Sunday, November 22, 2015
Truth reflects upon our senses
Truth Reflects Upon Our Senses
Robert Richardson <rrichardson@myldsmail.net> Oct 26 at 9:47 AM
To
Message body
HEY HEY HEY ALL YALL!!!!
So This week was awesome! Very Wet and Raining though! We saw amazing miracles during our finding this week. We tracted into a couple of familes that were interested in learning more about the gospel. There was a crazy miracle that happened where we took a member with us to our most progressing investigator, Leo, to an appointment we had with him. When we got there he wasn't home but his neighbor who we had already tracted into opened his door. He ended up inviting us in and the member was able to answer difficult questions which would be hard to explain in spanish. He also bore his testimony how he was like them, a catholic, had questions about life, and didn't want to change. Then he asked. When are you going to come back? It is so true that god puts you into situations where you are needed when you dont expect it. We also contacted a guy named Luis who was interested in the book of mormon we were holding. We shared the restoration with him then asked if we could return. He said he would talk to us at our church on Sunday. Well of course he didn't come so we follow up with him and he told us because of the rain he didn't go. So we decided to do the Book Of Mormon lesson. He loved it and asked us to come back on Wednesday. We have been having amazing experiences as we have been diligent in finding and doing the work of the lord. We have seen Miracles!
So yall probably saw the Pictures but it was so awesome!! I GOT TO GO TO AN LSU FOOTBALL GAME IN TIGER STADIUM!!!! Which is acutally one of the largest football stadiums in the US. LSU sisters hooked us up with free tickets in the lower bowl!!!! They played against western Kentucky! IT WAS SO AWESOME!!! They of course won. We weren't able to stay for the whole game so we could make it back home in time for our curfew. IT WAS CRAZY!!!! Very loud. AND SO MUCH RAIN!!!!! But SO FUN!!!!!! I am so glad I went!!! Definitely want to do it again!!!! It was a little difficult without having the yellow line the computer does for the first down but it was awesome!!!!
So for my spiritual thought comes from one of my favorite hymns Truth Reflects Upon Our senses. So I took the challenge from the talk "What Lack i Yet" and also an instruction that President Hansen gave on Repentance and asked what lack I yet. I got the answer to think more postively about others. So what I have been doing is reading a hymn every time I think judgmental or criticize someone called Truth Reflects Upon Our Senses It says
1. Truth reflects upon our senses;
Gospel light reveals to some.
If there still should be offenses,
Woe to them by whom they come!
Judge not, that ye be not judged,
Was the counsel Jesus gave;
Measure given, large or grudged,
Just the same you must receive.
2. Jesus said, "Be meek and lowly,"
For 'tis high to be a judge;
If I would be pure and holy,
I must love without a grudge.
It requires a constant labor
All his precepts to obey.
If I truly love my neighbor,
I am in the narrow way.
3. Once I said unto another,
"In thine eye there is a mote;
If thou art a friend, a brother,
Hold, and let me pull it out."
But I could not see it fairly,
For my sight was very dim.
When I came to search more clearly,
In mine eye there was a beam.
(Chorus)
Blessed Savior, thou wilt guide us,
Till we reach that blissful shore
Where the angels wait to join us
In thy praise forevermore.
May we Be people that look for the good in others as we go about our days. May we continue to have the mindset that we are all brothers and sisters of our loving Heavenly Father. May we see people as the Savior sees them. I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ that allows us to change to become better. I know the church is true!
I miss all yall! Be safe!!! And Make GOOD CHOICES!!!!!!
Elder Richardson
Lord accept our true Devotion October 19, 2015
HEY ALL YALL!!!!
So this week fairly good. We again did a lot of tracting and contacting... We saw some crazy things in the ghetto like always. HAHA. We contacted a bunch of people. Some of which were families who wanted us to come back. So this week we had a lot of finding miracles. We have contacted a lot of families and taught them the restoration. One of these families, William and Rosia, we taught them the restoration and testified how families can be together forever. They really enjoyed it and were very excited when we offered we will come back with a Book of Mormon. We also have been having luck with some of the younger adult hispanics. One of these was Omar, we contacted him while walking through a neighborhood and taught him the restoration. We also saw Hector and Giselda. We Finally got Giselda to pray!!! It took a lot of convincing from Hector. We also found a member that will come to us with to our most progressing investigator Leo. He reads the book of mormon, and wants to come to church, but I think he is a little nervous because he doesn't know anyone. We are so happy we have a member with us going on Wednesday and we think that would help him attend church.
It has been so amazing seeing the miracles in this area when we first opened it to where it is now. I am so grateful for the help the Lord has given us as we have seen these tender mercies of how receptive the people are to our message.
So my quick spiritual thought comes from the book of James where it says
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works:shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
May we show our faith in Christ by the way we live our lives. As we follow the savior may we show are Christian belief through the way we live our lives. I know that as we follow the example of the savior we will increase our faith in him!
Love yall so much!!! Stay safe!!!!
Elder RIchardson
So this week fairly good. We again did a lot of tracting and contacting... We saw some crazy things in the ghetto like always. HAHA. We contacted a bunch of people. Some of which were families who wanted us to come back. So this week we had a lot of finding miracles. We have contacted a lot of families and taught them the restoration. One of these families, William and Rosia, we taught them the restoration and testified how families can be together forever. They really enjoyed it and were very excited when we offered we will come back with a Book of Mormon. We also have been having luck with some of the younger adult hispanics. One of these was Omar, we contacted him while walking through a neighborhood and taught him the restoration. We also saw Hector and Giselda. We Finally got Giselda to pray!!! It took a lot of convincing from Hector. We also found a member that will come to us with to our most progressing investigator Leo. He reads the book of mormon, and wants to come to church, but I think he is a little nervous because he doesn't know anyone. We are so happy we have a member with us going on Wednesday and we think that would help him attend church.
It has been so amazing seeing the miracles in this area when we first opened it to where it is now. I am so grateful for the help the Lord has given us as we have seen these tender mercies of how receptive the people are to our message.
So my quick spiritual thought comes from the book of James where it says
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works:shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
May we show our faith in Christ by the way we live our lives. As we follow the savior may we show are Christian belief through the way we live our lives. I know that as we follow the example of the savior we will increase our faith in him!
Love yall so much!!! Stay safe!!!!
Elder RIchardson
True to the faith October 13, 2015
HEY ALL YALL!!!!
So I will be staying in Baton Rouge for another six weeks. I'm glad that I will be staying another six weeks but I think I will definitely be ready to be transferred in six weeks because the work is kinda slow here.
This week we were able to see are usual investigators. We have been trying to get them to progress more in the Book of Mormon. It is so hard when people do not take the gospel seriously.... We were able to see Leo, jose, Hector y Giselda, and Mercedes. We also did a lot of walking around to contact people. We got a couple of return appointments but nothing to crazy.
We were able to help with the Bishop Store house on saturday. It was really fun being able to help with that.
So my spritual thought comes from a preisthood talk from President Gordon B. Hinckley entitled Four Bs For Boys.
President Hinckley enphasised the importance of being smart, fair, clean, and be true. He then gave this story.
I should like to tell you of three eighteen-year-old boys. In 1856 more than a thousand of our people, some of them perhaps your forebears, found themselves in serious trouble while crossing the plains to this valley. Because of a series of unfortunate circumstances, they were late in getting started. They ran into snow and bitter cold in the highlands of Wyoming. Their situation was desperate, with deaths occurring every day.
President Young learned of their condition as the October general conference was about to begin. He immediately called for teams, wagons, drivers, and supplies to leave to rescue the bereft Saints. When the first rescue team reached the Martin Company, there were too few wagons to carry the suffering people. The rescuers had to insist that the carts keep moving.
When they reached the Sweetwater River on November 3, chunks of ice were floating in the freezing water. After all these people had been through, and in their weakened condition, that river seemed impossible to cross. It looked like stepping into death itself to move into the freezing stream. Men who once had been strong sat on the frozen ground and wept, as did the women and children. Many simply could not face that ordeal.
And now I quote from the record: “Three eighteen-year-old boys belonging to the relief party came to the rescue, and to the astonishment of all who saw, carried nearly every member of the ill-fated handcart company across the snowbound stream. The strain was so terrible, and the exposure so great, that in later years all the boys died from the effects of it. When President Brigham Young heard of this heroic act, he wept like a child, and later declared publicly, ‘that act alone will ensure C. Allen Huntington, George W. Grant, and David P. Kimball an everlasting salvation in the Celestial Kingdom of God, worlds without end.’” (Solomon F. Kimball, Improvement Era, Feb. 1914, p. 288.)
Mark you, these boys were eighteen years of age at the time. Great was their heroism, sacred the sacrifice they made of health and eventually of life itself to save the lives of those they helped.
They are part of the heritage that lies behind you. Be true, be true to that great inheritance.
True to the faith that our parents have cherished,
True to the truth for which martyrs have perished,
To God’s command, Soul, heart, and hand,
Faithful and true we will ever stand.
I know that as we do our best by living the commandments we will be true to the faith of those who have blazed the trail for us having this gospel. May we live the gospel to the fullness of our ability as we stand true to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I miss yall!!!! Hope yall have an amazing and safe week!!!! MAKE GOOD CHOICES!!!!
Elder Richardson
So I will be staying in Baton Rouge for another six weeks. I'm glad that I will be staying another six weeks but I think I will definitely be ready to be transferred in six weeks because the work is kinda slow here.
This week we were able to see are usual investigators. We have been trying to get them to progress more in the Book of Mormon. It is so hard when people do not take the gospel seriously.... We were able to see Leo, jose, Hector y Giselda, and Mercedes. We also did a lot of walking around to contact people. We got a couple of return appointments but nothing to crazy.
We were able to help with the Bishop Store house on saturday. It was really fun being able to help with that.
So my spritual thought comes from a preisthood talk from President Gordon B. Hinckley entitled Four Bs For Boys.
President Hinckley enphasised the importance of being smart, fair, clean, and be true. He then gave this story.
I should like to tell you of three eighteen-year-old boys. In 1856 more than a thousand of our people, some of them perhaps your forebears, found themselves in serious trouble while crossing the plains to this valley. Because of a series of unfortunate circumstances, they were late in getting started. They ran into snow and bitter cold in the highlands of Wyoming. Their situation was desperate, with deaths occurring every day.
President Young learned of their condition as the October general conference was about to begin. He immediately called for teams, wagons, drivers, and supplies to leave to rescue the bereft Saints. When the first rescue team reached the Martin Company, there were too few wagons to carry the suffering people. The rescuers had to insist that the carts keep moving.
When they reached the Sweetwater River on November 3, chunks of ice were floating in the freezing water. After all these people had been through, and in their weakened condition, that river seemed impossible to cross. It looked like stepping into death itself to move into the freezing stream. Men who once had been strong sat on the frozen ground and wept, as did the women and children. Many simply could not face that ordeal.
And now I quote from the record: “Three eighteen-year-old boys belonging to the relief party came to the rescue, and to the astonishment of all who saw, carried nearly every member of the ill-fated handcart company across the snowbound stream. The strain was so terrible, and the exposure so great, that in later years all the boys died from the effects of it. When President Brigham Young heard of this heroic act, he wept like a child, and later declared publicly, ‘that act alone will ensure C. Allen Huntington, George W. Grant, and David P. Kimball an everlasting salvation in the Celestial Kingdom of God, worlds without end.’” (Solomon F. Kimball, Improvement Era, Feb. 1914, p. 288.)
Mark you, these boys were eighteen years of age at the time. Great was their heroism, sacred the sacrifice they made of health and eventually of life itself to save the lives of those they helped.
They are part of the heritage that lies behind you. Be true, be true to that great inheritance.
True to the faith that our parents have cherished,
True to the truth for which martyrs have perished,
To God’s command, Soul, heart, and hand,
Faithful and true we will ever stand.
I know that as we do our best by living the commandments we will be true to the faith of those who have blazed the trail for us having this gospel. May we live the gospel to the fullness of our ability as we stand true to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I miss yall!!!! Hope yall have an amazing and safe week!!!! MAKE GOOD CHOICES!!!!
Elder Richardson
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Hijos del Senor, venid
HEY ALL YALL!!!!
So This week we continued to do some tracting. We had a couple of followup appointments that we checked up on. Most of them bailed on us but that is ok. We tracted into a lady named Mercedes who was interested and told us she had already taken the lessons but that she wanted us to come by. She was really nice. We invited our investigators to conference and had rides set up for some of them but they all bailed..... Oh well..... We also visted a couple of less actives that we have found also. We were sharing with EVERYBODY Amos 3:7 and how there are prophets on the earth today. We were trying to get people to come to conference but it
So this Week was awesome. I loved having the opportunity to listen to our prophets and apostles!!! We were able to watch the first session at the mission home and sister hansen gave us lunch. While at the mission home the elders did a guess to see who would become the three new apostles. Well if you wouldn't believe it I wrote down Ronald A Rasband, Gary E Stevenson and Tad R Callister. I WAS SO CLOSE!!!!!!!! I didn't really know who Renlund was. I'm not going to lie. I was really proud of myself for getting two right. I was talking to one of my former companions on the phone, Elder Passey, to share our guess. He was set that Ronald A Rasband would not be it. Well guess who I got a phone call from after the sustaining... HAHA!!!!
I loved the talks from Conference!!!! I loved Dieter F Uchtdorfs talk about how the gospel works for all of us. I also loved Elder Lawrence's also. It made me think where I lack at.... I also loved Niel F Marriots about how everything will work out. I loved the story she shared about when her daughter died about how she could still believe in that motto, but shared how through God's plan of happiness everything will work out. In the second session I loved Robert D Hales to the youth and young adults, It made me think what are my priorities should be when I get home. I also loved Jeffery R Hollands on mothers. That helped me reflect on the amazing things my mom has done for me. And she has had to put up with a lot from me. HAHA. I loved Dallin H Oaks on being streanthend by the atonement of Christ. I TOTALLY AGREED with Elder Bradley D Fosters comment how the world is trying to replace the identity of our children! I am just sooo grateful for this gospel and the prophets!!!!
I really enjoyed President Monson's Priesthood session talk. It was really simple and direct to keep the commandments. It really saddened me to see him struggle in the Sunday morning session though at the end of his talk. Though age may be catching up to him, his is still God's prophet on the earth today. He gave an amazing talk though on being an example and emulating the Savior. I especially enjoyed the testimonies of the three new apostles. Henry B Eyring gave an amazing talk on having the holy ghost as our companion.
I loved listening to the amazing conference precedings. I enjoyed the spirit that we all felt listening to this amazing general conference.
I miss yall so much!!! Thank you so much for all yalls thoughts and prayers!!!!
HAVE A BLESSED WEEK!!!!
ELDER RICHARDSON
So This week we continued to do some tracting. We had a couple of followup appointments that we checked up on. Most of them bailed on us but that is ok. We tracted into a lady named Mercedes who was interested and told us she had already taken the lessons but that she wanted us to come by. She was really nice. We invited our investigators to conference and had rides set up for some of them but they all bailed..... Oh well..... We also visted a couple of less actives that we have found also. We were sharing with EVERYBODY Amos 3:7 and how there are prophets on the earth today. We were trying to get people to come to conference but it
So this Week was awesome. I loved having the opportunity to listen to our prophets and apostles!!! We were able to watch the first session at the mission home and sister hansen gave us lunch. While at the mission home the elders did a guess to see who would become the three new apostles. Well if you wouldn't believe it I wrote down Ronald A Rasband, Gary E Stevenson and Tad R Callister. I WAS SO CLOSE!!!!!!!! I didn't really know who Renlund was. I'm not going to lie. I was really proud of myself for getting two right. I was talking to one of my former companions on the phone, Elder Passey, to share our guess. He was set that Ronald A Rasband would not be it. Well guess who I got a phone call from after the sustaining... HAHA!!!!
I loved the talks from Conference!!!! I loved Dieter F Uchtdorfs talk about how the gospel works for all of us. I also loved Elder Lawrence's also. It made me think where I lack at.... I also loved Niel F Marriots about how everything will work out. I loved the story she shared about when her daughter died about how she could still believe in that motto, but shared how through God's plan of happiness everything will work out. In the second session I loved Robert D Hales to the youth and young adults, It made me think what are my priorities should be when I get home. I also loved Jeffery R Hollands on mothers. That helped me reflect on the amazing things my mom has done for me. And she has had to put up with a lot from me. HAHA. I loved Dallin H Oaks on being streanthend by the atonement of Christ. I TOTALLY AGREED with Elder Bradley D Fosters comment how the world is trying to replace the identity of our children! I am just sooo grateful for this gospel and the prophets!!!!
I really enjoyed President Monson's Priesthood session talk. It was really simple and direct to keep the commandments. It really saddened me to see him struggle in the Sunday morning session though at the end of his talk. Though age may be catching up to him, his is still God's prophet on the earth today. He gave an amazing talk though on being an example and emulating the Savior. I especially enjoyed the testimonies of the three new apostles. Henry B Eyring gave an amazing talk on having the holy ghost as our companion.
I loved listening to the amazing conference precedings. I enjoyed the spirit that we all felt listening to this amazing general conference.
I miss yall so much!!! Thank you so much for all yalls thoughts and prayers!!!!
HAVE A BLESSED WEEK!!!!
ELDER RICHARDSON
Spiritual thought
This was one of my favorite talks last conference by Gerald Causse of the Presiding Bishopric entitled Is it still wonderful to You. May we never take the blessings, truths, and knowledge that we do have for granted. i am so grateful for the gospel and for the blessings that I receive from it each day!!!! May we always cherrish and share those things that we have received from the gospel of Jesus Christ!!! I miss you all!!!! THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!!!
My wife and I had the great joy of rearing our five children near the magnificent city of Paris. During those years we wanted to offer them rich opportunities to discover the marvelous things of this world. Each summer, our family took long trips to visit the most significant monuments, historic sites, and natural wonders of Europe. Finally, after spending 22 years in the Paris area, we were getting ready to move. I still remember the day when my children came to me and said, “Dad, it’s absolutely shameful! We’ve lived here all our lives, and we have never been to the Eiffel Tower!”
There are so many wonders in this world. However, sometimes when we have them constantly before our eyes, we take them for granted. We look, but we don’t really see; we hear, but we don’t really listen.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus said to His disciples:
“Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:
“For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.”1
I have often wondered what it would have been like to live at the time of our Savior. Can you imagine sitting at His feet? feeling His embrace? witnessing as He ministered to others? And yet so many who met Him failed to recognize—to “see”—that the very Son of God was living among them.
We too are privileged to live in an exceptional time. The prophets of old saw the work of the Restoration as “a marvelous work … , yea, a marvelous work and a wonder.”2 In no previous dispensation have so many missionaries been called, so many nations been opened for the gospel message, and so many temples been built throughout the world.
For us, as Latter-day Saints, wonders also occur in our individual lives. They include our own personal conversion, the answers we receive to our prayers, and the tender blessings God showers upon us daily.
To marvel at the wonders of the gospel is a sign of faith. It is to recognize the hand of the Lord in our lives and in everything around us. Our amazement also produces spiritual strength. It gives us the energy to remain anchored in our faith and to engage ourselves in the work of salvation.
But let us beware. Our ability to marvel is fragile. Over the long term, such things as casual commandment keeping, apathy, or even weariness may set in and make us insensitive to even the most remarkable signs and miracles of the gospel.
The Book of Mormon describes a period, very similar to our own, that preceded the coming of the Messiah to the Americas. Suddenly the signs of His birth appeared in the heavens. The people were so stricken with astonishment that they humbled themselves, and nearly all were converted. However, only a short four years later, “the people began to forget those signs and wonders which they had heard, and began to be less and less astonished at a sign or a wonder from heaven, … and began to disbelieve all which they had heard and seen.”3
My brothers and sisters, is the gospel still wonderful to you? Can you yet see, hear, feel, and marvel? Or have your spiritual sensors gone into standby mode? Whatever your personal situation, I invite you to do three things.
First, never tire of discovering or rediscovering the truths of the gospel. The writer Marcel Proust said, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”4 Do you remember the first time you read a verse of scripture and felt as if the Lord was speaking to you personally? Can you recall the first time you felt the sweet influence of the Holy Ghost come over you, perhaps before you even realized it was the Holy Ghost? Weren’t these sacred, special moments?
We should hunger and thirst every day after spiritual knowledge. This personal practice is founded on study, meditation, and prayer. Sometimes we might be tempted to think, “I don’t need to study the scriptures today; I’ve read them all before” or “I don’t need to go to church today; there’s nothing new there.”
But the gospel is a fountain of knowledge that never runs dry. There is always something new to learn and feel each Sunday, in every meeting, and in every verse of scripture. In faith we hold to the promise that if we “seek, … [we] shall find.”5
Second, anchor your faith in the plain and simple truths of the gospel. Our amazement should be rooted in the core principles of our faith, in the purity of our covenants and ordinances, and in our most simple acts of worship.
A sister missionary told the story of three men she met during a district conference in Africa. They came from an isolated village far away in the bush where the Church had not yet been organized but where there were 15 faithful members and almost 20 investigators. For over two weeks these men had walked on foot, traveling more than 300 miles (480 km) over paths rendered muddy by the rainy season, so they could attend the conference and bring the tithes from the members of their group. They planned to stay for an entire week so they could enjoy the privilege of partaking of the sacrament the following Sunday and then hoped to set out on the return trip carrying boxes filled with copies of the Book of Mormon on their heads to give to the people of their village.
The missionary testified how touched she was by the sense of wonder these brethren displayed and by their wholehearted sacrifices to obtain things that for her had always been readily available.
She wondered: “If I got up one Sunday morning in Arizona and found that my car wasn’t working, would I walk to my church only a few blocks away from home? Or would I just stay home because it was too far or because it was raining?”6 These are good questions for all of us to consider.
Finally, I invite you to seek and cherish the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Most wonders of the gospel cannot be perceived by our natural senses. They are the things that the “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, … the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”7
When we have the Spirit with us, our spiritual senses are sharpened and our memory is kindled so we cannot forget the miracles and signs we have witnessed. That may be why, knowing Jesus was about to leave them, His Nephite disciples prayed fervently “for that which they most desired; and they desired that the Holy Ghost should be given unto them.”8
Although they had seen the Savior with their own eyes and had touched His wounds with their own hands, they knew that their testimonies might dwindle without being constantly renewed by the power of the Spirit of God. My brothers and sisters, never do anything to risk the loss of this precious and marvelous gift—the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Seek it through fervent prayer and righteous living.
I testify that the work in which we are engaged is “a marvelous work and a wonder.” As we follow Jesus Christ, God bears witness to us “with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will.”9 On this special day, I bear witness that the wonders and marvels of the gospel are anchored in the greatest of all of God’s gifts—the Savior’s Atonement. This is the perfect gift of love that the Father and the Son, united in purpose, have offered to each one of us. With you, “I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me. … Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!”10
That we may always have eyes that see, ears that hear, and hearts that perceive the wonders of this marvelous gospel is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
My wife and I had the great joy of rearing our five children near the magnificent city of Paris. During those years we wanted to offer them rich opportunities to discover the marvelous things of this world. Each summer, our family took long trips to visit the most significant monuments, historic sites, and natural wonders of Europe. Finally, after spending 22 years in the Paris area, we were getting ready to move. I still remember the day when my children came to me and said, “Dad, it’s absolutely shameful! We’ve lived here all our lives, and we have never been to the Eiffel Tower!”
There are so many wonders in this world. However, sometimes when we have them constantly before our eyes, we take them for granted. We look, but we don’t really see; we hear, but we don’t really listen.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus said to His disciples:
“Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:
“For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.”1
I have often wondered what it would have been like to live at the time of our Savior. Can you imagine sitting at His feet? feeling His embrace? witnessing as He ministered to others? And yet so many who met Him failed to recognize—to “see”—that the very Son of God was living among them.
We too are privileged to live in an exceptional time. The prophets of old saw the work of the Restoration as “a marvelous work … , yea, a marvelous work and a wonder.”2 In no previous dispensation have so many missionaries been called, so many nations been opened for the gospel message, and so many temples been built throughout the world.
For us, as Latter-day Saints, wonders also occur in our individual lives. They include our own personal conversion, the answers we receive to our prayers, and the tender blessings God showers upon us daily.
To marvel at the wonders of the gospel is a sign of faith. It is to recognize the hand of the Lord in our lives and in everything around us. Our amazement also produces spiritual strength. It gives us the energy to remain anchored in our faith and to engage ourselves in the work of salvation.
But let us beware. Our ability to marvel is fragile. Over the long term, such things as casual commandment keeping, apathy, or even weariness may set in and make us insensitive to even the most remarkable signs and miracles of the gospel.
The Book of Mormon describes a period, very similar to our own, that preceded the coming of the Messiah to the Americas. Suddenly the signs of His birth appeared in the heavens. The people were so stricken with astonishment that they humbled themselves, and nearly all were converted. However, only a short four years later, “the people began to forget those signs and wonders which they had heard, and began to be less and less astonished at a sign or a wonder from heaven, … and began to disbelieve all which they had heard and seen.”3
My brothers and sisters, is the gospel still wonderful to you? Can you yet see, hear, feel, and marvel? Or have your spiritual sensors gone into standby mode? Whatever your personal situation, I invite you to do three things.
First, never tire of discovering or rediscovering the truths of the gospel. The writer Marcel Proust said, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”4 Do you remember the first time you read a verse of scripture and felt as if the Lord was speaking to you personally? Can you recall the first time you felt the sweet influence of the Holy Ghost come over you, perhaps before you even realized it was the Holy Ghost? Weren’t these sacred, special moments?
We should hunger and thirst every day after spiritual knowledge. This personal practice is founded on study, meditation, and prayer. Sometimes we might be tempted to think, “I don’t need to study the scriptures today; I’ve read them all before” or “I don’t need to go to church today; there’s nothing new there.”
But the gospel is a fountain of knowledge that never runs dry. There is always something new to learn and feel each Sunday, in every meeting, and in every verse of scripture. In faith we hold to the promise that if we “seek, … [we] shall find.”5
Second, anchor your faith in the plain and simple truths of the gospel. Our amazement should be rooted in the core principles of our faith, in the purity of our covenants and ordinances, and in our most simple acts of worship.
A sister missionary told the story of three men she met during a district conference in Africa. They came from an isolated village far away in the bush where the Church had not yet been organized but where there were 15 faithful members and almost 20 investigators. For over two weeks these men had walked on foot, traveling more than 300 miles (480 km) over paths rendered muddy by the rainy season, so they could attend the conference and bring the tithes from the members of their group. They planned to stay for an entire week so they could enjoy the privilege of partaking of the sacrament the following Sunday and then hoped to set out on the return trip carrying boxes filled with copies of the Book of Mormon on their heads to give to the people of their village.
The missionary testified how touched she was by the sense of wonder these brethren displayed and by their wholehearted sacrifices to obtain things that for her had always been readily available.
She wondered: “If I got up one Sunday morning in Arizona and found that my car wasn’t working, would I walk to my church only a few blocks away from home? Or would I just stay home because it was too far or because it was raining?”6 These are good questions for all of us to consider.
Finally, I invite you to seek and cherish the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Most wonders of the gospel cannot be perceived by our natural senses. They are the things that the “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, … the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”7
When we have the Spirit with us, our spiritual senses are sharpened and our memory is kindled so we cannot forget the miracles and signs we have witnessed. That may be why, knowing Jesus was about to leave them, His Nephite disciples prayed fervently “for that which they most desired; and they desired that the Holy Ghost should be given unto them.”8
Although they had seen the Savior with their own eyes and had touched His wounds with their own hands, they knew that their testimonies might dwindle without being constantly renewed by the power of the Spirit of God. My brothers and sisters, never do anything to risk the loss of this precious and marvelous gift—the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Seek it through fervent prayer and righteous living.
I testify that the work in which we are engaged is “a marvelous work and a wonder.” As we follow Jesus Christ, God bears witness to us “with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will.”9 On this special day, I bear witness that the wonders and marvels of the gospel are anchored in the greatest of all of God’s gifts—the Savior’s Atonement. This is the perfect gift of love that the Father and the Son, united in purpose, have offered to each one of us. With you, “I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me. … Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!”10
That we may always have eyes that see, ears that hear, and hearts that perceive the wonders of this marvelous gospel is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Dios manda a profetas
HEY ALL YALL!!!!
So this week was very busy and very exhausting! We were helping a hispanic catholic congregation put up booths for a fair they were going to have. It was a job that took a couple of days and was very exhausting.
We were able to see some of our investigators. We saw Jose and his family. We shared Alma 32 about faith and how it is like a seed. We also liken it to acting on our faith and how reading the book of mormon and attending church. We also shared it with another investigator named Leo. Both of them did not attend church. Oh the joys of being a missionary. :D
We shared a the plan of salvation with a family we tracted into. There was a strong feeling when we shared with them how families can be together forever. Hopefully they were able to feel that too. It was nice because we didn't tract as much as we have been. Sunday night we sat on the apartment porch watching the blood moon. That was cool!!!
Yesterday we had to take down the booths so it took a while. After the Baton Rouge Missionaries did a nerf gun/lightsaber war. President Hansen came and joined also. It was really fun. It was neat to see President not in his President mode. HAHA.
I am so excited for this weekend for General Conference!!! I will just include my spiritual thoughts in this email now haha. But how blessed are we to have a prophet of the living God on Earth!!! Like the days of Abraham, Moses, Noah, God has doesn't cease to be God, but still reveals his word to his chosen servants! "Surely The Lord God Will Do Nothing but Revealeth his secrets to his servants the Prophets." Amos 3:7. This one is very excited to receive three new Apostles!!! May we listen real intently to as we hear the will of the lord for His church and kingdom here on the earth!!!!
Miss yall so much!!!! Yall have an amazing week!!!!! #makegoodchoices #LBRM #churchistrue
Elder Richardson
So this week was very busy and very exhausting! We were helping a hispanic catholic congregation put up booths for a fair they were going to have. It was a job that took a couple of days and was very exhausting.
We were able to see some of our investigators. We saw Jose and his family. We shared Alma 32 about faith and how it is like a seed. We also liken it to acting on our faith and how reading the book of mormon and attending church. We also shared it with another investigator named Leo. Both of them did not attend church. Oh the joys of being a missionary. :D
We shared a the plan of salvation with a family we tracted into. There was a strong feeling when we shared with them how families can be together forever. Hopefully they were able to feel that too. It was nice because we didn't tract as much as we have been. Sunday night we sat on the apartment porch watching the blood moon. That was cool!!!
Yesterday we had to take down the booths so it took a while. After the Baton Rouge Missionaries did a nerf gun/lightsaber war. President Hansen came and joined also. It was really fun. It was neat to see President not in his President mode. HAHA.
I am so excited for this weekend for General Conference!!! I will just include my spiritual thoughts in this email now haha. But how blessed are we to have a prophet of the living God on Earth!!! Like the days of Abraham, Moses, Noah, God has doesn't cease to be God, but still reveals his word to his chosen servants! "Surely The Lord God Will Do Nothing but Revealeth his secrets to his servants the Prophets." Amos 3:7. This one is very excited to receive three new Apostles!!! May we listen real intently to as we hear the will of the lord for His church and kingdom here on the earth!!!!
Miss yall so much!!!! Yall have an amazing week!!!!! #makegoodchoices #LBRM #churchistrue
Elder Richardson
Senor, yo te seguire'
HEY EVERYBODY!!!!
So this week was awesome. Tuesday we had specialize training. It was kinda an interesting one. There were a bunch of counselors there talking about depression and anxiety. I am not going to lie. I seriously felt like laughing. They made us do like this deep breathing thing and this relaxation tips.... Then we had this lady talk to us about cleaning our apartments and that the smell of bleach invites the spirit 😕.... HAHA!!! It was an interesting meeting....
We again this week did a lot and a lot of tracting.... I am not going to lie. But I am starting to get tracted out.... HAHA!!! We tract from two until we go home around 8:30. A lot of the people that tell us we can come back don't actually think we come back... The average number of lessons before we 2 a week. and we are getting around 20.
We do have a couple of investigators who are progressing. One of them is named Jose and Naomi. We contacted them last week. He has been reading the Book of Mormon. Hopefully he may attend church. We were also to share the Plan of Salvation.
We also had a miracle last week. We got a phone call from a less active family named Miguel and Maura Murillo. They told us they have not seen missionaries in over a year and had not been to church in a while. We went by and they were really nice. We shared Helaman 5:12 and talked about how the Book of Mormon helps us to build our foundation on Christ. AND THEY ATTENDED CHURCH ALSO!!!!
We are seeing amazing miracles here everybody!!! Stay SAFE!!!! MAKE GOOD CHOICES EVERYBODY!!!! 😇 THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!! We are engaged in a Marvelous Work and a Wonder as Isaiah prophesied!!!!
Elder Richardson
So this week was awesome. Tuesday we had specialize training. It was kinda an interesting one. There were a bunch of counselors there talking about depression and anxiety. I am not going to lie. I seriously felt like laughing. They made us do like this deep breathing thing and this relaxation tips.... Then we had this lady talk to us about cleaning our apartments and that the smell of bleach invites the spirit 😕.... HAHA!!! It was an interesting meeting....
We again this week did a lot and a lot of tracting.... I am not going to lie. But I am starting to get tracted out.... HAHA!!! We tract from two until we go home around 8:30. A lot of the people that tell us we can come back don't actually think we come back... The average number of lessons before we 2 a week. and we are getting around 20.
We do have a couple of investigators who are progressing. One of them is named Jose and Naomi. We contacted them last week. He has been reading the Book of Mormon. Hopefully he may attend church. We were also to share the Plan of Salvation.
We also had a miracle last week. We got a phone call from a less active family named Miguel and Maura Murillo. They told us they have not seen missionaries in over a year and had not been to church in a while. We went by and they were really nice. We shared Helaman 5:12 and talked about how the Book of Mormon helps us to build our foundation on Christ. AND THEY ATTENDED CHURCH ALSO!!!!
We are seeing amazing miracles here everybody!!! Stay SAFE!!!! MAKE GOOD CHOICES EVERYBODY!!!! 😇 THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!! We are engaged in a Marvelous Work and a Wonder as Isaiah prophesied!!!!
Elder Richardson
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