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| Elder Petersen and I |
I love Elder Petersen! He and I have served around each other and
even served in some of the same areas so we have had a lot to talk
about. Elder Petersen is a great missionary and I would love for him to
be my last companion.mi have already learned a lot from him. He is great
at asking questions and showing love for the people we are working
with. He had to give a talk in sacrament meeting yesterday and I missed
it because I had tot go and meet with the stake presidency and talk
about the missionary work in the stake. But I heard he did a great job!
He is from cedar city Utah. And he is two transfers behind me. He came
out with elder Brown.
After the transfer the
zone and to close two areas and that means we had close two apartments
and take everything out and pack it up. We spent most of Thursday doing
that with the office elders. The best part about the week was being able
to sit in ward council. I love this ward! it is amazing and how each of
the leaders work together bouncing ideas off of each other is amazing
and they are really helping us out as missionaries. The ward council
even decided that they would pick a day and fast for one certain person
who were are working with. The are great and are really on top of
things. The best ward council I have been in on my mission.
Thoughts this week
What
makes me a missionary? If we are trying to be complete in this answer
we must recognize that there are three things to consider. First you
must be called, second you must be qualified and third you must be
authorized. In reflecting upon these steps it occurs to me that we are
each individually in charge of being called and qualified and then God
authorize us to act. If we honestly do our part then we will have power
in the authority we have been given. Having authority is empty if we
do not do our part to obtain power in that authority. We are expected
to serve with both the power and authority of God. So how can we obtain
both power and authority in our calling?
Have I
been called? That is an easy one to answer. We know that, “if ye have
desires to serve God ye are called to the work.” Being called is a
reflection of the desires of our heart. We sometimes mistakenly think
that this call was the letter we got in the mail from Salt Lake City but
we must understand that the call to serve came from our desire to serve
God. The letter just tells us where God would have you serve and who
your mission President will be. I like to think of this as a place where
you will have the opportunity to grow and who you will be able to learn
the most from. President Brent H. Neilson said you have not been called
to president Ames to learn from him. But the desire to learn from and
about comes first. Remember that the calling first came because of a
desire to serve God.
Once you have been
called the next step is to be qualified. How do we become qualified?
This too is a process and a choice. The answer to this question is also
found in that great missionary scripture, Section 4 of the Doctrine and
Covenants. Verse five of Section 4 reads, “And faith, hope, charity
and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the
work.” As we are filled with faith, hope and charity we will find
ourselves as consecrated, we will teach and find by the spirit and we
will love as the Savior loves. We will also develop an eye that is
single to the glory of God. Let’s examine what it means to have an eye
single to God’s glory and how to make that happen. How do you know if
your eye is single to God’s glory? Repent and sanctify yourselves so
your minds can become single to God’s desire. Your thoughts and desirers
will effect the way you look. "And if your eye be single to my glory,
your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no
darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth
all things.” (D&C 88:67).
Now how about
being authorized and what does that mean? I think it is fair to say
that we have each been authorized. The process of being authorized to
serve as a companion to the apostles came through pure revelation by
prophets and apostles. I have a mission call and a ministerial card with
the prophet’s signature stating that you have been authorized. And
I have been found worthy and were thus recommended. I have had the
privilege of the stake president to lay his hands upon my head and been
set apart to Labor with the master of the vineyard. This is
significant.
I love the thought of this because
all we do a disciples of Jesus Christ is to have a desire and then work
to magnify where we are at! I know that through this desire he are
given power and authority to cry repentance to the world! No unhallowed
hand can stop the work from progressing! I love the Lord and I know he
lives!
Elder Winterbottom & Petersen
Serving in Arlington
The Lord's Vineyard
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| This is the Arlington east and west crew |
