08/23/10

Hello,

A lot has happened this week. For four days out of the week about half of the missionaries were sent to San Antonio to be trained by President Jones. It was something issued by the 1st Presidency to help us as missionaries become more effective teachers. Not everyone was able to go but eventually all of us will have an opportunity to participate. There are eight new lessons outside of the ones we learned in Preach My Gospel and the MTC.

We had two Sisters stay with us for a couple of nights because it was too far for them to travel back to their apartments after the meeting. They shared some of the things they learned with Sister Mauer and I and I’m so excited to learn more.

We’ve lost some of our investigators this week but the Lord has blessed us and we’ve been able to continue to find people to teach.

Among some of the things the Sisters shared with us was how to effectively use the Book of Mormon. I've grown to love the Book of Mormon even more than I did before. We went over the introduction and we focused on the 1st paragraph, the 2nd to last paragraph, and the last paragraph.

The 1st paragraph describes "what" the Book of Mormon is. The 2nd to last paragraph tells us how all men can know if the Book is true and identifies "three" things we must do to receive a witness from the Holy Ghost. The last paragraph explains "why" it's important to know. For the past few days we've been sharing this with people and we've been able to help them understand the importance of the Book of Mormon. They love their Bible but we're helping them see that Heavenly Father does not give us everything all at once. He does it "line upon line."

2 Nephi 31 has become one of my favorite chapters. This chapter (as the introduction describes), ..."puts forth the doctrines of the gospel...and tells men what they must do to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come."

Verse 21 has helped me to understand that God is a God of order and He knows that order will eliminate confusion. It shows His love for us and how He requires that we all do the same thing if we want to return to His presence.

"And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end Amen."

The truthfulness of the Book of Mormon has helped me be a more powerful missionary. I know it is the word of God along with the Bible and it is tangible evidence of the Restoration of the gospel through the prophet Joseph Smith.

Love you,

Sister Green