I Am a Father Now!

So those who are wondering what I mean by Father, let me tell you. When a missionary becomes a father on his Mission it means that he is training a brand new missionary. So those that thought otherwise.....  you should have more faith in me Haha. So that is what Is going to be happening this next two Transfers or 12 weeks. Sadly I will not know who he is until Wensday but I will be sure to let you know next week.

 

Anyway my spiritual thought this week is I was reading in first Nephi this last week. I love studying Laman and Lemuel. Honestly, there is so much we can learn from those guys! I was reading the part where they were complaining about being in the wilderness which is most of 1 Nephi and they were saying how their lives would have been so much better if they had just stayed in Jerusalem. What I learned is the importance of leaving the world, not turning back, and figuring out where we're working towards. If we are caught in sin and are just getting out, we can't hangout just outside of "the city" and expect to be safe. We need to get out of Jersulem. But stopping sin is not enough. If we spend our lives running from sin it will always catch us. However if we are running towards something we are better off. Like Nephi we need to run to the Promised Land. We need to run to Christ. One of the things that caused Laman and Lemuel to turn against their family and God is they never fully left Jerusalem. Part of their desires were always in the past they left. "Man, it was so nice back when we...." "What I would do to just be back in Jerusalem again..." Their hearts weren't changed. They wouldn't let go of the world.

I'm so grateful for our Savior, Jesus Christ. No matter what we did in Jerusalem, he can change us on our journey to the Promised Land as long as long as we are willing to give our past to him. Jesus came here to save us. He wants to forgive, but we have to be willing to RUN from our mistakes and weaknesses. We can't hangout just a couple steps from where we were looking back. We need to sprint to Him. I just want all of you to know that I know Christ lives. He is our savior. He is my friend. He offers us new life. Please don't settle for the basics of the life you currently have and be willing to let go and trust that he will make it worth it. 

Sincerely,

Elder Barnum