April 24, 2017

Hello Everyone!

Time really flies! Tomorrow I'll be 8 months...... 1/3 done with mission and it flies way too fast. Elder Reedy and I are tearing it up here in KwaMagxaki.

We've got 3 brothers who are progressing towards baptism and will hopefully be baptised this Sunday if all goes well with interviews! It's awesome finding potential priesthood holders and seeing them progress towards baptism because they all have the possibility of being future missionaries!

Monday as a district we had a taco day so we all went to the zone leaders and we made tacos, they were nice. 

Elder Reedy and I have been cooking and baking like mad, It's been fun- we've made bread, muffins, cookies, curry with chicken and veg, french toast, among several other awesome meals, and we've been staying in budget which is always a bonus. 

We have been also working on finding new investigators and we've seen much success in our efforts. We've been working closely with members lately to get referrals and within the past two weeks we've probably received over 40. And the best part is, is that from them we have over 10 new progressing investigators that are all potential priesthood holders of all ages. It's amazing to see the work move forward and I'm praying president will let me stay another transfer with elder reedy so I can see the work continue. 

There is a talk I studied for a district meeting by Elder Bruce R. McConkie about reactivating less active elders called, Only an Elder. But there was a part that really stuck out about the work that we are doing as missionaries. It talked about how we have all been placed where we are in the Lord's vineyard, whether at home or away, to call back the lost sheep. Here is a portion-

"What is an elder? An elder is a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ. He holds the holy Melchizedek Priesthood. He is commissioned to stand in the place and stead of his Master—who is the Chief Elder—in ministering to his fellowmen. He is the Lord’s agent. His appointment is to preach the gospel and perfect the Saints.

What is an elder? He is a shepherd, a shepherd serving in the sheepfold of the Good Shepherd. It is written: “And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God.” (Ezek. 34:31.) It is also written, and that by Peter, the first elder in his day: “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder. … 

“Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

“Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 

“And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” (1 Pet. 5:1–4; italics added.) Know this: elders, who are standing ministers in the Lord’s kingdom, are appointed to feed the flock of God, to take the oversight of the flock, to be examples to the flock. 

What is an elder? “And now come, saith the Lord, by the Spirit, unto the elders of his church, and let us reason together. …

“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.” (D&C 50:10, 13–14; italics added.)

An elder is the Lord’s representative sent forth to teach his gospel for the salvation of men.

Who can measure the worth, the infinite worth, of a soul, a soul for whom Christ died? And yet, is not the soul of an elder worth even more, for an elder is his minister to bring many infinitely precious souls unto him in the kingdom of his Father. Do all the elders feed the flock of God, take the oversight thereof, and stand as examples to the others in the sheepfold? Hear the prophetic answer:

“Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

“The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost. … 

“[Therefore], thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand.” (Ezek. 34:2, 4, 10; italics added.)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the kingdom of God on earth. It is not a democracy, not a republic, not an oligarchy, not a dictatorship, not any form of government except a kingdom. It operates from the top down. The Lord speaks, and his servants obey. The elders go forth, and the people are taught.

Our great need, the charge that is laid upon us, is to perfect the elders so they can feed the flock, lest the sheep perish for want of the word of God. The number one need within the Church today is to reclaim the elders so they, in turn, can “feed the flock of God.”"

We need to feed each of our "little flocks" we have been placed with. God requires them at our hand. It's an important work that each and every member of the church is involved in- To help others come unto Christ; by helping them the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and his Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End.

Until next week!