Week 8

Dear Hermana Lutze,

Today I'm fasting and praying for your success as a missionary. You definitely left the CCM at a difficult time. Transitioning away from the friends you've made and being in a new place for the holidays can make you feel home sick. I just laughed as I read your letter last week. I thought for a minute that you were describing Argentina! Your descriptions brought back many memories... Any raw sewage running down the street yet? Hannah thought you were describing Peru.

How's your district? Your zone?  Your mission president? Your companion? Tell us more!

How are your investigators? Any stories from this last week?

I've been busy with work and end of year Relief Society meetings. We attended three wards this week and took turns bearing our testimony of Christ. It was my turn on Thursday. I bore testimony of the Living Christ and the importance of the daily use of the Atonement. Elder Boyd K. Packer taught, “The Atonement is an ever-present power to call upon in everyday life.” I know that you will use all of the powers of the Atonement on your mission and throughout your life. A few of those powers are the Cleansing, Healing, Restoring, Identifying, Strengthening, and Transforming power. You will use the strengthening and transforming power the very most on your mission. It is through His grace (strength) that we can become perfect (complete/whole). As you've mentioned in your previous letters, He will make up the difference as you give your perfect effort. 

Dad and I were in the temple Friday evening and I had a few moments to read in the Celestial room. I opened the D&C to section 133 and thought of you as I read verses 57-63... "And for this cause, that men might be made partakers of the glories which were to be revealed, the Lord sent forth the fullness of his gospel, his everlasting covenant, reasoning in plainness and simplicity- to prepare the weak for those things which are coming on the earth, and for the Lord's errand in the day when the weak shall confound the wise, and the little one become a strong nation, and two shall put their tens of thousands to flight. And by the weak things of the earth the Lord shall thresh the nations by the power of his Spirit. And for this cause these commandments were given; they were commanded to be kept from the world in the day that they were given, but now are to go forth unto all flesh-and this according to the mind and will of the Lord, who ruleth over all flesh. And unto him that repenteth and sanctifieth himself before the Lord shall be given eternal life. And upon them that hearken not to the voice of the Lord shall be fulfilled that which was written by the prophet Moses, that they should be cut off from among the people."

Hermana Lutze, you will reason in plainness and simplicity with those that you teach by His Spirit. The gospel is to prepare us for those things that are coming on the earth. You will have investigators that repent and are sanctified and will receive eternal life and you will have investigators that are cut off because they choose not to listen. Ultimately it is their choice. These verses also apply to members not just non-members. We can choose to listen to and follow the prophet and the apostles and eventually achieve eternal life or we can choose not to listen and obey and we will be cut off. We are seeing this sifting process right now in the church. We can never let go of the iron rod which is the fundamental practices of prayer, scripture study, church and temple attendance. These things are the oil in our lamps so that we will be ready when the Bridegroom comes.

In Emily's class this week we talked about the battle of Jericho and how there were no physical weapons used to bring the walls of Jericho down. The walls were brought down on the seventh day through faith and obedience-spiritual weapons. I liken this to the Sabbath Day and how we bring down the walls of Babylon (the world) through our Sabbath Day observance when we keep the Sabbath day holy through our faith and obedience.

Something to ponder this week... What promises from the Lord are you trusting in? When Emily asked this I thought immediately of my patriarchal blessing. Hermana Lutze what promises are in your blessing that you are trusting in as you serve the Lord? Our actions change depending on the promises that we trust in. If we trust in promises made by the world we are building on the sand but if we trust in the promises made by our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ we are building on the rock. What about the promise on the plaque that I sent with you?

We then read the stories of Achan (Joshua 7:10-15) and Caleb (Joshua 14:7-14.) Achan took the accursed thing while Caleb wholly followed the Lord. As you serve your mission and wholly forsake the world and wholly follow the Lord you will gain great power! 1 John 2: 15-17 emphasizes this teaching.

The last thought I want to share is on the sacrament and this scripture in Joshua 24:22, "And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses." 

Elder Tad R. Callister taught, “During the sacrament we become witnesses against ourselves.” He continues, “The sacrament is a time to meaningfully reflect upon the life of the Savior, to examine and match our own life against his perfect example, and then to resolve to narrow the gap” (p. 292)

In his book, Elder Callister likens the Sacrament to a weekly memorial service. The Sacrament table is also an altar where the bread is broken, or cut; where we make a covenant, and lay down our sacrifice to the Lord. He quotes Brigham Young who said, “Is this custom [the sacrament] necessary? Yes; because we are so liable to forget” (pg. 286). Wasn’t that the downfall of the Israelites? Those “dummies” would always forget, even after seeing so many miracles! I can be dumb like that too."

So, if we are truly spiritual beings, but we feed only on temporal porridge, our soul is starving toward spiritual death. The true feast only comes at the sacrament table, our personal altar of sacrifice.

Elder Callister says, “Some come to the banquet table each week with pitchers, ready to catch and drink every drop of eternal life that is offered. Others come with cups—and still others with yet smaller receptacles”

We are charged to choose the gospel of obedience, staying free from sin at all times. We are also charged to serve, to be compassionate, to remember, and to represent Jesus Christ always (Mosiah 18: 9-10). What an absolute privilege! For us, the great sacrifice is the world. We must sacrifice the things of the world (as well as the god of the world), in order to choose Father, remember Christ, and be redeemed. Our step-by-step guide is to repent, pray, and listen to the Holy Ghost, who testifies of the only way, the truth, and the light. Jesus Christ sacrificed His will to do the will of His father and we must too.

I love you Hermana Lutze!

Love, 

Mom

P. S. Are you allowed to help people anonymously with money, etc. during the Christmas season? The family wants to send money to you and Kyle to help in your areas instead of Christmas gifts this year.