Thursday, February 26, 2015

Because I have been given much I too must give - 16th-23rd of February

"Hello from wintry Canada Eh! How are you? So, before I get into sharing about this week and what miracles have occurred in this area, I feel really prompted to share with you something simple, yet it will be a long read. It is why I came on a mission. Why I am here. What made me come to share the Gospel.

The Atonement. People CAN change.

"if you have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, can you feel so now?" - Alma the Younger. The Atonement makes sorrow and sadness disappear, knowing that we need not suffer because there was One who already had; Jesus Christ the Savior of the world.

Over the course of the Lords mission that my companion and I have been able to be instruments in, we are seeing how our Heavenly father loves His children. We see it every day and in every detail. We cannot walk down the street without smiling at all those we meet because we see them for who they can become. The Gospel is a Gospel of Change! It is to put off the natural man and become a saint through the Atonement of Christ the Lord. How? By small and simple things today that we can do to increase our faith in Christ. Elder Herbert and I find joy in learning live upon line and precept upon precept as we study from the scriptures each morning and testify to those who walk by us and when we are in a lesson, we feel the Spirit speak and we testify that God loves these people and He loves you. What greater promise than Eternal life! Because Eternal life is another word for Eternal Happiness, Eternal families, Eternal peace, and Eternal rest from all care and sorrow. We see this ring true in the lives of those we meet, teach, and serve every day.

We love Serving the people here! It is true that a mission prepares you for Eternal marriage and Eternal families, and ultimately that is why God does what he does for His children: To see us live forever in happiness with our families and loved ones. One of my favorite quotes from PMG says: "Heaven is the continuation of the Ideal home" How great is it to believe in eternal family relationships!

As we keep the commandments of God, we will not need to worry about our choices in life because we will always make the best ones for ourselves individually and for our families. Always make choices that will make sure you Keep the commandments, and as it is written in the Book of Mormon: "You will Prosper in the land". A quote from our mission president who said: "Prosperity is happiness in the home."

If you have ever known that the Gospel is true, stop for a second and ask yourself: "How did I come to know?" and we promise you that you will feel Gods love for you as you reach out, seek after, and ask your Heavenly father to tell you in your heart, again. I have come to see in so many people we have taught and also in myself that we truly are Gods children and we are to remember that, for we have only forgotten that we lived with God before this life. We know and loved Him and He knows and loves us. We come to remember that that is true as we remember how much he really has done for us in our lives. As you read from the Book of Mormon and pray and seek that confirming witness that what you read is true, you will remember and come to know with all your heart that you lived with a Heavenly Father before this life and that He does everything he does for you because He wants you back to live with Him again with your families for eternity.

I have always loved the example of the missionaries in the Book of Mormon, such as Ammon, Alma the younger, and Enos. It often makes me think about what made them such great missionaries...and I come to ponder on that thought a lot as I have been wanting to see how I can become like them, and ultimately like the master missionary himself; even Jesus Christ. I was pondering on this the other day and the Spirit filled my mind. They all have one thing in common: They all know what the Atonement of Jesus Christ truly means to them. They have experienced it in their lives. They have felt to sing the song of redeeming love and they know who they are. They know who they represent and they know what the Gospel means to them.

I know the I have felt the Atonement of Jesus Christ and for that I serve. Because of Christ I live and I find love for the people because they do not appear as any ordinary person, but everyone as children of God. It is wonderful to see them this way. One thing I love about the mission is that it isn't my mission, but it is the Lords and it is for His children here. In that sense we learn about ourselves as  missionaries much more when we learn how the Gospel is affecting the lives of those we teach, much more than if we were to learn for ourselves.

A scripture that has really affected the way I approach the Lords work is one found in the Book of Mormon. It is Alma speaking to His Sons. He expresses why he decided to serve a mission (In that kind of context), and he says:" Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto Repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost". - Alma 36:24

If you have desires to serve God; Experience the Atonement. Find out what this can mean to you. Remember why you know the Gospel is true. Make Christ your friend and you will walk in the light. Your example will shine, and whether you have a badge or not; you will be a true missionary: A follower of Christ :)

So for news! This week has been great! Trenton is still really small but the area has great potential.

We are teaching a really great lady whose mother is a member of the church. When this lady was younger she investigated the church but found at that time that she was not ready to accept what the missionaries had taught. When things went bad for her and her family she had to move back to stay with her mother here in Trenton, and guess what faith her mother is? Latter Day Saint! So over time and from much patience and love from her mother, she readily came to accept missionaries again to teach her. Over time she saw how much the Gospel could really help her in her lives challenges and she began to grow a desire for wanting the Gospel. She always expresses to us how much she wants to have the gift of the Holy ghost so that she can always have the Spirit to be with her. The one thing though is that she lives with her boyfriend and so they would have to be married first before she can be baptized. this had been on the missionaries mind for a while. So, one night Elder Herbert and I came to her house and before hand the missionaries had tried to set her with a baptismal date but she just kept saying she wasn't ready because of her wedding plans. We believed that she would accept it this time. We started and we listened to her speak about her desires for the Gospel. We felt inspired to, during the lesson, to invite her to be baptized on March 22nd. She accepted! She was so happy! Later on, the next week we went by again and she expressed to us that she found that a year ago her and her boyfriend had set a date for their marriage to be in this year. The date that they were planning to be married on was actually March the 22nd of this year! they expressed how they knew it was a miracle from God and the Lady expressed to us how she feels that it really is her date to be baptized! Later that night we prayed and thanked God for this Miracle here in Trenton. Always invite people to be baptized!

If you have read this far; Thank you! I know it is a lot that I wanted to share, but it is the things most worth knowing that have really affected me as a missionary. Know that I am thinking of you and that you are never too far away from my heart.

Love from Frozen Trenton,

Elder Wehi"

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