Monday, November 18, 2013

"Revelation" - Letter, November 18, 2013

Hello. Wouldn't. It. Be. Weird. If. We. Talked. Like. Robots? Just kidding. I have been in a strange mood lately. That's just another of the little quirks that have kept my life interesting this week. But this week has been much better than last. I have learned a lot and I am excited to share it with people. I have learned a lot especially about the Plan of Salvation.

So last week, our mission president met with some reps from SLC. They did some training with a bunch of the missionaries. They then came to us and trained us. We learned a few things that really are going to change the way I think of missionary work. The 1st Lesson: The Plan of Salvation can be summed up in one word: Revelation. Everything in that first lesson about the Restoration of the church is about revelation, personal or otherwise. The 2nd Lesson: The Plan of Salvation is summed up by the word Atonement. 3rd, the Gospel of Jesus Christ (faith, repentance, baptism, Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end) is the Way, and the 4th Lesson: The Commandments is Building Faith. With this new view on the lessons we teach, I am going to go forward understanding exactly why I am here. And I have already seen the difference.

I have really been studying the Plan of Salvation a lot this week too. I have really come to understand it so much more. And as I have come to understand it, I have also come to LOVE it. I have this idea in my head, that is currently partially on paper, to make a game type map for the Plan of Salvation to use in my teaching. For some reason, I have been thinking about it a lot. But as I was drawing up a rough draft, the other day, I was reading the scriptures out of Preach My Gospel for each step of the Plan. I found so many things that I never knew were in the scriptures. Peter talks about how Christ taught people in the Spirit World after his death and before the Resurrection (1 Peter 3: 18-20 [including the foot notes on JST] and 4: 6). I was blown away. But the thing that really blew me away is Doctrine and Covenants 138. I read it today for the first time. I was amazed. I never knew where the doctrine of teaching those in Sprit Prison came from. Now I know it. In fact, I read it twice. I love this section. Read it. If you haven't, it will blow your mind. If you have, do it again and think about how the Plan of Salvation is nothing more than the Atonement. Try it. It might blow your mind again.

So, the past couple of weeks have been insanity...on my part. I have literally been battling insanity for no good reason. I am doing much better now. My insanity is being expressed in much more productive ways, I hope. But thanks to my amazing companion, I am doing better. We seem to take turns being nuts, as I am sure is common, but it's still funny. Two millennia from now I am going to look back and wonder what the heck I was thinking. And I will tell myself that I still have no idea. Hahahahah

Judy: I have to tell you. So her sister Minnie has been with her this week. We got both of them to church!!!!!! This was the 1st time that Minnie has really been to church since she was 12. She loved it. She got home and was telling us that she felt so good. We were like, "Minnie, that's the Spirit!" Now we just have to get her to quit smoking....And start teaching her the lessons. With her, she has just sat in on the lessons we have done for Judy. She wants to learn, now we are going to make it happen. WAhooo. Oh, and Judy has decided to move into a homeless shelter. As much as that sucks, it will be good for her in the long run. Yes!!!!! Her faith is increasing again and things are going to move forward. She is going to be baptized on December 7th! No doubt in my mind. I am so excited.

Ok, well, I am going to go. If you notice, there is now a signature line. I love these verses. Actually, I am really falling in love with all the standard works. I noticed the other day as I was reading this to a member that I could feel the Spirit so strong and that the way I was reading it was so different from how I read scriptures at home. It's not about the words so much as the feeling. We tell people that all the time, and I am finally starting to understand it.

I know the Scriptures are the words of God. They are diving and powerful. They hold the answers of eternity. And the scriptures include the words of the living prophets, not just what is in the Quad. I love the Word of God. Through them I have receive so much revelation and power. I KNOW that God speaks to us through them. I love the Gospel and the Church. I know that my Heavenly Father Loves me. In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love,
Sister Worthen

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