January 28, 2013

Holy mackrel, ahhhh, time flies.

Well, it is almost February!!! And my birthday is in 19 more days!!!! Exciting, I will be 21, weird.

This was a wonderful week. We were able to teach about 17 lessons this week. Being able to count teaching active members has been wonderful, allows me to feel like I really am doing something, even though we really only teach about 8 lessons a week. We have been sharing a 10 minute dvd with the members that we have dinner with and schedule a time to come over. It is about the Temple, the dvd is called between Heaven and Earth. It is a great dvd that has many individuals who are not actually LDS themselves. Which gives it more of a continuity of how temples truly are a biblical thing and are things that we should have today. We watch that dvd with them so that we can remind them that missionary work is ultimatly directed towards the Recent Converts getting to the temple. In addition it reminds the members of needing to go to the Temple. It also gets most of the kids attention by the many temples they show pictures of as they talk. We've been trying to schedule times with members and showing that to them.

Well, that has been the main thing we have been doing. Still no word back from where we will be moving too, but I was told, that was a long process anyways, so maybe I won't even be here when they do move!!!

WEll, in my reading I read today from Mosiah 4-8. I always like chapter 4, it's King Benjamin telling us of the need for being charitable. He condemns all who say, that the beggar put himself in that position, so I don't have to feel the need to help him. OH, WOW, have I felt chastised by that statement. For, are we not all beggars? Aren't we the ones, who beg our Heavenly Father to relieve us from pain? Aren't we begging to help us in our financial situations? Are we not begging to be able to fulfill our calling in the ward? Wo, unto that man, who says such things. It shouldn't matter that if we give that individual 5$ and he squanders it or buys a pack of cigarettes. It's his CHOICE! You were the charitable one, you chose to help him, and now he chose to buy it on something that is of no worth.

Other chapters were really good, but I feel really strongly now, from reading chapter 4 about what I just said. I would encourage all to read that chapter (Mosiah 4) and evaluate yourself and see if you have done that before and decide what you will do when that moment comes again. Oh, how great the Book of Mormon teaches us of such great and eternal truths. Charity and giving of yourself to others is what is mentioned and discussed about in that particular chapter of the Book of Mormon. It truly was divine for Mormon to give us this chapter in the Book of Mormon, for this particular thing, plagues us in this life today. These things I humbly leave with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Owasso, Oklahoma

p.s remember who your friends are, that the servants of the Lord told you to always hold onto. This is a communicating activity, some can communicate with 1-2 people, while others can communicate with 5-6. Communication is key here, plus I have organized you into a peculiar way, similar to the missionfield. I have probably said too much, thank you all for participating in this activity!!!!

 

LOVE YOU ALL!!!!