Querida Familia,
Well this week has been really good! First, I am sure many of you heard the story about the Elders who were "kidnapped" and beaten in Albuquerque. I want to assure you that all is well. On a better note, this last Sunday was a beautiful day in the 70's so our church meetings were great! We had the very special opportunity of having a few special guests: Elder Jeffery R. Holland, Gerard Causse, and Elder Craig C. Christensen. We had a meeting early Sunday morning with them, where it was just missionaries and later they separated and attended different stake conferences. We had the priviledge of having Gerald Causse of the Presiding Bishopric in attendance at our stake conference! The main themes at the two meetings were first The Book of Mormon and at the next Family History and Temple Work. Elder Holland spoke a lot about the importance of The Book of Mormon in the church and the impact that it should have in each of our lives, and not just as missionaries, but all throughout our lives! So I would like to invite you all to really set aside time each day to read from The Book of Mormon and really ponder the significance that it has for you specifically. The Book of Mormon is one of the greatest gifts we have from God and really is the Key stone of our religion. The first half of Joseph Smith's life was dedicated to the sole purpose of bringing forth The Book of Mormon, because of the importance that it has for the restored church and for each of our individual lives and the lives of all people. It is the sign of the beginning of the Last Days (3 Nephi 21:1-4, 7-9). I know that it is true and that it is evidence of the divinity of Jesus Christ and his Love for us. It bears record that God reveals His Gospel to His children through His prophets. In our Stake conference Every speaker told about the importance of Family History and the Blessings of the Temple. One story that stuck out to me by Gerald Causse was that of a young woman whose main goal in life was to achieve a high ranking position in her church (I think it was Catholic). He told about how this woman met missionaries one day and was not interested in their message, but still said they could come back thinking that it would be good practice to achieve her goal in her church. After the missionaries had given the first lesson, they gave her a Book of Mormon and invited her to attend church. So thinking that it would be great practice to go bash with several Mormons, she accepted the invitation to go to church the following Sunday. The poor Sunday school teacher was worked over with questions and criticized on every point. All the members were overwhelmed by the criticism and even in sacrament meeting she would interrupt the speakers. So needless to say the Bishop and the whole ward were relieved when she finally left. When the missionaries went the next time, they had a really good lesson with her and at the end the invited her to be baptized. Then the concerns about church came out. She said she hated church, the building, the meetings, the teaching, etc. and that she did not want to be baptized into such a church. So the missionaries left. After a few days this woman calls and says, "Do you remember the last question you asked me?" The missionaries replied, "Yes" The woman asked, " Will you ask me that question again?" so the missionaries a little puzzled and a little reluctant said, "Will you follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God?" The woman replied, "YES! I read the Book of Mormon cover to cover and I prayed about it and received an answer that it is the word of God!" Her husband, after finding out that she would be baptized was very upset and asked her how she could be baptized into such a church? She explained to him about the Book of Mormon and told him that she received an answer that it was true. Her husband was baptized the same day as her. she later brought in a lot of her extended family members and they all sat together at church. Now the twist is that through all her 20 or so years attending her previous Church, she couldn't even get one family member to attend with her. Now she has about 5 and that are members and some that will be baptized in the following weeks. --- Now there are a few principles that we can learn from this, and the first is the Power of the Book of Mormon in the lives of each individual. This woman absolutely hated the church meeting and things that were taught, but she could not deny the veracity of the Book of Mormon. But another that I want to focus on a little more is the impact that the Book of Mormon that Book of Mormon had on her family Through her. As she came to know the Book of Mormon is true she had a desire to share it with her family and to share the blessings that came to her from the Book of Mormon. And this can be applied to our own lives, we need to share with our own families the same blessings that we have received. And some might say, "My family are all members." But this is exactly what Gerald Causse wanted to emphasize with familiy history. Our family doesn't have to be alive to receive these blessings. In fact, through family history and temple work, the Lord has provided a way that we can share these blessings with all our family, whether living or dead. Through temples we can feel a closeness to our deceased ancestors and a closeness to God. And what a blessing it is to have temples so close! I know people here in El Paso that cannot make it to the temple in Juarez or the one in Albuquerque due to their legal status and it breaks my heart. And I also know people who can make it to both, but still don't "find the time" to go and that breaks my heart more. But, on the contrary, I know people who take full advantage of going to the temple as much as they can! Everything we do as a church is a preparation to go to the temple. If there are people who walk 40 miles every Sunday to go to church and partake of the blessings there, Isn't it our responsibility to fully enjoy the blessings of the Temple on a weekly basis especially when we live so close as to drive to one in an hour and a half? So, I invite you all who are worthy and are physically able to go, to go on a weekly basis! Find Time! There are no greater blessings in this life than those of going to the temple, and there are many! Its not a lot that I am asking you to do. Just to read the Book of Mormon EVERY day and attend the temple EVERY week. I promise that there will be so much more peace in your home and you will feel an abundance of the spirit! I testify of that in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Love Elder Lee
