Hi Mom!
So, I’ve just been reading and finishing Jesus The Christ while simultaneously reading and finishing the Book of Acts in the Bible. While also praying and pondering a few things that we had talked about and so I’m gonna share my late night revelations with yall! But first let me give you a recap of the week.
So, our baptism of 7 fell through. But not to worry because God blessed us with another really awesome friend that we have had the privilege of teaching every day this week at 4 pm sharp. This is because he shattered his knee in a bike accident and his nurse was a member so she referred him to us. Not saying God crashed this guy in order for him to meet with the missionaries. (But who knows maybe he did haha).
Anyways cool story with this guy is yesterday I taught the lesson 100% solo. Elder Rojas wanted to challenge me and my spanish so he made me pick the spiritual thought and take over the majority of the lesson. I invited our friend to pray, I read scriptures, responded to his questions and thoughts, and bore a fervent testimony. ALL BY MYSELF. It was sick. Haha.
The whole apartment started taking photos on the roof with the ‘pro’ setting on the camera. It turned into a pretty lit photo shoot. Definitely making one of them my profile picture on facebook.
Ok that pretty much sums up the whole week aside from a couple of days absolutely being dedicated to phone calls (🤮) anyways twas a good week. I just want to note that Jesus the Christ is a super good book. I wish I read it sooner. Pffft I wish I read all the scriptures sooner Haha. They are so awesome!
Ok so here are my late night ‘revelations’
Oct 18, 2021
The holy name of Jesus Christ. My initial reason for being out here on a mission was “It didn’t matter what I believed, I was going to SERVE. Serve the people, and hopefully serve God in the process.” I am here to testify there has been a series of events that inexplicably point to the need for me to refocus my WHY. One of those ‘things’ has been the recurring theme of “You don’t preach enough of christ” it seemed that my mission in the states was too focused on “Joseph Smith and the Restoration” but who really restored the church? Christ. Our purpose in the PMG literally says Christ restored his church through JS. Kleon Skousen even said one time that the restoration is just a by product of Christ’s atonement. My purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ. There is a reason that is first before we start teaching of the restoration. Something that I know to be true is I need to preach of christ. Who he was, and how and what he taught.
Oct 20, 2021
I’m going to attempt to write what it is that is coming to mind. What it is that I believe. Piggy backing off my previous entry about focusing on christ. It doesn’t matter what other people believe about God. Whether they are Buddhist, hindu, calvinist, Baptist, Methodist, Jewish, or a member of the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints. It doesn’t matter. There is a reason one of our articles of faith state that we believe EVERYONE has the right to believe what they want. It’s literally the greatest gift God has given us. The two great commandments literally spoken from the mouth of Christ our Lord’s own mouth was, to Love God (who ever the supreme creator, energy whatever, is to you) and to love your neighbor. That’s it. If there is anything you can accomplish in your life it is follow those commandments. Everything, and I mean everything (culture, rituals, camp outs, testimony meetings, marriage, family, priesthood, etc) is just an appendage. Without the brain (those two commandments) the rest is useless. If I am to put this in simple terms, it is to believe deeply “come what may and love it” because whatever comes, comes. Nothing is going to stop it. Then follow this statement “live to love, love to live” (I know these are mom quotes but hey, there is a reason why mothers are so awesome) Anyways, no amount a screw ups, sin, addiction, hatred, guilt, or shame can or will take down pure love for something or someone. I would like to bear my testimony that I love God, I know we have a loving father in heaven who has a body of flesh and bone, I love His son Jesus Christ, and I love being able to recognize Their love for me through the Holy Ghost. It doesn’t matter what someone believes, or no longer believes. A loving God, energy, the universe, whatever anyone believes, has a plan. It’s not going to be our plan, but that’s the fun of it. As a wise turtle once said “go with the flow man!” Sometimes, all we can do is flow. Why not flow knowing there is love all around you?
*side note: If I believe it doesn’t matter what people believe about God. Why am I out here trying to teach people about something that will ultimately change people’s perspective of God? – answer: read my last entry. without charity I am nothing. I am teaching people this message because I want to serve them. The hardest part has been not having a meaningful experience with the very thing that I am trying to teach. It has been hard but I had what I needed. I had the meaningful experiences I needed to be who I am now and who I am becoming. There is nothing cooler than having a meaningful experience with truth. I lied, there is something, and that is recognizing when you have uncovered an unalterable truth for yourself. A Godly truth. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
Forgive me of some of this doesn’t make any sense I did write it late at night so there is bound to be some goofy word play and explanations of my thoughts Haha.
Till next time,
Elder Service
