It's Christmas time again!!! hahaha. Well, at least it's Christmas time again here in the Philippines. As long as the month ends in 'ber' then it is Christmas! Being that it is Christmas time again, it really is kind of a wake up call to how close I really am to being home. Just trying to keep my head above the water of "trunkyness" and just keep doing the things that I need to be doing.
You know, I've realized that Satan never was able to discourage me about my mission all these months. Not once did I ever feel real discouragement. I always knew that I was in the Lord's hands and that He would not let me fail. But now as I approach the end of this tunnel and begin to see a little clearer things that are waiting for me outside of the tunnel back home, I'm starting to feel a little bit of discouragement. There are those who are doing their best to keep the commandments and stay on the path. I know this and I thank you. You are safe. But we must be mindful of those whose path is a little more rocky and a little more unstable than ours. Sometimes, even when we are trying our best to build our foundation on the "rock of our Redeemer", Satan sends those mighty winds that shake and those whirlwinds that disorient us. It is in these times that we must remember where we stand. We are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We know what we know and we know how we know it. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God" writes the Apostle James (James 1:5) and "By the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things" (Moroni 10:5), writes the ancient prophet Moroni. How do we know that this is Christ's Church restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith? We have been answered by God through the power of the Holy Ghost. How do we know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God? The Holy Ghost. How do we know that there is a living prophet today? In the same manner. Is there any other way to obtain the knowledge that man cannot give? Truly, Moroni meant "all things".
There are those outside of this Church who are intent on its destruction. Satan of course is the head of this attack, for his role is to deceive. And that he does in any way possible. There are those who write, speak, film, record and in other ways produce media that attempts to tear down the teachings and beliefs of this church. But this is Christ's church. It will not fall. It is the Kingdom of God. It has been restored in the dispensation of the fullness of times, never to be lost. It is the kingdom seen in vision by Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel which "grew to fill the whole earth". It is here to stay. Try as they might, these attackers of the true church of Jesus Christ might as well "stretch forth [their] puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream" than to try and stop this work from progressing. It is not the work of man. It is the work of God.“And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
“And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 16:13-15)Why was Peter blessed? What set him apart? Because he had the faith to trust. Yes, there was the evidence of the Savior's divinity in each miracle that he performed. Yes, there was power and authority in the holy and sacred words that departed from His lips. But how did Peter really know that Jesus was the Christ? Our Father in Heaven by the power of the Holy Ghost. That is faith. The physical evidence was just an additional testament to the Apostle. What really had testified was the Father. This is revelation. This is wisdom. This is life eternal.
So to those who deny the works of God, to those who say that the Heavens are closed, to those that say that God does not call prophets any more, to those that reject new scripture, to those who have not ears to hear and hearts to feel, I say this: God is working just as much now as he ever has. He has called a prophet to lead us and guide us. He has caused Another Testament of Jesus Christ to come forth, even the Book of Mormon. He offers to answer our prayers and our questions by the power of the Holy Ghost to those who diligently seek Him and desire to know. I testify of this. Because he has answered me. And he will answer you. Trust Him.
I love you all. I know I didn't talk much about what's going on here or back home. But its all good. Love,
Brandonrandon
