It's almost Christmas!!!! I just found out we get to use Skype (camera and all!) on Christmas
day!!!! Woohoo!!! I’m so excited!!! It’s getting close!!
So this week was great! I got a
letter from Tawny (THANKS!!!!) and Lexi (THANKSS!!!!). I love getting letters
and seeing how you are all doing. It’s so crazy to hear about all the girls
going on missions! CRAZYYY! Supposedly there’s like 20 sister missionaries
coming to the mission in April so that’s cool. In my district, there’s a
companionship of sisters and they’re great. I want to talk to the sisters missionaries
that taught Mom and Dad!
Anyways, so this week we went out to
a little town called Murphy. It’s suppperrrr small and so cute. Seriously out
of the movies. We technically have Murphy in our area but we have to take a bus
out there and it’s somewhat expensive to we only go when we have referrals. We
went on Wednesday to get to know it and then the branch president called us and
asked if we could give a talk so we said yes. We both spoke on missionary work
and it went really good! My companion is so great. He got up there all
nervous but did awesome. I had some scriptures to share and just started
talking and before I knew it I had talked too long....I’m officially turning
into Dad. I used some scriptures in Alma 5 that talk about our change of heart.
Alma 5:13 And behold, he
preached the word unto your fathers, and a mighty change was also wrought in
their hearts, and they humbled themselves and put their trust in the true and
living God. And behold, they were faithful until the end; therefore they were
saved.
14 And now behold, I ask of
you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye
received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change
in your hearts?
I talked about this change being
what happened before we get baptized. At one time we have this change. For some
people it’s big and others not so big, but there definitely were some changes
that took place. But baptism is not the end, it’s just the door. It’s like
getting through the gates at Disneyland and staying next to the Mickey garden
in the front! There’s so much more to enjoy! Sadly, often times people get
stuck there and it’s like if they hadn’t gone in at
all! In Alma 5:33-34 it says...
33 Behold, he sendeth an
invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and
he saith: Repent, and I will receive you.
34 Yea, he saith: Come unto me
and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and
drink of the bread and the waters of life freely;
We are the arms or hands of God on
the earth. We must invite these people to partake of the fruit whether they
already tasted a portion or haven’t tasted it at all. We must do it because we
love them! Love is the motive. It is my hope that we can give something
to Christ this Christmas. Serve others because after all...we're serving
God. I'll end with this....
35 For I was an hungered,
and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and
ye took me in:
36 Naked,
and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came
unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when
saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked,
and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto
thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I
say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my
bretheren, ye have done it unto me.
Love you
all!!
Elder Hjelmstad
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