Wow, it was good talking to you all. You all sound so different; especially Brigg and Sheldon. Do I sound different, like with an accent or anything? I hope you all got home safe and well. It was definitely a memorable Christmas. On Saturday we had the ward party started with a little show, dinner, and then they cleared the floor for the dance! Man, me and E. Roylance were going crazy we wanted to dance so much, some of our converts came up and asked Roylance to dance and he said no puedo, so we just hung out. Man these people know how to dance really good here. Every one dances salsa, and all that other stuff, regatone, they even put a swing dance towards the end, that’s when we had to grab Elder Barrera and throw him around a bit. Before the party we taught and older man, Juventino, and challenged him to get baptized. And he did. It was pretty crazy he just fits in really good in the ward. He showed up to church a couple of weeks ago cuz some members invited him and he went for like three weeks but we could never teach him, just one time. But he accepted baptism and the commandments and had a wonderful baptismal service. I’m starting to feel my time is up in this area. Changes are in 2 weeks and I’m sure I’m going. It stinks cuz I’ve really grown to love the people here in this area.
Well, I’ve only got the book of Moroni to read to finish the Book of Mormon before the end of the year. (in a few days) I’ve enjoyed it so much. I’ve gotten to the point where I love the scriptures in Spanish. They seem just a bit simpler to me. For example I was reading in English in Doctrine and Covenants the other day and could not understand a scripture so I whipped out the Spanish ones and it made sense. I’ve also been marking a lot the BoM. One theme that has been made really clear to me is the role of God and the role of Satan. It talks so much of Satan in the Book of Mormon I never really realized it before, he, like Christ, has many names, one of my favorites is the author of all sin. Like it says in Helaman 6:30And behold, it is he who is the author of all sin. And behold, he doth carry on his works of darkness and secret murder, and doth hand down their plots, and their oaths, and their covenants, and their plans of awful wickedness, from generation to generation according as he can get hold upon the hearts of the children of men. All bad things come from him! When we are fighting with someone, when we aren’t doing something right or aren’t doing something we should its cuz Satan is sticking his little fingers in our lives! And then the part in bold, he does all this stuff according to how much he gets into our hearts. I don’t know if you all have heard of this story but it’s pretty famous here. A man was going across the desert with his camel when a sand storm was coming up. The man set up his tent and the storm hit, but he was safe in the tent. But the camel pleaded with him, “just let me stick in my nose, the sand hurts so and my nose is raw and I can’t breathe.” The man told him no but the camel insisted until he finally let him stick his nose in. after a bit he pleaded again but this time for the whole head, the man gave in and so it went on little by little until half the camel was in the tent. By this time it was really crowded in the tent and the camel tried to get all the way in and shoved the man out of the tent into the storm. Well something like that. But it’s the same satan just sticks in little by little until he has taken control of us. I really liked these verses from Ether when the people began to work in their secret combinations. Ether 8:15-26 but especially 25 and 26:
25 For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning.
26 Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all righteousness and be saved.
Well, be careful, he’s pretty dang smart, and relentless. We’ve got the advantage with the knowledge we have but all the knowledge in the world doesn’t help if we don’t put it to us. There are only two sides Gods and the devils. God wants us to have faith and fill our lives with light. Satan wants us fearful, out of hope, and grouchy. Doubt and fear are the opposites of faith, just like darkness is the absence of light, cold the absence of heat, fear and doubt are the absence of faith. If we do things for any motive other than faith, hope and love it is through doubt and fear, and we lack faith. If we are rebellious against our leaders and parents we lack faith. If we are disobedient, we lack faith. If we aren’t completing our callings and magnifying the priesthood, we lack faith. Now, we all have need to fortify and cultivate our faith and repent. Those two principles never cease to apply to us. How do we fortify our faith, first by hearing the word of God and secondly by acting upon it, that’s the only way. You can’t run down to Wal-Mart and by a pound of faith. It doesn’t work that way.
I love you all. I’m so glad you are being blessed. Take care and let your light shine… most of all be happy, cuz that’s why we are here.
-Elder Solomon
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