Hey everyone!!
Its Elder Brice back again from this wonderful land of South Africa. I had an amazing week of teaching, learning and becoming one with Christ. Now I am so so so far from perfect it feels like but like so many other people I am trying to become a better person. We had exchanges with the APs. Just one of them, and yes I know you guys are wanting to know. I am going to be an AP.
Just kidding, I really am not wanting to be an AP. We had exchanges because he wants to go with every companionship, but anyways I wouldn't really want to be an AP even if i got the chance lol. Also our wonderful zone leader broke a window in our apartment. Technically the glass screen door. O was looking away at the time, but there was a flash of bright lights and then glass was everywhere. It was hilarious and also a little sad because that's going to cost some $$$$. Reminds me of the time I broke the MTC roof... anyways I was called to give a talk this week, and because not much happened besides service and missionary work I hope you enjoy the talk. Just so you know I did change some of the words and sentences when I was speaking as directed by the Holy Ghost but I did try my best. I hope you enjoy it!!!
Its Elder Brice back again from this wonderful land of South Africa. I had an amazing week of teaching, learning and becoming one with Christ. Now I am so so so far from perfect it feels like but like so many other people I am trying to become a better person. We had exchanges with the APs. Just one of them, and yes I know you guys are wanting to know. I am going to be an AP.
Just kidding, I really am not wanting to be an AP. We had exchanges because he wants to go with every companionship, but anyways I wouldn't really want to be an AP even if i got the chance lol. Also our wonderful zone leader broke a window in our apartment. Technically the glass screen door. O was looking away at the time, but there was a flash of bright lights and then glass was everywhere. It was hilarious and also a little sad because that's going to cost some $$$$. Reminds me of the time I broke the MTC roof... anyways I was called to give a talk this week, and because not much happened besides service and missionary work I hope you enjoy the talk. Just so you know I did change some of the words and sentences when I was speaking as directed by the Holy Ghost but I did try my best. I hope you enjoy it!!!
Work hard, Love Jesus, Dance alot, and shoot tons of Ammo for me.
With love, Elder Brice
Here's my talk forgive the inconsistencies, it was a great outline not really a word for word (you don't have to read it... it's there for my mother mainly) love yall!!
Introduction here...
Hello I'm elder brice
I'm from Idaho, the land of the potatoes.
As you all probably know I'm a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I have been out about 7 months now. I love being a missionary and teaching people about Jesus Christ. And I love serving in the Tableview ward with all of you awesome members. Because I grew up in Idaho I love to work. And so if you have any work that needs done I am your man. My companion is also willing too.
Well when they invited me to give a wonderful speech. They told me I could choose a topic. That's dangerous ground...
But I would love to share some notes with you. I have been studying Faith and Joy recently and how they go Hand in Hand.
What is Faith, Hebrews 11:1 tells us what it is. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Simply put faith is a believe in something that we have not seen before.
Faith is necessary, and a pivotal point in God's plan of Happiness or plan of Salvation. Faith is essential because it helps is get through life, be healed through Christs atonement and feel the Holy Ghost. Faith is the prerequisite for Repentance, for Baptism, for the Holy Ghost, and for each and every ordnance in the Kingdom of God. Without Faith life would be wasted. But Evidence of God's existence can be seen throughout the universe.
One of my good American presidents said something outstanding, this man Abraham Lincoln said“I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.” oh man how true that statement is.
Before my mission, I loved to go backpacking and camping high in the mountains where nobody could be found. High up in the Sawtooth mountains I often looked up into the heavens to view God's wonderful creations. I saw The endless stars, the milky way, and other Celestial bodies. All of which are glorious creations of God. They made me pale in comparison to how small I felt, but How magnificent did I feel in that moment to know all these great creations of God. His handiwork his love and extreme talent is far surpassing any human painter. It carries with it a endless beauty and love. How wonderful is it that I could be one of his glorious creations.
It reminds me an incident I read of a naturalist, William Beebe, who made a visit to another naturalist whose name was Theodore Roosevelt. William Beebe described that visit, and informed the article that each evening, after a talk in Roosevelt’s home at Sagamore Hill, the two men would go out on the lawn and gaze up at the sky to see who could first detect that faint spot of light-mist beyond the lower left-hand corner of the Great Square of Pegasus. Then one or the other would recite: “That is the Spiral Galaxy of Andromeda. It is as large as our Milky Way. It is one of a hundred million galaxies. It is 750,000 light-years away. It consists of one hundred billion suns, each larger than our sun.” After an interval Beebe reported that Mr. Roosevelt would grin at him and say, “Now I think we are small enough. Let’s go to bed.”
Now can we imagine how Moses felt when he said: “Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed” after he “was caught up into an exceedingly high mountain, And he saw God face to face, and he talked with him”? (Moses 1:10, 1–2.) We read in the first chapter of Moses that “Moses looked, and beheld the world upon which he was created; and Moses beheld the world and the ends thereof, and all the children of men which are, and which were created; of the same he greatly marveled and wondered.” (Moses 1:8.)
And then Satan appeared and tempted Moses and commanded in a loud voice: “I am the Only Begotten, worship me.
“And … Moses began to fear exceedingly; and … he saw the bitterness of hell. Nevertheless, calling upon God, he received strength, and he commanded, saying: Depart from me, Satan, for this one God only will I worship, which is the God of glory.
“And now Satan began to tremble, and the earth shook; and Moses … called upon God, saying: In the name of the Only Begotten, depart hence, Satan.
“And … Satan cried with a loud voice … and he departed hence, even from the presence of Moses. …
“And … when Satan had departed … Moses lifted up his eyes unto heaven, being filled with the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of the Father and the Son;
“And calling upon the name of God, he beheld his glow again, for it was upon him. …”
And Moses beheld the earth and the inhabitants thereof. And he beheld many lands. And “Moses called upon God, saying: Tell me, I pray thee, why these things are so, and by what thou madest them?
“And behold, the glory of the Lord was upon Moses, so that Moses stood in the presence of God, and talked with him face to face. And the Lord God said unto Moses: For mine own purpose have I made these things. …
“And by the word of my power have I created them. …
“And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten. …
“But only an account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you. For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power. And there are many that now stand, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them.
“And … Moses spake unto the Lord, saying: Be merciful unto thy servant, O God, and tell me concerning this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, and also the heavens, and then thy servant will be content.
“And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: The heavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are mine.
“And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words.
“For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:19–22, 24–25, 30–33, 35–39.)
Think about the magnitude of that statement. In Moses 1:39 all the creation for to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of his children. Of you. And me and every single person that we know.
Moses became aware of Gods' creations and their magnitude and its only purpose firsthand by talking face to face with God and beholding his work. There are very very few people who have had a experience like this. But many others have beheld God's majesty through viewing his works. It brings to mind one of those warm summer nights high up in the sawtooth watching the stars twinkle before my eyes. Im sure that many of you have had that chance to turn heavenward our eyes.
When God talked with Moses he also told him about the Plan of Happiness. He told Moses to teach all men that they must repent in order to be clean to inherit the kindgom of God. He also told him that as all men were born into the world by Blood, water and the spirit that all must be reborn by such too. Born again by Blood through the Only Begotten Son, which is Jesus Christ. Born again by Water by baptism by proper authority, and born again by the spirit by the Gift of the holy Ghost and keeping yourself worthy constantly to receive the spirit.
And so this Plan of Happiness truly is this. A plan of Happiness. Happiness for ourselfs, for our loved ones, and for the world. Do we as members of the church have these things that truly bring happiness? I say yes. We have God's plan which shows us the path for eternal Happiness.
Do you think that you are a happy person? I had a friend. He made a list of everything that would make him happy. He had many things in that list, wealth, fame, love, success, honor he thought he had every single thing listed that would bring him Joy. But a wise old man said "you have left out the most important thing of all ---- peace of mind" how right was that old man.
Peace of mind, a clear conscience, was talked about by President David O. McKay as the first condition of happiness. He said: “It is glorious when you can lie down at night with a clear conscience that you have done your best not to offend anyone and have injured no one. … These and countless other virtues and conditions are all wrapped up in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
The piece of mind that the Gospel brings. That Faith brings coupled with the wonderful cleaning power of forgiveness and the Atonement can wipe away any mistake. But Piece of mind is only the first condition
Some other conditions that are necessary for joy is the ability to follow that which you know to be true, to control your appetites and passions, to be able to make your own decisions, to feel no envy of another, to be able to commune with God in prayer, and to be free from bonds, and to be master of yourself.
Another mighty thing that brings joy and requires faith is service. Service to all of God's wonderful creations of which we should try to lose ourselfs in helping our fellowman.
You’ve heard that statement that each of us is either a part of the problem or a part of the answer, with the understanding that this world is full of problems. If you are a part of the answer, then you are a blessing to the world and will train your children to follow in your footsteps. Those who are a blessing to the world do a few important things: some are, they give a helping hand to those in need. They obey the laws of God and the laws of the land. They like Captain Moroni stand up for truth and fight against evil. And most importantly they share the truth that brings everlasting happiness with other. And remember that the greatest gift of God is his plan of Salvation. For that's why he gave us everything.
I hope I didn't put you all to sleep. You guys are awesome, keep striving for the best. In the name of
AMEN
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