April 28, 2014

Bind the Lord

This week the Hurst South zone was the top zone in the mission, Elder Bowman's district was the top district, and Elder Bowman and I were the pace setters for the mission! This area that I get to serve in has been a real privilege. I know that this week was not possible without the Lord's help and guidance. Something that President Ames talked about in his letter this week was the different kinds of obedience.

Telestial obedience is the result of a desire to avoid punishment. We choose to obey because we want to avoid the consequences of disobedience. For example, some obey their parents because they don’t want a spanking or to be grounded. If we look more heavenly on the question we see that some live the word of wisdom because they don’t want to get sick. Some live the law of chastity because they want to be safe. Some obey because they are afraid of the judgments of a just God. This type of obedience requires no faith. It is self-serving and self-motivated. It is a very secular view. Even a godless society can live this level of obedience. It is “having a form of godliness, but [denying] the power thereof.” This level of obedience, while not the best, is still good because it at least helps us avoid sin, but it will not make us holy and it will not save us. It makes me think of the servant that buried his talent and did nothing to increase what the master had given him. As a missionary, this level of obedience brings no change in our personal life and our success as a missionary will be limited and perhaps their success will be the result of the faith of others.

The next level of obedience comes from a very terrestrial motivation. We obey because we want to be blessed. This level of obedience at least acknowledges there is a God because we want to find His favor and receive His blessings. It is much like being obedient so our parents will be happy with us so they will pay us our allowance, or let us have the car for the weekend, or give us some type of desired privilege or reward. In a spiritual sense, this type of motivation results in living the Word of Wisdom because we want to “run and not be wearing, walk and not faint.” Chasity is important to this type of obedience because we want the peace that comes with being pure. We are obedient because we want to merit the favor and blessings of a just God. The problem is, this level of obedience will not make us sacred. This level of obedience will limit our vision and prevent us from seeing miracles. It too is, playing it safe with our talents; not so safe that we don’t grow, but certainly God cannot magnify us. In short, we have our reward.

Celestial obedience, the level of obedience that has power to change who we are and make us holy, is obedience because we love God. It is like Joseph of Egypt who ran from Potiphar’s wife, not because he was afraid of being caught, or wanted to be blessed, but because in his words, “how can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God.” (Genesis 39:9). It is a “nevertheless not my will, but thine be done” attitude. (Luke 22:41-42). It is obedience because we love God and want to do his will regardless of the consequence. This requires humility and obedience that makes us joint-heirs with Christ. (Romans 8:16-17). This is having an eye single to his glory which will qualify us for the work. (D&C 4:5).

Doctrine and Covenants 82:10 I know this to be true and I have seen the blessing that come from this scripture this week. I pray that we will all strive to keep Celestial obedience and see our love in God and Christ increase and then let the blessing follow. We as missionaries must be lost in the work and members of the church must be lost in keeping our covenants and remember the saving ordinances we have done.  We should all strive to bind the Lord with our obedience. That is the most important thing that you will ever learn. Bind the Lord!!

Elder Winterbottom & Elder Bowman

Serving in Hurst

The Lord's Vineyard

April 21, 2014

 

 

Holidays take a whole new meaning

When your away from the real word and the commercial part of the holidays you truly understand the real meaning behind holidays. Growing up I knew what Easter was but I truly didn't know what it meant. I was so caught up in the commercial part that I forgot what Christ did for us. Alma 7:11-13 and John 3:16 Explains the true meaning of Easter. I love my Savoir and he is my Friend! I would not be where I'm at today without him. I know that God is my creditor, Christ is my mediator, and I am the debtor. God has given me this life and no matter what I do I will never be perfect, I will never be able to pay back my debts (my faults, mistakes, and sins) I owe. But thought Christ, my mediator, I can be forgiven. Christ has payed my debt and I am so grateful for that! I know that he has payed my sins personally. Christ know exactly how each and everyone of us feels. I also know that when my time is over that I will be resurrected and that I will have a perfect body just like Christ. I know that Christ died for us and I know that he lives!! Easter is an amazing holiday and the talks given in sacrament this week opened up my eyes to what I have in this life and how much I have been forgiven and been blessed with. I love the church video called Because of Him. I love that video and I have taken it dearly into my heart. I pray that y'all will search and ponder what Easter is really all about. I pray that y'all will understand the meaning of the atonement and what it has done for you or what it can do for you. I know Christ is my Savior and Redeemer and my Mediator.

April 14, 2014

Another transfer down

The big news is always transfer days. got a call about 7:30 tell Elder Bowman and I that we are staying the same. Every companionship is changing in our district except Elder Bowman and I. Elder Bowman and I have 4 of our investigators with baptism dates. We are also planning a wedding for one of the investigators as well and then they will be baptized. Pray extra hard for them and pray that they will receive guidance and make righteous decisions. We have faced a lot of trials with investigators agency. I now know how our Heavenly Farther feels about agency. Its hard to see someone you love so dearly make wrong decisions.  But without agency we wouldn't learn for ourselves and we wouldn't grown. Agency has been apart of the plan for the very beginning and so has another principle, the atonement. Both of this things are meant to better us has humans and  come closer to our Heavenly Father.  Both of which help us grow. Has we chose righteous decisions, our faith and knowledge in this gospel are strengthened.  But has we chose unrighteous decisions we fall short of his glory and we do not grow but we do have the atonement. The atonement is their us to change our ways and and get back on the path. This principle is also a way that we are strengthened. It is a hard path to go down but has we do so we will grown. I know that both of those principles are for us. We have a loving father that loves us dearly. I pray that we will remember our covenants and keep the commandments.

Love
 Elder Winterbottom & Elder Bowman

April 7, 2014

Conference Week
What a great week to hear from the Prophet and Apostles! I love hearing the testimonies and the witness of Jesus Christ!  The most important thing I understood about General Conference was that conference means nothing if we don't act and let it change us. These sessions our for our own benefit and learning. But again we have to let us change us. Everyone is not perfect and there are plenty of opportunists to change and become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ.  The road to Discipleship will be hard! In order to be a disciple we have to walk the road Christ walked and we all know that that was not an easy thing to do! It will be hard, it will be painful, it will be an enduring challenge but it will be well worth it! We have a quot in the apartment that says "I never said it would be easy... I only said it would be worth it."  I also learned a lot about the Priesthood in the Priesthood session and how I can strengthen my authority. I so thankful for the opportunity to serve in the name of Jesus Christ, to proclaim repentance to all and everyone, to bring forth the blessings of heaven and share them with others. I know that I must be equally yoked with Christ. I strive to be obedient to the commandment and covenants I have made and I know in the end we will be exalted on high. I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father. I know that Christ is the way and through him we are saved. Christ is my Savoir, my brother and my friend. A true friend will lay down his life for another (John 15:13) I am so grateful for him and his atonement! I know that I am a disciple of Jesus Christ!

Love
Elder Winterbottom & Elder Bowman

Serving In Hurst

The Lord's Vineyard

March 31, 2014

Went on an exchange with the Spanish Elders (Zone Leaders) Last Monday and Tuesday and that was a very cool experience! I could pick up on a couple of words but for the most part I had no idea what was going on. It was a very cool experience even though I could understand what was going on the spirit was still there. I was given and hour to do language study and in that hour I learned how to bare my testimony in Spanish. I knew that every one is a child of God but I would avoid Hispanic people because i could not speak the language and from that exchange I learned that everyone needs the opportunity to hear the gospel. I have promised to myself and heavenly father that I will talk to everyone no matter what their race.

Yo se que Dios vive y se que el tiene un plan para nuestra felicivad. Yo se que Jesucristo es mi Salvador y Redentor y pormedio de el pondemos ser limpios del pecados. Yo se que Jose Smith fue un profeta de Dios. Yo se que Thomas S. Monson es dirijiendo y guiando la iglesia hoy en dia. Yo se que El Libro De Mormon es la palabra de  Dios. Yo se que este inglesia es verdadero.

Love

Elder Winterbottom & Elder Bowman

Serving In Hurst

The Lord's Vineyard

March 24, 2014

Service Week

I have never racked up so many leaves in my life then i did this week!! We did service for two families and both of the family needed their leaves picked up. It took us 3 hour each house and by the time we were done there were about 15 bags! It feels like fall because of all the leaves. The Jackson family was one of the families we helped and they have 5 kids and the 2 youngest helped me the whole time. I love those little kids!! One is about 4 and the other is about 2. We went to their house for dinner on Sunday and the two boys wanted to help me do everything! They followed me everywhere and would do the same thing I would do haha I love that family.

The zone leaders in this area Spanish and we went to one of their investigators baptism and it was cool because the whole thing was in Spanish. Even though I couldn’t understand a single thing that was going on the spirit was still there. I am also going on an exchange with them this week and all the lessons with are in Spanish. I think I'm going t write my testimony in Spanish and then have them practice with me saying it! That’s what I get to look forward to this week. Wish me luck and pray that the spirit will be with me on those lessons!!

Love

Elder Winterbottom & Elder Bowman

Serving in Hurst

The Lord's Vineyard

March 18, 2014

Temple refresher

We went to the Temple!! It felt so great to be in the house of the Lord and just being able to sit and ponder questions that I had. The feeling that you get there is the best feeling and I wish I could go there more often. It was a great experience being able to go and doing work for the dead know that the temple is a huge blessing for our own personal salvation and for the dead. There are so many opportunities to temple work and I pray that you will go and take advantage of these opportunities and blessings. I it a huge blessing for all who go!! I know that this is the true Church and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this gospel. Now I'm back to doing work for the living and bring souls to our Heavenly Father.

This week we did some service and that was fun because it’s a break from missionary work and you get to relax a little. I had 3 little kids help me rake leaves and put them in bags and then Elder Bowman and I went on the roof of the house and cut tree branches down and lots of them. This week is a lot of service for us. We have some more service planned for Thursday and Saturday. The past week we had Zone training and it was all about member missionary work. I know that members a very important to this work. Like President Hinckley said, "every member a missionary" and i know that to be true. Members are the most important part in retaining converts. Missionaries come and go but members stay. Members are even the best way to find investigators. A member’s testimony to a friend is a ton strong then a missionary contact. Get Involved In The Work Of Salvation.

We also had interviews with President Ames. I love talking to President Ames. After interviews we also President come on an exchange with us. That was an amazing experience!!! The perks of being a companion to the district leader. We went to two lessons with President and afterward President told us that we were a power house companionship. We work together and really feel the needs of our investigators. We also follow the spirit and he said that he knows through revelation that we are suppose to be together for this transfer. I loved that night with President Ames!! Hurrah for Israel

Love

Elder Winterbottom & Bowman

Serving in Hurst

The Lord's Vineyard