General Epistle of Elder Dredge, Week 68
My beloved friends and family,
I just first want to apologize for not having written the other week. I always want to share my experiences and my testimony with you all while I am here, because truly the mission is a precious experience, and there are so many lessons in life to learn while I serve here. It all cannot go without sharing.
It has been such a cool experience being Elder Schauperl´s trainer, and it is an honor to help him start his mission with faith and excitement for the work. He is doing an awesome job getting the Spanish down and teaching in a simple, understandable way, and sharing his testimony. Tears were shed as he has shared his humble testimony of the Gospel. I am truly amazed by his faith.
The other week he had disclosed to me a bit about his life before the mission, and he definitely had a crazy, awesome life. And he told me about how there were months in which he didn´t go to Church, not feeling so much the need to do it and not liking the ward he had moved into. And he told me about the day in which he was talking with his best friend, with whom he did all the crazy stuff they had been doing. That day, they reflected on how they felt differently than from the times in which they stayed more at home with their families and went to Church with them, and in the end they both decided that they needed to go to Church again. That is the long story made short.
Now, truly, when someone stops going to Church in Germany, it is almost sure that they won´t return. Elder Schauperl has told me about all of his friends who were active in the Church before he left for his mission, and now they don´t want anything with it. But those who remain active there, stay active there, and convert themselves to Christ. That is how it is over there in Germany - personal decision. And that is why I think it is such a miracle and a wonder, and a blessing for him, that he hadn´t gone too far down the road, and that he was able to make the changes necessary to serve a mission. I am honored to help him begin his service and help him along the way to become a converted disciple of Christ.
I just would like to ask you all, for what reason or motive are you faithful in the Church, or in your belief in Christ? Or in other words, are you converted to the Church? Are you converted to seminary? Are you converted to your member friends? Are you converted to your own understanding of the Gospel? ... or are you converted to Christ? I would invite you to ask yourself why you go to Church and read the Scriptures, and offer a prayer to our Heavenly Father, asking for a change of heart. It might come instantly, but for most people it does not. But whenever you go out to do something, or whenever you know you are about to offer a service, or read the Scriptures, or go to Church, or do anything in which you are surrounded by people, offer a prayer, and express your desires to follow the example of Jesus Christ as you do it, and your desires to come closer to Him as you do it. Here are a couple of Scriptures that testify to this. 2 Nephi 32, Moroni 10.
9 But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.
32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
I know that this is His Gospel, and that it is true. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that if we are faithful to our baptismal covenant, we will have the Spirit to be with us. I know that it is the Holy Ghost that teaches us and allows us to have forgiveness, and strengthens us and purifies us. Let´s make the Holy Ghost not just a companion, but a best friend, shall we? I know that these things are true, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Have a wonderful week, my friends, and my family. Always count your blessings!
Elder Dredge (Elder Drech)
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