Mission Field: Week 14

Hello Everyone!

Well, life in Africa it going on pretty smooth I guess.  OK, so this last week was a story!  To start off with, we ran out of water in the house, so we have to buy our water now.  We take bucket showers they are pretty nice. :)   But, we still don’t have water in the house, so it’s fun times here.

Then, one of the new elders that’s with us, got sick, (everyone gets it it’s like initiation), he wasn't feeling to good at all for a few days.  The first night he was sick, we got 1/2 hour of sleep, because we were helping him all night.  But, he is better now, so it’s all good.  :)

Then, we marked 3 dates for batizmo, (baptisms), so that fun to.   Its vacation season here so everyone it gone now we had 35 people in church yesterday there are usually 75, so, it’s slow here right now!   

Oh and by the way if you could send recipes that would be great.  We make the same things every week and I have decide there will be NO rice in my house, when I’m older.   But, ya its fun here and it is getting hot, but hey, its mission life.  

So as missionaries, we ask people to keep commitments and pray to know the things we teach are true.  So I was doing this, because you can’t ask others to do stuff you haven’t done.  So, I was praying about having more confirmation that this is the true church and this is what I’m to be doing at this point in life.  And after the prayer I opened up the scriptures to a random page and it was section 6 of Doctrine &Covenants.  As I was reading, I realized this scripture WAS my answer from Heavenly Father.  I know without a doubt that this is the true church.  I know I am doing what the Lord wants me to at this time.  I have seen people change there lives for the better and how much they are blessed for it.  I have seen people healed from sickness and afflictions.  There is no way that this is not the true church.  I love what I do and I’m happy to do it.  I am honored to be a disciple of the ONE TRUE GOD.   May heavenly Father bless you all.

Love, Elder Stratton

PS:   the pics are of a bar in our area, that’s pretty cool. (see "Pictures" tab, scroll to Week 14 at bottom).

Doctrine and Covenants

Section 6

Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet and Oliver Cowdery, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, April 1829. Oliver Cowdery began his labors as scribe in the translation of the Book of Mormon, April 7, 1829. He had already received a divine manifestation of the truth of the Prophet’s testimony respecting the plates on which was engraved the Book of Mormon record. The Prophet inquired of the Lord through the Urim and Thummim and received this response.

1–6, Laborers in the Lord’s field gain salvation; 7–13, There is no gift greater than the gift of salvation; 14–27, A witness of the truth comes by the power of the Spirit; 28–37, Look unto Christ, and do good continually.

 1 A great and ^amarvelous work is about to come forth unto the children of men.

 2 Behold, I am God; give heed unto my ^aword, which is quick and powerful, ^bsharper than a two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints and marrow; therefore give heed unto my words.

 3 Behold, the ^afield is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day ^blasts, that he may ^ctreasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God.

 4 Yea, whosoever will thrust in his sickle and reap, the same is^acalled of God.

 5 Therefore, if you will ^aask of me you shall receive; if you will knock it shall be opened unto you.

 6 Now, as you have asked, behold, I say unto you, keep my commandments, and ^aseek to bring forth and establish the cause of^bZion;

 7 ^aSeek not for ^briches but for ^cwisdom, and behold, the^dmysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made ^erich. Behold, he that hath ^feternal life is rich.

 8 Verily, verily, I say unto you, even as you ^adesire of me so it shall be unto you; and if you desire, you shall be the means of doing much ^bgood in this generation.

 9 Say nothing but ^arepentance unto this generation; keep my commandments, and assist to bring forth my work, according to my commandments, and you shall be blessed.

 10 Behold thou hast a gift, and blessed art thou because of thy^agift. Remember it is ^bsacred and cometh from above—

 11 And if thou wilt ^ainquire, thou shalt know ^bmysteries which are great and marvelous; therefore thou shalt exercise thy ^cgift, that thou mayest find out mysteries, that thou mayest bring ^dmany to the knowledge of the truth, yea, ^econvince them of the error of their ways.

 12 Make not thy gift known unto any save it be those who are of thy faith. Trifle not with ^asacred things.

 13 If thou wilt do ^agood, yea, and ^bhold out ^cfaithful to the ^dend, thou shalt be saved in the ^ekingdom of God, which is the greatest of all the ^fgifts of God; for there is no gift greater than the gift of^gsalvation.

 14 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, blessed art thou for what thou hast done; for thou hast ^ainquired of me, and behold, as often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my Spirit. If it had not been so, thou wouldst not have come to the place where thou art at this time.

 15 Behold, thou knowest that thou hast inquired of me and I did enlighten thy ^amind; and now I tell thee these things that thou mayest know that thou hast been ^benlightened by the ^cSpirit of truth;

 16 Yea, I tell thee, that thou mayest know that there is none else save God that ^aknowest thy thoughts and the ^bintents of thy^cheart.

 17 I tell thee these things as a witness unto thee—that the words or the work which thou hast been writing are ^atrue.

 18 Therefore be diligent; ^astand by my ^bservant Joseph, faithfully, in whatsoever difficult circumstances he may be for the word’s sake.

 19 Admonish him in his faults, and also ^areceive admonition of him. ^bBe patient; be sober; be temperate; have patience, faith, hope and charity.

 20 Behold, thou art Oliver, and I have spoken unto thee because of thy desires; therefore ^atreasure up these words in thy heart. Be faithful and ^bdiligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my ^clove.

 21 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the ^aSon of God. I am the same that came unto mine ^bown, and mine own received me not. I am the^clight which shineth in ^ddarkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not.

 22 Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might ^aknow concerning the truth of these things.

 23 Did I not speak ^apeace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater ^bwitness can you have than from God?

 24 And now, behold, you have received a ^awitness; for if I have^btold you things which no man knoweth have you not received a witness?

 25 And, behold, I grant unto you a gift, if you desire of me, to^atranslate, even as my servant Joseph.

 26 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that there are ^arecords which contain much of my gospel, which have been kept back because of the ^bwickedness of the people;

 27 And now I command you, that if you have good desires—a desire to lay up ^atreasures for yourself in heaven—then shall you assist in bringing to light, with your gift, those parts of my^bscriptures which have been hidden because of iniquity.

 28 And now, behold, I give unto you, and also unto my servant Joseph, the ^akeys of this gift, which shall bring to light this ministry; and in the mouth of two or three ^bwitnesses shall every word be established.

 29 Verily, verily, I say unto you, if they ^areject my words, and this part of my gospel and ministry, blessed are ye, for they can do no more unto you than unto me.

 30 And even if they ^ado unto you even as they have done unto me, blessed are ye, for you shall ^bdwell with me in ^cglory.

 31 But if they ^areject not my words, which shall be established by the ^btestimony which shall be given, blessed are they, and then shall ye have joy in the fruit of your labors.

 32 Verily, verily, I say unto you, as I said unto my disciples, where two or three are gathered together in my name, as^atouching ^bone thing, behold, there will I be in the ^cmidst of them—even so am I in the ^dmidst of you.

 33 ^aFear not to do ^bgood, my sons, for whatsoever ye ^csow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow ^dgood ye shall also reap good for your ^ereward.

 34 Therefore, fear not, little ^aflock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are ^bbuilt upon my rock, they cannot prevail.

 35 Behold, I do not condemn you; go your ways and ^asin no more; perform with soberness the work which I have commanded you.

 36 ^aLook unto me in every ^bthought; ^cdoubt not, fear not.

 37 ^aBehold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the ^bnails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall ^cinherit the ^dkingdom of heaven. Amen.