Hello my loving, great family,
I love you all. It is incredible to have a new year! Time is a ticking and I feel more and more that I need to accomplish all that I can with what little time I have left. I need to be out talking to more people. We just ran into a couple of chinese people on the street as we were walking to the library. It was great fun to talk to them and learn more about them. They knew a little about us since they knew that we taught english class at their complex. We had our entire conversation in mandarin!! It was great to be able to speak with them. We shared a little about the restoration and left them a pamphlet with our name and number. We also invited them out to english class this Saturday. They were impressed. What fun it is to meet new people and get to know a little of their experiences and background.
This week we started attending a Tai Chi group :D!! I know! It is great, we wake up in the morning and bike up to the park around 8:30 and the group does Tai Chi until 10:00. It's a lot of fun and the people seem happy and excited to see that there are two Americans who would like to learn about chinese culture. Just yesterday, Monday, the group decided to bring out their swords and gave us a couple to follow along with. It was cool! We are hoping that through our attending the group we will be able to reach the hearts of the chinese people and then be able to share with them what makes us so happy. We are in constant search for ways to be more involved with the chinese community. It is difficult since a lot of the people have enough money to constantly go and attend activities in San Francisco that there aren't very many cultural events out here. We have goals for this month and I know that as we work hard to achieve them Heavenly Father will bless us greatly.
I need to write to Jeff now since I promised him a letter last week.
Hey Jeff,
I am sorry again that I didn't get to write you last week. You are a awesome kid :) You are my favorite boy your age. You have a great joy in your life that I know others look up to. The light in your eyes and face gives others reassurance that there is a possibility for them to be full of joy. You always have a smile on your face. I would invite you to continue to share that light with your friends and help them to go to church with you. As you do, they will be happier and you will be able to help them grow in their self-confidence. You are a great young man with great potential to become even better. Your friends look up to you for guidance and council. Remember to keep the commandments for they will always lead you in the right way. I love you.
There you go my wonderful family. I love you all and I know that each of you are children of God. I would like to share some things that I have learned this week too. I was studying in 1 Nephi 8 and came across verses 10-12 which share Lehi's observations about the tree of life and it's fruit.
"And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy. And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen. And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit." Here Lehi, expresses to his sons that the fruit was
(1) sweet above all that was sweet,
(2) white, to exceed all whiteness, and
(3) desirable above all else. Also,
(4) Lehi shared that it filled his soul with exceedingly great joy.
(1) sweet above all that was sweet,
(2) white, to exceed all whiteness, and
(3) desirable above all else. Also,
(4) Lehi shared that it filled his soul with exceedingly great joy.
(1) I think there are two types of sweet. One is a flavor, such as being sweet to the taste. The other is a feeling, sweet as in gratifying or pleasing.
(2) White stands as a symbol of purity. The fruit was pure thus is gave Lehi pure joy, pure sweetness, a pure desire for more, and a pure desire to share it.
(3) The fruit was desirable above all else. Because Lehi tasted of the fruit he wanted to taste it again and again. It took top priority in his life because everything else paled in comparison to the blessings the fruit gave to Lehi.
(4) Lehi knew that this fruit was not only for him, he knew that it was not only able to make him happy, but it was also able to fill others with the same joy and he knew that everyone else was looking for the same pure joy that came from the fruit on the tree of life.
These 4 observations are blessings that the gospel brings into our lives. Later, in 1 Nephi, Nephi shares his own experience of seeing the vision of the tree of life. Nephi then learns of the meaning behind the symbolism. He learns in 1 Nephi 11:22 that the tree is a symbol of God's love. "And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things... [and the angel says] Yea, and the most joyous to the soul." Feeling the love of God fills our lives with joy. How is the love of God expressed? I refer again to the simple and sweet words of a children's hymn, "How could the Father tell the world of love and tenderness? He sent his Son, a newborn babe, with peace and holiness. How could the Father show the world the pathway we should go? He sent his Son to walk with men on earth, that we may know. How could the Father tell the world of sacrifice, of death? He sent his Son to die for us and rise with living breath. What does the Father ask of us? What do the scriptures say? Have faith, have hope, live like his Son, help others on their way. What does he ask? Live like his Son." (He Sent His Son, Children's songbook #34)
We can only feel the presence of the Father through first accepting Christ as our Savior. We need to have faith in Him and believe that He truly did die for us. I know that Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself for us in a great expression of love. We must then choose to repent of our sins or transgressions and become perfect "even as [Christ] or your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Scriptures) Then make a promise to God that you will continually do this throughout your life. In return He promises the companionship of the Holy Ghost, one of the greatest gifts He can give us. I know that the Holy Ghost leads us and guides us. He testifies of the Father and Son and helps us feel the love of God. After this we must endure to the end. Through doing this we enable ourselves to partake of the fruit, the love of God, and receive the sweet, pure, joyful, desirable feelings Lehi felt. I know that the gospel is the key to opening the blessings of the Atonement. Those blessings are complete cleansing of our sins and our becoming perfect, even as God is. I invite you to continue studying the gospel and I know that it is true. Have Faith, Repent, be baptized and partake of the sacrament each week, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end. As you do this you will be filled with the love of God. I testify that the authority to baptize and bestow the Holy Ghost was restored to the earth through the prophet Joseph Smith. That authority is only found in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that God lives. I now that Christ did perform the Atonement. Let us receive of it's blessings. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. I love you all.
We can only feel the presence of the Father through first accepting Christ as our Savior. We need to have faith in Him and believe that He truly did die for us. I know that Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself for us in a great expression of love. We must then choose to repent of our sins or transgressions and become perfect "even as [Christ] or your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Scriptures) Then make a promise to God that you will continually do this throughout your life. In return He promises the companionship of the Holy Ghost, one of the greatest gifts He can give us. I know that the Holy Ghost leads us and guides us. He testifies of the Father and Son and helps us feel the love of God. After this we must endure to the end. Through doing this we enable ourselves to partake of the fruit, the love of God, and receive the sweet, pure, joyful, desirable feelings Lehi felt. I know that the gospel is the key to opening the blessings of the Atonement. Those blessings are complete cleansing of our sins and our becoming perfect, even as God is. I invite you to continue studying the gospel and I know that it is true. Have Faith, Repent, be baptized and partake of the sacrament each week, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end. As you do this you will be filled with the love of God. I testify that the authority to baptize and bestow the Holy Ghost was restored to the earth through the prophet Joseph Smith. That authority is only found in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that God lives. I now that Christ did perform the Atonement. Let us receive of it's blessings. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. I love you all.
Sincerely,
Elder Christensen
