Second Baptism

Well another week down, and another baptism! One of our investigators has decided to make that covenant with God. We are so excited for her-- she has such a wonderful spirit and a good testimony.

Well, the work is picking up. We are tracting, and tracting, and tracting, but we are also teaching. We have several new investigators, and we are looking forward to those new opportunities to preach the gospel to all those that we can.

Here's an insight into the life of a missionary: we do everything by revelation and inspiration. At the close of each day, we plan for the next day. This involves prayer-- applying D&C 75 verse 27:

Let them ask and they shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto them, and be made know from on high, even by the Comforter, whither they shall go.

When we receive revelation about where to go, miracles occur. We find new investigators and run into circumstances that just can't be coincidental. It truly is wonderful to see the hand of the Lord in the lives of those we meet, as well as in our own.

I'm grateful for the Gospel we have received. It's sometimes shocking to see the contrast between the worldly theologies and the message we bear. We tracted into a guy who did not hesitate in bashing with us. It all came because we said that "God is fair and looks on the heart and loves all His children."

Well, apparently He doesn't. This guy brought up the theory of predestination (I though that went essentially extinct decades ago), and said that God is not fair and everyone does not and will not have the chance to accept Him-- only those whom God has chosen to be saved will have the chance to hear the word. If you accept it, it's because God chose you to accept it. If not (whether by choice or inability), it's because God has not chosen you, and you must therefore be condemned. All our actions and our eventual placement in heaven or hell is conditioned on God's whims and arbitrary selection of those few of His children that He would like to not burn in hell. We are miserable slime that God detests, and though we are His "children," he despises us and may perhaps save a few of us so we can worship Him in the afterlife.

Contrast: We believe that all those billions of people who don't/didn't have the opportunity to hear the message of Jesus Christ in this life will have that opportunity to hear it in the next, and to make the same decision of accepting or rejecting it that we have had, that God loves all His children. Though he knows what path we will choose, he allows us to exercise our gifts of agency and will to bring to pass our own futures and the choose our own destinies-- will we try our best to learn of Him and to do His will, or will we repeatedly turn away from Him? We believe that when we make bad choices, God is grieved, because He loves us and wants us to return to Him, and when we do good, He is pleased for that same reason.

I know that this Church is true. how marvelous and beautiful is the message of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ! I love this, His Church. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

May you all have a wonderful week.