Already another week down! But this one was quite eventful, im training now! My new comp's name is elder rogers and he's from atlanta georgia. He Knows 0 spanish haha!! But thats awesome for me because I can actually teach and i know exactly how he feels. Some people come in from the CCM with a usable amount of spanish knowledge, elder rogers and I did not.
I have experienced the gift of tongues on like a whole other level this last week! My last comp was a spanish genius after a year in the mission, and he had such a good relationship with the members it was easy to just kinda sit back and not be pushed, and suddenly im doing all the talking and understanding perfectly! Even last week understanding everything would be a struggle at times but the second elder Parker left and i was on my own I had no more problem at all like i can speak and joke and listen and conversate perfectly, or sufficiently i should say. I have grown to appreciate the Lord on a even higher level this week as i have been able to look back on my growth and how i always was where he needed me to be even if that meant struggling with spanish for months. And now he is just like, okay you can know spanish now. I feel as though i have learned NOTHING on my own accord haha! Only when the Lord saw it fit to bless me in that way.
I used to sit on this side of my trainers lessons and say nothing and not be able to understand nothing sitting on a dirty chair in a dirt floor house and think, this my life. All i couldnt wait to do was at least get to a point where I could be the one sharing the gospel, and share a whole lesson by myself and teach with the passion and power the retoration and the gospel deserves, and somehow be able to articulate it in a foreign language and ask questions and keep people engaged. And every lesson we have taught this week has been completely me haha! And i finally got my wish, and i am able to bring and use the spirit and make people feel something in these lessons, and even just be able to conversate efficiently to get in their door to teach a lesson. I taught the restoration 4 times last night to all new people! It warms my heart looking back and being patient with the Lords timing. To be fair, i had no choice but to do so. But how grateful i am for that now, and i hope we are all sufficiently patient in the Lords timing because everything comes in its own time and when you need it.
Im almost done reading the first volume of saints and man has my testimony grown of our dear prophet Joseph Smith. If you dont know Joseph Smith, you dont know our church really, and consequently you dont Jesus. One of the most long suffering, patient, and Christlike men that ever lived. Do we know why? Because the Lord prepared him to be so, and he was patient in the Lords timing even after years and years of trials and unexplainable hardship. I listened to a talk called, "the prophet and his plates" by Brad Wilcox this week and i was moved to tears. I want so so badly for every single one of you to listen to it but i know that probably wont happen. But if i can persuade a few who ACTUALLY do then ill be happy. If we have questions about Joseph Smith, or the Plates, or our testimony isnt strong in any of those topics it is our duty to strengthen such things. It is either true or its not, and its true. So if you think its not then by default, you are wrong. Which personally would really bug me to hear if i didnt know of its truth! So you might as well strengthen your testimony of such truths. I started saying this to the people we have been teaching. All of these things are either true, or they are not. If theyre true you better do something about it right? Because if you settle for not true, and youre wrong, whos side are you on in the end? Logically for your OWN sake you should pray to find out if these things are true just for the 50 percent chance that im telling the truth! The same is applicable for all principles of the gospel.
I read in Helaman this week,
49: And there were about three hundred souls who saw and heard these things; and they were bidden to go forth and marvel not, neither should they doubt.
50: And it came to pass that they did go forth, and did minister unto the people, declaring throughout all the regions round about all the things which they had heard and seen, insomuch that the more part of the Lamanites were convinced of them, because of the greatness of the evidences which they had received
Neither should they doubt. Doubt not. They had had this amazing beautiful experience with the spirit and were born again, and their commandment was to doubt not. We could read that and say, yeah when i see an angel i won't doubt. But we know such things dont build our faith! The simpleness of the holy ghost in your heart is more of a rock of testimony than seeing all the hosts of angels in the sky. Why should we doubt the holy ghost? Why should we doubt what we have been given and know deep within our hearts to be true? Why doubt the Book of Mormon and the spiritual experiences youve had? If you have felt the spirit, it is from God, if it is from God, it is true, if its true, all of it is true. Talk about plainness of words! I invite all of you to continue to strengthen your testimony. If you doubt it's okay, there is always a way back. But i wouldnt try my chances playing on a railroad track for longer than I had to haha!
I found it interesting as i finished Alma, that the worst of the wars were all caused by Nephite descenters. Those who had a knowledge and grew up with such a blessing and denied it, and because they did satan had an even tighter grasp on their hearts and they became more wicked than ever, and were the worst problem for the church and the righteous! Be weary of the descenters we have in our day! They are satans most decieving tool, hold fast to the iron rod. Dont lightly touch it dont walk beside it dont let go when its convenient and grab back on again! Hold fast! And doubt not and fear not because there is no other way! Do we realize this gospel is our only ticket to salvation? Why risk such a thing?
I need to end this but i have too many thoughts. I explained the difference in heavenly kingdoms to a woman this week, and where we each go. She had the most questions about the difference between celestial and terrestial, she seemed bothered because of how i explained it and she obviously had reservations. She had questions such as, what if you just tell the missionaries no one time, is that rejecting the gospel in this life and thus you cant go to heaven? I answered all questions with the underlying fact that God is just, and everyone will agree in the last day. But i have heard a few ways to describe the difference in glories. I usually describe it as those who accept the gospel in this life, get to go to celestial.
Those who reject in this life and accept in the next would go to terrestial.
And those who dont accept in both will go to telestial.
Many a times too, i hear people describe celestial for those who kept the commandments go to celestial.
Those who kept most go to terrestial.
And the bad people go to telestial.
Immediately we might think there is a different standard between these two explanations, but the more i think about it the more i disagree. The discrepency would be the difference between those who rejected the gospel in this life, and those who just kept some of the commandments both going to the terrestial kingdom. I think that is a very accurate description of the same thing. If we dont keep all the commandments, did we accept the gospel in this life? Its not as easy as putting your name in the books as a member. If you didnt care enough to do it all did you accept it?
I told this woman i felt there was a reason why there is a difference between celestial and terrestial, a fair one. Because those of the terrestial world could have been members, kept most of the commandments, been good people. So why dont they get celestial glory? Well, i believe heaven, and a house next to the savior's for eternity, is saved for those special few. Who really accepted the gospel in its fulness. Do you accept the gospel?
I love this church, this gospel, and my God!
-elder bastian
