A Tale of Two Letters
Dear Elders and Sisters:
"I know just like the burnt offerings, we too must
make sacrifices - especially more as missionaries. We come out here for two
years [or eighteen months] leaving behind everything to serve the Lord with all
our heart, might, mind, and strength. What a blessing it is to carry the Lord's
gospel to the people of Fresno. I know if we purify ourselves through Exact
Obedience, the Mission Culture, The Lord's Vision, and Talking With Ten, we
will fulfill our Missionary Purpose and baptize!"
That quote was taken from one of your letters this past
week. It is reflective of many of your
letters and your attitudes. If this is
the way you are thinking, you are absolutely correct. I compliment you for this kind of faith,
diligence, willingness to follow, and giving your all to the Lord.
In contrast, I received a few letters that were not as
positive. They lamented not baptizing
(an understandable frustration) and were communicating their concern that something
must be wrong with them not to baptize.
That concept could not be further from the truth if your faith and
attitude is the same as what is outlined above.
If not, then review the above, make some changes, and go get to
work. Give God a reason to bless you
with the righteous desires of your hearts - which should be to fully live your
Missionary Purpose.
At one of the baptisms I attended on Saturday I witnessed
the sweetness and the miracle of the ordinance.
I happened to have interviewed this investigator where I taught her
about the Alma experience she was about to enjoy (see Alma 36). When she was brought up out of that watery
grave where her sins, and better yet the pain and anguish associated with sin,
were left behind to be forgiven and forgotten by the Savior of the world, she
was overcome with the spirit of the miracle of repentance, forgiveness and
becoming clean and fully reconciled to God.
It was beautiful and is indelibly etched on my soul for the
eternities. I then sat with her for a
moment after she had dried and changed and she was still overcome by the
miracle of it all. She said:
"President, you were right. The
pain of my past is gone. It has all been
washed away." Again, a moment never
to be forgotten by her and me as well.
So if this is the desire of your heart, if this kind of
miracle in peoples' lives is what you want to bring to pass, just keep living
your Missionary Purpose as outlined above and it will happen. I promise you this is true! And when you see these people as God sees
them, your love and desire to help them will be greatly increased, augmented,
and multiplied. To that end, I propose
we fast as a Mission for two things this upcoming Fast Sunday. One: That we will be Complete and Purposed
Missionaries who are Exactly Obedient and live the Mission Culture, work
through the Inspired Vision, Talk With Ten each and every day that we might
Find, Teach Baptize, and Rescue; and Two: Fast and pray for the Members to be strengthened
in their covenants and desires as Member Missionaries. We cannot do this work without them.
Sister Clark and I love serving with you. Each of you is unique and bring so much to
this mission. We feel so blessed to be
serving with you here, now, under the hastening of the work.
With heartfelt love and appreciation for you and all that
you do,
President
Clark
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