Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Week 1 in the MOUNTAIN KINGDOM

Mmoja mmoja fam bam!!

I'm back to sketchy email shops (Lesotho is full of them hahaha) and I can't say I missed them!! hahaha but it's good to be here; thanks for having me

I'm sitting here trying to figure out where this week went.. It was crazy! We got to Lesotho on Wednesday, had to go back to South Africa for a council meeting, and watched General Conference this weekend!! So far I'm loving Lesotho!! It's SUPER different from ZA! (I've mentioned that to every person I've emailed today, sorry hahah) As soon as we crossed the border we had entered a different world! Lesotho is a lot more rural than South Africa! As we've done some traveling throughout Lesotho I've enjoyed watching men and children ride around on donkeys and tending their flocks hahaha however, Elder Shinga and I work in town, so I don't think I'll be riding any donkeys for myself (shame..) hahaha

Just a heads-up, I forgot my camera cord, so I'll be sure to send pictures next week!

Serving with Elder Shinga has been awesome! He's taught me a lot about service -- I don't think a day has gone by that he hasn't served me! It really gets the brotherly love flowing <3 :,) Serve the people around you if you want to feel more joy!! People need YOU and your gifts!!

One thing that I love about coming to new areas is the chance to set new goals for myself -- this transfer I want to be a lot more bold! I'm gravity of our calling as missionaries is really starting to distill on me and I'm realizing that if people don't repent then they won't live with God again -- they won't feel the joy that comes from the Atonement of Jesus Christ, they won't feel the joy that comes from receiving revelation, and they won't experience the blessings that we receive so generously as members of the Church -- that's where we come in!

 I was reading something called the Donaldson Papers this week and I read that missionaries are gatekeepers of the Atonement, as I pondered that I realized it was true! As a missionary I carry the responsibility to help others understand and access the powers of our Saviour's Atonement!! So, to fulfill my missionary purpose --

I know that the Atonement is real! I know that we access the powers of the Atonement through the gospel of Jesus Christ, namely:

Faith in Jesus Christ
Sincere Repentance
Baptism of Water for the Remission of Sins
Baptism of the Spirit for Purification and to Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost
and Remaining Faithful Throughout our Lives!

As we follow the plan that our Father has established for us we experience the power of the Atonement as we realize a remission of our sins, we overcome our weaknesses (the natural man), and as we literally come unto Christ by following His example!

I know that there is no other way back to the Father than through the plan listed above -- I know that even though we are in a fallen state now, all of us can become like God through the exalting powers of the Atonement!

Joseph Smith taught something along the lines that we can only learn about the Atonement by experiencing it -- not simply by reading about it. I challenge you to ask our Father to have intimate experiences with the Atonement DAILY! I promise that as you feel the cleansing, enabling, and reconciling powers of the Atonement from day to day that you will come to KNOW Christ; that He will be as real to you as any other person!

I know that my Redeemer lives, I know that because of Him we'll all live again to!

I know you can learn more about Christ from the Book of Mormon; it's true! It's a witness of His divinity and we can all get nearer to God by studying it from day to day.

With love,
--

Elder Weiler

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