Week 68...Vintar Philippines

Hey guys. There is a massive super typhoon coming in this week. It should hit around Wednesday or Thursday. Or tomorrow, not sure. But it is HUGE apparently. It is coming right over the top of us too. So I guess what I am saying is...Pray for us. I am actually really really excited but the Pinoys always get mad at us Americans when we say that haha. We will see what happens.

I learned this week that I need to simplify everything.  They talked about that sorta during conference too. About not looking beyond the mark. The mark is Jesus Christ.  All we need to do is just look to the Savior. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Light. No man cometh unto the Father except by Him.  Lately I've been letting less important things distract me. Even other aspects of missionary work can distract us if we focus on them too much when the center piece is missing, the center piece being the Savior. This week I am just gonna try to have some more real intent, and look the Savior and more like Him.

I learned a lot yesterday when the branch president made me teach Elders quorum class last minute. I taught from "The Teachings of President Howard W Hunter" from chapter 20. I learned a ton. Here's some.

In ancient times, one test of the purity of gold was performed with a smooth, black, siliceous stone called a touchstone. When rubbed across the touchstone, the gold produced a streak or mark on its surface. The goldsmith matched this mark to a color on his chart of graded colors. The mark was redder as the amount of copper or alloy increased or yellower as the percentage of gold increased. This process showed quite accurately the purity of the gold.

The touchstone method of testing the purity of gold was quick and was satisfactory for most practical purposes. But the goldsmith who still questioned the purity completed a more accurate test by using a process that involved fire.

I suggest to you that the Lord has prepared a touchstone for you and me, an outward measurement of inward discipleship that marks our faithfulness and will survive the fires yet to come.

On one occasion while Jesus was teaching the people, a certain lawyer approached him and posed this question: “Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 

Jesus, the master teacher, replied to the man, who obviously was well-versed in the law, with a counter-question, “What is written in the law? how readest thou?”

The man replied with resolute summary the two great commandments: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.”

With approval Christ responded, “This do, and thou shalt live” (Luke 10:25–28).

Eternal life, God’s life, the life we are seeking, is rooted in two commandments. The scriptures say that “on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:40). Love God and love your neighbor. The two work together; they are inseparable. In the highest sense they may be considered as synonymous. And they are commandments that each of us can live.

The answer of Jesus to the lawyer might be considered as the Lord’s touchstone. He said on another occasion, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40). He will measure our devotion to him by how we love and serve our fellowmen. What kind of mark are we leaving on the Lord’s touchstone? Are we truly good neighbors? Does the test show us to be 24-karat gold, or can the trace of fool’s gold be detected?

Those 2 commandments really do sum everything up. I know all these things are super true. 

 This week was rough. We have a lot of investigators that are 'interested' and that have accepted baptismal dates, but they just aren't coming to church. It's frustrating cause a lot of them live within walking distance of the church haha.  We usually try to go and remind them to come to church before it starts in the morning but they still don't come haha. We are trying to figure it out. We are just in tough spot right now.

Well as I said, Pray for us. I have a feeling this is gonna be a really rainy week. And i'm not sure how much proselyting we will be able to do, because of the typhoon, so we will hope for the best.

I love you all and don't forget to pray!

-Elder Andersen