WEEK 79- Walking With a Clear Conscience Before God

JANUARY 20, 2015

East High in Salt Lake--The school were they filmed High School Musical! 

We decided to try out for the cast with this photo haha

 Took a tour at the State Capitol Building! The Governors office!

Hello friends!

The weeks are seriously flying by!! The Lord is good to us. A non-member showed up to church randomly yesterday by himself and we are now teaching him!  He just came from California, to go to school at the U. He once dated an LDS girl, so figured he might as well check it out while he's here!  His name is Danny.  We'll see where it goes. We are teaching quite a few others and they are doing well! :) Liz (from Vietnam) is still doing her best to recognize an answer to her prayers. Please pray for her! :)

Elder Kacher of the Seventy came to our leadership meeting this past week!  You might remember him from the previous General Conference. He gave an excellent training!  I know modern revelation is real because he trained on exactly what I have been learning from the Lord over the past few months!  I wrote an email about this subject a few weeks back (Does The Lord Trust Me by Elder Carroll).  Elder Kacher spoke to us on exactly the topic of the Lord being able to trust us.  In short, the more the Lord can trust us, the happier we will be.  Let us be obedient to Him and all he has to offer can be ours.  Love, joy, peace, comfort.  We just must pay the small price of obedience to Him. Trust me, if there's one thing I've learned here in the field, it's that we will be much better off in doing so :)

Highlight of Elder Kacher's Conference Address

The Lord is able to "refine" us when we obey him. If we go about doing what we wish to do, we can hardly, if at all, grow into what He knows we can become.  Each one of us has a Divine Potential.  On the other hand, if we do not obey him, we are only asking for a world of hurt.  We as mere mortals may not always be able to see clearly the eternal perspective, but we must do our best to do so!

A few days ago, we ran into an inactive member of the church. She served a mission a few years back, but unfortunately has been led far from the Gospel.  She lives in a house with a few other people and when we walked in, immediately everyone scurried back to their rooms like hermit crabs! Haha  One guy came out and his eyes were bloodshot. The house reeked with weed. This girl has let herself come so far from the Lord. She admitted that she never reads from the scriptures and prays only "once in a while.”   She said she'd  "come back some day.”   I was sincerely sad to witness this situation.  We invited her to read Alma 34:32-34 and testified that by living by God's laws, we can find true joy (Mosiah 2:41).  I know this is true, because I've witnessed it firsthand.  The happiest people that I know are the ones who live the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The people that are "doers of the word, and not hearers only" (James 1:22).

We must keep our faith strong.  Even when a grand oak ceases to receive nourishment through water, good soil, and light, it will shrivel up.  Our "strong" testimonies and personal conversions will waver just as fast if we do not nourish them constantly with what they need.  Remember, CPR! :)  I'm grateful for these experiences that the Lord has allowed me to be a part of here in the field.  It helps me to see even more, the black and white of living and not living, the Gospel.

During studies the other morning, I came across a verse in Mosiah, when King Benjamin is addressing his people. He mentions in Mosiah 2:27 that he is "walking with a clear conscience before God." It made me think... It is completely unnecessary and frankly unhealthy to carry around the burdens and guilt we receive from sin. It is not a good way to live life!  "Men are that they might have joy." (2 Nephi 2:27)  Not sorrow!!!  It's so much easier to just use the Atonement that has been freely given to us. The Lord can help lift us, as we do our best to repent and follow Him. The Gospel is so simple. The repentance process is not always easy (nor should it be. It was never easy for Him.), but so completely worth it. Trust me. Repent often. It feels so good.

The mission has taught me so many things. I am lucky to be serving here in the Utah Salt Lake City Mission, under my current Mission President. I know my assignment was very inspired by the Lord. I am eternally grateful to see firsthand, people accept the Gospel of Christ, and His Atonement. And see them literally change. There is so much joy to be found in and in sharing the Gospel. My mission call letter was right:

"As you devote your time and attention to serving the Lord, leaving behind all other personal affairs, the Lord will bless you with increased knowledge and testimony of the Restoration and the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ.. The Lord will reward you for the goodness of your life. Greater blessings and more happiness than you have yet experienced await you as you humbly and prayerfully serve the Lord in this labor of love among His children." -President Monson

As my old seminary teacher used to always say, "The Gospel is true. Learn it, live it, love it, you'll be happy I promise you!"

Love you guys! Keep up the good work and stay close to the Lord.

Love,

Elder Carroll

"Two people can do anything, as long as one of them is the Lord." -Unknown

"Press forward, feasting on the word of Christ.
Receive his name, rejoicing in his might.
Come unto God; find everlasting light." (Press Forward Saints, Hymn 81 v. 2)