That's right, Old man Weiler (20 years young is no joke)
Well I don't know where this week went.. in fact, I don't
know where this year went! Eish.. Old age...
This week really flew by though! But it was great! I love
the Spirit! Elder Jantjies and I really strive to keep revelation central to
everything we do; and we're never left disappointed! It hasn't been until now
that I realise how appropriate is it named the GIFT of the Holy Ghost. We're
surrounded by wickedness, deteriorating morals, and social, political,
economic, and spiritual catastrophe. To whom/where shall a person go to find
peace in a world that seems to be continually spiraling downward?
The gift of the Holy Ghost is a guide, He's a Comforter, and
a teacher. The gift of the Holy Ghost is a covenant that as long as we're
worthy we don't have to brace the trials of life alone! As part of our mortal
probation we have to make choices everyday. These choices can be daunting or
difficult. On mission, we act as representatives of the Saviour and His church,
and as gatekeepers of His Atonement; as such, our responsibility is to help
others take the steps that lead to repentance through the Atonement and,
ultimately, to conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is often
overwhelming (at least to me) and can be really frustrating. BUT I find great
comfort knowing that I don't have to do this alone! The Lord has given me, and
all of us, the promise of His Spirit to guide us through this life!
Elder Jantjies and I had a lot of powerful experiences this
week receiving revelation. One of the most profound to me happened yesterday. I
was asked to speak in Sacrament meeting about 5 minutes before church started;
as I took my seat at the pulpit I prayed and asked the Lord for His guidance on
what He would have me speak about, through the beginning of the meeting, the
administration of the sacrament, and during my talk I was guided as to the
message the Lord wanted me to share! It was a really cool experience for me. I
feel confident that I shared what the Lord would have shared if He were in my
place!
I've talked to a lot of people today about the Spirit and
His role in our lives! I know that the Lord is prepared to guide us as we
enquire of His opinion! I know that the Spirit will speak peace to our minds as
we open our hearts to our Father in Heaven during times of trouble, and I know
that through the power of the Holy Ghost all of us might come to have a
conviction of the reality and the truthfulness of the restored gospel!
(Sorry this is getting long but I'm almost done)
Recently I've thought a lot about the early Saints of this
dispensation. What would drive people to abandon home, possessions, and comfort
to go to a so-called "Zion"? What would motivate a person to lay down
his life rather than to deny a so-called prophet? What would carry a person
through the persecutions faced by the early Saints? I've concluded that they
did what they did and they were able to do it because they really KNEW. They
had a conviction of the reality of their covenants to God, of the truthfulness
of the Book of Mormon. and they had been cleansed by the Atonement and knew
that they were on the strait and narrow path.
As Saints in the latter latter-days, do we have the same
conviction? Are you willing to lay down your life for this gospel? Are you
willing to leave behind everything to follow the Saviour? If not, the
prescription for conviction is above. The key lies in
- a testimony, through the Spirit of God, of the Book of
Mormon as the word of God
- being cleansed by the Atonement of Christ, and living
according to the higher law of the gospel
- acting, in all diligence, to magnify the callings the Lord
has extended to us (mothers/fathers, missionaries, teachers, leaders, etc.)
I encourage all of you to ponder your personal commitment to
following Jesus Christ and seek guidance through the spirit of revelation on
how you can improve.
--
Elder Weiler
Pics: During my studies I saw a pillar of light, exactly
through my window, about the brightness of the sun ( it was the sun), which
gradually fried my corneas...
