Week 13.5 Preparing for Conference & Working with Members 10/3/2016

This week has been absolutely awesome!!!

We met some new friends and they seem pretty cool. Working with members is the best!!!!!!

I. The blessings of God

So general conference is coming up (for me anyway) and I am reading all the conference talks from last year. One of the talks I read this week was "that I may draw all men unto me" In this talk Elder Renlund quotes Elder Wilford W. Anderson. He says "The greater the distance between the giver and the receiver, the more the receiver develops a sense of entitlement." He talks about how we must make it so we are like Nephi who has the attitude of thanks 

1. Humility to become closer to God

The most important thing we can do is to be humble before God

1.1 Alma 51:17 Pull down their pride

we must pull down our pride if we want to see the blessings and tender mercies of God
1.2 Alma 56:46are we worthy to be called his sons (daughters) like the 2000 strippling warriors?
1.3 Alma 48:20 example of drawing unto Christ and being blessedAnd thus they went forth, and the people did humble themselves because of their words , insomuch that they were highly favored of the Lord, and thus they were free from wars and contentions among themselves, yea, even for the space of four years.
1.4 God of our fathers whose almighty hand being humble is we will follow god and do what HE wants, and not what we want
Of shining worlds in splendor through the skies,
Our grateful songs before thy throne arise.
In this free land by thee our lot is cast.
Be thou our Ruler, Guardian, Guide, and Stay,
Thy word our law, thy paths our chosen way.
Be thy strong arm our ever-sure defense.
Thy true religion in our hearts increase.
Thy bounteous goodness nourish us in peace.

1. God of our fathers, whose almighty hand

Leads forth in beauty all the starry band

2. Thy love divine hath led us in the past;

3. From war's alarms, from deadly pestilence,

I know if we do let him lead us, we will never go astray and we will always have his spirit to guide us

2. Act Like he would

our thoughts are not the only thing we must change, we must also change our actions

2.1 To the Rescue we can do it

Don't delay because you never know when it is too late, but be patient with your efforts.

3. When you have done all you can Trust

This is something that is very tender and dear to my heart because it is one of the principals that I have always tried to work on. Trust is so important because we have to trust that when things don't work out, God is behind it, that when we don't get what we want, that there is something better that he wants to bless us with. We have to be patient with his timing and patient with what his will is to be.

II. I realize I talk a lot about what has to be done

don't worry I am working on all these things too. I have come to realize that 

1. by small and simple things

nothing ever will come immediately, if it looks like it has in someone else life that is because they have been honing in on that specific aspect of their life for longer then you know. Don't be discouraged if it comes slowly. We are Children of an eternal being. We are to be learning forever and to progress forever. That is why we must be patient and that is why that is a Christ-like attribute

2. God and Christ are with you

They know exactly what you have been through. They are not ahead of you when you ask for help. he is exactly where you are and is there to nourish you. That is the great thing about the Gospel. Just because he is perfect doesn't mean he sees himself above us. He is perfect for us so that we can learn.

3. Moses 6:31

Why have you chose me enoch asks. It is not because we are perfect but it is because heavenly father and Jesus Christ want us to grow, they want us to fulfill our potential and to have the great joy and happiness that they have! it is a truth of the gospel that we are chose to try not to be perfect in this life, but to try to be perfect, and then achieve it later in the eternities.

III. If we are worthy

we will have the spirit to be with us. That is part of the greatest gift that God has given us. by using the spirit we can always make the right choice. God loves us all perfectly. He knows you individually, Don't you ever forget that there is a god waiting for you to call on him. In the name of His beloved son, Amen

Elders Chou & McGrath and view from apartment

BBQ with members