Lots to Say

Hey Everybody,

 

So transfers didn't happen.  You know what that means.  It means that I need to learn something that I haven't got down in the past transfer or I have some one that the Lord really wants me to teach and I just haven't got to it yet.  So bear with me if I write a few letters and tell you the world is caving in on me.  I have to say it's not so much that my companion isn't changing or my area isn't changing, it's more of that feeling you get right before a big race starts or you're in a big game and everyone is watching to see what you do.  It's like everyone has already placed their bets and now you're up and you're on center stage.  To kind of sum it all up... it's like that part in Finding Nemo when Crush (the turtle) looses the little dude out of the EAC (East Australian Current, for those of you who don't know) and Nemo's dad freaks out and wants to go rescue the little dude.  Then Crush says,  "Whoa!  Kill the motor, dude!  Let's see what Little Squirt does flying solo."  So, this transfer we are going to see what Little Squirt does flying solo, so to speak, I guess.  I won't be solo because I have all the support anyone could ever want and I have my Heavenly Father with me to get me through till the end.  It's hard to do though, because more often than not you sit there and you think, "Man, I have put a lot of work into this just to give it up."  It is the ultimate test of trust in the Lord and distrust in your own self. Sometimes you have to deny your trust in yourself which is hard.  We often find that what we think is self confidence is actually misplaced pride.  If we are not willing to give it up to the Lord, then it's pride and we need the humility to let the Lord take over and get in the drivers seat to that finish line. When we have that trust in the Lord, our life becomes less stressful and more enjoyable because we know that it will turn out the way it needs to and we will be comforted by the one and only Holy Spirit.  It's actually a formula that has been given to us time and time again by our Father in Heaven and by the prophets. So let's stop stressing and start running on the Lord's power and quit wasting our own. His priesthood and power are endless (ours is limited).  Why wouldn't you take advantage of that and save yourself the trouble?

 

I write these things because I feel like there is something on the horizon that is going to do some separating, like the separating the wheat from the chaff.  When the Lord does the separating, you know there's going to be some unhappy campers. I was reading through this guide to the Book of Mormon that they have for BYU students that we keep in the house that adds what the prophet's say to some of the parts in the Book of Mormon and it really opens things up. One of the parts I read was about listening to the prophets and it described a few things. First, prophets aren't exactly the most popular people in the room when they are giving direct revelation.  If you feel offended by what they say or feel guilty, you probably need to check yourself before you wreck yourself.  That's a funny phrase because it applies so literally.  If you don't like what the prophet says or think that you aren't going to follow what they say because you don't think it matters... well, think again.  These guys know what they are talking about and want you to correct now and fix the problem while it's small before it get's any bigger.  More often than not prophets hand out tough love and it feels like a verbal beating to the wicked or someone telling you that you are wrong and it generally ignites the pride engine that wants to run against what that person knows is right. Trust me, I know how that feels and in the end the Lord finds a way to either put out that fire or you end up in a ditch.  In all reality you need to be humble and that's the only way that you will get anywhere with the prophets.  So it was with the Nephites with their pride cycle, so it is in our day (funny, I remember a prophet talking about something to the tune of this book was written for our day, huh, imagine that!)  Truth is, that these guys know what's going on and you don't. No matter how much you watch the news networks, you need to ask yourself do you need a prediction or revelation?  If you can't decide, maybe you need to spend some time alone with the Book of Mormon.

 

The Lord only accepts payment in warm, loving, humility. This teller doesn't accept your debit card of pride.  You can't expect to get real blessings without paying the real price now.  You can't pick up the tab when life is a little easier.  This is an investment of you and it can not be counterfitted by wanting to detach yourself and escape mid way through the process. It's a hard process, but the pay off in the end is blessings and a better you.  The words of the prophet may ask you to change through when you go down the wrong road and then have to turn around and get out.  So this next conference, listen with an open mind and heart and if you feel that your life is not in accordance with what they ask, I ask you to change it.  Be your own regulator so someone else doesn't have to do it for you later down the road. One of this church's greatest teachings is self- sufficiency.

 

Let's go back to having faith in the Lord here for a little bit. Because I'm going to wrap this up in a nice little package for you guys so you can hold on to it.  I will start by telling you guys about an experience I had this week with my companion. This week was the last week of this transfer and to be honest, I was more than looking forward to getting away from my area and my companion (a vain hope, and misplaced trust).  Things between me and him, I thought, were kind of at a finishing stage. We were glad to not have to see each other after this transfer.  We were disagreeing on a few things and getting frustrated with each other.  Well, one day I had just about had it with him and didn't want to talk to him.  I started reading that Book of Mormon manual and the Book of Mormon. I came across some of the Beatitudes and the Lord's teaching the Sermon on the Mount to the Nephites. The book said that it was what the Savior said we could do to lead us to being perfect.  At the end of the chapter it has a section called Points to Ponder.  This section had a list and overview of all the attitudes that we should have and I tried to categorize them on the attributes of Christ that are listed in Preach My Gospel.  As I went down the list, I was shocked to find a pattern of faith, hope, and charity.  A few on diligence or obedience, but the main focus was on faith, hope and charity.  I decided I should have the faith to be humble with my companion and have charity enough to give him the benefit of the doubt (there had to be some reason why he felt so strongly about things) and I needed to have the hope that Heavenly Father would help us smooth things over between us. Here's the catch: I had to be diligent and obedient to my promise. In that moment I decided to try to put my pride in the back seat and have faith and trust in my Heavenly Father. If that's how Jesus did it, that's how I was going to do it.  I have to say as soon as I decided to let the Lord take control of the situation, things started looking better, the more I took my pride out of the situation the better our companionship ran. In fact, I even saw him smile before the week ended.

 

Now do you think you could do that all by yourself? I can tell you if I had tried it my way it wouldn't have worked. I would have spent my time trying to tell him how he was wrong and what he wasn't doing right and how he needed to change. To be honest his way works pretty good and maybe when we try it his way for a while he might let me put in an idea or two, but I need to be patient (another Christlike attribute, charity suffereth long, but never faileth).  This is how we learn.  If you are always tooting your own horn, how are you going to hear the sweat rhythmic melody around you.  So have a little more charity, a little less me and a little more you.  This way together we will see what we can do.

 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, might, mind and strength and lean not on your own understanding, having a perfect brightness of hope, so that you may be blessed with this love.  This pure love in Christ, and if it shall be found with you at the last day, great shall be your joy.  This is the path to true happiness and the Lord has given it to us.  I know that the Lord can solve all of our problems.  He has shown it unto me and I need only to adhere to His words and his prophets.  I need to be diligent in being obedient to what I know for if I don't, do I really understand the principles I profess to believe? Finally, enjoy the happiness that you receive as a result of these things.  Our biggest and best way to share with others is by our example.  It is so subtle that not even the adversary can detect this closer.  It's like having Kobi Bryant at the basketball hoop.  After a while it becomes a no-brainer to use him.  Our faith becomes knowledge in the sense that these things will always work.  Heavenly Father is governed by laws so when we do what I say I am bound. I testify that these things can bring joy, peace and love into an area where you thought it was impossible to have. I know that these things make a difference.

 

So to wrap this up... have faith to give your hard work to the Lord and let him magnify it, listen to the prophets and what they say. They can see a lot further out than you can (check yourself before you wreck yourself). Be humble and willing to follow the Lord even in your trials. Most of all, have charity with all of those you meet and you will see the return on your investment ten fold (it's way better than Facebook).

 

Well this letter is a little long, but it's been a long time coming. This is my testimony of this Gospel and this church.  I would have never reached this point without it. I love my Heavenly Father. I know He lives.  I believe in my Savior Jesus Christ.  He has given us such an example. I know Joseph Smith translated those plates.  There is no way one man wrote that book with all the teachings it has.  That book was written from on high with a hand much more perfect than the ones we have here.  I know that President Thomas S. Monson is the true prophet on this earth and receives direct revelations from God for us.  I say these things in the name of His son, Jesus Christ , Amen.

 

eLdEr PrOkScH

lots of love family!