Howdy and Hello!
Brother J was baptized on Saturday the 10th and confirmed in sacrament meeting on the 11th :D
There were pictures taken. They didn't turn out super great, but I will get them posted next week.
There is a powerful concept that I have heard that I feel I need to talk about.
The worlds goal is to change your behavior and what you are on the outside.
Christ's goal is to change your nature and what you are on the inside.
That idea put simply like that has invoked a lot of thought and inspiration I have received. Here is a little portion of my thoughts and truth I have received as I have thought about that.
When we teach people Christ does not want them to be baptized and go back into their old habits of smoking, breaking the law of chastity, or other sins. He wants them to stay in the fold, to really repent and give up those things they promised they would. We want a change the inside character of them, not simply what they do. He wants an actual change of a person. He wants it so that when the missionaries, parents, or seminary teachers are gone that they will continue to choose the right. He doesn't want them for a week, a year, or for their life. He wants them for eternity.
After Christ died, Peter's "missionary, parent, and seminary teacher" Peter went back to doing the very same thing he was doing before Christ called him to "walk with Him."
After Christ's resurrection He talks to Peter about going back to what he was doing before.
Elder Holland talks about that conversation between Christ and Peter in his talk "The First Great Commandment."
“Then Peter, why are you here? Why are we back on this same shore, by these same nets, having this same conversation? Wasn't it obvious then and isn't it obvious now that if I want fish, I can get fish? What I need, Peter, are disciples—and I need them forever. I need someone to feed my sheep and save my lambs. I need someone to preach my gospel and defend my faith. I need someone who loves me, truly, truly loves me, and loves what our
Father in Heaven has commissioned me to do. Ours is not a feeble message. It is not a fleeting task. It is not hapless; it is not hopeless; it is not to be consigned to the ash heap of history. It is the work of Almighty God, and it is to change the world."
Not only is this work to "change the world" it is to change you.
As you read Mosiah 3:19, insert your name where there is a space.
"For the natural ________ is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless ________ yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural ________ and becometh a saint through theatonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."
The Scriptures are powerful as we "expound" them unto our day and your self just as Christ did unto the Nephites (see 3 Nephi 26:1).
I hope and pray that the spirit will speak to you and that you will listen 100% to it.
Love,
Elder Sumsion
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