March 16, 2007

  • Dear Family, Friends, and Fellow Xangans,

    I planned on posting something that I have written about some insights I have found about what it means to be redeemed, how the Book of Mormon teaches Temple covenants, and how redemption and temple covenants fit together in describing the way in which we belong to God and His Christ. You will have to wait until I get home, however, for my doctrinal discourses because I think it is better for me to tell you about the experiences I have had this past week.

    On Tuesday we had a lesson with Martha, an investigator, and Sis. N, a member from the ward. Martha had been scheduled for a baptism on April 29th, a date we felt was too far away. As we were teaching her, we all felt the Spirit. It was a powerful lesson, though simple, on studying the scriptures and on keeping the commandments.

    After the lesson, we asked Martha to pray. She was uncomfortable, but she agreed. Her prayer was one of the most sincere, moving prayers I have heard. She thanked the Lord for giving her hope, faith, and the strength to believe, and she asked the Lord to strengthen that hope and faith. By the end of the prayer, Sister N. was in tears, and I was very emotional myself. The environment became very tender, and prompted Martha to share with us a spiritual experience that she had had that weekend.

    When we returned on Friday for the next lesson, we brought a checklist of all the principles she needed to learn and commit to before baptism. We asked her to check off the items on the checklist she had done. By the time she was done with the list, she realized that she was more than ready for baptism. We moved the baptism to March 18, this coming Sunday. At Church on Sunday, she asked me to baptize her. I am touched by the request. It will be the first time I actually performed the ordinance.

    Martha's prayer on Tuesday is unlike most prayers. It reminded me of Barbara's prayer in Covina. She prayed "If the Book of Mormon is true, and you tell me, then I will do everything I can to follow its teachings." It also reminded me of Jose's prayer in Walnut. He prayed very simply, "Heavenly Father, Is the Book of Mormon true, and should I get baptized this Sunday? I really want to know." Those are the types of prayers that make me realize the power of conversion.

    If you haven't already, you all need to read the March New Era. First read Missionary Mail (Connie Myers, “Missionary Mail,” NewEra, Mar 2007, 58–61 or go to lds.org, click gospel library, magazines, New Era, March 2007 etc.), and then read How to Prepare to Be a Good Missionary. Elder Ballard, an Apostle, describes some of the blessings of missionary service I have experienced more accurately than I have read before. He said:

    "Dedicated missionaries who do their very best learn lessons as important or even more important than anything they can learn in university study. I’ll give you an example. Missionaries learn how to relate to people, how to talk to people, how to help people. Whether they are going to be doctors, lawyers, merchants, or something else, the ability to relate to people can be the difference between being successful or not in that career.

    A second great blessing is that missionaries become doctrinally anchored to the reality of the Atonement. There comes to them a love for and devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ that will absolutely bless them and their families in mortality and on into eternity. The most powerful learning experiences we can have are when we teach someone else. And that is what missionaries do. They internalize the doctrine; they internalize the reality of the Atonement. And this will bless them in all future Church assignments.

    Another great blessing is that as missionaries reach out to rescue and pull into the light of the gospel families who are wandering in the darkness, they see what they don’t want in their own lives. The experience clarifies for them the values they want to live by, the kind of family they want, the way they want to teach their children, and the goals they need in order to claim the promised blessings of the temple. A mission is the greatest education in the world" (M. Russell Ballard, “How to Prepare to Be a Good Missionary,” NewEra, Mar 2007, 6–11).

    I have experienced those blessings. I bear somlemn testimony that God lives and that Jesus Christ, His Son, is the Savior and Redeemer of mankind. I testify that this is the Lord's work in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

    Sincerely,
    Elder Embree