February 18, 2013
HI GUYS!
So here I am after my first full week BACK WHERE I STARTED in the center of Avellaneda! One of the largest cities outside of Buenos Aires Capital! It has been hot and I am SOOO sun burnt but happy and content to be back! My companion Elder Lem is a Champ and we are having alot of success! I think one of the most difficult and yet refreshing experiences we had this week was showing up to a lesson with a small family and being greeted by a small congregation! There were 8 PREACHERS from a church that is not our own that were preparing to bible bash the wahooey out of us. Well, we being fearless and young and having faith that all things are possible, began to teach our very clear focused direct message. One of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Authority of the priesthood in these latter days through the prophet Joseph Smith. Let us just say that those gathered were not gathered so much to listen than to criticize demean and destroy! So lame.For the next 45 minutes we sat and let them attack us on religious and personal and political levels. It hurt because of how ignorant they really were but it helped me realize something. They focused always on one thing, being 100% obedient to the law to the very details. The thought came to mind, the Pharisees that condemned Christ were also 100% obedient to the law. But instead of looking to lift and love others and to believe and look for the Messiah, they chose to degrade and destroy all those who were were not part of their elite group. It made me think that the gospel of Jesus Christ is so much more than just 100% obedience. It is loving 100% and letting that same love motivate your obedience. For this very reason Christ fulfilled the law of Moses (100's of rules and commandments) with the law of love. In Matthew 22 it says,
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
The gospel of Jesus Christ and the true church that contains it will never degrade, it will never destroy, it will never demean. The gospel of Jesus Christ and His true church will always lift, build and LOVE. I testify that this is true. I know it is. I testify that this church is that church! The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! That all who come unto this gospel will be LIFTED, BUILT UP, AND LOVED because this Church is His church, and this Gospel is His gospel! I have experienced it for myself and I have asked God the eternal Father in the name of Christ if these things are true and he has manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit that they are! I invite all to do the same. To investigate, "by their fruits ye shall know them" and to ask God "ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you."
I love you all. El fin se acerca y hay poco tiempo. I am working hard and and so proud to represent the Lord Jesus Christ in this great work. In HIS great work!
Love,
Elder Anderson
