Elder Samuel Ward: Missouri Independence Mission: #HorsinAround🐴 -Week 27

Wasssuuuppp!!!!

This was really a great week!! Lots of things happened!!

The last few Mondays we have been teaching a family named the Offields for F.H.E. One of the sons will be getting baptized next month when he turns 8. They are really super awesome!! We sang "Let it Go" from Frozen for the opening song. I am proud to say I remembered most of it!!! So that was really cool, they are an awesome family.

We had another great Lesson with Kylie again!! We talked about the vision of the Tree of Life. I think she really liked it. I have a picture on my iPad I showed her, and we went through all the symbolism. That message is probably one of the most important in the Book of Mormon, because it can talk about many things, but how all of them point to the Love of Christ, and enduring to the end. Which is very important to understand, especially before baptism, baptism is just the gateway...things tend to get a lot harder after. But we know that as we remember Christ always, that all will be well.
We then had a prayer, and went on to quote back and forth silly things like Spongebob, Mean Girls, and all sorts of different things, it was awesome. On Thursday with her, we read 3 Nephi 11. Which is probably THE most important scripture in the Book of Mormon. When Christ Appears to his people on the American Continent, just after his Resurrection. Everything prior to that in the book speaks of the that event. That is truly the pinnacle part of the whole record of the Nephites and Lamanites. I felt the spirit very strongly while we were reading it together, which I know means that she did too!! We unfortunately were unable to get in another lesson with Ambrose this week. But hopefully next!

We did however go to the Visitors Center with a Member named Jamie and his daughter Aaliyah. That was really good. Aaliyah is not a member, she's 11. But we have been teaching her for a little while. The visitors Center was amazing as always, and I think they really enjoyed it as well!

Another wonderful thing happened. An Apostle of the Lord came to see us!!!! Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the 12 came to our mission. We had an all mission conference with him, Elder Deschler, and Elder Anderson!! It was so spectacular. We all got to shake their hands!! Haha. But it was Soo good!! My favorite talk was probably Elder Stevenson, and here is why!

(#SpiritTime) Elder Stevenson at first said, we are going to open an app in the back of your brain, that has been running in the background, but is not being used at this time, and is strictly under lock and key, we are going to open it for a sec, talk about it. Then put it back right where it came from until another appropriate time. The app, is eternal marriage...OH JEEZ!!! Haha. That definitely caught me off guard. He was mainly just talking about how President and Sister Vest, are good models of Eternal companions to look for, but it was really funny.

So the actual spirit part is this... Elder Stevenson as an apostle of the Lord is a special witness of him. Meaning that it is his job and obligation to testify of him always and to everyone. Which is the exact same commission that I have as a full time missionary. Take whatever you will from the term 'special witness.' But I know, that when he testified of Jesus Christ to us, that everything he said is true. I KNOW it. Why? Because the spirit told me so. Just as it has told me that the Bible and Book of Mormon are true as well. But I KNOW that Jesus Christ is The son of the Living God. I felt the spirit very very strong as Elder Stevenson was taking about it. I felt that thing that we can all feel called the Holy Ghost. Who comforts, testifies of truth, and many other things. I KNOW that Christ has paid the price to bring Mercy AND satisfy justice. I have learned a lot about Christ while I have been on my mission. I've learned about who he is. Why it was necessary for us that he atoned. And most importantly, how I can implement Him in my life, and how to help others do that as well. I invite all of you to watch the new #Hallelujah video that the church put out yesterday. It talks about everything I know to be true, and that Elder Stevenson helped reaffirm for me. Thanks for all that you do!! I love all of you, have a marvelous week!

~Elder Samuel LaVar Ward