So, this past week has been a doozy.... again.
The beginning of this last week went well. Sadly our fishing appointment we had fell through. But we were able to do some service instead. We helped Bro. Johnson, the second counsellor in the branch presidency. We helped him load his truck and split some big logs. It was fun.
For about 7 of the past 10 days, we've done service. All day on those days. It was fun.
Thursday and Friday were days of mixed emotions though...
I finished "Jesus the Christ" that day (it took me 6 weeks to finish it) and that was amazing. There is more knowledge in that book that almost any other book, excluding the scriptures. I have learned more from that book than I thought was possible. I strongly suggest reading it. But have a dictionary handy, some of the words he uses are not one's you hear in everyday vocabulary.
But sadly, Bo, the Great Pyrenees puppy Sis. Trent had, went missing. We couldn't find him all day. On Friday we found out that he had come home late that night and was covered in mud, from nose to tail. We also found out that he died about 11:30 am on Friday. That just broke everyone's heart. He was the cutest little thing ever. Big ol' poof ball of fur and love. Sister Trent was pretty broken up because this was the kind of dog she's wanted since she was 17. I was pretty broken up about it because I love animals and I was playing with that puppy before the Trents got him. I would play with him whenever we went to the Johnson's (because that's where they got him from). Their other dog, Dixie, a miniature pincher, went missing also the same time Bo went missing. Elder Peterson and I were outside talking on the Trent's back porch and we heard a dog whine. We both stopped and listened and the sound was coming from under the Trent's trailer. We got down to see what it was and there was a door to go under the trailer. We opened it up and Dixie popped out! So we were pretty happy about that.
Also on Friday, we were able to meet with Jesse Baugh, who had a three day interbody fusion surgery on her back in February. She is healing miraculously and has a much stronger testimony that God is there. While we were talking to here, I saw the face of the Relief Society president of the Burkeville branch flash through my brain and I knew she needed to meet Jesse Baugh. The cool thing about it is, the Relief Society president, Sis. Phyllis Roark, is Jewel Queensberry's (she's Jesse's really good friend who she's known since highschool), little sister. So this is going to be awesome. Jesse Baugh wants to help other women in any way, and what better way that in the world's oldest and largest women's organization?
So this past week really has been a doozy.
I want to let you all know something about conference coming up.
President Perry, when he was an area authority, was with President Uchdorf when they went to this Stake counsel thing. That morning he had read "The Family, a Proclamation to the World". The Stake young men's president said "We're losing our youth" and talked about it. Then, with tears in his eyes asked, "what is the world going to be like in ten years?" President Uchdorf said, "that is a very good question, and Elder Perry is going to answer that." Immediately President Perry knew what to say: "If you want to know what the world will be like in ten years, listen to what the Prophet is saying now"
I'd like to give you all the same advice that President Perry gave to those Stake leaders. If you want to know what the world will be like in ten years, listen to what the Prophet is saying now.
I love you all,
-Elder Ricky-dude.
--
P.S. The Church is true!
P.P.S. FROG - Fully Rely On God
March 28, 2011
March 21, 2011
March 21, 2011
So, have you ever had a scar that was always where you could see it and it brought back memories you really didn't want to remember? The good thing about physical scars is that they will fade with time, or even quicker if you use aloe on them. But don't you wish there was aloe that you could use on your mind and memories?
Well, there is. It's called the Atonement of Jesus Christ. And what better way to explain the power of it than with a story.
Saturday night while I was asleep, I had a nightmare. In the nightmare, I did something seriously bad that I would be punished for very severely. The scary part was, I couldn't tell if it was real or not. So in the nightmare, I'm freaking out about it because I know I did something wrong and I needed help but I couldn't find it. Not help to cover it up because I knew that would be even worse if I tried to do that, but help to get through what was coming. Then when I woke up Sunday morning, I prayed for dear life that I could be forgiven of letting my mind get away like that. It seriously scared me. I physically felt like there was a giant metal clamp on my insides that just kept slowly getting tighter. With that clamp getting tighter, a sense of helplessness was coming with it. I knew Satan was really working hard on me at that time. As we went to church, I was continuously praying in my heart that, when I partake of the sacrament, I would be able to have those thoughts washed away, because I knew that the sacrament is basically being baptized again without going under the water. I prayed my hardest and the clamp seemed to slow down and a glimmer of hope, a thought that I would make it, shined through.
When I was finally able to take the sacrament, I felt relieved. The clamp was gone, the hopelessness was gone for the most part, but the scar was still there and fresh in my mind. As I was sitting down listening to the speakers, my mind kept going back to the scar and I kept feeling the clamp, though not as strong as earlier. I kept telling myself to stop thinking about it. Then, as clear as day, a voice said, "You DO need to stop thinking about it". The scar faded drastically. The Lord had stepped in and put the aloe of the Atonement on the scar. It's still there, but it rarely shows up in the front of my mind. I knew that I was going to be alright. I know that the Lord is there for me.
The Atonement of Jesus Christ is as real as the earth we're on. It's as real as the air you breath. Even though you can't see the air, you can feel it's cool breeze when it comes through. He is really there. He will help the scars fade if you will turn to Him with all you heart, mind, and strength. I promise you that. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
-Elder Ricky-dude
--
P.S. The Church is true!
P.P.S. FROG - Fully Rely On God
Explanation of pictures:
Bo, the big white puppy, is a Great Pyranese who was about 2 months old at the time the pictures were taken. And the cow is a ninja cow I caught off guard so I got a picture of him. Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to see him. :D
Well, there is. It's called the Atonement of Jesus Christ. And what better way to explain the power of it than with a story.
Saturday night while I was asleep, I had a nightmare. In the nightmare, I did something seriously bad that I would be punished for very severely. The scary part was, I couldn't tell if it was real or not. So in the nightmare, I'm freaking out about it because I know I did something wrong and I needed help but I couldn't find it. Not help to cover it up because I knew that would be even worse if I tried to do that, but help to get through what was coming. Then when I woke up Sunday morning, I prayed for dear life that I could be forgiven of letting my mind get away like that. It seriously scared me. I physically felt like there was a giant metal clamp on my insides that just kept slowly getting tighter. With that clamp getting tighter, a sense of helplessness was coming with it. I knew Satan was really working hard on me at that time. As we went to church, I was continuously praying in my heart that, when I partake of the sacrament, I would be able to have those thoughts washed away, because I knew that the sacrament is basically being baptized again without going under the water. I prayed my hardest and the clamp seemed to slow down and a glimmer of hope, a thought that I would make it, shined through.
When I was finally able to take the sacrament, I felt relieved. The clamp was gone, the hopelessness was gone for the most part, but the scar was still there and fresh in my mind. As I was sitting down listening to the speakers, my mind kept going back to the scar and I kept feeling the clamp, though not as strong as earlier. I kept telling myself to stop thinking about it. Then, as clear as day, a voice said, "You DO need to stop thinking about it". The scar faded drastically. The Lord had stepped in and put the aloe of the Atonement on the scar. It's still there, but it rarely shows up in the front of my mind. I knew that I was going to be alright. I know that the Lord is there for me.
The Atonement of Jesus Christ is as real as the earth we're on. It's as real as the air you breath. Even though you can't see the air, you can feel it's cool breeze when it comes through. He is really there. He will help the scars fade if you will turn to Him with all you heart, mind, and strength. I promise you that. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
-Elder Ricky-dude
--
P.S. The Church is true!
P.P.S. FROG - Fully Rely On God
Explanation of pictures:
Bo, the big white puppy, is a Great Pyranese who was about 2 months old at the time the pictures were taken. And the cow is a ninja cow I caught off guard so I got a picture of him. Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to see him. :D
March 14, 2011
March 14, 2011
So this past week has been amazing.
We had an awesome day last Wednesday. To start the day off, we woke up on time (woot!) and did the whole "get ready and study" routine. Then, we walked to our appointment we had with Lee Bryant, a new investigator who bore his testimony last Sunday. He told us how he was raised Catholic and how nothing made sense to him. He loves the church because it all makes sense to him. He told us how he loves that the church is so family oriented. So, we taught him the plan of salvation and asked him which of the three kingdoms did he want to go to. He said he qualifies for the second one (terrestrial). His wife, who's a member, told him that's not what we asked. We asked which one does he want to get to. He said the Celestial kingdom. Then we told him to do that he needs to be baptized by the proper authority. So we set him with a baptism date for April 16th!
That's just what happened in the middle of the day. We still have the rest of the day to cover.
Then, we were sitting in the car and were talking about something in the scriptures, and I randomly flipped to Matt. 24:15 and it talks about the abomination of desolation. I asked myself "what the heck is that?" and then proceeded to look it up. I then read Daniel 9:27 and the Spirit took the Paddle of Sudden Revelation and about knocked me out of the car smacking me in the face with the Paddle. (Translation: I've never had that strong of a revelation about the scriptures in my life) And it all came in about half a second. I suggest studying those scriptures. It talks about the plan of salvation in it and the end of the world.
Then, we went to our last lesson for the day. We've been working with this guy for a long time now and it's been difficult because we've been going about it the wrong way. So we sat down and taught him the plan of salvation. The lesson went pretty similar to the lesson we had earlier that day with Lee. Except Jay has no religious background whatsoever.... at all..... seriously. His dad was a mountain man and all he taught him about God or religion was that there was a Great Spirit, that's it. But as we've been going over to his house and teaching him he's slowly come to know more. But he still didn't really know God was there for him. As we were teaching him we asked him the same question we asked Lee: Which kingdom do you want to go to. He was honest and said he was most likely headed for the Terrestrial kingdom, but he said he wanted to go to the Celestial. We said the first step is to pray to our Heavenly Father. His wife, who is a member, said "Well, I think the first step would be knowing that God is really there." It clicked in my head right there: He needs to pray to know if God is there. So we asked him to do that. He said he would try, and we asked what would keep him from doing that. He said he might forget. We asked him to pray right there with us. He did.
As he was praying, everything went still. Even there 9 month old son was still and quiet. Jay asked if God was there. He said "Please let me know that you're there and you're true". I testify to you that the Heavens truly opened, and God's love was truly there, and that the Spirit was more overwhelming than any other time in my life. Elder Holland explains what happened better than I could in his talk called The Divine Companionship. He says, (I'm paraphrasing), that when we've done enough, and are unified with the Spirit and the investigator, God says "It is enough. Let us give them a taste of what our unity is like." There is nothing on earth that can duplicate that feeling. The overwhelming sense of God's presence in your very living room, or wherever you are.
God truly does, and truly will, answer the prayers of those who ask in humility and honesty; who ask with full purpose of heart with every fiber of there being. Of this I testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
-Elder Ricky-dude.
--
P.S. The Church is true!
P.P.S. FROG - Fully Rely On God
We had an awesome day last Wednesday. To start the day off, we woke up on time (woot!) and did the whole "get ready and study" routine. Then, we walked to our appointment we had with Lee Bryant, a new investigator who bore his testimony last Sunday. He told us how he was raised Catholic and how nothing made sense to him. He loves the church because it all makes sense to him. He told us how he loves that the church is so family oriented. So, we taught him the plan of salvation and asked him which of the three kingdoms did he want to go to. He said he qualifies for the second one (terrestrial). His wife, who's a member, told him that's not what we asked. We asked which one does he want to get to. He said the Celestial kingdom. Then we told him to do that he needs to be baptized by the proper authority. So we set him with a baptism date for April 16th!
That's just what happened in the middle of the day. We still have the rest of the day to cover.
Then, we were sitting in the car and were talking about something in the scriptures, and I randomly flipped to Matt. 24:15 and it talks about the abomination of desolation. I asked myself "what the heck is that?" and then proceeded to look it up. I then read Daniel 9:27 and the Spirit took the Paddle of Sudden Revelation and about knocked me out of the car smacking me in the face with the Paddle. (Translation: I've never had that strong of a revelation about the scriptures in my life) And it all came in about half a second. I suggest studying those scriptures. It talks about the plan of salvation in it and the end of the world.
Then, we went to our last lesson for the day. We've been working with this guy for a long time now and it's been difficult because we've been going about it the wrong way. So we sat down and taught him the plan of salvation. The lesson went pretty similar to the lesson we had earlier that day with Lee. Except Jay has no religious background whatsoever.... at all..... seriously. His dad was a mountain man and all he taught him about God or religion was that there was a Great Spirit, that's it. But as we've been going over to his house and teaching him he's slowly come to know more. But he still didn't really know God was there for him. As we were teaching him we asked him the same question we asked Lee: Which kingdom do you want to go to. He was honest and said he was most likely headed for the Terrestrial kingdom, but he said he wanted to go to the Celestial. We said the first step is to pray to our Heavenly Father. His wife, who is a member, said "Well, I think the first step would be knowing that God is really there." It clicked in my head right there: He needs to pray to know if God is there. So we asked him to do that. He said he would try, and we asked what would keep him from doing that. He said he might forget. We asked him to pray right there with us. He did.
As he was praying, everything went still. Even there 9 month old son was still and quiet. Jay asked if God was there. He said "Please let me know that you're there and you're true". I testify to you that the Heavens truly opened, and God's love was truly there, and that the Spirit was more overwhelming than any other time in my life. Elder Holland explains what happened better than I could in his talk called The Divine Companionship. He says, (I'm paraphrasing), that when we've done enough, and are unified with the Spirit and the investigator, God says "It is enough. Let us give them a taste of what our unity is like." There is nothing on earth that can duplicate that feeling. The overwhelming sense of God's presence in your very living room, or wherever you are.
God truly does, and truly will, answer the prayers of those who ask in humility and honesty; who ask with full purpose of heart with every fiber of there being. Of this I testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
-Elder Ricky-dude.
--
P.S. The Church is true!
P.P.S. FROG - Fully Rely On God
March 7, 2011
March 7, 2011
So,
I want to be honest with all of you. I have not been able to get up on time for the past two weeks. I have not slept well and have been having a really crappy time. And, as many of you know, the less obedient you are, the less blessings you receive.
But don't worry! It's all better now. And I want to share how it got better.
For the past while I haven't been able to hear the alarm go off in the morning. I didn't know what it was at the time. I had been praying my hardest that I would be able to get up on time. I begged the Lord to help me... but I still couldn't hear the alarm go off. Finally, my mind on the brink of despair, the Lord blessed me Saturday to be able to wake up on time. I got up, got ready, and said a prayer to start my personal study. I asked the Lord to help me find something that would help me. The first thing I turned to in Preach My Gospel, was the Power of the Spirit in Conversion on page 92, I think. I looked at the Personal Study activity on page 93 and read the first part about what an investigator must feel to be converted. The first scripture that was suggested was Nephi's Psalm (2 Nephi 4:16-35). As I was reading, I really felt that Nephi saw me, in particular, and what I was going through. I felt exactly like what he said: "O the wretched man that I am!" I was finishing reading it and somewhere while I was reading, God said, "We need to talk...", and I imagined dad's face with his stern look that kind of said "you're gonna get a talking to."
When I finished the chapter, I got up and went in the other room and prayed out loud for the Lord to help me in specific things, such as waking up on time. When I finished and waited for an answer to the questions I asked, the Spirit told me I needed to be humble. So I prayed again and this time begged for help because I knew I seriously couldn't do this on my own. The Spirit again told me I needed to be more humble. I prayed, and said, Father thy will be done, in everything, I'll do whatever you ask of me and whatever you need me to do, (I'm paraphrasing 'cause I can't remember exactly what I said). Then when I finished, I felt the Lord smile. He then proceeded to tell me I need to work my hardest and to do all I can to spread the gospel. I prayed and thanked the Lord for guiding me and asked him to give me the strength, energy, and courage to do what's necessary and He told me He would.
Then we went to work. We went and tried to see some people and we even left a Book of Mormon and this one house. We had no idea whose house it was, but the Spirit said we needed to do that.
Then we went to the church and got everything ready for the baptism that night. They had had a funeral for Bro. Raymond Dalton, who passed away a week and a half ago. We got it all ready and while the baptismal font was filling up, there were some little hairs and stuff in it. Well, we didn't want them in there for the baptism, so we tried to get them out. Elder Peterson was leaning over the glass in front of the font, with this long thing to try and get them out. Almost all of his pass-a-long cards went into the water.......... Well, of course we can't have pass-a-long cards floating in the font for the baptism, and we had to hurry and get them out before they come apart in the water. So I ripped of my socks and shoes, rolled up my pant legs and got the pass-a-long cards out. I was reaching for the last one....... and my foot slipped off the stair. I was able to grab the pass-a-long card as I was falling toward the other staircase to get out of the font. My pant legs were soaked from the knee down. The Lord had one of his angels watching out for me because I don't remember kicking off the bottom of the font to get out. It was kind of like I bounced off the water so I didn't get as wet. Other than that the baptism went really well. While everyone was getting dressed after they were baptized, I got to give a little presentation on Joseph Smith. I sang "Joseph Smith's First Prayer" for everyone there. The Spirit was definitely helping me because I have been having allergy problems for the past few days. It was pretty powerful.
Then yesterday, Sister Dorothy Tucker was Confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was also fast and testimony meeting and I have never seen one quite like this... A less-active member got up and bore his testimony. It's been thirty-one years since he bore his testimony. Then, a member's husband, they were recently married, got up and talked about how he had been raised Catholic... and now knows that this is the right church! That floored me and the Spirit smacked me in the back of the head and said "You need to set up an appointment with him". I said "Okay", and we did.
So, I think it's safe to say this has been one crazy AWESOME weekend!!!
I love you all,
-Elder Ricky-dude
--
P.S. The Church is true!
I want to be honest with all of you. I have not been able to get up on time for the past two weeks. I have not slept well and have been having a really crappy time. And, as many of you know, the less obedient you are, the less blessings you receive.
But don't worry! It's all better now. And I want to share how it got better.
For the past while I haven't been able to hear the alarm go off in the morning. I didn't know what it was at the time. I had been praying my hardest that I would be able to get up on time. I begged the Lord to help me... but I still couldn't hear the alarm go off. Finally, my mind on the brink of despair, the Lord blessed me Saturday to be able to wake up on time. I got up, got ready, and said a prayer to start my personal study. I asked the Lord to help me find something that would help me. The first thing I turned to in Preach My Gospel, was the Power of the Spirit in Conversion on page 92, I think. I looked at the Personal Study activity on page 93 and read the first part about what an investigator must feel to be converted. The first scripture that was suggested was Nephi's Psalm (2 Nephi 4:16-35). As I was reading, I really felt that Nephi saw me, in particular, and what I was going through. I felt exactly like what he said: "O the wretched man that I am!" I was finishing reading it and somewhere while I was reading, God said, "We need to talk...", and I imagined dad's face with his stern look that kind of said "you're gonna get a talking to."
When I finished the chapter, I got up and went in the other room and prayed out loud for the Lord to help me in specific things, such as waking up on time. When I finished and waited for an answer to the questions I asked, the Spirit told me I needed to be humble. So I prayed again and this time begged for help because I knew I seriously couldn't do this on my own. The Spirit again told me I needed to be more humble. I prayed, and said, Father thy will be done, in everything, I'll do whatever you ask of me and whatever you need me to do, (I'm paraphrasing 'cause I can't remember exactly what I said). Then when I finished, I felt the Lord smile. He then proceeded to tell me I need to work my hardest and to do all I can to spread the gospel. I prayed and thanked the Lord for guiding me and asked him to give me the strength, energy, and courage to do what's necessary and He told me He would.
Then we went to work. We went and tried to see some people and we even left a Book of Mormon and this one house. We had no idea whose house it was, but the Spirit said we needed to do that.
Then we went to the church and got everything ready for the baptism that night. They had had a funeral for Bro. Raymond Dalton, who passed away a week and a half ago. We got it all ready and while the baptismal font was filling up, there were some little hairs and stuff in it. Well, we didn't want them in there for the baptism, so we tried to get them out. Elder Peterson was leaning over the glass in front of the font, with this long thing to try and get them out. Almost all of his pass-a-long cards went into the water.......... Well, of course we can't have pass-a-long cards floating in the font for the baptism, and we had to hurry and get them out before they come apart in the water. So I ripped of my socks and shoes, rolled up my pant legs and got the pass-a-long cards out. I was reaching for the last one....... and my foot slipped off the stair. I was able to grab the pass-a-long card as I was falling toward the other staircase to get out of the font. My pant legs were soaked from the knee down. The Lord had one of his angels watching out for me because I don't remember kicking off the bottom of the font to get out. It was kind of like I bounced off the water so I didn't get as wet. Other than that the baptism went really well. While everyone was getting dressed after they were baptized, I got to give a little presentation on Joseph Smith. I sang "Joseph Smith's First Prayer" for everyone there. The Spirit was definitely helping me because I have been having allergy problems for the past few days. It was pretty powerful.
Then yesterday, Sister Dorothy Tucker was Confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was also fast and testimony meeting and I have never seen one quite like this... A less-active member got up and bore his testimony. It's been thirty-one years since he bore his testimony. Then, a member's husband, they were recently married, got up and talked about how he had been raised Catholic... and now knows that this is the right church! That floored me and the Spirit smacked me in the back of the head and said "You need to set up an appointment with him". I said "Okay", and we did.
So, I think it's safe to say this has been one crazy AWESOME weekend!!!
I love you all,
-Elder Ricky-dude
--
P.S. The Church is true!
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