Jan 13, 2014

January 13, 2014

                            Elder Strong when we had divisions and we got two whole pizzas from a member

  dinner! haha

                                                      Me and my son in front of the temple

Well Changes are coming up soon... (this week) and I’ve had a good run here so I think this may be my last week in Tanquian and am hoping for a change to junior comp again haha life is a lot easier that way. But we’ll see what happens!

But for this week it’s been a good one. We are working with 12 people with baptism dates and in reality we are hoping to have one progressing. It has been hard here and the people are super tough when it comes to religion. It’s like a culture here. It really has been hard to see people come and go getting to know the truth but not accepting it. It’s been making me think a lot of The Plan of salvation. I had some questions come up personally that I have been struggling to answer.... but tal ves they can’t be answered in this life haha.  But my blessing talks a little on the plan of salvation so I’ve been a bit intrigued. But in the little time I’ve had as a missionary or the time I have truly been converted in the church I can testify as Joseph Smith has in saying “that which pertain to our religion are only appendages” to the Atonement of Jesus Christ (Holland). I have gained such a testimony of this great and atoning sacrifice of our Savior. But this sacrifice is one of the three key parts of the great plan of salvation our Father has for us. In knowing how we can know the three most important and possibly most frequent asked questions (aside from GOT MILK?) Where did I come from, Why am I here and where am I going? We have the knowledge pertaining to our divine family tree and our potential destination if all goes well here on earth. So as I have been teaching it kills me to see people turn away from such great knowledge that holds a never ending future and turn away from a -fixer upper- to Life.

With this I have seen so many broken families, families that had time shortened or have wandered through life not knowing where to go. It’s these that I worry for. All have taken a huge leap in the Hastening of the work.... or hastening of missionaries which I am extremely grateful for! But as I see these families and all the people who haven’t been given the chance I am reminded of a form of missionary work of equal importance. A work  within the walls of the Temple.

This being said in all the Hastening the we are seeing I hope to see and larger demand of people in temple work due to overflowing names.... names that are our responsibility to truly hasten the work all aspects those within short distances of the Temple... (or those in Utah) NEED to be going as frequently as possible. Here in Mexico it isn’t as easy and should not be taken for granted....

So I wish to extend the invitation to all Parents, Family, Friends, and youth. DO your part help those who can’t help themselves and get to the temple. We all have a part to play in these times in the hastening the work.... for the second coming. I love you all and have a great week!