Last Monday we went to downtown Reno and went to this little back entrance of a restaurant and ate this super good meal. It's called the "Awful-awful". Apparently it won Food wars or something? IT is a half pound patty, on top of a pound of Fries.. The fries are what kills ya! We went down with 4 other Elders! oh my gosh it was too much food for me. But super good!
But this week was good for us. Our investigator Chris Hammond is back on track for baptism. He will be baptized august 19. The only things to overcome is smoking and coffee. But he is super committed and understands the why behind the commandments. His goal is baptism for the remission of his sins. He will do anything to achieve that. It is huge to see how his life his changing!! This week, he committed to give up cigarettes and coffee-both of which are going to be very hard for him. This is one thing I am very grateful to have learned, specifically from the mission i am serving in. in this mission, we call the idea "the vision to Baptize." It starts with understanding the fact that no one can receive a remission of their sins without proper authority. That is our message in this gospel.
Christ died for your sins-this is the truth, but another Eternal truth is that God has always st up a way to access that Sacrifice. It has always been this way. In te olden times, the High Priest was the only one who could offer up sacrifices to God. People had to go to him in order to reach God. In Christ's own time, the sacrifice became one of a broken heart and a contrite Spirit. A man named John the Baptist was given authority to Baptize. Then, Christ's own apostles held that Priesthood and continued to Baptize and teach. after those men died, that authority was lost completely.
Years passed and no one could access Christ and His saving sacrifice. That's the key! This is why we leave our home for 2 years. Either we hold Christ's authority-restored to Joseph Smith in 1829-or we do not. I have found that we do. I know I and my father and my brother do. You can find out for yourself. See, that's the beautiful part. We don't just walk in to people's homes and tell them this amazing message and tell them to repent or perish, we tell everyone to find out for themselves. I have found out for myself. There is no other possible answer that could explain the things I have seen. Now, that's the vision to Baptize. If everything I have just shared is true-and it is- then cigarettes, coffee, tea- you name it. It is all worth leaving behind. Those are the requirements for Baptism, and if we are not Baptized by proper authority, Christ cannot save us.
There it is. Chris is willing to give up every substance he has come to love in his life for the oppourtunity to come to know Christ. What are you willing to give up? Here's the practical application of what I have talked about this morning; See, sometimes, we as members of the church will read something like this and think "well duh, that's why I got Baptized" and we call it good, but there is more to this, as well. For example: if what I have shared this morning is true, You should quit your job if it required working on Sundays, and you need to spend more time with your family. If what I shared today is true, you need to share this gospel more than you do, or your fiends will not be forgiven of their sins until they find the way on their own. if what I shared today is true, then nothing else matters. You could loose all your friends, your home and family. You could even be cast into prison and it would not matter, because if this is true, you can access Christ's sacrifice again and again, and you will be saved.
This is what Chris has found, and he is willing to give up an entire lifetime of choices. What will you give up today? tomorrow? this week? Find out for yourself if this is true, then follow through. Nothing else matters.
Also I went on exchanges twice in Susanville, California! Too many exchanges this transfer That brings the total up to 6! That is a lot.. I feel like I've spent more time out of area than in it. But I'm glad to be done with it all. no more exchanges this transfer! Just missionary work. Just more things for the Vision to Baptize!
I love all y'all and each y'all!
Elder Miner
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| Outside the restuant |
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| Us walking down the alley |
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| Us with frogs |
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