May 29, 2018
Hey everyone!
It's crazy how another week goes right on by. We got transfer calls on Saturday and it was time for Elder Dunham to move on. I really enjoyed our time together we got along great and the work just came like that. I have learned many good lessons from Elder Dunham. My new companion (and probably my last) is Elder Cummings. He is from Queen Creek, Arizona. He has 6 kids in his family as well, and he is the 3rd child. He also plays volleyball as well so we have that in common as well.
As far as the work goes. We had a goal to find 12 potential investigators and get 4 new investigators in our area for the month of May. We hit our goals which we were pretty happy about and found 12 potential investigators and had 5 new investigators! The Lord is truly blessing us as we put in the time and effort to make things happen. When we know these goals are inspired from the Lord there really isn't anything that can stop us! Also I can honestly say I never thought I would have to literally sickle a field for my investigator to be baptized. But to keep confidentiality.. Let it be known we took a entire plot of land waste high of grass and cleared it out. It was pretty fun and we may or may not have been quoting D&C section 4 while doing such. Things are going really well and we should have another baptism in June on the 16th. So we are on the right path to get our 7 if we keep things going the way they are!
For my thought for the week here is my
talk for memorial day in the sweet ward! Sorry it's kinda long.
In the Book of Mosiah, found in the Book of Mormon, we learn about two groups of people living at the same time as each other who are both put in very similar situations. These groups are the people of King Limhi and the People of Alma (one of the priests to King Noah)
We learn that the people of king Noah were greatly unprepared for the invading army of the lamanites. And as a result they were put under heavy bondage and were allowed to stay in their land as long as they gave "one half of all they possessed" in return the lamanites promised not to kill them. After a while the people of Limhi started to have a great desire for freedom and to get out of this heavy bondage. So they went to war against the lamanites only to find themselves quickly and sorely defeated. Finding that fighting there way out was going to work Limhi began to consult with the people.
Mosiah 22 Versus 1-2; 5-8
" 1 And now it came to pass that Ammon and king Limhi began to consult with the people how they should deliver themselves out of bondage; and even they did cause that all the people should gather themselves together; and this they did that they might have the voice of the people concerning the matter.
2 And it came to pass that they could find no way to deliver themselves out of bondage, except it were to take their women and children, and their flocks, and their herds, and their tents, and depart into the wilderness; for the Lamanites being so numerous, it was impossible for the people of Limhi to contend with them, thinking to deliver themselves out of bondage by the sword.
It was in this council we learn that a man named Gideon had a plan which he proposed to the king.
6 Behold the back pass, through the back wall, on the back side of the city. The Lamanites, or the guards of the Lamanites, by night are drunken; therefore let us send a proclamation among all this people that they gather together their flocks and herds, that they may drive them into the wilderness by night.
7 And I will go according to thy command and pay the last tribute of wine to the Lamanites, and they will be drunken; and we will pass through the secret pass on the left of their camp when they are drunken and asleep.
8 Thus we will depart with our women and our children, our flocks, and our herds into the wilderness; and we will travel around the land of Shilom.-- "
We learn that the people did indeed escape in the night going out the back pass and around the land of Shilom to the land of Zarahemlah and this was done with the help of making the Lamanite guards drunk so the people could quickly flee for safety.
Because the people of Limhi fleeing by their own devices they brought the lamanites army out to pursue them in the wilderness until that army got lost, which caused them to stumble across the other group of people of Alma who had fled so they could worship freely. Once this army found them we learn
"10 that so great were their afflictions that they began to cry mightily to God.
11 And [lamanite leader] commanded them that they should stop their cries; and he put guards over them to watch them, that whosoever should be found calling upon God should be put to death.
12 And Alma and his people did not raise their voices to the Lord their God, but did pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their hearts.
13 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.
14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.
15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.
16 And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage.
17 And he said unto Alma: Thou shalt go before this people, and I will go with thee and deliver this people out of bondage.
18 Now it came to pass that Alma and his people in the night-time gathered their flocks together, and also of their grain; yea, even all the night-time were they gathering their flocks together.
Now imagine what this would be like? They had so much faith in the lord that they believed wholeheartedly that He would deliver them. Can you imagine what that would be like? To gather all your belongings in the town square not knowing how God was going to do it but he would deliver you? Maybe having the thought all night that if this doesn't work the Lamanities will discover them in the morning and it would result in nothing less than utter destruction for them.
I can testify that the Lord remembers his promises with us and hears our prayers and so in the morning the Lord caused a deep sleep to come upon the Lamanites, and they were in a profound sleep.
The people of Alma relied solely upon the Lord. Ultimatley, They walked straight out of the front doors of the city. not the back pass. They relied upon the Lord, and the people of Alma quickly found refuge in the land of Zarahemla.
The people of Limhi did also find there way to Zarahemla and have success but it was accomplished by worldly ideas and philosophies of men. This is a great example of the contrasting ways of how we can have success one with the Lords help which creates a faith building experience and the other which resulted in a longer trial of faith and a smaller reward of conversion.
I want to connect this story with this weekend of memorial day. When we think of memorial day weekend, it's a weekend where we reflect and remember the sacrifices made by many for the benefit of our country. For others it's also a time to remember the lives of loved ones that have graduated from there time on this earth. Like many holidays in the United States, we choose specific days to remember certain things such as siblings on "international siblings day" or In my hometown of Henderson, Nevada where the averages in the summer are in the low 100 (on good days) a classic holiday to look forward to is July 11th. Which is "free slurpie day" at 7/11 gas stations.
We as Christians remember the Savior's ressurection in the spring time during the holiday called "Easter" and his birth during the winter months for "Christmas." Ultimately, its pretty clear that we like to dedicate days during our busy, and hectic lifestyles to simply take a moment and remember... To Remember our mothers and fathers... To remember our veterans and loved ones and to Remember the Savior...
I believe we all could agree however; that we shouldn't just remember these things on their holidays but we should strive to remember many of these things on a daily basis. One of the most important things we can do in this life is to remember our Savior, Jesus Christ in all that we do.
The fatherly council of Helamen to his sons was just that.
12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
Remembering our Savior is what causes us to act which, allows the enabling and redemptive power of the atonement of Jesus Christ into our lives. This process is contingent upon our faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Elder Bednar shares the following about this process:
"From the scriptures we can learn of three basic elements of faith: (1) faith as the assurance of things hoped for that are true, (2) faith as the evidence of things not seen, and (3) faith as the principle of action... I describe these three components of faith in the Savior as simultaneously facing the future, looking to the past, and initiating action in the present.
Faith as the assurance of things hoped for looks to the future. This assurance is founded upon a correct understanding about, and trust in, God and enables us to “press forward” (2 Nephi 31:20) into uncertain and often challenging situations in the service of the Savior.
Faith in Christ is inextricably tied to, and results in, hope in Christ for our redemption and exaltation. And assurance and hope make it possible for us to walk to the edge of the light and take a few steps into the darkness—expecting and trusting the light to move and illuminate the way. The combination of assurance and hope initiates action in the present.
Faith as the evidence of things not seen looks to the past and confirms our trust in God and our confidence in the truthfulness of things not seen. We stepped (action) into the darkness with assurance and hope, and we received evidence and confirmation as the light in fact moved and provided the illumination we needed. The witness we obtained after the trial of our faith (see Ether 12:6) is evidence that enlarges and strengthens our assurance.
Assurance, action, and evidence influence each other in an ongoing process. These three elements of faith—assurance, action, and evidence—are not separate and discrete; rather, they are interrelated and continuous and cycle upward. And the faith that fuels this ongoing process develops, evolves, and changes. As we again turn and face forward toward an uncertain future, assurance leads to action and produces evidence, which further increases assurance. Our confidence waxes stronger, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little."
The people of Alma remembered the Lord and acted in faith by seeking his council and guidance through revelation and prayer. And walked away with evidence that there is a God, he loves us, and he will provide.
Our prophet president Russell M Nelson extended a invitation in his last address in the April 2018 general conference
"I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation, for the Lord has promised that “if thou shalt [seek], thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal."
In Helaman (12) we read about what the lack of remembrance will do to the children of men.
4 O how foolish, and how vain, and how evil, and devilish, and how quick to do iniquity, and how slow to do good, are the children of men; yea, how quick to hearken unto the words of the evil one, and to set their hearts upon the vain things of the world!
5 Yea, how quick to be lifted up in pride; yea, how quick to boast, and do all manner of that which is iniquity; and how slow are they to remember the Lord their God, and to give ear unto his counsels, yea, how slow to walk in wisdom’s paths!
6 Behold, they do not desire that the Lord their God, who hath created them, should rule and reign over them; notwithstanding his great goodness and his mercy towards them, they do set at naught his counsels, and they will not that he should be their guide.
My dear brothers and sisters in the gospel of christ I Invite each of us to remove the bonds that hold us captive from being God's instruments in performing his miracles. As we remember what great things our Savior, Jesus Christ can do it will motivate us to act in faith and provide freedom to our own souls and the souls of others.
