of the Holy Ghost, and because of the pure love that flows from that testimony and the foundation of faith that is in Him, I am. I am able to become who He would have me be. Through Him we have a Prophet on the earth today, through Him we have His Gospel, through Him we have hope for a better world. It is that faith that give us "the [assurance or basis] of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Which enables us to act in accordance with correct principle and receive the power to become who He would have us become. He knows us, He loves us, He has suffered all and bore the weight we could never bear, yet stands triumphant. These things I know and bear witness of, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
With Love,
Elder Roberts
