Happy another week (number 38!) This week has been fantastic and super
hard at the same time! (funny how that works.)
We've found some new people that are SO ready to hear the gospel it's
incredible.
We've clearly been blessed for our faithful service, diligence, and
obedience. We're ALWAYS busy.
My birthday was last Wednesday and it was AWESOME! :D But it didn't
start out very well. We both woke up feeling pretty sick then we had a
district meeting that made me angry... don't worry about it, I'm
working on love for some people :)
BUT AFTER district meeting we decided to go to Jamba Juice for a
treat. When we got there somebody paid for us! :) Then we started
talking with them over some Jamba and it came out that it was my
birthday! So they invited us to go to Costa Vida with them at no
charge to us! We would have had a dinner that night, but the dinner
canceled and gave us 40 bucks for food instead. SO we got a dinner, 40
bucks, free Jamba, and it doesn't stop there.
We taught a man who hasn't been coming to church and he told us that a
big reason that he hasn't come is that he feels guilty for smoking. SO
we committed him (he committed himself, really) to stop smoking cold
turkey. He gave us all his cigarettes, patches, lighters, EVERYTHING.
Then we gave him a blessing. When that was over he was crying and felt
the Spirit more than he had felt it for a long time. HE WAS PUMPED to
stop smoking.
THEN we had a lesson with the Spanish couple that I talked about last
week and they want to get baptized June 7th.
It was the best day ever. And now I'm old enough to go on a mission! wait...
I want to talk a bit about sacrifice. Since Adam, mankind has been
burning sacrifices under the Mosaic Law. Then Christ came and
completed the Mosaic Law by being the true sacrifice for our sins.
So... are we still supposed to sacrifice things?
YES, but not animals on an alter. We now are meant to sacrifice our
sins. There is nothing worth inhibiting our relationship with God and
if we know the commandments, we need to sacrifice our sins so that we
can truly follow Jesus Christ like he invites us to do. Christ never
said "Think about me a lot and keep doing what you're doing." Christ
said "Follow me", "Take my yoke upon you", and "If ye love me keep my
commandments." These are all actions. We have to change to be
disciples of Jesus Christ and that takes sacrifice.
So my invitation to all of you is to sacrifice something. Pray and ask
Heavenly Father what he wants you to change and HE WILL ANSWER. Then
you must act on what you receive.
I promise that you will receive blessings for your efforts. For
example, you will feel the Spirit SO MUCH as you change to follow
Jesus Christ.
I know that because I have done it several times myself and I would
not give up those experiences for the world.
Honoring God
Elder Decker