4th missionary letter

L K J I H G F Sunday, 6/4/17 Dear Wonderful 6 missionaries! Welcome to June.

Our stake did the “Trek” this week! I asked Greg Walker why his forehead was so sunburned? He was in Pinto for 2 hours welcoming them back yesterday. Will Walker still looks like a Jedi knight but his forehead is fried.

10 Things:

1- On the trek they do a Women's Pull. No boys allowed. Those carts are difficult at times. Especially up rocky slopes. Both Sister Jodi Gardner and Taylor Black insisted it was the most incredible feeling to be so exhausted pulling and then have the boys come out of the forest and help. They couldn't keep from crying. I have never heard the word “brothers” used so lovingly so many times as they bore witness of their gratitude for men and priesthood holders and partners. Man it feels good to be loved and wanted doesn't it brothers!

2- Mark Jensen is conducting and first to testify this month. He could hardly talk to start with because his emotions were so strong.

3- There are certain words I say without thinking and they just leave my mouth easily. I listened to a General Conference CD as I drove 2 hours to Ottercreek Reservoir and 2 hours back yesterday. (I have issues with wasting time.) I can stop and pray anytime I want, I can sing with the choir anytime I want, it turns out to be a wonderful spiritually nourishing experience. Anyway, if I say Jesus Christ or Savior while thinking of what it means the tears just start and I can't hardly speak. Yesterday I discovered that Elijah is a name that has a similar effect for me. Why would Elijah bring such strong feelings? I index everyday. Surprise.

4- In SS Shannon J quoted Sterling W Sill: One of the most important events on the divine timetable of the world's future is the glorious second coming of Jesus Christ. This will probably be the most momentous happening ever to take place in the history of the world. The most often mentioned event in the entire Bible is that wonderful, yet awful experience that we will have when Jesus Christ shall come to judge our world. There are many important gospel doctrines mentioned in the Bible only briefly, and some not at all. The new birth is mentioned in the Bible nine times; baptism is mentioned 52 times, repentance is mentioned 89, but the second coming of Christ is mentioned over 1,500 times in the Old Testament and 300 times in the New Testament. If God thought this subject that important, he must have wanted us to do something about it. The Holy Bible forecasts events before they happen, and much of our history has actually been written down before it occurred. [The Second Coming\Elder Sterling W. Sill\Assistant to the Council of the Twelve Apostles\Sterling W. Sill, Conference Report, April 1966, pp. 18-21] v- the world plan never appears in the Bible. There is no Plan of Salvation/ Redemption/ Mercy/ Happiness in the Bible! There is no baptism in the Old Testament. I get a kick out of the holes in the Swiss cheese of the bible. But, but 2^nd Coming? Woah! What does that tell you! Pretty exciting actually.. .

5- I took 9 lbs of lead fishing weights to my BoM class Thursday night. No I am not the teacher but I have to show someone my teaching aides. I passed around the Bible and the box about the size of the BoM. My classmates were not expecting the box to be so heavy! That is like the purity of the Book of Mormon. It is truly pure, Elders!

6- Taylor Black teased the Bishop about never having born her testimony in sacrament meeting and never would! But she was so touched by the Trek experience she shared today. Man can she talk!

7- We say that the Book of Mormon has the fulness of the gospel. I was shocked to find so does the Bible! We make a big deal about all the things missing from the bible but it has the fulness of the gospel. Jack Taylor thought maybe the Nephites knew down to the day when the Savior would be born because they did not have the fulness. Since we do, we don't. Since we do have the fulness we don't know the day he will return. Personally I don't think that has anything to do with it. I borrowed Cameron Tolman's scriptures so I could show Jack the first three lines of the BoM Intro: “The Book of Mormon is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible. It is a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas and contains, as does the Bible, the fulness of the everlasting gospel.” 

When I first read that intro carefully I was shocked. The Bible does?

Today, I tried to look it up online. Those 4 words have been removed from the intro as of 2009 edition. That surprises me.

8- Sister Diana Larson was in ICU last Sunday. We had no program today.

9- I wrote her an inviting email last week offering 25 ways of serving her. The last one was, take her husband out to dinner!

10-I felt wasted Friday evening. As I prayed about it and relived my day I realized that my frustration at not being able to get in my Chartway Credit Union bank account had left me feeling a failure. Does technology ever do that to you? Do other things ever do that to you? Saturday morning I listened to RMN tell me the opposite: True disciples of Jesus Christ are willing to stand out, speak up, and be different from the people of the world. They are undaunted, devoted, and courageous. 

I felt like that was an answer to my prayer. HF didn't need wimps! He needed wumps! {That is the sound a courageous saint's footsteps make!}

11- In December I asked Darrin Salmon how long he was going to grow his hair. He said until February. A couple of weeks ago I sat by him in priesthood and told him February was long gone. He said he could sell it online for $300. Last time he was going to donate it to cancer victim. I was surprised at his change of heart. Perhaps he was just feeling grumpy. Today it was all gone! I announced it as he came in to priesthood. He has a hard time smiling.

12- Last Sunday Pres Charlie complained of a deaf ear. This week he could hear again. He says it came unplugged somehow.

13- Todd May asked if he could buy some lead fishing weights. I have 248 left. Of course he can. He said he will drop by this week. I like to tease. I wrote his name on a gold paper, cut it in half and taped one half on his door this afternoon. “The other half is on my front porch.” I taped it on the box of Pb/lead wts.

14- JS was one of the weak things of the world. Isn't it cool how the weak things are made God's tools!

That brothers would make dramatically different choices is not unusual.

That brothers would make dramatically different choices is not unusual. It has happened time and again, as the scriptures attest: Cain chose to serve Satan; Abel chose to serve God. (See Moses 5:16–18.) Esau “despised his birthright”; Jacob wanted to honor it. (Gen. 25:29–34.) Joseph’s brothers sought to kill him; he sought to preserve them. (Gen. 37:12–24; Gen. 45:3–11.)@“Men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.” (2 Ne. 2:27.) Good Friday morning Brandon, can you tell I went to BoM class last night? And fishing on Monday afternoon? I am also recovering from my worst sore throat and cold and lung congestion of the winter! But isn't it summer? How could I get so sick now? @ So to start off with I am going to send you the 2^nd email I sent Janice Divine this morning. I also left her 4 vmails. Talking is easier than writing. @ I am lucky. . . I can research anything I want, anytime I want!\9:40 AM (8 minutes ago)\toJanice\\How can Jesus and Lucifer be spirit brothers when their characters and purposes are so utterly opposed?\Jess L. Christensen, Institute of Religion director at Utah State University, Logan, Utah. On first hearing, the doctrine that Lucifer and our Lord, Jesus Christ, are brothers may seem surprising to some—especially to those unacquainted with latter-day revelations. But both the scriptures and the prophets affirm that Jesus Christ and Lucifer are indeed offspring of our Heavenly Father and, therefore, spirit brothers. Jesus Christ was with the Father from the beginning. Lucifer, too, was an angel “who was in authority in the presence of God,” a “son of the morning.” (See Isa. 14:12; D&C 76:25–27.) Both Jesus and Lucifer were strong leaders with great knowledge and influence. But as the Firstborn of the Father, Jesus was Lucifer’s older brother. (See Col. 1:15; D&C 93:21.)\How could two such great spirits become so totally opposite? The answer lies in the principle of agency, which has existed from all eternity. (See D&C 93:30–31.) Of Lucifer, the scripture says that because of rebellion “he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies.” (Moses 4:4.) Note that he was not created evil, but became Satan by his own choice.\When our Father in Heaven presented his plan of salvation, Jesus sustained the plan and his part in it, giving the glory to God, to whom it properly belonged. Lucifer, on the other hand, sought power, honor, and glory only for himself. (See Isa. 14:13–14; Moses 4:1–2.) When his modification of the Father’s plan was rejected, he rebelled against God and was subsequently cast out of heaven with those who had sided with him. (See Rev. 12:7–9; D&C 29:36–37.)\That brothers would make dramatically different choices is not unusual. It has happened time and again, as the scriptures attest: Cain chose to serve Satan; Abel chose to serve God. (See Moses 5:16–18.) Esau “despised his birthright”; Jacob wanted to honor it. (Gen. 25:29–34.) Joseph’s brothers sought to kill him; he sought to preserve them. (Gen. 37:12–24; Gen. 45:3–11.)\It is ironic that the agency with which Lucifer rebelled is the very gift he tried to take from man. His proposal was that all be forced back into God’s presence. (See Moses 4:1, 3.) But the principle of agency is fundamental to the existence and progression of intelligent beings: as we make wise choices, we grow in light and truth. On the other hand, wrong choices—such as the one Satan made—stop progress and can even deny us blessings that we already have. (See D&C 93:30–36.)\In order for us to progress, therefore, we must have the opportunity to choose good or evil. Interestingly, Satan and his angels—those who opposed agency—have become that opposition. As the prophet Lehi taught, “Men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.” (2 Ne. 2:27.)\Although the Father has allowed Satan and his angels to tempt mankind, he has given each of us the ability to rise above temptation. (See 1 Cor. 10:13.) He has also given us the great gift of the Atonement.\When the Lord placed enmity between Eve’s children and the devil, Satan was told that he would bruise the heel of Eve’s seed, but her seed would bruise his head. (See Moses 4:21.) President Joseph Fielding Smith explained that “the ‘God of peace,’ who according to the scriptures is to bruise Satan, is Jesus Christ.” (Answers to Gospel Questions, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1957, 1:3.) Satan would bruise the Savior’s heel by leading men to crucify Him. But through his death and resurrection, Christ overcame death for all of us; and through his atonement, he offers each of us a way to escape the eternal ramifications of sin. Thus, Satan’s machinations have been frustrated and eventually he will be judged, bound, and cast into hell forever. (See Rev. 20:1–10; D&C 29:26–29.)\In Hebrew, the word bruise means “to crush or grind.” Therefore, the very heel that was bruised will crush Satan and will help us overcome the world and return to our Father. As we use our agency to choose good over evil, the atonement of Christ prepares the way for us to return to our Father in Heaven.\We can only imagine the sorrow of our Heavenly Father as he watched a loved son incite and lead a rebellion and lose his opportunity for exaltation. But we can also imagine the Father’s love and rejoicing as he welcomed back the beloved son who had valiantly and perfectly fought the battles of life and brought about the great Atonement through his suffering and death.\~~When our Father in Heaven presented his plan of salvation, Jesus sustained the plan and his part in it, giving the glory to God, to whom it properly belonged. <<< Did you notice! Whose plan? Of course if you look in the bible there is no plan!!\How humble and gracious our Savior is. What a man! What a God! He is my God! I like him and admire him through and through.\Like I said in my vmail: it makes sense that we ask questions as we study. How else can we learn.\As I didn't say in my vmail: You were so sweet to allow the discussion to take us where it was wont. When you brought up the topic of Kishkumen making oaths in the name of God, it made some of our class members think of Satan, Kishkumen's real power. \I was shocked as I visited with a classmate after a PoGP class and he said: Of course there is a unique Satan for every world! What? I hadn't ever considered that.\But something I had considered was how many followers he has: 40 billion and they are all here right now, some of them are lazy and wasting time and seeking thrills and satisfactions of addictions through the bodies of others, but some are almost as rebellious against God as Satan is. They want to destroy all good, all happiness, all loyalty, all rejoicing, all gratitude, all charity.\Now even though we are left growing and experimenting in faith, doesn't it strengthen us to know the opposition?\>It is ironic that the agency with which Lucifer rebelled is the very gift he tried to take from man. His proposal was that all be forced back into God’s presence. (See Moses 4:1, 3.) But the principle of agency is fundamental to the existence and progression of intelligent beings: as we make wise choices, we grow in light and truth. On the other hand, wrong choices—such as the one Satan made—stop progress and can even deny us blessings that we already have. (See D&C 93:30–36.)<\Satan's plan wasn't really a workable plan at all. It wasn't a plan. Agency has to be the way God receives his glory. We have to worship him because we want to, because we feel grateful to him! Can you force people to worship you and give you glory? I don't think so. Satan's plan ignored eternal truth! I loved how we emphasized opposition in all things last night. There can't be good without bad, etc..@@ bps, as you know I like to prepare something to share at BoM. Even though I was sick as a dog yesterday and hadn't eaten a thing for 2 days and felt weak, I still wanted to share. I ordered 12 lbs of sliding fishing sinkers and they arrived last Saturday. Tom Drum sent them to me by USPS-3 day mail! Can't beat that! When ever I order something on ebay I know it is just an experiment. I don't trust it yet! Guess how large a box the 12 lbs came in? It was no bigger than a book of mormon! Could I lift it out of my mail box? Just barely. It took multiple tries! I had no idea how small 12 lbs of lead could be! BradL asked if I would sell him 100 ½ oz weights for 10cents each? Answer: Absolutely. Of course it was really me that had made the offer. I dropped them off at his house Saturday before noon and it seemed to hardly make a dent. @ Last year I took Colby Jack cheese and Swiss cheese and crackers for an after class treat. Janice loves to compare the Bible to Swiss cheese. It has empty pockets in it. So last night's comparison was the opposite. I passed around my bible and my box of weights. The box of weights represented the BoM with baptism, and plan of salvation, revelation, and restoration, 3 witnesses and 8 witnesses, Nephi, Mormon and Moroni (all heavy duty gospel sluggers) plainly tangible. I couldn't help classifying the type of teaching aide it was. You have heard of visual aides. When we ate the Swiss cheese that was a savory aide. Well this was a tactile aide! Janice talked about the sizzling hot letter Pahoran got from Captain Moroni! That was a tactile aide image. So she got credit for using the first tactile aide last night. I got credit for sharing the last one! And I loved it. No one else seemed that impressed but I had written Plan of Salvation, Happiness, Redemption, Mercy in great big letters on the side bb. Shannon Jensen recently pointed out that none of those are in the D&C! They are only in the BoM! Amazing! @ Julie, a 2^nd weeker, wanted to talk about Satan last night. So we had quite a lengthy discussion about him and in general I feel any time spent on Satan is wasted time. I testified strongly of our Lord's submissiveness versus Satan's selfishness. Jesus Christ won't even allow us to pray to him. He commands us to pray to our Father. He gives all the glory to the Father. And he excuses the poor Nephites that can't help but worship him when he visits them by saying: 19 And it came to pass that Jesus departed out of the midst of them, and went a little way off from them and bowed himself to the earth, and he said:20 Father, I thank thee that thou hast given the Holy Ghost unto these whom I have chosen; and it is because of their belief in me that I have chosen them out of the world.21 Father, I pray thee that thou wilt give the Holy Ghost unto all them that shall believe in their words.22 Father, thou hast given them the Holy Ghost because they believe in me; and thou seest that they believe in me because thou hearest them, and they pray unto me; and they pray unto me because I am with them.23 And now Father, I pray unto thee for them, and also for all those who shall believe on their words, that they may believe in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one.24 And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus prayed unto the Father, he came unto his disciples,@ There is a prayer offered by JC. I underlined it. “and they pray unto me; and they pray unto me because I am with them.” So it is almost like JC is apologizing that his saints just can't help but pray unto him, even though he has asked them to pray unto the Father, because the HG has come upon them and JC is with them. @ I was a little upset with how stupid everyone seemed to be about Satan's plan versus Jesus' plan. As you can tell by what I wrote Janice I wanted her to know #1 Satan's plan was never viable! #2 Jesus' plan wasn't his, but the Father's. Julie wanted to talk about HF's father and his father and their Satan's. She had not yet come to the conclusion that there are obedient and disobedient among all children. @ As I have read the scriptures carefully I have come to the conclusion that among all god's creations: atoms, elements, molecules, cells, organisms, planets, stars, there are the obedient and nonobedient. The obedient follow his commands. The nonobedient don't and are not part of his kingdom. I am not going to volunteer the scriptures that are the source of those conclusions. You can find them yourself or if you just can't resist and have to know soon, then you can write and ask. :) And you can't say it will be an imposition because. . . I will be writing you anyway! Ha @