Transfer Week

1/28/2013

Well transfer week has already come again. I am not sure what will happen in terms of who is leaving and coming or what is happening until about 6 or 7 tonight, but I am sure things will be pretty interesting. The new group of missionaries with the new ages are starting to arrive so the mission is growing. The problem is that the Americans are not getting their visas in time, so we are having a big problem with the fact that more people are leaving than are getting here, so a lot of areas will close and a lot of couples will be put in trios and have to take care of two areas. My area does stand the chance of closing which would be pretty crazy if it happens. Pretty sad too cause I do like this area now and I feel like I just got here, also things are going quite well with our investigators. This week we had a man who tried speaking English with us go to church (he wasn’t annoying about it which helped us talk to him) but 4 years ago he talked to the Elders but nothing happened. We met him a few weeks ago and now he is really liking us and liking the church which is great! We are hoping that we can continue on working with him. He is one reason why I hope our area doesn’t close, but it is a possibility that is probably pretty big.

But anyways this week was a pretty good one; we had a conference with Elder Christensen who is President of the 70. In his talk he mostly talked to us about keeping our teaching simple and teaching in a way that people will understand what we teach. But afterwards we were able to ask questions to him as well as the 5 either ex mission presidents or presidents that were there (some of the Interlargos mission was there as well) but in the questions the last two were the best. One Elder asked how we can better overcome our weaknesses. The answer is of course the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It is hard to explain what all was said there because the Spirit manifested more to me than he did. But one example that he used was Ether 12:27. This scripture is famous in the church but he said it is probably the biggest misinterpreted scripture used in the church. Notice how it says God gave man weakness, not weaknesses, singular not plural. What is this weakness? The fact that we are mortal, the fact that we are results of the Fall of Adam and Eve and that we are all sinners, and the only way we can truly overcome this weakness is through the Atonement of Christ. However, for this to happen we must be humble, we must take the challenges that are laid before us with courage and with the knowledge that we cannot face them on our own. It is the grace of God that will get us through our challenges. On the mission as well as in our lives we are faced with these challenges. I could not have learned a new language so fast had it not been for the sacrifice of my Savior. I could not have done the work I have done had it not been for my Savior Jesus Christ. We are nothing and can do nothing without Him and His sacrifice. Through the Atonement we can become who God wants us to be and we can overcome all of our challenges and trials we will ever face. I truly am learning to apply more and more the Atonement everyday in my life and truly trying my best to teach the people here about this marvelous truth. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ was the most important thing that ever happened in the history of the universe, and we will never be able to fully comprehend it until we stand glorified without stain with our resurrected bodies in the Kingdom of God with our families. There is no other way than through Jesus Christ that this can happen. I am truly understanding more and more about the Atonement and it really is becoming something amazing, but Sister Christensen (wife of the 70) gave us a warning. The more you come to understand and comprehend the Atonement, the harder your Gethsemanes become, and to truly understand the Atonement you must have a hunger, and you must pass through challenges in your life. I know that Jesus Lives and that He is my Savior and that His church is here on the earth again with the power and authority to perform the holy ordinances of salvation for mankind. I hope that you all do your best to apply this free gift given to us every day in your lives and do your best to truly come to know your Savior. I hope that you all have a great week this week and know that you all are in my prayers. I love you all.

With love,

Elder Shelton