Go To the Source

We had a zone conference this week. I liked that. We had more teaching opportunities than we've had for several weeks. I liked that too. We got to see two baptisms that took place in the zone this weekend (the week before there was also two). I'm impressed with the elders and sisters around me.

                     You know, you see them come into the mission, and they're all young and new. And then seeing them now leading the mission, and doing fantastic, I’m just proud of them. It's the best to me to see that the missionaries after you are able to reach greater Heights than maybe you ever did. I call that progress and I’m happy for it.

Kermis has been going on for the last little while. They have them all throughout Nederland around the same few weeks. Basically a big carnival. They have games, food, rides, that they set up in the centrum. That was cool.
              
We've also been blessed with some nice weather lately. I've enjoyed it

Guess what? (I hope I didn't already say this, or it won't be nearly as dramatic) Elder Ballard is coming to Nederland on September 11th. He's going to meet with the whole mission in the morning, and with the Den Haag stake in the evening.. That''ll be really great



We talked in zone conference, (among many things) about why one would believe in our church. There is a lot of anti material against our church. So many people want to prove that it is fabricated. And if you’re looking for it, you can find many things that don't really make sense, or that seem controversial regarding our church history etc...

But my thoughts were, as we talked about this, and that was similar to what our President said to us: How many reasons do we have to believe? In Alma 30 he lists the reasons he has to believe. If you think about your life in the church (if you've had one in the church) and all the stories you've heard, all the miracles you've heard about, seen the results of, and miracles you've experienced for yourself, you create a massive list of reasons To believe.

Now one can argue that that's lame. That it doesn't answer the unanswered questions. 

Well that's right. But that same argument is then returned on them. What do we have from the gospel that cannot be explained away? I always have wondered why it is, that so many people make such a big point to try to discredit or fight against our church. I mean, why? If it's all nonsense then let us be.

The fact is, they never will. And they'll continually find things to throw on that list.

Luckily for us, we don't have to rely on a tally of items and events to prove the truth. Truth is independent of opinion and actions of people. We believe in the Holy Spirit. He is the Testifier of truth. The list that we have, of reasons to believe, is really just to support and strengthen this growing testimony or conviction we have found as a result of His witness/communication with us.

That's why missionaries Always seem to have the same cliché answer; read, pray, and ask God for the answer.

Why waste time, when you can go to the source?

I love you all,
Elder Chantry