Tis Email Time

As I sat in our transfer meeting awaiting to meet my new companion I reflected on how quickly the mission has gone. each transfer (6 weeks) goes faster and faster. I know I should have the diligence and motivation to work hard always, but I prayed in my heart that the lord will give me some focus or direction this transfer. Could the Lord just give me a focus a boost, something that will help me through. the phrase then came to my mind, "Abide with me."

How do we abide with our savior? what can I do specifically to abide in him? he never changes, never moves, and constantly invites us to come. Every transfer our zone has goals to unify us and help us in the work. the goal they invited us to do is to study the savior’s ministry to the nephites. we are to read a chapter a day to increase our faith in Jesus Christ.

When we have righteous desires he will help us achieve them. 

John 12:46 "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness."

That's his gift to us, light, life discernment, comfort, and joy. Please ask yourself that same question, how can you abide in him, and make plans to do it!

Cast none out from among you

We've been invited to read from 3nephi11-27 daily and I love studying the savior’s words and actions. HE speaks to the crowd and perceives they are weak. he says they can go home, but the want to stay with him. he suffers it to be and prays with them and for them. Then he charges them with the commandment to pray always and not to cast any out from their synagogues. In the next chapter they people follow his command and all throughout the night voice abroad that Christ has come and will talk to them on the morrow. as they assemble and prepare foot his coming they pray.

Christ sets a perfect pattern to follow, and the saints in San Luis Obispo follow that pattern.

We met a woman Wednesday and talked to her and her husband for quite some time. Looking at them through the world’s eye they looked homeless, possibly crazy and uneducated. But we talked to them and learned of their desires and pasts and struggles and faith. Rachel riley the mom, is a very sweet lady, who speaks loud and simple sentences. she wants to start a cookie business.

 As we talked I offered her the book of Mormon and she looked at me a bit concerned. she apologized and said she couldn't take the book without first praying about it. we gave her a pamphlet instead and a few days later she called and told us she read it. We invited her to church, she seemed uneasy- she already has a church, sis blake explained how we would be having a special service (fast and testimony meeting) and that peaked her interest. She ended up coming and the ward was very welcoming and loving to sis riley. During the sacrament sis blake was reading form 3nephi and she handed the book of Mormon to sis riley who took it and started reading. she asked if she could go up to the pulpit. so she went up and bore her testimony about how god brought her family back together. She talked about how she heard god say her name 3 times and told her to build an ark. she said she was confused and didn’t know what that meant. but she brought it back to god guiding her to reconnect with the estranged husband of 10 years. she ended her testimony saying if any of us could interpret what that meant to let her know.

 the ward embraced her and one member came up to us saying that there is a primary song about building arks and how we all have our own ark to build by exercising faith. It was beautiful to see the members accepted her. she really is a sweet woman.

She has lots of questions, but she enjoyed church. in relief society she introduced herself and said she's "new to the church".  After she told us without us soliciting it form her, "I will probably come next week." She is very sweet, and very unique. She has a husband and mentally disabled son we hope to get involved as well. our first scheduled lesson will be tomorrow. she had no problem taking the book of Mormon the second time. it goes to show that as people accept the savior’s invitation to "come" and "see" for themselves to hear with spiritual ears, they are touched: lives change, perceptions change, hearts change.

I am so grateful for the power in the love of god that does changes us and shape us into better people. the gospel is good, Jesus is the Christ. he is our shepherd, and he appoints stewards to oversee his household under his direction. the priesthood has been restored to the earth. evidence of this is found in the validity of the book of Mormon. It is a record that testifies of our savior and his doctrine, it goes hand in hand with the eternal truths put forth in the bible. it confounds the ideas of men, it lifts the hearts of the hearers, and its words are inspired.

Read it.

In the name of Jesus Christ amen.