Hi Everyone!
This week has been quite an interesting one. I got set apart as a temple worker and that was quite an amazing experience. I love being in the Temple and now this gives me the ability to spend even more time there in the service of my God. I am so very grateful for that opportunity and for the opportunity to serve in the community and with my fellow missionaries. This week I continued to serve at Meals on Wheels and the Healing Place Thrift Store and was even able to help with a move. On Sunday we had a Spanish fireside and President Issa shared his conversion story and some stories from his mission and it went really well. We had one investigator come and the spirit that was there was really sweet, so it was a great experience for her and for all of us. It really helps to be around investigators and recent converts when you want to really appreciate what you have in terms of the Gospel. To hear stories of how people have searched for God and truth in so many different churches, religions, books and ways invites one to consider the personal search that they themselves have made in their own lives. To remember the faith and testimony building experiences and the line upon line revelations that led to a sure knowledge and the action, inspiration, and influence of the Holy Ghost that led to conversion. I am so blessed to have found this Gospel at such a young age, or to have the Gospel find me. It has been a privilege to walk in obedience to the statutes and laws of the Gospel. The knowledge that comes through study and the understanding that comes through application of correct principles is such an undeniable blessing. This week I have been pondering over the difference between knowledge and understanding and how the gap between the two are bridged by experience and action. In the Doctrine and Covenants it talks about how God gives commandments in order to bring about understanding. As His children are obedient to those commandments, acting on the knowledge they have received, they can receive a witness from the Holy Ghost and obtain an understanding of the principle or doctrine. :D In Proverbs it describes understanding as knowledge of a holy man, which could mean knowledge of one who obeys the correct principles he or she knows to be true. For as we learn in 2nd Nephi, those that think they are wise or knowledgeable who hearken not unto the counsel of the Lord shall perish, for their wisdom is foolishness. One group of people, the Sons of Mosiah were men of sound understanding. They had fasted and prayed and searched the scriptures diligently to know the things of God, but through their righteous living and their missionary work they gained that and so much more. Some examples of the blessings and attributes of understanding are: to have wisdom, to seek knowledge, walketh uprightly, will find good, slow to wrath, hearts open to the Holy Ghost and by wisdom a house is built, but by understanding is it established. May we establish our homes in the understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and in our divine natures in these the latter days. I know that Jesus is the Son of God, I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father and that we are all children of God and as such we have the opportunity to develop the divine attributes within us. I know that He loves us each personally and individually. I know that He has a Prophet on the earth today and that Joesph Smith was a Prophet. I know that the Book of Mormon is a portion of the word of God and that it contains the fullness of the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ. Of these things I bear my witness, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
With love,
Elder Roberts
This week has been quite an interesting one. I got set apart as a temple worker and that was quite an amazing experience. I love being in the Temple and now this gives me the ability to spend even more time there in the service of my God. I am so very grateful for that opportunity and for the opportunity to serve in the community and with my fellow missionaries. This week I continued to serve at Meals on Wheels and the Healing Place Thrift Store and was even able to help with a move. On Sunday we had a Spanish fireside and President Issa shared his conversion story and some stories from his mission and it went really well. We had one investigator come and the spirit that was there was really sweet, so it was a great experience for her and for all of us. It really helps to be around investigators and recent converts when you want to really appreciate what you have in terms of the Gospel. To hear stories of how people have searched for God and truth in so many different churches, religions, books and ways invites one to consider the personal search that they themselves have made in their own lives. To remember the faith and testimony building experiences and the line upon line revelations that led to a sure knowledge and the action, inspiration, and influence of the Holy Ghost that led to conversion. I am so blessed to have found this Gospel at such a young age, or to have the Gospel find me. It has been a privilege to walk in obedience to the statutes and laws of the Gospel. The knowledge that comes through study and the understanding that comes through application of correct principles is such an undeniable blessing. This week I have been pondering over the difference between knowledge and understanding and how the gap between the two are bridged by experience and action. In the Doctrine and Covenants it talks about how God gives commandments in order to bring about understanding. As His children are obedient to those commandments, acting on the knowledge they have received, they can receive a witness from the Holy Ghost and obtain an understanding of the principle or doctrine. :D In Proverbs it describes understanding as knowledge of a holy man, which could mean knowledge of one who obeys the correct principles he or she knows to be true. For as we learn in 2nd Nephi, those that think they are wise or knowledgeable who hearken not unto the counsel of the Lord shall perish, for their wisdom is foolishness. One group of people, the Sons of Mosiah were men of sound understanding. They had fasted and prayed and searched the scriptures diligently to know the things of God, but through their righteous living and their missionary work they gained that and so much more. Some examples of the blessings and attributes of understanding are: to have wisdom, to seek knowledge, walketh uprightly, will find good, slow to wrath, hearts open to the Holy Ghost and by wisdom a house is built, but by understanding is it established. May we establish our homes in the understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and in our divine natures in these the latter days. I know that Jesus is the Son of God, I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father and that we are all children of God and as such we have the opportunity to develop the divine attributes within us. I know that He loves us each personally and individually. I know that He has a Prophet on the earth today and that Joesph Smith was a Prophet. I know that the Book of Mormon is a portion of the word of God and that it contains the fullness of the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ. Of these things I bear my witness, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
With love,
Elder Roberts
