This week had many ups and downs!
Just before my companion and I came into the Library, we felt impressed to stop and talk to the man who had been putting on "Oversize Load" tape all around his van. We tried to explain our purpose to him and he told us that it was all bull [fecal matter]. He had six degrees which pertained to religious education and talked about how (I guess, in missionary terms,) [a lot of churches have reformed Christ's gospel, having their own opinions of worship]. We wanted to tell him how our church is about a Restoration of Christ's Gospel, and not a reformation. He asked us a lot of questions that only he knew, based on his knowledge and his study. We told him that we did not know because we didn't do our study when it came to plane crashes in 2001 and what the government did on 9/11. I thought to myself that this does not pertain to our personal Salvation (Salvation means delivered from physical and spiritual death) to know these facts. As missionaries, our purpose is to preach Christ's Gospel, which pertains to the principles which Jesus Christ established His church: Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End. If anything pertains to these 5 things, they will help us spiritually get closer to God. Christ's Gospel is very basic, but yet very powerful. I wish my companion and I could have shared this with him.
I would like to ask every one of you:
1. What does it mean to you to have Faith in Jesus Christ?
2. How do you show your faith in Him?
Faith in Jesus Christ leads us to act. This leads to repent.
3. What is your definition of repentance?
Repentance is about these things:
** We need to have the desire to change. Otherwise, we will not change.
-Recognize when you have sinned (to Sin means to willingly and knowingly to go against God's commandments)
-Stop doing that is not in harmony with God's commandments (which requires self discipline)
-Confess what you have done wrong to the person you offended, etc. This requires Humility, Patience, Kindness, and Charity.
-Keep the Commandments - Repentance means - changing for the better. As we keep the commandments, we are acting on our faith. (James 2:17-18)
-Most importantly, we acknowledge the Savior, and that we cannot receive forgiveness without Him. He Suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane, He bled for us, he died on the Cross for us, and he was resurrected for us. Because of this, He knows how to succor his people (succor means to run toward). He knows how to help us in our trials.
-Baptism is the gateway to Eternal Life, meaning, being able to live in the presence of God again. Baptism, when done with the proper Priesthood Authority, will have access to Christ's Atonement (includes the suffering for our sins, the shedding of His blood,and His death and Resurrection; for a full definition, look on page 18 of the Plan of Salvation Pamphlet). We can be forgiven of our sins, and be clean again. Without the authority, there cannot be that access, and even though that baptism is still a great act of wanting to follow God and a great act of faith, it is not complete. Only through the restored Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, can the Atonement be accessed. This is the only church on the earth with that Priesthood Authority.
4.) Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV) talks about the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Anything that is good comes from God, and the Spirit testifies of this, either by good thoughts, feelings, impressions, etc.
5.) Enduring to the End - means living Christ's gospel daily, not just on Sunday and to give the perception of a Christian. Christ's Gospel is in our heart, 24/7, and is a lifetime commitment. Jesus Christ did not take any breaks with being our Savior and redeemer, and neither should we. He always did the will of the father, and always glorified His Father. As Latter-day Saints, we believe in being genuine; not all of the members are perfect at it, but this is the vision that is set for all of the members, and all of God's children.
I just shared a little bit of the Gospel lesson with you, by memory. These Gospel Principles - when acted on daily - will change your life. You will have more peace and comfort, and you will have more joy in your life.
...
Anyways --
On with the rest of the email -
Sister Charlesworth got Foodborne Illness; she was very ill Friday Morning, and we had to go to Urgent care, and also the Emergency room. She was in the bathroom quite awhile and she couldn't hold much of anything down. They diagnosed her with being dehydrated, and her type 1 diabetes affected all of this and what she had to go through. I felt so bad; I made her home made fettuccine Alfredo (from what I could do to make it home-made), and she was able to eat that several days later.
. . .
A disappointment: The Santos family that we have been teaching - they are outside of our area! They are in the Cape Henry Area and we have to pass them off to another set of missionaries! When Sister Charlesworth wasn't feeling well, we sat down and located some of our referrals and investigators on the map.
. . .
A highlight:
Timberly, our investigator, went to witness a baptism! A member talked to her the entire time, and she was able to have an answer to Timberly's questions.
Another thing: This was the Bayside Sister's baptism. We weren't there, but we heard the Elder's left and the font overflowed. Our Bishop said he went to take care of it.
. . .
A new thing learned:
I read more in detail about the Gift of Grace by President Uchtdorf from last General Conference. I learned more about forgiveness, when I looked up these verses in Luke 7:41-47 about the interaction with Simon the Pharisee and Jesus Christ (Read all of Luke 7 for a more full account) :
41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgavethem both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love himmost?
43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whomhe forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon,Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the timeI came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
I came to the conclusion that those who forgive much, love much, and those who forgive little, love little. I thought about the times where I wasn't as forgiving, I wasn't as loving, and when I was very forgiving, I was very loving. I also thought about other people and those who constantly hold grudges and how because of that grudge, they love little.
Anyways - this is all I can write for now.
92 Days until I come home.
-Sister A. Marshall
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