Hello, Hello, Hello

November 13, 2017

Hello, Hello, Hello

Howdy y'all!

It's been a pretty interesting week here in Durant as always!

To keep things short, nothing too big happened haha.

We're still loving the new smartphones, they make life 1,000x easier.

The work is very interesting here. Never have I ever been able to find so many new investigators in any area as we've done here. The only problem is they NEVER keep their return appointments...which are muy importante :) So then it becomes a game of hide and seek for the next 6 months between these new investigators and the missionaries! But we're working with what we got and life is good.

This past sunday was good, long story short;

This month the fast was dedicated towards missionary work. Each member was supposed to fast for missionary opportunities and then ponder and think of a friend or family member who could be prepared for the restored gospel. Additionally members were supposed to text our ward mission leader (during this fast) the name of the person/family that came to their mind. basically #MemberReferralsOnMemberReferrals. Our WML has yet to get back to us the list of names but we'll get that shortly.

I was worried that not many members would participate so since it was fast and testimony meeting I went up and bore my testimony on James 2:17 (faith without works is dead). I also found a cool quote from President Uchtdorf about that sorta thing. Pretty sure the point got across to the ward!

I'll tell you what, that scripture is torn apart down here. The common belief for a lotta people is salvation is earned by Christ's saving grace alone. I know I mentioned this in an email a couple weeks ago but man it's just a doctrine that not many people understand. As a refresher, know that absolutely we are 100% by Christ's grace. Saved from physical death that is. But also know that no unclean thing can dwell in the presence of God. Brad Wilcox pretty much sums it up with this;

"I know a young man who just got out of prison—again. Each time two roads diverge in a yellow wood, he takes the wrong one—every time. When he was a teenager dealing with every bad habit a teenage boy can have, I said to his father, “We need to get him to EFY.” I have worked with that program since 1985. I know the good it can do.

His dad said, “I can’t afford that.”

I said, “I can’t afford it either, but you put some in, and I’ll put some in, and then we’ll go to my mom, because she is a real softy.”

We finally got the kid to EFY, but how long do you think he lasted? Not even a day. By the end of the first day he called his mother and said, “Get me out of here!” Heaven will not be heaven for those who have not chosen to be heavenly.

In the past I had a picture in my mind of what the final judgment would be like, and it went something like this: Jesus standing there with a clipboard and Brad standing on the other side of the room nervously looking at Jesus.

Jesus checks His clipboard and says, “Oh, shoot, Brad. You missed it by two points.”

Brad begs Jesus, “Please, check the essay question one more time! There have to be two points you can squeeze out of that essay.” That’s how I always saw it.

But the older I get, and the more I understand this wonderful plan of redemption, the more I realize that in the final judgment it will not be the unrepentant sinner begging Jesus, “Let me stay.” No, he will probably be saying, “Get me out of here!” Knowing Christ’s character, I believe that if anyone is going to be begging on that occasion, it would probably be Jesus begging the unrepentant sinner, “Please, choose to stay. Please, use my Atonement—not just to be cleansed but to be changed so that you want to stay.”

Each of us has unlimited access to the Saviors atonement, I plead with all y'all to use it daily in your lives. Let it change you into the Celestial citizen that we all have the potential to become.

Love you very much, thanks for everything you do!

Elder Hyatt