Sanderson
Family and Friends,
1/28/2013
Another
wonderful week here in Laredo Zone. The only bummer is that Omar relapsed on
drinking this past Tuesday so his baptism will be delayed...please keep him in
your prayers. He is doing awesome and we had a wonderful FHE with him at the
Jimenez home. He loved it and got some really good fellowship out of it. Omar
has really needed that so hopefully he will feel more comfortable at church!
Everyone else is doing great! Pete is wavering a little bit. He struggles with
some of the commandments but is still progressing. I fear as though his
baptismal date will have to be moved back as well.
This week
President Trayner was up in Laredo again doing some business for the Laredo
District. I was doing some baptismal interviews for the Central District and I
got done early, so President invited me in to one of the interviews. This young
couple walked in and after President Trayner asked what he could do for them,
immediately an onslaught of arguments and problems arose between the two
people. They seriously looked for
anything to argue about with each other. At first I thought it was humorous,
but after things began to get confidential I was asked to leave. After I left I
began to feel this overwhelming sorrow for that young couple. I left with a
determination to find out why these young people who once so eagerly knelt
together before the altar, could now have so much animosity towards one
another. They had made mountains out of mole-hills and instead of talking with
each other, they would rather talk to divorce lawyers and gossip with their
friends. I concluded that these young people didn't understand grace, they
didn't understand the Atonement, and they didn't understand love. The love that
casteth out all fear and leads to repentance, forgiveness, and renewed
strength.
So what
is love? I believe love to be the motivating power of the divine mission of our
lives, the substance of everlasting life, the key to eternal hope and peace,
and the binding power of the relationship between God and His children. The
Gospel of Jesus Christ is founded upon the principle of enduring love. It
constitutes obtaining the divine nature of Christ through faith, virtue, knowledge,
temperance, brotherly kindness, and godliness with all humility and diligence
(D&C 4:6). Charity never fails. Christ did not fail His Father, nor did He
fail us; His pure love motivated His great sacrifice...the eternal, infinite,
vicarious Atonement. When we posses this Charity...the pure love of Christ,
this love for all men, this desire to bless and serve...when we posses the
qualities of charity, and we never fail. For in the strength of the Lord we can
do all things, just as Ammon did (Alma 26:12). Love marks the pathway to
salvation.
In the
example of the 2 young people, we clearly see that, "Hatred stirreth up
strifes: but love covereth all sins." (Proverbs 10:12) They failed to
realize the power of love. They refused to use the Atonement and chose
bitterness and eternal regret instead. They saw each other as they were now,
and not who they together could become. They demanded the impossible immediate
perfection instead of helping each other improve. All they wanted was their own
selfishness and claimed that both deserved better. Family and friends, it
cannot be this way with us. "Forsake the foolish and live!" (Proverbs
9:6) We must stop trying to prove that as mortals, we will always struggle to
measure up to the immortal hopes placed before us. There is nothing in this
world that love cannot heal. Trust in the Savior and his great healing
Atonement. Jesus Christ came "to seek and save those who [are] lost."
(Luke 19:10) We are all lost in our own way. Everything that seems lost can be
restored though love. The Atonement is the perfect example of that. Only after
we allow love to heal wounds and repent will we ever be happy. There is no
other way.
I wish to
close with my favorite hymn "Be Still, My Soul"
1. Be
still, my soul: The Lord is on thy side;
With
patience bear thy cross of grief or pain.
Leave to
thy God to order and provide;
In ev'ry
change he faithful will remain.
Be still,
my soul: Thy best, thy heav'nly Friend
Thru
thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
2. Be
still, my soul: Thy God doth undertake
To guide
the future as he has the past.
Thy hope,
thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now
mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still,
my soul: The waves and winds still know
His voice
who ruled them while he dwelt below.
3. Be
still, my soul: The hour is hast'ning on
When we
shall be forever with the Lord,
When
disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow
forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still,
my soul: When change and tears are past,
All safe
and blessed we shall meet at last.
I am so
grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that has given us the glorious gift to
love. Yes, with love comes sacrifice. Yes, with love comes sorrows. Our Savior
is the perfect example that pains and wounds come from loving and serving
others. But, just like the Hymn says, the "purest joys" of love can
be restored. Let us search our hearts and do what is necessary to feel this Joy
fill our lives once again. This is the beauty of the Gospel. I love you all so
much! I know I have many a time let you down and destroyed all confidence you
might have had in me. Thank you for your love and forgiveness in my behalf.
con amor
