This conference yielded some more big changes! 2 hour church!!! I want to share with you my initial experience with this new change.
Serving in Utah, I have heard all sorts of ideas for what was going to be announced, but nearly everyone said 2 hour church. When I first heard that, I even turned to my companion and said "That is an apostate belief" Hahaha! I thought there was no way the church would shorten church. We, the members, can get such valuable needed information from the 3rd hour of church, I didn't see us benefitting from change. Oh how wrong those thoughts were!
Right as they announced it in conference, I felt of its truthful divinity. This is a higher, holier law. It is the beginning of the division between the wheat and the tares. Those who are faithful to Jesus Christ will accept this council and magnify the teachings in their home. I can see many people just coming to church and not following through with what is supposed to happen at home... that kind of practice will lead to personal apostasy. I encourage all of you to strengthen your families continually.
Now that the church has released official study guides for the family at home, it has never been easier to teach your kids, and loved ones, the important doctrinal truths found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Don't take this as a new excuse to be lazy on Sunday. As I have been going through Jesus's teachings, I've found an interesting correlation between then and today. Jesus, unlike the teachings in the law of Moses, taught principles that needed to be applied within the body while a lot of the law of Moses taught things that needed to happen without. In a similar sense, going to church for three hours was an outward showing of obedience while teaching in the home will be an inward change of obedience. That is why this has been referred to as a Higher Law.
Along with the change to Sunday activities, President Nelson also spoke on the importance of using the correct name of the restored church of Jesus Christ. I love what he said, and I'm paraphrasing because I don't have his exact words, "Whenever we omit the name of Jesus Christ, Satan gains a victory". What a powerful statement! If that doesn't encourage the importance of using the correct terminology, I don't know what does!
President Nelson truly is a loving Prophet on the earth today. Each time he speaks, I listen to every word he says for I know it is directly from God. This general conference has been an amazing experience and I am so glad I got to be on my mission for it. We had a good amount of the people we are teaching watch it as well. I hope that, as they listened to President Nelson, they were able to feel the magnitude of his calling and the importance of a modern day prophet.
Other than that, this week was incredibly long. We were able to find four new people to teach (two families with two non-member kids) one on Monday and one on Tuesday. The rest of the week was incredibly long and painful. Nearly every one of our teaching appointments canceled and it seemed like no one was ever home. Even the houses of the members we were trying to visit weren't home... sometimes the work is just slow hahaha.
It was a great way to end the week, even if the rest of it wasn't too great. I know I will be blessed for our obedience and diligence. I also know that not every day is going to yield good results. The work is rough but I am tough... well through God I am tough hahaha. I have relied on him for so many things.
"7 Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things."
Jacob 4:7
I know this principle to be true because I have lived it! All things are possible through God... All things. Not just the spiritual. Not just the ones related to church. No, all things. Rely on the Lord thy God, and he will give you strength.
I know that Jesus Christ's church is on the earth today and that I am a part of it. There is no doubt in my mind that true and lasting happiness comes from within His church. I pray daily that all those around me may be able to realize this divine truth.
I love you all. Have a great week!
Elder Francis
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