Elder Jaymes Monson: Week 102: "Wherefore, I the Lord ask you this question—unto what were ye ordained? To preach my gospel by the Spirit"

birthday gift-cake it reads Helaman 10:5

This week was a bit of a lot, not a lot of things happened but a lot of people saying things to us. now let me explain, there was a lot of rejections from people, a lot of, “I really don't want to hear you crazy people”, but even better a lot of “HAPPY BIRTHDAYS” on Wednesday and well a lot of “WOW you’re leaving soon” holy cow how do so many people know that? well the truth is yes I am going home soon but the thing is I don't want to go! yes I should be counting but 10 days left- sorry its how many pages I have left in my journal, “a page a day” my stake president said and well I am trying to do it so yes I have 10 pages left. but the thing is I feel like I will be a missionary forever! All good things have to come to an end and well there are more missions to complete, and where ever the lord sends me ill be there responding the call because I am forever in his debt.

cakes and candle

Yay! Real pizza for my birthday

I read some really interesting things this week that really peaked my attention. This is what I learned…

Wherefore, I the Lord ask you this question—unto what were ye ordained?

To preach my gospel by the Spirit, even the Comforter which was sent forth to teach the truth.

And then received ye spirits which ye could not understand, and received them to be of God; and in this are ye justified?

Behold ye shall answer this question yourselves; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto you; he that is weak among you hereafter shall be made strong.

Verily I say unto you, he that is ordained of me and sent forth to preach the word of truth by the Comforter, in the Spirit of truth, doth he preach it by the Spirit of truth or some other way?

And if it be by some other way it is not of God.

And again, he that receiveth the word of truth, doth he receive it by the Spirit of truth or some other way?

If it be some other way it is not of God.

Therefore, why is it that ye cannot understand and know, that he that receiveth the word by the Spirit of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth?

Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together." (D&C 50 13-22)

So I was reading this and I learned that the reason I was set apart to do this was to preach the gospel and to learn by the spirit. Its interesting how the preaching of the gospel brings the people to a better state of mind like in this story,

And it came to pass that after Aaron had expounded these things unto him, the king said: What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I May be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy.

But Aaron said unto him: If thou desirest this thing, if thou wilt bow down before God, yea, if thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and will bow down before God, and call on his name in faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive the hope which thou desirest.

And it came to pass that when Aaron had said these words, the king did bow down before the Lord, upon his knees; yea, even he did prostrate himself upon the earth, and cried mightily, saying: O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me,and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day. And now when the king had said these words, he was struck as if he were dead. (alma 22:15-18)

When the spirit is your number one companion and the number one teacher the people change their ways and they come unto Christ. The reality of the things the lord teaches us is that if we just pay attention the promptings of the spirit it really turns the hearts of the people to the maker and we are blessed together. It’s the circle of conversion. We ask someone by the power of the Holy Ghost to do something and well if they do it they are coming closer to God. Like I was reading yesterday in Ether 3 that the brother of Jared tested the lord and then he saw his finger and well his faith turned into belief and then it turned into knowing. Its just like us asking a person to do something they do it from faith then they believe and then they know for themselves that it is true.

And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto you that is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God—I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants. And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order. (Mosiah 4:26-27)

If we follow the lord we do it with the wisdom and the love god would have done if he where IN the room.

And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God. (Moroni 9:6)

It doesn't matter how many people tell me I'm wasting my time or how many horrible words are spoken out against us we know that if we labor with all our might and with all our strength the lord will bless us without question. As long as we work in this Tabernacle of clay or the Gospel we will be blessed the lord will bring down the blessings of heaven and we will know that he is.

And again, verily I say unto you that it is your privilege, and a promise I give unto you that have been ordained unto this ministry, that inasmuch as you strip yourselves from jealousies and fears, and humble yourselves before me, for ye are not sufficiently humble, the veil shall be rent and you shall see me and know that I am—not with the carnal neither natural mind, but with the spiritual. (D&C 67:10)

As long as we all humble ourselves before the maker and we really pray to him with all energy of heart we will be made know the wonders of the lord and we will know him as he is and we will be converted forever. We aren't just here for a short time conversion we are here for the long run to keep moving foreword and to keep doing the things the lord wants us to do. Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard. (2 Nephi 4:16)

I, like Nephi, delight in the things of the lord and well its a wonderful thing to delight in isn’t it? The lord has a wonderful work in store for us its now up to us to do it. we first have the faith then we believe that its possible and then we know for certain the lord will bless us all!!! i love this work and we will keep working, one week left then off to the offices and well then to the USA and how weird to think that its so close, a day that I would never have thought would come so fast really came and well wow! One more! I hope we can make it the best!