"This gospel is just the best!"
Hello! I hope everyone is doing fantastic! You’ll be happy to know, I didn’t pass out last week haha! So overall, a huge win haha! I hope you have all seen the hand of the Lord in your life over the past week! I promise you it was there often, constantly guiding you, whether you realized it or not. Your Heavenly Father loves you and of that I am sure!
I’ve really contemplated what I should talk about today. I feel like there’s just so much I could say, but what I should actually say, I just don’t know! As I’ve been thinking about it the last week, my mind was kind of blank, but then I heard something yesterday that I loved! I had an opportunity yesterday to watch a baptism of a friend I once taught when I lived in the Woodbridge area. He’s an 11 year old kid who is just a stud! His mom wouldn’t allow him to be baptized for a very long time, but after much prayer and fasting, she finally consented and he was baptized! It was such an amazing experience!
His dad went up to give a talk after the baptism had been performed and he talked about a brief interaction he had with his son (Grant). The dad (Scott) was unplugging the drain to the baptismal font, and he looked up at his son Grant who was off to the side just watching his dad. Scott noticed his son had tears in his eyes. He asked, “Grant, is everything okay?” “Yes,” Grant replied softly. He then followed with a phrase that struck me, “Dad, I felt the Spirit come into me." What an amazing experience that must have been for Grant and his father! It was an amazing experience for me! As I thought about Grant’s words, it made me reflect on a couple of things. One, the importance of baptism. Two, the joy of the Spirit! Three, has the Spirit come into me?
So we’ll start with thing one–baptism! In my time serving as a full time missionary, I have spent a lot of time focused on baptism. I have studied the doctrine of baptism; I have read pretty much everything scripture says about baptism etc. I have come to know that baptism is absolutely essential! Although Jesus Christ was perfect, he was baptized! Why? “And again, it showeth unto the children of men the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them” (2 Nephi 31:9). Christ showed us the path that is essential for us to follow in order to make it back to our Father in Heaven. After the Savior’s baptism, he gives a very clear and simple invitation, “Follow thou me.” The invitation leaves little room for confusion; the Savior invites us to follow Him! What do we get in return when we’re baptized? “He that is baptized in My name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto Me.” We are blessed with the exact same Spirit that Christ had! The Spirit which led the Savior throughout His journey in mortality! What an amazing gift that is! Truly a gift without price! I know that baptism is essential; I also know that it is not the end!
After being baptized we are able to have the gift of the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost has many names! Just to name a few: The Holy Spirit, The Holy Spirit of Promise, The Spirit of God, Spirit of Revelation, Spirit of the Lord, Spirit of Wisdom, Spirit of Counsel, Spirit of Understanding, Guide, Breath of the Almighty, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, The Good Spirit, The Spirit of Grace, Etc. These are only a few of the many names the Spirit has! Isn’t this a gift that you want with you at all times?! I know I sure do! After we have repented and are baptized, we qualify for the gift of the Holy Ghost! This has been a joy to me in my life, but especially on my mission! The Spirit has led me and guided me throughout my entire service as a missionary, as long as I have remained worthy to have it. The Spirit has stuck with me through every little thing in my missionary service; I have felt it’s yearning to be with me! I have come to know when I feel the Spirit and what I can do to have the Spirit more fully in my life! I’m grateful for the individuality of the Spirit! Often how others feel the Spirit, is not at all how I feel it! I’m grateful that God has blessed me to know how I best feel the Spirit! The Spirit truly has been a joy to me in my mission! If you currently aren’t feeling the Spirit, I promise you, you don’t know what true joy is! Although you may be happy, true joy comes only from the Spirit! Do whatever you need to do to get to that point where you can have the Spirit with you again!
Lastly, has the Spirit come into me?! When Scott was telling the story of his son saying that, I really got to thinking, do I have that same feeling? Although we are only baptized once, we can have the opportunity of the Spirit coming into us each and every day! One of the greatest conference talks ever given was addressed in about 124 B.C. It was given by a prophet named Benjamin, commonly referred to as King Benjamin. In his talk, he addresses the importance of taking upon us the name of Christ! He invites to serve and be selfless! He tells us to keep the commandments and we will be blessed beyond our comprehension! After he’s done speaking, he takes a little break and he wants to know what the people think of everything he’s just said. And in Mosiah, chapter 5 verse 2, we read, “And they (everyone who has just heard the words of King Benjamin) all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent (another name for the Spirit), which has wrought a MIGHTY change in us, or in our HEARTS, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” I love their response! I love that they said, through the Spirit, they had a mighty change in heart! So it begs the question, have I? Have you? Have you felt your heart be changed by the Spirit? Has the Spirit come into you? Have you allowed it to fill your heart?! I can tell you that I have experienced a change of heart! I am not perfect and never will be; that’s okay. I strive each day to do what the Lord would ask of me! I do everything I can to have his Spirit with me, because it truly has found place in my heart! Just like 11-year-old Grant, the Spirit has come into me, and I don’t want it to leave!
I know this church is true! I know that the doctrine is very simple and perfect! If we have enough faith in Jesus Christ to change our actions and repent, prepare and receive baptism, allowing us to receive the Holy Ghost, and continue growing each day, we are perfectly qualified for the kingdom of heaven! I know that this is the one and only true gospel of Jesus Christ, and I know it’s taught in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! I love my Father in Heaven and am eternally grateful for His Son, Jesus Christ! I’m grateful for my constant companionship of the Holy Ghost and the peace, joy, and guidance it brings me! This gospel is just the best and I bear witness of that as His servant, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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I’ve really contemplated what I should talk about today. I feel like there’s just so much I could say, but what I should actually say, I just don’t know! As I’ve been thinking about it the last week, my mind was kind of blank, but then I heard something yesterday that I loved! I had an opportunity yesterday to watch a baptism of a friend I once taught when I lived in the Woodbridge area. He’s an 11 year old kid who is just a stud! His mom wouldn’t allow him to be baptized for a very long time, but after much prayer and fasting, she finally consented and he was baptized! It was such an amazing experience!
His dad went up to give a talk after the baptism had been performed and he talked about a brief interaction he had with his son (Grant). The dad (Scott) was unplugging the drain to the baptismal font, and he looked up at his son Grant who was off to the side just watching his dad. Scott noticed his son had tears in his eyes. He asked, “Grant, is everything okay?” “Yes,” Grant replied softly. He then followed with a phrase that struck me, “Dad, I felt the Spirit come into me." What an amazing experience that must have been for Grant and his father! It was an amazing experience for me! As I thought about Grant’s words, it made me reflect on a couple of things. One, the importance of baptism. Two, the joy of the Spirit! Three, has the Spirit come into me?
So we’ll start with thing one–baptism! In my time serving as a full time missionary, I have spent a lot of time focused on baptism. I have studied the doctrine of baptism; I have read pretty much everything scripture says about baptism etc. I have come to know that baptism is absolutely essential! Although Jesus Christ was perfect, he was baptized! Why? “And again, it showeth unto the children of men the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them” (2 Nephi 31:9). Christ showed us the path that is essential for us to follow in order to make it back to our Father in Heaven. After the Savior’s baptism, he gives a very clear and simple invitation, “Follow thou me.” The invitation leaves little room for confusion; the Savior invites us to follow Him! What do we get in return when we’re baptized? “He that is baptized in My name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto Me.” We are blessed with the exact same Spirit that Christ had! The Spirit which led the Savior throughout His journey in mortality! What an amazing gift that is! Truly a gift without price! I know that baptism is essential; I also know that it is not the end!
After being baptized we are able to have the gift of the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost has many names! Just to name a few: The Holy Spirit, The Holy Spirit of Promise, The Spirit of God, Spirit of Revelation, Spirit of the Lord, Spirit of Wisdom, Spirit of Counsel, Spirit of Understanding, Guide, Breath of the Almighty, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, The Good Spirit, The Spirit of Grace, Etc. These are only a few of the many names the Spirit has! Isn’t this a gift that you want with you at all times?! I know I sure do! After we have repented and are baptized, we qualify for the gift of the Holy Ghost! This has been a joy to me in my life, but especially on my mission! The Spirit has led me and guided me throughout my entire service as a missionary, as long as I have remained worthy to have it. The Spirit has stuck with me through every little thing in my missionary service; I have felt it’s yearning to be with me! I have come to know when I feel the Spirit and what I can do to have the Spirit more fully in my life! I’m grateful for the individuality of the Spirit! Often how others feel the Spirit, is not at all how I feel it! I’m grateful that God has blessed me to know how I best feel the Spirit! The Spirit truly has been a joy to me in my mission! If you currently aren’t feeling the Spirit, I promise you, you don’t know what true joy is! Although you may be happy, true joy comes only from the Spirit! Do whatever you need to do to get to that point where you can have the Spirit with you again!
Lastly, has the Spirit come into me?! When Scott was telling the story of his son saying that, I really got to thinking, do I have that same feeling? Although we are only baptized once, we can have the opportunity of the Spirit coming into us each and every day! One of the greatest conference talks ever given was addressed in about 124 B.C. It was given by a prophet named Benjamin, commonly referred to as King Benjamin. In his talk, he addresses the importance of taking upon us the name of Christ! He invites to serve and be selfless! He tells us to keep the commandments and we will be blessed beyond our comprehension! After he’s done speaking, he takes a little break and he wants to know what the people think of everything he’s just said. And in Mosiah, chapter 5 verse 2, we read, “And they (everyone who has just heard the words of King Benjamin) all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent (another name for the Spirit), which has wrought a MIGHTY change in us, or in our HEARTS, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” I love their response! I love that they said, through the Spirit, they had a mighty change in heart! So it begs the question, have I? Have you? Have you felt your heart be changed by the Spirit? Has the Spirit come into you? Have you allowed it to fill your heart?! I can tell you that I have experienced a change of heart! I am not perfect and never will be; that’s okay. I strive each day to do what the Lord would ask of me! I do everything I can to have his Spirit with me, because it truly has found place in my heart! Just like 11-year-old Grant, the Spirit has come into me, and I don’t want it to leave!
I know this church is true! I know that the doctrine is very simple and perfect! If we have enough faith in Jesus Christ to change our actions and repent, prepare and receive baptism, allowing us to receive the Holy Ghost, and continue growing each day, we are perfectly qualified for the kingdom of heaven! I know that this is the one and only true gospel of Jesus Christ, and I know it’s taught in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! I love my Father in Heaven and am eternally grateful for His Son, Jesus Christ! I’m grateful for my constant companionship of the Holy Ghost and the peace, joy, and guidance it brings me! This gospel is just the best and I bear witness of that as His servant, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Elder Steadman (司长老)
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