Hey everyone!
The work here continues to move faster than I can go! It's awesome. We just
set a baptismal date with another person, whose name is Jose. His date is also
on the 19th of May. All four of our baptismal investigators are currently
scheduled for the 19th, and are keeping all four of the commitments to read and
pray, come to church, keep the commandments, and be involved with members. I
don't currently see a reason why any of them should not be baptized on
that day. We are giving them all we have and are seeing miracles come because of
it.
We came here in February and have been blessed tremendously for our efforts
since. The work is paying off and I've never had so many baptismal investigators
that have all been so promising.
We also hit our goal for last week to get seven investigators at church!
This week, eight!
In other news, I am beginning my final transfer. Seven weeks, guys. Seven.
Freaking. Weeks. Let's make it FLIPPING count.
I said goodbye to the fantastic and easygoing Elder Winsborrow this week,
concluding one of the best chapters of my mission. I am now companions with
Elder Blackner, and we seem to have had a great time so far. I am excited to
open up the FINAL CHAPTER.
To build off of my thought from last week, I have been asked multiple times
from people on the street: "Why do I need religion? I understand that some
people need a God to tell them that killing is wrong, or that they need to serve
others, but I can be a good person regardless of whether or not I believe in
such a thing." I've been confidently told many a time on my mission that
religion is a crutch for us to learn to be good people, as though we otherwise
wouldn't be, and that it is in some way weak to believe in a God that would help
us become good.
The problem, however, is that being 'good' is not our goal. I believe most
people are good. At least, most of the people I have known in life. Perhaps
there are people who need Christianity or, generally, religion to be good. But
that is not the goal of religion.
The goal of religion is not to prevent us from being bad, and it is also
not to make us merely good. It is to prepare us to be perfect.
Anyone can help anyone. Anyone can avoid robbing a bank. Anyone can be
honest. Anyone can donate to charities. Anyone can serve their siblings and
parents. And we aren't audacious enough to claim that anyone who doesn't believe
is automatically bad, or cannot do these things, because that simply is wrong.
But no person, without the help of a divine entity, and according to my belief
without the help of a divine Savior, can possibly expect to reach perfection.
That would be simply impossible, and preposterous to assume, if we were all
alone.
The glorious message of repentance is that this has been made possible.
This may lead others to ask: "Why, though, would perfection be so important for
me?" It's difficult to comprehend in an imperfect world, I must say, because I
can't really understand fully what that would be like, either. However, the
scriptures are clear on the matter. Here are a few examples:
1. Doctrine and Covenants 50:24-25:
That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth
in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter
until the perfect day. And again, verily I say unto you, and I say it that
you may know the truth, that you may chase darkness from among you.
2. Moroni 10:32-33: Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye
sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.
3.
Mosiah 4:3:
And
it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord
came upon them, and they were filled with joy,
having
received a remission of
their sins,
and having
peace of conscience,
because of the exceeding faith which
they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to
the words which
king Benjamin had spoken unto them.
4. Doctrine and
Covenants 76:50, 69-70
And again we bear record—for we saw and heard, and this is the testimony of
the gospel of Christ concerning them who shall come forth in the resurrection of
the just—...These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus
the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement
through the shedding of his own blood. These are they whose bodies are
celestial, whose glory is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the highest
of all, whose glory the sun of the firmament is written of as being
typical.
To learn more, one must study deeper in the scriptures. However, the
promises are exceedingly great and precious. It is possible that some still do
not want them, and if they do not, that is okay, as all men are free. But I am
grateful for this prospect. I am grateful to know that, if I am faithful, and if
we are faithful, we may all progress into perfection, and we may receive the
fulness of joy, peace, and glory that awaits us, if we are but
faithful!
That is the promise!
I love you all!
Love,
Elder Wallentine
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