Hello my awesome family,
This week has been great. We finished teaching the lessons to Derrick and he is very excited for his baptism this Saturday. He expressed a concern about the Word of Wisdom and we shared with him that we are willing to help him in anyway he needs. We invited him to fast this Sunday for strength and he was very fast in his reply that it was something he wanted to do. We let him know that we would fast with him too. It was a great Sabbath day and I learned a lot from the incredible talks that were given.
Derrick really enjoyed the meetings as well and had his interview for baptism :D I am very excited for him and I love being able to share my testimony with him so often. We will be meeting with Derrick Monday- Wednesday to see how he's doing and then calling him on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. On Saturday he will then be baptized!!! Keep him in your prayers this is a very important week and Satan knows it. Thank you for all the prayers that you have already said. You are such an awesome family and I love you all very much. Schuyler is doing well. This week we talked about who he would like to baptize him and how he would like the proceedings to be. He shared a few names and then asked if we could help with the rest. We said of course and are also very excited for him. We are also happy that Schuyler's brother is friends with Derrick as well. Schuyler's brother's name is Sage who is going to be attending both of their baptisms. We hope to be able to start teaching him the lessons as well.
It is really amazing how things are playing out. I am amazed at how involved Heavenly Father is in the work. We were also able to meet with Pan this week. He is doing very well. For black friday his aunt bought him as suit and he was very happy. We are waiting for him to feel comfortable in receiving the Priesthood. He is very shy. Please pray that the Spirit will help him to understand the importance of the Priesthood and how it can truly bless his life. I know you will. Keeler is still not coming to church and I have tried to call him a couple of times. It hurts to see him turn away so quickly. I hope and pray that he will be blessed to grow in a true testimony of the restoration of the gospel today. I know that there is a prophet on the earth and I know this because of the testimony of the Book of Mormon which I have. Pray that Keeler may also grow in his testimony.
It is great to see the pictures of the Pageant. What a great way to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. There is no better way than through song. I love Christmas time. As I was saying about the talks yesterday, one was about why we need to have faith in Jesus Christ. This led me to study about faith this morning and I learned that faith is the beginning of our being able to grow in a knowledge of the promised blessings of God. Only by our faith (action) in keeping the Word of Wisdom are we able to see that God's promises are true. Only by faith in prayer are we able to see that it is truly possible for us to communicate with our Father in Heavenly and learn of His great love for us. Only by having faith (action) as Christ and studying His life are we able to see an example of someone who truly received all of the promised blessings of God and know that it truly happened. Only by being faithful scripture readers are we able to grow in our knowledge of the commandments of God and see how to build and grow in our obedience which leads to a building of our faith. As Nephi said about obtaining the plates of brass, "And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, I remembered the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise. Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they should have the law. And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of brass." (1Nephi 4:14-16) Nephi knew that the only way to remember the commandments was to faithfully read them. This week I will be committing myself to work harder at faithfully studying the scripture, to praying with greater faith, to growing in my obedience to God's commandments that my faith may increase and I may be a better tool in the hands of the Lord. This work is His work. If we make our life His life then His greatness and glory will eventually become our glory. We must press forward with an eye single to the glory of God (Doctrine and Covenants 4) that through our faith and good works we may be blessed and receive everlasting life (Alma 7:27). I know that this is possible if only we choose to have the faith of a grain of mustard seed, the faith to move mountains. I know that God lives and that His promises are sure. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Derrick really enjoyed the meetings as well and had his interview for baptism :D I am very excited for him and I love being able to share my testimony with him so often. We will be meeting with Derrick Monday- Wednesday to see how he's doing and then calling him on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. On Saturday he will then be baptized!!! Keep him in your prayers this is a very important week and Satan knows it. Thank you for all the prayers that you have already said. You are such an awesome family and I love you all very much. Schuyler is doing well. This week we talked about who he would like to baptize him and how he would like the proceedings to be. He shared a few names and then asked if we could help with the rest. We said of course and are also very excited for him. We are also happy that Schuyler's brother is friends with Derrick as well. Schuyler's brother's name is Sage who is going to be attending both of their baptisms. We hope to be able to start teaching him the lessons as well.
It is really amazing how things are playing out. I am amazed at how involved Heavenly Father is in the work. We were also able to meet with Pan this week. He is doing very well. For black friday his aunt bought him as suit and he was very happy. We are waiting for him to feel comfortable in receiving the Priesthood. He is very shy. Please pray that the Spirit will help him to understand the importance of the Priesthood and how it can truly bless his life. I know you will. Keeler is still not coming to church and I have tried to call him a couple of times. It hurts to see him turn away so quickly. I hope and pray that he will be blessed to grow in a true testimony of the restoration of the gospel today. I know that there is a prophet on the earth and I know this because of the testimony of the Book of Mormon which I have. Pray that Keeler may also grow in his testimony.
It is great to see the pictures of the Pageant. What a great way to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. There is no better way than through song. I love Christmas time. As I was saying about the talks yesterday, one was about why we need to have faith in Jesus Christ. This led me to study about faith this morning and I learned that faith is the beginning of our being able to grow in a knowledge of the promised blessings of God. Only by our faith (action) in keeping the Word of Wisdom are we able to see that God's promises are true. Only by faith in prayer are we able to see that it is truly possible for us to communicate with our Father in Heavenly and learn of His great love for us. Only by having faith (action) as Christ and studying His life are we able to see an example of someone who truly received all of the promised blessings of God and know that it truly happened. Only by being faithful scripture readers are we able to grow in our knowledge of the commandments of God and see how to build and grow in our obedience which leads to a building of our faith. As Nephi said about obtaining the plates of brass, "And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, I remembered the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise. Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they should have the law. And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of brass." (1Nephi 4:14-16) Nephi knew that the only way to remember the commandments was to faithfully read them. This week I will be committing myself to work harder at faithfully studying the scripture, to praying with greater faith, to growing in my obedience to God's commandments that my faith may increase and I may be a better tool in the hands of the Lord. This work is His work. If we make our life His life then His greatness and glory will eventually become our glory. We must press forward with an eye single to the glory of God (Doctrine and Covenants 4) that through our faith and good works we may be blessed and receive everlasting life (Alma 7:27). I know that this is possible if only we choose to have the faith of a grain of mustard seed, the faith to move mountains. I know that God lives and that His promises are sure. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Sincerely,
Elder Christensen
