5.12.14 - Feliz dia de la madre!

Mother's day in Mexico was Saturday, and then in America it was Sunday, and since everyone seems to spend about equal time on both sides of the border it was a full weekend of congratulating. It was a great Holiday.

Under the bridge to Mexico

How cool was it to have Skype approved the week before Mother's Day?! Huzzah! Huzzah for Israel. I didn't really get to see anyone's face because I had some puny apartment broadband to work with, so it was basically like a 3-way phone call, but I think everyone could see me. Right? I made as many faces as I could.

Transfer caaaalls. I'm staying in Eagle Pass for transfer number 3. I'm getting a junior companion, which means he'll probably have been out for less time that I have. We're going to tear it up. I'm so excited. I'm so sad to have Elder Warren leave. He is a true best friend. I know I can count on him for anything. He works so hard and he's going to be a great zone leader.

The "C" family and the "S" family both came to church. How great is that?! As I've emphasized on the quality of the time I spend with people, as opposed to the quantity of time/people I've seen the desired results increase. I have to do all I can to cultivate an environment where the spirit of God can work through me and bear witness to the people I meet.

One of our highlights this week was Thursday evening when the "H" family accompanied us to the church building. We gave them a tour of the building, described the significance of the pictures, talked about what happens in each room and during each hour of church with the help of the first counselor Brother Smith. I heard the 3 big things people struggle overcoming when in coming into contact with the church is unfamiliarity with the People, the Services, and the Location. I can tell them where it is, invite many members to come teach them with us, but they have to come to church to really feel what church is like. At the end of the tour we sat in the Chapel and everyone bore testimony. I could feel the spirit very strongly in that setting. However, the "H" family did not end up exercising their agency to choose to test the path which is both straight and narrow by coming to church.

The "H" family is awesome, they have a good Christian church they go to in the community. They have felt the spirit, learned about Christ and increased their faith. They have many good Christian friends in this church in which they've devoted years of their lives. This is something I've had to think long and hard about. In Moroni 7:13 we learn that all things which invite and entice to do good are from God. In this light the encounter between Christ and some of his apostles in mark 9: 38-39 and Luke 9: 49-50 become clear. John said he forbade a man from preaching in the name of Christ who did not follow them, and Christ said forbid him not because he who is not against us is for us. So these good enticing church's must have some truth in them. However the words of Christ remain equally clear in Mathew 7, that straight is the way, and narrow the path which leads to Eternal Life, and few there shall be that find it.

Jumping to Mathew 7 we find the importance of the message of the restoration of Gospel of Jesus Christ for these great Christians. Mathew 7:21-23 teaches that not everyone who says Lord, Lord will enter into the Kingdom of God, not even all those who prophesied, performed miracles and cast out demons in the name of the Christ will be saved. To end the chapter the people are astonished at Christ's teachings and recognize the authority he teaches with. This authority is a key difference between any church in the world and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Although other Church's are good, they cannot assure that the people will be saved in the last day. Joseph Smith received that authority from the angelic ministers Peter, James and John who in the flesh received it from Jesus Christ himself by the laying on of hands. That priesthood gives the authority and power of God to man to do works of Salvation in his name. It can only be received by the laying on of hands by one has that same authority tracing back to Jesus Christ. A prophet is the name given to the one man who has the authority over the welfare of the souls in the entire world. In Mathew 7 Christ teaches us that by their (a prophet's) fruits we can know them.

Christ provided the fruit of Joseph Smith shortly after calling him to be a prophet. He gave him the power to translate the Book of Mormon. The invitation to the world is that all might read from the Book of Mormon, and pray with a sincere heart and real intent to God to know if it's true, and just like the "C" and "S" family said this last week, they will receive a witness from the spirit that, "it is true." "Hermalda" said she felt the spirit stronger and had more of a desire to good than she ever had when she read from the Bible alone, and that is was so clear what she had to do to follow Jesus Christ.

From there the invitation from Alma 5:62 is extended. A baptism by the authority of God which has been restored to the earth by Joseph Smith is necessary for salvation and is a step toward exaltation and the sealing of families into the eternities.

I love you and I miss you ya salty sea folk!

Elder Tyler Meidell