So I learned a lot this week and I also have some big news! I am going to be transferred to a new area in Detroit! Instead of working in the Detroit River North Area, I will be working in the Detroit River South Area! So sadly I will be leaving all of the people I have been teaching for the last three months and hope that they will continue towards the path of baptism and eternal life. But, fortunately I will still be in the little Spanish Branch we have here! And Elder Birch will be staying here in Detroit River North!
So this last week Elder Birch and I are really learning just how important the Book of Mormon is for our conversion. Well just how important is the Book of Mormon, it's the keystone of our religion, it is a testament of the gospel of Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ Himself, revised and translated by only worthy hands and true prophets of God. So if we can get a testimony of the Book of Mormon and see for ourselves if it be not true what do that mean for us? Well, if we know that the Book of Mormon is true, than Joseph Smith is a true prophet. If Joseph Smith is a true prophet than he really did restore the gospel of Jesus Christ in it's fullest and the role of prophet has continued to be fulfilled and is now being fulfilled by Thomas S. Monson. If the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in it's fullest and we have a living prophet on the world today, than we have all the keys and ordinances necessary for salvation and joy in this life and the next. But greatest of all, if this is God's church and gospel restored on the earth, then just like when Christ was here on earth Himself we can listen to His words and we can apply them to ourselves to know that they are in fact true!
Everyone needs the what we have as members of the Church of Jesus Christ. Whether they know it or not. We all need it.
As a missionary you can see a loss of faith and trust in so many eyes, questioning hearts and those who truly think that they are happy but have no idea how much more happy they can truly be. They have no idea how they can get the security and guidance they desire. I want to help these people so much and to allow them to see them how I see them.... how God sees them.
I can testify that if you have any questions of the soul, and concerns of the heart seek refuge in the words of Christ. They have the literal power of healing, the healing of our spirits, which is as tangible as our mortal bodies and is said so in Doctrine and Covenants 121:7-8. Harken unto the desires of your spirit and not the desires of your mortal body. "For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out". You and I are both spiritual beings having a mortal experience, not, the other way around.
I forgot to include this one last week. Elder Alger is in the 4th row from the front, just to the right of center. Elder Oaks is in the front of the middle row with the red tie. These are all the missionaries and leadership in the Michigan Detroit Mission.
This last week has been an enlightening experience. We had the opportunity to see one of the 12 Apostles that the Lord has living today in these modern times! We were visited by Elder Dallin H. Oaks!
Throughout all of my life I have always wanted a relationship with the Lord as one of His apostles would and I got to see exactly how I can do just that. So, I had the opportunity to shake Elder Oak's hand and share a hello, and honestly, to have this opportunity alone was an honor. However, throughout his words and throughout the experience as a whole I was trying to see, "what is the difference between me and Elder Oaks" (obviously other than calling and age). After doing so, I came up with a conclusion by the Spirit, that the biggest difference between all of the Lord's children and his Apostles is, humility. Elder Oaks, though he is an Apostle, he is merely a man, and I was able to see that with my own eyes. There is nothing particularly special about him or something he was given that we ourselves weren't given that made him more capable, what this man had which most all of us fail to exercise is humility.
I personally as a servant of the Lord, sacrificing 2 years of my life, cannot, and will not take credit for any of the success that I may see. None of us share even a particle of the credit for the strength and the success of this work, for it is not done by my hands but the Lord's through me. It is by God's strength and our willingness there is conversion. I don't make the difference, God does, the only thing I am capable of doing in this life is humbling myself. It was by humility the waters of the Red Sea were parted, it was by humility Lazarus was risen from the dead, it is was by humility that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, atoned for us, it was by humility that the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored again on the earth in its fullest, and it is by humility that the seed of faith can find place in our hearts. It is by humility that wounds and mistakes are healed, it is by humility that we can have the strength to not only endure, but to succeed. It is by humility that all things and miracles alike can come to pass. It is by humility that we can obtain eternal salvation. It is by humility that the true words of Christ are spoken and heard within the depths of our soul. It is by humility that you can know the truth of God's words, and you will rise out of the seat in which you sit upon now and you will take upon yourself baptism by the living and true power and authority of God, which is the Priesthood and you will live and remember the oath and covenant you take upon yourself through baptism.
In short my loved ones, I call us all to repentance. For if the Lord came in the tomorrow morn, would our faith be sufficient enough. I say unto you nay, for we have not been sufficiently humbled.
My heart mourns for those who will hear the words of the restored gospel of Christ and will not act upon them, nor see for themselves if it is true. For if only they would ask with real intent and seek out the true words of Christ which are only found in there fullest state in this church, which is His. Then they would know it is true because of their willingness to act. Because to have real intent means that you would act if you shall receive it. But let us remember that the Lord does not have need for a church, for He has His gospel, but it is in His church that we can receive the ordinances of His Gospel. Therefore let us have conversion not to His church but to His gospel. For it is only by conversion to His gospel that we will stand unshaken. The church is only living because Christ is at the head of it, and because we can have the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the gift of a living prophet which gives us access to living and continuous revelation.
These words do not pass over those who have already found themselves in the Gospel of Christ for if they truly found themselves in the Gospel of Christ they would see that the have much to do and more to sacrifice.
Let us be stagnant no more, let us find life, love, and happiness as we share and receive His word. And let us not take on this responsibility alone but with our loved ones and with Christ.
I love you all so much and I am sorry if my words are confusing and I am sorry that I use some old English, it just made more sense to say it that way. Please take hold of these words and seek the better words, those of God's true and elect prophets.
Until next time,
Elder Samuel Afton Alger
My favorite quote from this last week:
"We do not serve God well if we fear man more than God... We are called to establish the Lord's standards, not to follow the world's. Elder John A. Widtsoe declared, 'We cannot walk as other men, or do as other men, for we have a different destiny, obligation, and responsibility placed upon us, and we must fit ourselves [to it]' [In Conference Report, Apr. 1940, 36]."
I guess I can sleep through anything after a hard days work!
This is how most stores are here in Detroit, with bullet proof glass...
abandoned house
one step at a time
Detroit Michigan Car Show
The 2016 Ford Mustang
2016 Corvette Stingray
Our little Mexican friend got on the news haha
You can see my hang loose sign in the windshield of the 2016 Chevy Camero
2016 Dodge Viper
The Mercedes F015, it is a prototype to be released to purchase by the public sometime around 2030. It is a full functional prototype and doesn't currently have a price, but when it is released it will be in the S Class range.
The license plate is a QR code!!!
The inside is full of fully functional and interactive touch screens!
