Week 64

Shout out to:

Gabe- Is the coolest, and was considered to be an amazing Le Fou in "Beauty and the Beast Jr." 

Lanie Beard- Was said to do a very fantastic job in SC Idol!

This week has been fantastic! We've found some more people to teach and have been able to continue helping those whom we have already started teaching. 

Last week we went hiking as a district! It was a lot of fun! We started a fire and roasted how dogs, made s'mores, it was fantastic! It was REALLY cold, but awesome!

Something that I've thought a lot about is remembering. Remembering is a theme of the Book of Mormon, and it is SO important. Heavenly Father often blesses us with experiences that could make a big impact on us, but if we forget to remember that experience is lost. A Book of Mormon prophet wrote

Heleman 5:12

 12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

If we can remember where true happiness actually lies, would we ever seek wrong things? No.

Moroni 10:3

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

Remember God's mercy since the world was created. Remember experiences you've had. Remember that His mercy is there for you now and always will be there for you. 

Honoring God

Elder Decker

Pictures: Elder Jones roasting hot dogs very fashionably, our district picture on top of a mountain!

Week 63

Today, I only have 9 months left. THAT'S INSANE! 

My little bro is 14! That's crazier. 

Jerusalem was being bombed! I just learned that like 2 weeks ago!

This past week was crazy. LOADS of ups and downs. It's been wacko. 

We were getting a bit discouraged this past week, trying to find people to teach. We were praying hard and a lot. On Thursday when we were at the gym a guy walked up to us, said that he'd been taught previously and wanted to meet with us again. WE WERE SO EXCITED!  We stopped by his house later that night and the spirit was there SO STRONG. We talked about the Restoration of Christ's church and testified that the Book of Mormon is true. We shared how each of us had come to that knowledge. He said that he felt elevated by the things that we taught. He could feel the Spirit testifying that these things are true. 

I know that these things are true. Christ has, once again, reached out to us. He's, again, given us a prophet, as he always has (see: The Holy Bible), to lead, guide, and direct us; to know his will for us. 

The evidence of these things is The Book of Mormon. read it, you've got nothing to lose, in fact, it will bless your life in ways that you can't imagine. 

Honoring God

Elder Decker

pictures: our adventure last Monday 

Week 62

Happy Birthday to Kid! (My little brother Gabe) One year older, wiser too, but still a kid.  ;)

We've gone through some trials this past week. I've started to loose some long distance vision, so we're setting up an appointment with an eye doctor, I've been waking up with an upset stomach, I've been sleep talking a lot (I think I do that when I'm stressed), We've been trying to find people to teach and been having to hand people over to the English Elders because some people aren't in our area. That's been sad. 

I want to talk a bit about how important the hope that Christ offers is so important. We talked to a young man in high school whose done some bad stuff. He has to go to boy scouts for community service (we don't know what he did), and apparently his girlfriend is currently in jail. He's got it super rough, and we don't know the half of it. We were talking to him about Jesus Christ and his power to heal and cleanse us. We asked him "How would you feel to get rid of all your guilt and wrong decisions and start afresh?" With the look in his eyes and he responded "Amazing." we could see his sincerity. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is really there to help us. He REALLY DOES love us. He's waiting for us to open the door that he knocks on constantly. we just need to open it. 

There are some steps that lead up to opening that door. The first step must be faith. We must believe enough to act on his invitation. We will never accept his healing power unless we believe that there will be results or blessings.

The second step is humility. Being willing to act on what he says. His way is ALWAYS higher than our way. He knows so much more than us. remember, God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, he will call on you to sacrifice something to come closer to him.

The third step is prayer. Through prayer we can feel his love. That's how we open the door. The action of prayer, of talking to God and seeking his council, is very special and significant. It is how we receive his council, and his warm hugs. 

Then, last, he asks us to follow him. We need to do what he did. Follow his commandments, be baptized by someone with the authority to do so, receive the gift of the holy ghost, then we must endure to the end.

That's how we destroy our guilt, by receiving that forgiveness, then strive to never get that guilt again. 

2 Nephi 31: 19-20

  19 And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.

 20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

Don't let anything in the way of following Jesus Christ.

Honoring God

Elder Decker

Pictures: Pokemon District

Strangely grown pumpkin