Canada Vancouver Mission: 7/4/2016 - 11th LETTER FROM VERNON

THIS WEEK ON MISH LYFE: FILL THE FONT….AGAIN!!!!!!

The room was quiet as Elder Scully began his talk on the Holy Ghost, shortly after Earnest had been baptized by priesthood authority. “So, Earnest, how do you feel?” he began.

Earnest smiled and paused. “Amazing,” he replied. The Spirit filled the room.

He now is striving to receive the Aaronic Priesthood and progress in this great gospel. This is why we serve.

I have been thrilled this week to be able to be a part of the conversion process of Earnest, and to be able to seek the Lord’s help in His work. Vernon truly is such a miracle land. This is God’s work. He is preparing His children to receive this gospel. As long as we ACT in faith, He will allow us to be a part of His work and His glory. Here in the Vernon zone, we have been focusing on striving to “Remember the Why”. Why are we here, why we wake up in the morning, why we go out of our way to talk with everyone we can, why we teach the gospel.

What we did was we committed everyone in the zone, including ourselves, to read and pray about our call letters and to remember the feelings we had when we were first called to serve our missions. And then to seek God’s help in remembering why we are here and to act upon that. It was incredible. Kneeling in prayer, remembering the powerful adrenaline rush of opening my mission call, and then recommitting myself to His work was pure joy.

I know, by the power of the Holy Ghost, that I am called of God. Personally, He has sent me here, to British Columbia, from August 2014-2016, to bring souls to Him. I am literally a representative of the Savior Jesus Christ. And while I am far from perfect, He is with me. I know that. Powerfully.

If you have even a shred of a desire to serve God, you are literally called to His work. He needs us. We are fighting a war here against an adversary who is cunning and getting more powerful by the day. But we are promised that if we rely on the Lord, and go forward in faith, that we will be saved, and we will conquer. To do this work, we need to have faith. That comes through study, through learning, through seeking the Lord. As our faith grows, we develop a home in Him. A trust that His promises will be fulfilled and an expectation of His blessings as we are faithful to our promises to Him. And this leads us to become like Christ, to repent and change and have the Spirit to be with us. And when we have the Spirit, we have a desire to serve others. And then we have true charity. I have learned that faith transforms into charity. That while we may have a testimony, a faith in this gospel, we have nothing unless we share it. Unless we have true charity. That is how we become like Christ, by turning outward. As Paul declared, “though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2). Let’s become more converted this week and look outside of ourselves! Let’s lift the brokenhearted and serve our brothers and sisters.

I know that this gospel is true. Jesus Christ lives and leads His Church through a living prophet. I know that this is His work. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Have a great week!

Elder Stock

Earnest’s baptism!!!!!