Sunday, August 5, 2012

Don't forget what the Lord has told you!

Hello to all!
We had a fantastic week, mostly because of many pleasant surprises yesterday in church! We worked really hard, and were praying really hard to see more people attend church, especially the investigators we are teaching. Well, we had 8 of them come! And it made us feel really happy to see many new faces that had not yet come before.
So we got a referral from the mission office of a lady who has 7 kids! Last Saturday, she was wandering through the center of a city and walked past the Stake Center, coincidentally during a baptismal service! She stayed to watch and said that she felt "great" there. The Sisters invited her to come the next day to church, and she went and loved it! Long ago, someone had given her a Book of Mormon, and she read it all, prayed about it, and came to know that it was true. She even understood it well! Evidence of that is that she explained to us the lineage of Joseph Smith (being a descendant of Joseph of Egypt). We went with a Recent Convert to visit her on Saturday again, and then Sunday morning her and her 7 kids came to church!
I read in Doctrine and Covenants 6 this last week and wanted to share some thoughts before leaving. This was a revelation given to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. If I am not mistaken, it was given because of some doubts and problems with the translation of the Book of Mormon, and Oliver Cowdery had asked the Prophet Joseph to inquire of the Lord. The response is powerful. Verses 20-24 were are great reminder to me of how I personally came to know of the truthfulness of the message I share daily. The Lord says in response to Oliver and his trials/doubts, in verse 23 "Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?" When I read that, it hit me pretty hard. The Lord has blessed each of us, especially those baptized members of the church, with answers to prayers, promptings and good feelings through scriptures, leaders, family members, and has answered us when we have asked Him, be it before or after baptism. Then, when Satan comes with doubts, skepticism, trials, problems, false doctrine, it is the tendency of the natural man to easily forget that which the Lord has given us: Testimonies. I could never doubt the sure answers that the Lord has bestowed upon me, speaking "peace to (my) mind concerning the matter." I testify that God lives, that Jesus Christ is his Only Begotten Son, that through His Atonement, all mankind may be saved. I testify that this Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church, and I know that because through diligent study of the Book of Mormon and prayer, the Lord has contested me and spoken peace concerning the matter. I know that it is true. Remember the testimonies that you have received. Look unto Him in every thought, Doubt not, fear not. (verse 36)
Love you all! Keep us in your prayers.
Until next week,
Elder Babcock

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