Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Learning To Live By The Spirit



 
 

Another Baptism!!!!!

 

Shayla Pierson was baptized on the 15th by Elder Stephens!!! It was amazing!!! Elder McCain gave the opening prayer and I was asked to give a quick talk on baptism. There were tons of little kids there and they all sang "I Like to Look for Rainbows." It made me think of my baptism and my family singing that song to me!

 

Shayla is an amazing girl. Her mother was able to make it to the baptism on Saturday and the confirmation on Sunday!  She has been scared to talk to us and we had a great conversation with her and were able to showed her we are just normal people! Shayla is so full of light and will be a great example to her family throughout the years. Please pray for her that she might stay strong being the only member in her family and only 8 years old! 

 

Happy Birthday Elder Stephens!!! Sister Newman was an angel and made this huge party for us when we got home :) She’s the greatest!! So something funny about Elder Stephens, he always carries a spoon and chopsticks with him wherever he goes. The chop sticks he had were just the cheap wood ones that you get at the restaurant so I got him a pair of really nice ones with little ninjas on them.  He also got a package from my family of three matching gold ties!!!! They are super awesome!!!! I love my new tie and we all look great in them!!! His family sent him ingredients to make buttermilk pancakes and a pie!  

 


 

That same day we ran into an excommunicated member. His name is Brother Goodwin and an amazing individual. You know how when you walk into a building or a home there is a spirit there, whether good or bad, but you can feel it. When we walked into Brother Goodwin's home there was a strong spirit of peace. Not something you would expect from an excommunicated member. He lives in this huge, beautiful home next to the Snake River. We sat in his living room and discuses his beliefs and tried to find how we can help him come to church.  He is amazing. You would have never guessed that he had left the church. I’m so grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost and the power of the Atonement. 

 

“But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”                                Galations 5:22-23

 

The Holy Ghost has become a huge tool in the work and in my life. Just the other day I was biking and was about to pass an RV when I had the thought, "I’d better pull away from the RV. It would really stink if someone opened the door from inside and took me out." As I moved over, someone did open the door and I was well out of the way and we passed without any harm. 


 

The thing I want to focus on in this story is the thought I had. It sounded like my voice in my head, no warm fuzzy feeling. The heavens didn't open up and command me to move over 3 feet to avoid getting hit.  It sounded just like my voice.  The spirit is very simple but takes eternity to fully understand. It is given to us to help, and protect; to tell us right from wrong. But the trick is knowing or recognizing when it’s speaking.

 

“For I say unto you that whatsoever is good cometh from God, and whatsoever is evil cometh from the devil.”                                                                         Alma 5:40.

 

EVERYTHING good comes from our Heavenly Father. That includes our thoughts. Whether it is us or the Holy Ghost, it comes from God. I’m so grateful to have this gift; this gift that helps me when I teach, helps me when I’m travailing, helps me when I don't want to breath anymore. The Holy Ghost can not dwell in unholy temples. We must protect our temple, our selves, and always invite the Spirit to always dwell with us. 

 

Yesterday I met the brother of "Elder Groberg," the guy from the movie "Other Side of Heaven." It was cool hearing how the movie was almost 100% accurate. The only parts they really "hollywoodised" was when he was taking a bath and all the little children came, and when he was on the hike with the family and the daughter "hurt her ankle."  That’s amazing!!!  "Kolipoki" is living in Bountiful with his wife and they give talks and devotionals all around.

 

 “What shall we then say to these things?  If God be for us, who can be against us?”

                                                                                                                         Romans 8:31

Your friend and Companion in Christ

Elder Eldredge


 

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