Like I have said in past emails, getting permission is hard sometimes to get people baptized. Last week and this week we made a plan to prepare our investigators for baptism even though they didn't have permission. We realized that even if they received permission to be baptized they weren't ready to be baptized. So this week we really worked hard with one of our investigators who hadn't gotten permission. We were kind of bummed that she didn't receive it by her baptismal date of Saturday but Sunday night she got permission! Sunday was really a fantastic day all around. The morning was hectic as usual but everything turned out being great. A member that we had given a blessing to bore her testimony and told us how grateful she was that we gave her a blessing and answered her prayers. She said her faith had slowly been dwindling and that she finally realized it and wanted to change. She had been praying for a couple days for a change of heart and something to help her faith. She decided that she would pray one last time before she gave up. As she poured out her heart in prayer and said Amen, in came Elder Hanson and Elder Woodland saying "Kaleleilie Maing!" She said that she knew it wasn't a coincidence that we were there at that time, then to add on to that when we asked if she needed help instead of telling us her whole story she felt like she needed to ask for a blessing. Again as I said amen, she said that the pain that had been in her back for the past couple months and the pain in her heart and her spirit was gone. For every Priesthood holder at home or wherever you are, do you realize the power in which you hold? You literally hold the badge, the authority, the rite, to the power of God. Not just power of man like electricity or an engine, but the power to move mountains, to change hearts, and to mend them together. God has appointed each and every one of us as leaders to the people of our lives, He has given us a gift that is to be shared to all people. The Priesthood is our whole message, it's the reason why this church is the TRUE church. The reason why it is the fullness of the Gospel. It's the cherry on top, the bonus fry at the end of the bag, and the power of God on the earth today. Do not take it for granted, once we do that we fall into things that may take it away. I love you all, though I can't physically hug or thank you, I pray for you all daily, I hope that you also pray daily. I hope that you HOPE, that you hope for a better day today, a better day tomorrow, that you show God your faith, work and serve others and God will help you. I love you all and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
General Conference!
Sorry for being late on this but General Conference was awesome. I know it happened a long time ago for all of you but because we wait till the Pohnpeian translation is done it takes a while. As we were listening to it I had two feelings. One of immense joy and feeling thankful for all the help and guidance that we had and two, feeling sad because of all the years that I had taken it for granted and not paid attention.
I think we have all been there when conference seems to just be dragging on and eventually the phones and tablets just magically appear out of our pockets and we start to "entertain" ourselves. I had fallen victim to "idleness" and I didn't feast upon the words of Christ. We read that when King David was idle one thing led to another until eventually he fell. A man that was born a King, someone to lead a nation to someone that couldn't even lead his own life. I would like all of you to think of the relation between you and King David. We are born to be Kings and Queens, we are ROYALTY. All of the potential that King David had was gone in an instant. However, it all started from one decision, or rather lack thereof. It started from idleness. In the scriptures we read that we need to be "anxiously engaged", and we need to "feast upon the words of Christ". Because the scriptures are the words of God, everything within them telling us to do or don't is a commandment. As we are sitting there playing on our tablets when Prophets and Apostles are trying to teach us we are disobeying a commandment, and therefore sinning. Though it may not be the biggest sin, "God cannot look upon sin in the smallest degree". I don't think a lot of times we realize or comprehend the importance of constantly learning and being willing to learn. I hope you all realize the potential life lessons we can learn and that you will all repent and start listening to conference in the car to work, school, or town. I hope you all never take for granted the words of Prophets and Apostles, because they are the words of God, our King, and our Father. I love you all and can't wait to see you all soon.
-Elder Hanson
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