Hello Everyone!!
Wow, this week has had a great start. We had a visitor come to the mission, two actually! Both Elder Lynn G Robbins of the Presidency of the Seventy and .........Elder Jeffery R Holland!! of the Twelve came to speak to us! The moment he walked in the room, we knew instantly by the power of the Spirit that he is a true Apostle called and ordained of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I loved their messages. These things come directly from the Lord. First was Elder Robbins talking to us about the Attributes of Christ and what are things we really see and love about President and Sister Maluenda, our mission president. While all these things of our gratitude to them are being conveyed, he instructed us that the greatest tribute that we can pay to them is by first living these things we see in them for ourselves and the second is to immediately show this kind of loyalty and support to our new president and his wife when they come in two months.
Which was a perfect lead up into Holland's address. One thing he is very well known for is the significance of his mission to him and how this is a strong priviledge. If he is unable to live emotionally to a missionary who comes home and turns their back on everything that they have testified to and all the lives they have blessed, then it is as if the Savior is unable to bear that horrible realization. All those who have returned home after a full time 2 year mission, how can you do all that what you did or do and then come home to fall away back into your old habits or turn your back on the gospel or not live up to the covenants you have made?? I say it to you as well. Please, dont ever leave. Stay where there is safety, peace and the blessings. It was a powerful message and has all validity attached to it. En verdad, how can someone just leave? It was a strong "how dare you" message.
On a lighter note, it turned into how the Spirit is the only way to Preach His Gospel. You cannot represent the Savior without Him.
The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead, in essence a god who has no physical body but is always in the presence of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We are not doing this great work right if the Spirit is not present. On top of that, he feels that we are not desiring to have the Spirit with us enough. I wonder if that is the same for all of us. Are we praying to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost with all our souls and heart? just as the people in the Book of Mormon, when Christ was suppose to come back to teach them more and He hadnt come yet, they prayed hard for the NEXT BEST THING: the Holy Ghost.
This is the Lord's true church, with all the correct authority and power from heaven. He governs all that happens within for the salvation of all of us as God's children. No one who truly loves God with all their hearts and their fellow men would ever think or postulate to turn their backs and if they have, my heart aches so much. Which is funny because I am a little sick right now today and Im having body aches and stomach issues. But dont worry, Adversity is a blessing. A chance to prove ourselves to our Father in Heaven that we are worthy of His blessings. He does live, and our Savior Jesus Christ has risen and will come again to the earth to usher in the Millenium. Where will you choose to be when that "great anddreadful day of the Lord" arrives?
Elder Newman
