Mi
Familia y mis amigos,
2/04/2013
It was a
wonderful week to be a Texas McAllen Missionary! This week the Lord blessed us
with the baptism of O.J. Andrade! I am not sure I have written much about him
before but he is 19 and part of a part-member family. The missionaries have
worked long and hard with him but I guess he just wasn't prepared yet. Anyways,
I forgot my camera at church again but I did snag a picture with him after his
baptism that I will send. Also tomorrow is transfers! Elder Magallanes is
leaving and my new companion will be Elder Wilding. E. Wilding and I were in
the same MTC district so that should be pretty exciting! We are a super young
companionship but we are going to tear it up. We have a companionship goal of
baptizing 8 this month and I know we can get it done! haha its funny because I
am going to be his Senior Companion and yesterday he called me to tell me that
I better not boss him around haha. I am so stoked to work with this kid.
Ok so
Stacie the rest of my email is going to be in response to your letter a few
weeks ago. Last week I didn't bring my study notes but I have them today so
here it is. I know it's intended for Stacie but hopefully you might all find it
applicable.
Developing
a Habit of Prayer and Scripture Study
Knowledge:
They are both commandments. We have not been asked to pray or study the
scriptures, but lovingly commanded to do so. Through prayer we can receive
light and truth from the Spirit. Prayer has many dimensions: it is the intimate
communication with God, the channel for inspiration, the most direct means of
expressing gratitude, the posture and essence of humility, the witness of a
broken heart, the voice of a contrite spirit, and the start and the finish of
the quest for forgiveness. Prayer is the very soul of Gospel living. We know
the scriptures to be the word of God given unto His children by his own voice,
of by the voice of His holy angels and chosen prophets. The illuminate the
pathway to Christ. Most of all, they are compelling evidence of His boundless
love for us.
Desire:
These scriptures represent some of the reasons Elder Sanderson studies and
prays. Pay attention to the promised blessings. During one of your personal
studies look these up :)
-Prayer:
James 5:16. Helaman 3:35, Doctrine and Covenants 103:36
-Scriptures:
2nd Timothy 3:14-17, Alma 12:9-11, Alma 26:21-22, Jacob 4:6-8
Repetition:
Stacie you must have a firm resolution to do these things. you must have the
right attitude as well, or this habit will always be a struggle for you. These
2 quotes might explain why out attitude is important.
The first
is from Elder Utchdorf in his talk, "Forget Me Not"
"Sometimes,
in the routine of our lives, we unintentionally overlook a vital aspect of the
gospel of Jesus Christ much as one might overlook a beautiful, delicate
forget-me-not. In our diligent efforts to fulfill all of the duties and
obligations we take on as members of the Church, we sometimes see the gospel as
a long list of tasks that we must add to our already impossibly long to-do
list, as a block of time that we must somehow fit into our busy schedules. We
focus on what the Lord wants us to do and how we might do it, but we sometimes
forget why. My dear sisters, the gospel of Jesus Christ is not an obligation;
it is a pathway, marked by our loving Father in Heaven, leading to happiness
and peace in this life and glory and inexpressible fulfillment in the life to
come. The gospel is a light that penetrates mortality and illuminates the way
before us. While understanding the “what” and the “how” of the gospel is necessary, the eternal fire and majesty
of the gospel springs from the “why.” When we understand why our Heavenly Father has given us
this pattern for living, when we remember why we committed to making it a
foundational part of our lives, the gospel ceases to become a burden and,
instead, becomes a joy and a delight. It becomes precious and sweet. Let us not
walk the path of discipleship with our eyes on the ground, thinking only of the
tasks and obligations before us. Let us not walk unaware of the beauty of the
glorious earthly and spiritual landscapes that surround us. My dear sisters,
seek out the majesty, the beauty, and the exhilarating joy of the “why” of the gospel of Jesus
Christ. The “what” and “how” of obedience mark the way and keep us on the right path.
The “why” of obedience sanctifies our actions, transforming the
mundane into the majestic. It magnifies our small acts of obedience into holy
acts of consecration."
The other
is from President Monson.
“To those within the sound of
my voice who are struggling with challenges and difficulties large and small,
prayer is the provider of spiritual strength; it is the passport to peace.
Prayer is the means by which we approach our Father in Heaven, who loves us.
Speak to Him in prayer and then listen for the answer. Miracles are wrought
through prayer”
I wish to
share with you one of my favorite stories of prayer. It comes from the Old
Testament times by the Prophet Enoch. So grab your scriptures and follow along
ok? We don't know much about Enoch other than the fact his is awesome! In fact
his entire city was translated and not lives with God. haha so one day Enoch is
just out and about when the Lord comes and tells him he must preach repentance
unto the inhabitants of the land or they are all going to be destroyed...pretty
intense right? Thats a lot of pressure to put on just one man. So what does
Enoch do? He prays. In Moses 6:31 we hear of Enoch's humble prayer. It reads,
"And when Enoch had heard these words, he bowed himself to the earth,
before the Lord, and spake before the Lord, saying: Why is it that I have found
favor in thy sight, and am but a lad, and all the people hate me; for I am slow
of speech; wherefore am I thy servant?" In this trying moments Enoch comes
to the Lord with his difficulties and lays them at the feet of the Savior. The
Savior's response to this humble prayer are my favorite scriptures ever. In
verse 32-34 we read, "And the Lord said unto Enoch: Go forth and do as I
have commanded thee, and no man shall pierce thee. Open thy mouth, and it shall
be filled, and I will give thee utterance, for all flesh is in my hands, and I
will do as seemeth me good. Say unto this people: Choose ye this day, to serve
the Lord God who made you. Behold my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy
words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers
shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you;
therefore walk with me." The Lord extends this powerful invitation to
Enoch, and what does he do? In verse 39 we read, "he walked with
God." Stacie we are not any different. These blessings are for us as well.
In the next chapter we read of how the Lord came through on his blessings. In
Moses 7:13 it says, "And so great was the faith of Enoch that he led the
people of God, and their enemies came to battle against them; and he spake the
word of the Lord, and the earth trembled, and the mountains fled, even
according to his command; and the rivers of water were turned out of their
course; and the roar of the lions was heard out of the wilderness; and all
nations feared greatly, so powerful was the word of Enoch, and so great was the
power of the language which God had given him"
I am
deeply grateful for the privilege of going to my holy Heavenly Father in
prayer. I am thankful for the countless times He has heard and answered me.
Because He answers me, including sometimes in predictive and miraculous ways, I
know He lives. Stacie I love you and I hope you know that. it you develop these
habits it will change your life. The Lord has blessed me with the opportunity
to see these habits change lives. i know the Savior is ever present in our
lives and I believe He stands and knocks at the door. He is anxiously waiting
to bless us with the slightest good we do. if you open that door, like Enoch
you will bring about miracles. So much is at stake, please do not wait another
day.
con todo
me amor,
Elder
Sanderson
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