Incredible Miracle: Elder Gavin Smith and Elder Ty Smith serving together for a week!
What. A. Week. We started it off strong. We had a great days work and found some great people we hope to keep teaching.. but the best part was when Ty got here. For all we tried we didn't get to sleep till past midnight. Nonetheless we got up nice and early and not too tired to head off to one of the best zone meetings I've ever been in. I'll hit you all up with details later in the letter. The whole week we had almost every appointment fall through but it gave us a great opportunity to contact a lot and find new people. I especially enjoyed how by the end of the week Ty was able to express himself well enough that the people understood what he wanted to say. For just a week in mexico, his spanish progressed miraculously.
I really enjoyed a lesson we had with Estela and her family. She is progressing so well but due to a sudden case of the pox she was unable to come to church the past two weeks. Actually we almost couldn't find her. But one morning we found her in her brother's house and had the most wonderful lesson about why we have dfificulties in life and how to overcome them. We used a scripture from Doctrine and Covenants 122 that I love. verses7-9 it's a very comforting promise and advice
7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.
8 The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?
9 Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.
This life is to learn and progress. Trials are just a necessary part. All will be as a "small moment" Christ has passed through all we do and infinitely more. We cannot fear, for fear will lead us to doubt in God. We may have questions but we can never. never. doubt our faith nor God.
Saturday evening we had a family home evening with Jackelyn and her family. It was a great night full of fun and learning. Part of the family even made it to church on Sunday! Hopefully they all can make it next week.
I wish to testify of the power of hymns. We were able to sing several with Jackelyn and fam and it was probably the best part of the night. Sunday we sang Nearer My God to Thee us three and it turned out beautiful. one could really feel the Spirit. And on a light note, my companion found comfort in singing children's hymns in the middle of the night as he was throwing up. (Hes much better now).
All in all it was a fantastic week.
So zone conference I attempted to translate part of my notes to help explain. I hope its understandable.
Alma 7:20 I perceive that it has been made known unto you, by the testimony of his word, that he cannot walk in crooked paths; neither doth he vary from that which he hath said; neither hath he a shadow of turning from the right to the left, or from that which is right to that which is wrong; therefore, his course is one eternal round.
What is a round? a circle. thats what was explained so well in the meeting. The circle of life. The great eternal round of God and Godship.
First we must understand that we don't have just one Heavenly Parent but two. Father and Mother. We are all spirit children of said beings. This leads us to understand just why God cares so much about us. He cares for and worries abut his family. God has the infinite ability to create. To organize what is unorganized. To make beauty where perhaps there was not. I'd like you to refer to the drawing.
We "begin" with out heavenly parents. We know we are created by them and lived with them before our time here. This is called pre-earth life. Our first estate. scripture explains that many rebelled against the plan of God and "kept not their first estate" these spirits were taken away from the eternal round of eternal progression by their own decision. #freeagency. We know we kept our first estate (that we followed God's plan of Christ being our Savior) because we are here on earth we were born. Here we are being tested and tried. To see if we "will do all things whatsoever the Lord [our] God shall command" we then pass though death and enter the spirit world. There we will be in either paradise of spiritual prison. Note that there all people will have the opportunity to hear and accept the gospel of Christ. Also note those of us that fulfill our purpose here and make it in to paradise will yes rest from our worries but it never said that we would rest from all labors. For there is a great work yet to do. We must continue working to bring souls to Christ by preaching to those who don't know. We will then be resurrected and judged. To enter into a kingdom other then that of the Celestial puts an end to our progression but by entering into the celestial sealed to a spouse. in that state we will be able to learn from God until we know enough to be as He is. Then have offspring as he had us. "as man is, God once was. As God is, man may become" what a beautiful and fulfilling understanding! This is the watered down version of such an amazing meeting. I pray that we can all understand out truly divine potential and our eternal importance. Never give up because the central doctrine that makes our round possible is that of the atonement of Jesus Christ. He makes it possible we can do it! I love you all and hope you all have the best week ever!
Love forever,
Elder Smith
