email from January 30, 2023
Hey everyone!
I am going to try to keep it short again this week as it has low key been a mostly somewhat uneventful week and we are having a district P-Day and don’t want to take too long.
The highlight of this week was definitely our lessons we were able to have with one of our friends. As usual, I have forgotten to ask if I can use his name on my email, but he is going to get baptized on Friday, and that is super awesome! He has made some really hard changes in his life, and he is so ready for baptism! He is going to invite his family and his random friends at the gym? Regardless, we are super excited for him!!
I was able to go to Milledgeville again this week on Exchanges, and this time I was with Elder Gerlach. That was super fun! We went to a place that is super far out in their area and found an outdoor chess set, so we played chess outside in the rain while making phone calls ?. (I got completely wrecked because apparently Elder Gerlach is a chess master, but still fun nonetheless)
For a spiritual thought today, I wanted to share one of the questions that Sister Farias sent us about 3 Nephi 16:4. The question she asked was:
“How has the Holy Spirit taught you to know Christ through the Book of Mormon? In this moment, if you haven’t already had a spiritual experience through the Book of Mormon, I invite you to pray with faith, opening your heart to him, and asking for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. I know he will speak to your mind and heart something you need to hear. If you’ve had this experience, share it in your journal.”
I really liked this question because it helped me reflect on my testimony of the Book of Mormon and how I have come to know it is true. One thing that I am learning is that in order to gain knowledge in the Book of Mormon, you have to first have a desire. There are so many people we meet who have no desire to even know (some of them it is because their pastor said they wouldn’t go to heaven if they did read it even a little, but that’s not the point haha). However, as soon as you have even the smallest of desires and act upon those desires by reading and praying to know if it is true, you will Recieve an answer by the power of the Holy Ghost.
I would like to extend Sister Farias’ invitation to y’all though, if you haven’t already, write your testimony about the Book of Mormon in a safe space that you can then look back on it in the future :). The spirit will strengthen your testimony and you will find joy from it, and I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Love y’all! Have a good week 🙂 -Elder Claussen
