Dear Mom and Dad,
-The Ward 1 Elders are living with us in our apartment.
- One of the Elders is a huge NBA fan, and as we were talking I realized I have no no idea who is on the Wizards anymore!
- I got some more Dear Elders this week
- Can you send my Tanya's Tolman’s address and Coleman Scholz's address?
Our baptism on Friday was a success!! We usually have baptisms on Saturday morning, but our branch had a "Family Day" activity planned, so we had our baptism on Friday. It was an awesome service, and a good amount of members attended. The sister baptized, her whole immediate family came, and she even brought two siblings and her mother. Her husband had a really good experience, and said something to his wife to the effect of "I'm next!" We'll be working with them closely, and will really try to get them ready for baptism in the next few weeks. We're going to their house later tonight to have a Family Home Evening, and it's starting to become a tradition that I bring S'Mores and teach them how to roast the marshmallows! The Filipino's absolutely love it!!
The White Rabbit investigator smoked this week...she went 9 days which is longer than she's ever done before. She had a tough week and I think she rationalized it as a way to blow off steam (no pun intended!!) We also found some new investigators this week! One of them was a referral from longtime members. This lady has 5 kids ranging from 12 to 1, and her oldest is deaf. She's had two previous "husbands" and both have left. For a living she does manicures and pedicures, for 70 pesos which is a little less than two dollars. They are so poor, and their house is in a marsh area that frequently gets flooded. She's such a sweet Sister, and frankly needs alot of help! We're doing service for her this week to help clean up the outside of their house.
As I've been reading in the Book of Mormon, I've been struck by some of the things I've learned. As I've read and focused on repentance, one thing has really truly been the focus - Jesus Christ. No matter what you study topically in the Book of Mormon, it always comes back to Him. None of us are perfect. Missionaries, members, friends,colleagues, family, and leaders. We all in some way fall short of the hopes placed upon us. Sometimes I've been stressed by all the expectations, and my personal shortcomings, but I'm starting to learn something very comforting. It's not about me!! I'm not perfect. I'm not the focus. Jesus Christ is always the focus. When we read the last chapter in the Book of Mormon, we often only focus on Moroni 10:3-5, and sometimes we miss one of the most beautiful passages in the whole book in Moroni's very final invitation:
32 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.
33 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.
If we truly come unto the Savior, no matter how weak or inadequate we may feel, we will be made perfect. The purpose of the Gospel of Jesus Christ isn't just to become better people, it's to become perfect like him. It won’t happen in this life but if we follow the true path of discipleship, and through Him and His Atonement, we can someday be even as He is.
Love,
Elder Yost
- One of the Elders is a huge NBA fan, and as we were talking I realized I have no no idea who is on the Wizards anymore!
- I got some more Dear Elders this week
- Can you send my Tanya's Tolman’s address and Coleman Scholz's address?
Our baptism on Friday was a success!! We usually have baptisms on Saturday morning, but our branch had a "Family Day" activity planned, so we had our baptism on Friday. It was an awesome service, and a good amount of members attended. The sister baptized, her whole immediate family came, and she even brought two siblings and her mother. Her husband had a really good experience, and said something to his wife to the effect of "I'm next!" We'll be working with them closely, and will really try to get them ready for baptism in the next few weeks. We're going to their house later tonight to have a Family Home Evening, and it's starting to become a tradition that I bring S'Mores and teach them how to roast the marshmallows! The Filipino's absolutely love it!!
The White Rabbit investigator smoked this week...she went 9 days which is longer than she's ever done before. She had a tough week and I think she rationalized it as a way to blow off steam (no pun intended!!) We also found some new investigators this week! One of them was a referral from longtime members. This lady has 5 kids ranging from 12 to 1, and her oldest is deaf. She's had two previous "husbands" and both have left. For a living she does manicures and pedicures, for 70 pesos which is a little less than two dollars. They are so poor, and their house is in a marsh area that frequently gets flooded. She's such a sweet Sister, and frankly needs alot of help! We're doing service for her this week to help clean up the outside of their house.
As I've been reading in the Book of Mormon, I've been struck by some of the things I've learned. As I've read and focused on repentance, one thing has really truly been the focus - Jesus Christ. No matter what you study topically in the Book of Mormon, it always comes back to Him. None of us are perfect. Missionaries, members, friends,colleagues, family, and leaders. We all in some way fall short of the hopes placed upon us. Sometimes I've been stressed by all the expectations, and my personal shortcomings, but I'm starting to learn something very comforting. It's not about me!! I'm not perfect. I'm not the focus. Jesus Christ is always the focus. When we read the last chapter in the Book of Mormon, we often only focus on Moroni 10:3-5, and sometimes we miss one of the most beautiful passages in the whole book in Moroni's very final invitation:
32 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.
33 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.
If we truly come unto the Savior, no matter how weak or inadequate we may feel, we will be made perfect. The purpose of the Gospel of Jesus Christ isn't just to become better people, it's to become perfect like him. It won’t happen in this life but if we follow the true path of discipleship, and through Him and His Atonement, we can someday be even as He is.
Love,
Elder Yost
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