Always remember

Hey everyone!


Well, the week has been interesting. I am, of course, still training. And I am enjoying my companion Elder Bastian quite a bit. He is quite helpful around the apartment, assisting with cooking and cleaning; he has also helped me plan out and shop for a meal plan. I feel that, when meals are planned out like this, the food itself is cheaper, healthier, and tastier! It is also good practice to be able to know how to cook using equipment aside from the trusty microwave. Of course, there are things in life which are more important than cooking, especially when serving a mission; therefore, I have had some work to do in helping my companion get adjusted to this new lifestyle. But, he is generally pretty agreeable, and willing to do what needs to be done. In general, he is good to have around, and I enjoy being able to train him.

So, the week has been pretty good this week. Mission Support may have been done away with, but there is still more to be done. The zone will begin to do support for Rootstech, the genealogical convention put on by the Church. We have chosen which people will be responsible for doing this type of work; this includes another district, as well as two people in my district. I myself will not be doing this type of work; as I have been in the zone for well over a year, we anticipate that I will be leaving the zone sometime soon, though we do not know quite when this will be. Until then, I won't be taking on any huge projects which require me to stay in the zone for a long time. I am alright with this - I have had my fun with Mission Support, and I am content with that. Wherever it is I end up serving in the future, I will look forward to working hard there, as I have done here.

So, this Sunday, I was able to attend Music and the Spoken Word for the first time in a while! I had not been able to do so for a while, on account of obligations to serve at senior care facilities around the valley; however, I finally did not have any of that, and so I was able to go! However, I showed up just a little bit too late; they had shut the doors of the tabernacle where it was being held before I could get there. But, I was able to watch the broadcast in the north visitor's center on Temple Square; so, me and my companion just went and did that. Later that Sunday, I was able to participate in a musical performance of my own; I was a bass in a men's double-quintet singing a rendition of "Beautiful Savior". It was a great performance to be able to take part in, and I am glad that I was able to do so! Speaking of musical performances, I had not been able to sing with the Elijah choir for quite a while. However, I have been attending again as of recently, and I plan on not missing another performance or practice whenever possible!

As I am sure some of you already know, there was a Church history devotional held last Sunday in Nauvoo with Elder Cook regarding the recently released first volume of Saints (I by the way have bought this book; President Fenn had added this to the approved reading list). There were questions asked in regards to the history of Christ's Church in the latter-days, specifically in the period covered in this book (1815-1846). This fireside was a great Sunday activity; if you had not watched it, i would recommend going to lds.org and checking it out! The book itself is also a pretty good read!

Well, that is my week for you. Things have been great out here, and they seem like they will continue to do so! I hope that you all have a great week back at home!


--
From,

Elder Bryce Petersen



Challenge: As mentioned in the preceding E-mail, I have been reading out of the recently published first volume in the new series "Saints" - if you do not yet know, this is a church history which the Church has been putting out. One thing I have noticed is how many people who formerly were very strong in the faith had eventually crumbled, and eventually turned against the prophet Joseph Smith. The interesting things is that these people generally still believed the Book of Mormon, and even the Doctrine and Covenants, to be the word of God; however, from what I have ready, there was usually one of two certain mistakes - or even both - that they had made, which eventually caused their falling out with the prophet. The first is that they expected the Lord's mighty prophet of the restoration to be a larger-than-life, nearly perfect man. However, though he was truly a prophet, Joseph Smith was but a man - he had often said so himself. His mistakes are not proof that he was a deceiver or a fallen prophet - they only prove that he was human. The other mistake these men had made was believing that decisions which were made by Joseph were not inspired of God. How can one know if counsel comes from God, or from man? I forget who said this, but a latter-day apostle had once expressed fear that a day would come where members of the Church simply accept what the prophet says, without asking God if these were truly His words spoken through the mouth of His servant. These people did not, and do not, ask for this revelation so that they can know for themselves, and so they are at risk of eventually questioning who is really in charge of things. So, I challenge you to two different things: first, remember that the Lord's chosen servants are human, and though Christ and His Gospel are prefect, his servants, as with the rest of God's children, have yet to be. Therefore, do not set unrealistic expectations for priesthood leaders - rather, support them and sustain them, that the kingdom of God can go forth unobstructed. Second, always ask for spiritual confirmation that the words of a prophet, apostle, or any other church leader, local or general, are the words of your Heavenly Father. Sure, you may already know this; however, without the second witness of the Holy Spirit, this testimony is subject to the "firey darts of the adversary", and so will eventually fall if not so sustained. Such will be how one will continue to be able to sustain priesthood leaders, even in times of hardship, and they will not fall away. Remember - Elder Cook had once said that it is not whether or not the Church will survive the trials of this world which is the question; the real question is, will you stay true to the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.