Week 49 - Dad - Bold Armor
Sunday, February 23, 2014
9:25 PM
Dear Max,
Questions:
- We need 2 pictures for your international Driver's license as soon as possible Try if you can to get it taken today. Otherwise you may be busted back to a private.
- Do you still want letters (paper) from your pre-mission buddies (Trevor, Zach, Redford, Garrett)? I have about 4 month's worth that I could print for you…but I don't know that they are things you'd want since you probably already get letters from them independently. Let me know and I'll send them.
- How are your investigators doing?
Scripture:
This morning during our Stake Priesthood Leadership meeting, we were talking about how the Doctrine of Christ is critical in so many ways. I hope that is what you are sharing at every turn. As we were talking about the last phase of the Doctrine of Christ (endurance) our president was encouraging us to not think of it as a terrible painful process, but one full of hope, joy and blessings. I do believe he is right. However, I also think the temptations before us can be overwhelming. And I thought of the scripture in Ephesians 6 where Paul talks about how we need to put on the whole armor of God… for even if we do all we can, if we can even have the strength to stand, we will be good.
12 For we awrestle not bagainst cflesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the drulers of the edarknessof this world, against spiritual fwickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
As I read ahead, and read about the whole armor of God, I also saw the blessing that comes to those who do it… or at least at first that's what I thought…
19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the amystery of the gospel,
20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak aboldly, as I ought to speak.
Then as I pondered it more, it occurred to me that perhaps Paul wasn't saying that by putting on the whole armor of God we become more bold to do our duty…but perhaps he was saying that when we speak boldly and do our duty as we ought, that it is another form of armor…it protects us even more.
Either way you interpret the scripture the blessings of protection and boldness comes as we do our duty and wear the armor.
I pray that you will go out and work hard…and with boldness. And as you do it will protect you from temptation and challenges of the world.
May we all do our duties that we can be clean.
Thought:
I shared the following thought to my coworkers at the Church Office, and to my Brothers and Sisters on the Cruise. I think since you are the representative of the Lord (to your investigators) and of the Mission President (to your Zone) you may appreciate this thought. Enjoy.
| I remember years ago as Stake President we had a Wonderful Family History Fair. It was amazing. So many worked so hard to prepare: - Fill the gym with displays
- Things from all over the world
- Journals that were 100's of years old
- Old English Writing displays
- Armor making displays
- People who were related to prophets
- A 30' wall covering of one person's family history
- Workshops on how to write a journal
- Movies showing how to do family history
- Indexing instruction
- Desserts and Meals from many countries out in the pavillion
- Photographer taking pictures of families which were then posted online
As President, I was so happy with the work. I wanted to give everyone who came, who worked a big hug and thank them for all they did. A few weeks later a visiting Elder Dale G. Renlund, came to visit our stake. I was so happy with what we had done, that when he asked how our Stake was doing, I did a full description of this event. Perhaps I'd gone on a little too long on how great our stake was, when He then taught me a very important lesson. He said it was a lesson he had been taught years before as a Stake President. And it's a lesson that applies to each of us here. And that was - "You can certainly be PLEASED with wonderful works. But you can NEVER be SATISFIED." Here at the church, we are in the process of going through our ATIs. Being reviewed for work done last year, and looking at work we want to accomplish this year. We may have done some wonderful things last year. This is a time to pause and reflect on how good it feels to accomplish some great things. But it's also a time to see what we could have done better. And pause long enough to commit to doing better. We can be pleased… but never satisfied. Elder Christopherson spoke on the subject of being chastened and receiving correction. He said that each of us - if we want to become like unto the savior - have a long way to go. But if we will develop one attribute, we will arrive. And that attribute is this: "willingly to accept and even seek correction. Correction is vital if we would conform our lives “unto a perfect man, [that is,] unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). Paul said of divine correction or chastening, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth” (Hebrews 12:6). Though it is often difficult to endure, truly we ought to rejoice that God considers us worth the time and trouble to correct. He said that if we will seek Divine chastening we will come unto the perfect man/woman. This attribute has 3 purposes that prepares us… (1) to persuade us to repent, (2) to refine and sanctify us, and (3) at times to redirect our course in life to what God knows is a better path. May each of us find pleasure in the good works we do, enjoy our time here. But may we also seek diving chastening that we may never be satisfied. |
May the Lord bless you and your companion, and your investigators and MAs.
We love and pray for you always.
Love,
Dad
