President Smartt,
A verse from the Book of Mormon really hit me hard this week. I was doing my personal study in the book of Helaman, and I read Helaman 7:16. “Yea, how could you have given way to the enticing of him who is seeking to hurl away your souls down to everlasting misery and endless wo?” Wow, I thought, that is so profound. I have grown up as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints my entire life. I went to primary, learning to CTR and singing songs about Book of Mormon stories. My parents taught me good values in a home founded upon the teachings of Jesus Christ. I have been taught from an early age what is right and what is wrong. I know how to make my own decisions and that there will always be a consequence for those decisions, whether they be good or bad. Yet, as everyone else has in their lives, I have made mistakes and committed sin. It seems as if it can be extremely easy to justify our actions and to justify sin in the world that we are living in. “Everyone else does it anyways, what does it matter if you do it?” “It wont hurt to do it just one time.” “Ah, come on, no one will ever find out.” These are all phrases that we have heard from our “friends” before. These are dangerous sayings that can lead to justification of sin and ultimately the destruction of our souls. We think sometimes that we can be happier when we sin. We learn from the Book of Mormon, however, that “wickedness never was happiness.” Alma 41:10. Sometimes we feel that it is easier to go along with the crowd instead of standing up for what we know is right. Persecution, mockery, and a fear of looking cowardly in front of our peers can pressure us into choosing “forbidden paths” 1 Ne 8:28. The adversary desperately wants us to feel as miserable as he does and does not want us to progress and ultimately receive eternal happiness. Sin does not bring happiness. However, Satan can craftily make sin appear appealing and delightful. His tactics are subtle and suave and if we aren’t “anxiously engaged in a good cause” we can be led away down those forbidden path. He makes sin seem enticing, and makes it seem like it will bring happiness, but for what purpose? He doesn’t desire our happiness, he is seeking to hurl away your souls down to everlasting misery and endless wo! There is someone that we can always rely on, however. That person is the redeemer of the world. He is the Messiah, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Jesus Christ came to this earth and willingly suffered for you and me. He was “despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” He paid the price of sin for all of humanity and died for them as well. Because of this selfless act, we will all have the opportunity to have a resurrected body for time and all eternity. He truly desires our happiness. He desires that we obey Him and His father. His “work and his glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” Moses 1:39. When we choose to follow Jesus Christ, we know that we never stand alone. One of my favorite General conference talks was given by President Monson a few years back entitled “Dare to stand alone.” He quoted the words of a primary song, saying “Dare to be a Mormon, dare to stand alone, dare to have a purpose firm, dare to make it known.” In our lives we fear that standing up for Christ will leave us alone. I know, however, that when we stand up for Christ, we are never alone. John 14:18 says that he will never leave us comfortless. When we stand up for Christ, we can be assured that we are never standing alone. When we chose to follow the adversary, we can be sure that he won’t be there to back us up in time of need, because “the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell.” Alma 30:60. I know that it can sometimes be hard to face trials and temptations in life, but when we have a firm faith is Jesus Christ, and don’t give in to the enticing of him who seeks our destruction, we will always have the Savior’s love to comfort us and give us strength. I know that my Redeemer lives, just as I know that I live. I am so grateful for His gospel and the opportunity I have to share it with others. “I know it, I live it, I love it.” – Ann M. Dibb.
Yeah well i dont have a ton of time today. i'll meet president smartt this saturday. hes bringing us an ipad too! whoo hoo! be jealous. also, he said that we'll be getting a car soon. I went and got my dominica visitors driving permit today. I only had a copy of my drivers license (the one that they took when i first got to the mission) so i took that with me. i got called into 4 different dudes' offfices before finally going to the chief inspector of dominicas office. he had to call someone else because he thought the copy was a fake that i had made. i finally sweet talked him into letting it work. so long story short, i can drive here in dominica now. on the left side of teh road. ahh yeah son.
uhh not a totally exciting week. some locals in the branch are getting married this friday. thats exciting i guess. we should hopefully be getting new apt soon too. im just excited for the car. im sick of spending all my money on buses. and wasting time waiting for them to come by.
im glad everyones doing okay, give that kid more goldfish than he can handle.
Cuidense mucho!
Elder Nielson
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