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Looking forward to seeing and hearing from yall
on sunday! Gotta run we have lots to do today!
Love Elder Gautavai
On Mon, May 6, 2013, Carson
Gautavai wrote:
Hello Elder Gautavai,
The scriptures teach us that God does not promise
to keep us from trials and adversity, rather what He does promise is
that He will stand by us and strengthen us as we encounter challenging times--if we will let
Him.
I love the youth theme for the year, "Stand
Ye in Holy Places, and Be Not Moved (DC 87:8). As I interview the youth I ask
them what that means to them? They respond temple, church, home, etc..all
correct answers. I ask them to consider a Holy Place as anywhere that you ‘will
allow’ the Holy Ghost to be with you. With that it can be anywhere as long as
you have the spirit and are living worthily to have its companionship. I then
challenge and commit them the PMG way to ‘make Holy Places’ in their day-to-day
lives.
Gospel Message:
Tip: Do all you can to get to where you can
partake of the Sacrament each Sunday! Great message for returning members and
less active, shoot for active members and all alike on the importance of the Sabbath, Church and the Sacrament :)
We’ve all heard of a “power nap”. We have all
probably taken one. You know, your running low on energy and so you lay down
for a quick fifteen or twenty minutes to revitalize yourself. You don’t really
get a chance to go into a deep sleep, but deep enough to gain some energy for
the rest of the day. They say successful people do this, which enables them to
work longer and harder than the rest.
A story is told of an exchange between a man and his wife where a similar term was heard: “We were watching television, rather late, when she said to me, “I’m going to take a “power bath.” ”What?”, I said. “A power bath” she repeated. Well I started to laugh. I had never heard such a term. She laughed back and said that it meant it would be “quick but thorough!.”
A story is told of an exchange between a man and his wife where a similar term was heard: “We were watching television, rather late, when she said to me, “I’m going to take a “power bath.” ”What?”, I said. “A power bath” she repeated. Well I started to laugh. I had never heard such a term. She laughed back and said that it meant it would be “quick but thorough!.”
Well, that conversation got me to thinking about the most powerful “bath” a person can take. One that doesn’t clean the body, but one that cleanses the soul; baptism!
“…baptism is the ordinance by which former sins are washed away. The washing in water symbolizes the purification of our soul, just as bathing in water cleanses our bodies from the grime and dirt of everyday living and makes us feel refreshed again. But baptism symbolizes something more. It is the beginning of a new life. Just as the resurrection purges the dross and imperfections of mortality and renews and perfects the body, so baptism cleanses the soul from sin and prepares a person to lead a better, more perfect life in the future. (Theodore M. Burton, “To Be Born Again,” Ensign, Sep 1985, 66).
This “spiritual bath” that some of us have taken, happens only once in a lifetime. So how then can we continue to have spiritual “power baths” on a regular basis. The Savior taught us the way when he met with the disciples for their last meal prior to the crucifixion: “And he took the bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying. This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.” (Luke 22: 19-20).
The Savior taught his apostles how to take a spiritual “power bath”. A modern-day apostle, Elder Dallin Oaks expounded on this subject when he taught:
“Attendance at Church each week provides the
opportunity to partake of the sacrament, as the Lord has commanded us (see
D&C 59:9). If we act with the right preparation and attitude, partaking of
the sacrament renews the cleansing effect of our baptism and qualifies us for
the promise that we will always have His Spirit to be with us. A mission of
that Spirit, the Holy Ghost, is to testify of the Father and the Son and to
lead us into truth (see John 14:26, 2 Ne. 31:18). Testimony and truth, which
are essential to our personal conversion, are the choice harvest of this weekly
renewing of our covenants.” (Dallin H. Oaks, “The Gospel in Our Lives,” Liahona,
Jul 2002, 36–39).
I know a number of people who don’t see the importance of attendance at church each week. And perhaps we are tempted, from time to time, to become lazy in our routine attendance of Sunday meetings. However, as you can see from Elder Oaks remarks, it is only there, in the chapel, at the church, that we receive the spiritual “power bath” that all of us need to continue onward. It is that jolt of spiritual energy that will see us through another week of this life. So remember, the sacrament or as some call it, communion, was instituted for a purpose; it is the way the Savior provided for us to have the spiritual “power baths” regularly so we can keep clean of this world and rejuvenate our spirits.
We love you for being Obedient and True. Recognize how privileged you are to labor with Him each day, to carry His name and bear special witness of Him, commissioned by Him to help in the great work of the Gathering. Abide IN HIM. Cant wait to talk and perhaps see you (Skype) Sunday.
I know a number of people who don’t see the importance of attendance at church each week. And perhaps we are tempted, from time to time, to become lazy in our routine attendance of Sunday meetings. However, as you can see from Elder Oaks remarks, it is only there, in the chapel, at the church, that we receive the spiritual “power bath” that all of us need to continue onward. It is that jolt of spiritual energy that will see us through another week of this life. So remember, the sacrament or as some call it, communion, was instituted for a purpose; it is the way the Savior provided for us to have the spiritual “power baths” regularly so we can keep clean of this world and rejuvenate our spirits.
We love you for being Obedient and True. Recognize how privileged you are to labor with Him each day, to carry His name and bear special witness of Him, commissioned by Him to help in the great work of the Gathering. Abide IN HIM. Cant wait to talk and perhaps see you (Skype) Sunday.
In Him,
Dad
