Political Ambitions ;) / Caution About Enduring To The End…

This week has been good. It was really long. I actually don't remember very much of it. We saw those Portuguese people. It was good. They look promising, but we know at least the wife and maybe the husband work on Sunday... Bleh. I think the Government should just put a massive tax on all buying and selling on Sunday. I think that would solve a lot of the world's problems. Maybe I should run for Prime Minister. I could probably do it. I just can't tell anyone my secret plan because no one would like that but the Mormons...

So this week, we found a less-active couple.  So that was weird. But anyways, they are both very old, but they are very healthy and capable of getting around. And they have a car. And the husband used to be a leader in the church, but they got offended I don't know how many years ago, but it sounds like about tenish. I don't think they even remember why they were offended. They just remember that when they came to church for a relative's baptism, some of their old friends didn't talk to them, so they decided if no one wanted them there they wouldn't bother. And now they don't read their scriptures, and they don't pray. But the worst part is, they don't care. We asked them to pray every day and they laughed. They said that it would take 'a lot of effort' but they would try. It was super sad. They were so nice, but they were so clueless. Don't let that happen to you. Don't give up your testimony or your covenants just because church isn't what you always expect it to be. Just keep going, don't stop praying, don't stop reading your scriptures, it is important. It's way important. I don't really know what else to say about that.

Anyways, this week I finished the Book of Mormon so now I'm on to Doctrine and Covenants. It's way more boring than the Book of Mormon. At least for the first little bit. There are a lot of repetitions right at the beginning. I know that means it's important. But anyways, what I have been loving is that Joseph Smith is a Revelator! He is the head of this dispensation and he has revealed so many doctrines and covenants pertaining to our salvation. He received revelation just like all of the Prophets before and I believe the Doctrine and Covenants just as much as I believe the Book of Mormon. And I believe the things that our Prophets are still revealing, and I believe that there are still many things that are yet to be revealed that we need to know about. So don't go less-active. You need to be sustained by continuing revelation!

-- 

Elder Ferguson

Two Unique Appointments

Well, this week was nice. We had our first proper Portuguese lesson. It was funny. I kinda got what they were saying, because I know some Spanish, but not really, but the best part is, the man we taught was a preacher or something like that in another church. Then later that day, we were walking in the area and we stopped a lady and Elder N set up an appointment with her in Portuguese, and she told him her address, and I just heard the number of her house (they all live on one massive neighborhood of flats so they are just numbered from one to about three hundred or something) and I thought, oh, she lives close to our other investigator. Then Elder N told me what her exact address was, and it was the same. We met our investigator's wife. So now we have an appointment with her on Wednesday and an appointment with her husband on Saturday.

Ok, so anyways, guess what I've been reading about? The second coming! Because I just finished Mormon and it's full of prophecies about the last days. Here are some of my favorite things about it. Mormon says that in the last days, Israel will be gathered. And the Book of Mormon is a huge part of that. That prophecy is being fulfilled as we read it! Look at 3 Nephi 29:1-2:

1 And now behold, I say unto you that when the Lord shall see fit, in his wisdom, that these sayings shall come untothe Gentiles according to his word, then ye may know that the covenant which the Father hath made with thechildren of Israel, concerning their restoration to the lands of their inheritance, is already beginning to be fulfilled.

2 And ye may know that the words of the Lord, which have been spoken by the holy prophets, shall all be fulfilled;and ye need not say that the Lord delays his coming unto the children of Israel.

When we preach the Gospel and when we share the Book of Mormon, we are gathering Israel. And someday not too far away, we are going to gather to Zion literally as well as Spiritually.

Ok, bye!

-- 

Elder Ferguson

The New Companion / The Book of Mormon lessons /Be nice to everyone!

Well, this week has been good. So Elder N is from Brazil. We have two Brazilian Elders in the ward now because there are a lot of Portuguese people in Rochdale. We already found two this week, so that will be good. I get to sit down and listen to him teach for half an hour or so, and then smile and say yeah and then we can leave.

Peter and Rebecca are doing good. I think she will get baptized before I go home. Hopefully.

This week, I have changed my boredom habit from snacking to reading the Book of Mormon. Because I forgot to buy snacks last week. So I have read about half the Book of Alma in about five days. I'm in Alma 40. And it's so good. There are two things that I want to point out. Actually, there are like ten, but I don't have time. "Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence." It says that about fifty times in the Book of Mormon. Not really, but it's close. It was a promise given to Nephi and his descendants and it is quoted over and over again. And we all know when something is repeated, it's important. So keep the commandments, so you won't be cut off.

Also, when the system of judges was set up, there was an important law given, and it's mentioned every time an anti-Christ or an apostate group comes up. And that law is a law of religious freedom. God wants us to choose who we will serve, and it is a God-given privilege to worship who, where or what we may. We should never view people as any less that any other simply because of their beliefs. We are all on equal ground and Heavenly Father doesn't love Mormons any more than he does Muslims. So just be nice to every one. We don't need to persecute the non-believers, we need to convert them.

-- 

Elder Ferguson

April General Conference & New Companion, Elder N. /Staying in Rochdale

Ok, well, I have no clue how long I'm really going to be on because I wasn't even going to get a computer today and now I'm on one. I really don't want to say anything about this week because obviously, General Conference will take plenty of room. 

I loved conference! It was so fun, and there are tons of things that I could write about  but, there are a few main things I just want to point out. Probably my favorite talk out of the whole conference that I heard was by a seventy whose name I forgot.

 

Elder Anderson April 2015 LDS General Conference (Sat afternoon session)

He told the story about the indian and the drums. He said that you can learn to dance, but it won't do you any good until you can hear the music. Listen to the music, it's so good. I've met people who are dancing but they can't hear it and they always inevitably either make the choice to listen until they hear, or they just stop dancing. Don't do the last one. It won't make you happy. That's what I've been working on this week, making sure that I am listening to the music loud enough that I don't feel awkward dancing. 

I probably better end this now before I get pulled away by someone, but listen to the prophets! And don't just listen to them, be honorable, keep all of your commitments. If you want to claim membership with the church of Christ, you need to keep the Laws of Christ's Church. If you want to claim citizenship, keep the laws of the land. If you want to be a missionary, keep the rules of the mission. 

I'm getting a new companion named Elder N, and I'm staying in Rochdale. Have a nice week, bye!

-- 

Elder Ferguson