Temples and Grace

Dear Family and Friends,

 

One thing that I think I have really, really taken for granted many times over is being so near to a Temple of God. Yesterday we had our missionary Monday where all the missionaries in our mission meet in groups and go through the Temple. That was a great experience. Something that the Temple always reminds me of is that we are only preparing for what is yet to come and that there is still so much more even after the Temple. Yet we all start out at the same place, first birth obviously but then at age 8 we become accountable by natural capability of having the knowledge of good and evil and the understanding that we must choose on or the other. Through faith and repentance we are acceptable in the Lord's eyes to be washed clean whenever we make a mistake through a solemn promise to God to keep his commandments, remember his son, and take the name of Christ upon ourselves, to do the things he has done. Then it is his promise to us to have his spirit with us to teach us the truth of all things. It is always a wonderful day when someone gets baptized, yet God has planned for us so much more than that! The service of others opens our eyes to see just how wonderful and merciful the Lord has been, and is to each of us. The question I would then ponder is why do we feel like we are not good enough? Or on the other hand, why do we place so much value in the small petty things of money, clothes, beauty, land, careers or whatever it is, and try to measure up to the world's standard of what "success" is or "can be"? From dust we came and to dust we will return, and then at the appointed time be brought to stand before God without any of our earthly substance. At that day we will have only the virtue of our minds, the knowledge we have attained to and either a garb of righteousness because of our faithfulness, or as the scriptures put it, having nothing by way of the knowledge and understanding of God's kingdom, remember "our nakedness" before him. Will our thoughts be a garb of virtue, or a fleeting jumble of worthless worries pertaining to our own self-gratifying and self-indulgent "Natural Man (or Woman)?"

 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is so simple. The truth can be known as purely as we understand the distinction of noon-day to the dark night. So simple that a child can understand it. The greatest blessing we have is the atonement of Jesus Christ. In essence That makes me think of the quote in a Rocky movie along the lines of "It don't matter how many times you get knocked down, the trick is that you stand back up." The Atonement is what allows us to stand back up no matter what our weakness or sins may be. That is only through our Lord's wonderful Grace and Mercy.

 

The Alamo reservation is treating me well. We have a family baptism scheduled for Nov. 7th and we will be talking about setting another date with two families this week. I really appreciate all the prayers from each of you, I know that they are all answered and that the Lord is mindful of each and every one of us! In pondering my scripture this week (3 Nephi 3:16), the plainness of the Lachoneus articles is evident. Why did his people listen? Because they knew exactly what he was saying and exactly what the consequences of each choice were. I invite any reader of this message to think about what is the next step for you in God's plan, not all of the steps just one, and work on it. I know that the Lord will help you and guide you if you ask. Sometimes we forget that prayer is a two-way communication to the God of all creation. That is another blessing that All of us take for granted in at least some degree. I hope that we can all look at the picture of life and have the courage to step forward boldly, and steadfastly into the challenges that stand between us and where God wants us to be. I know that each of you are good enough, and strong enough because I have seen it in you. Thanks for your letters and support as well! I greatly appreciate it.

 

 

Ponderizing: Proverbs 15:4

 

Ayoo' Aniinishni​​

 

at the Temple we saw ​two other elders who served in Alamo as I first got on my mission :)

Another rainy autumn day on the Res :)

 

 

 

Fear and Godliness

Dear Family and Friends,

 

Progress is scanty and often illusive but ever worth all the sacrifice required. We are seeing many good things happen here in Alamo, and I feel great joy in the work of service. We are still working with a few people for baptism in the beginning of November. We have also found a couple of wonderful potential investigators from a part member family that recently moved back into Alamo. I'll keep you up to date on that good stuff :)

In pondering the scripture Helaman 3:35 this past week I have been inspired further to be consecrated and dedicated to the Lord's work. Sanctification is a powerful word with such intrepid implications. I see something that is sanctified as unquestionable and perfect. The significance is hard to put into words, yet we hear that word every single week (or we should at least). Being steadfast and immovable is not just something that we can be by thinking about it. Just like reading a recipe will not automatically produce a cake. We must get to action and do it, by yielding our hearts unto God. That is done by consistent and meaningful prayer and pleading to our father in heaven. I have been reminded recently of Nephi's Psalm in 2 Nephi 4 and again chastened for the lack of intent in some of my prayers.
This week I have noticed a lot of evidence of the contrary indications from the scripture I have been pondering. We live in a life of perilous times, as many are aware. I don't hear or see the news, but when I hear little tidbits I am glad that I don't have constant exposure to that. Not because I want to be ignorant of the happenings in the world, but because I know in whom I trust and for me the only significant impact I can make is the one right here where I am now. I want to share that I know that God is mindful of ALL of his children, and the affairs of the World. If people would keep the commandments, we would not see any of the problems we now face, but instead of yielding to God the common theme is that everyone and everything should stop and yield to us, as coming from the general view of people and their views. A question that frequently wafts through my mind is from last April Conference. Simply put, "In the pursuit of me and mine, have I forgotten thee and thine?" Too often we forget that it is not about how fast we complete the course but how well we travel this road we call life in the eyes of the master. Even the simplest form of life has it's ornate beauty and eternal significance in the grand plan. To wrap up this thought, I would ask do we more often act out of the fear of man, or the fear of God?

In regards to that I'll be pondering 3 Nephi 3:16 in the chapter I have begun to call the Lachoneus articles. Many of you may be familiar with this, but I found it interesting that it took so long to get this result in the verse I'll be pondering. The people of the Nephites and the Lamanties are afraid for their lives and their lands as a result of a threat from the Gadianton Robbers. Lachoneus labors to move them to action and is successful to some degree, but overall the people remain unchanged. The people were described to have "[decreased] as to their faith and righteousness, because of the wickedness of the rising generation." (3 Nephi 1:30) I hope that we can recognize the reality of the circumstances that we are in now and rather than decrease as to our faith because of the things going on, we can ACT to increase our faith and desire to follow God and overcome whatever is going on in the world around us. That is being in the world but not of the world after all. In the words of Christ, "...doubt not, fear not." I hope you all have a great week!

 

​Ayoo' Aniinishni​​

Elder McGarry 

Leaves changing on the grounds! This is the meetinghouse for the Alamo Branch :)

 

 

 Louie is a member that accompanies us for lessons two days a week and he is a very good rock artist!​

Moving Forward

Dear Family and Friends,

 

This last week has been pretty good! Poring over the conference talks has been very renewing and invigorating. We also had a Zone Conference this last Friday. We are heavily effected by the Zone conferences when it comes to proselyting time, since we are so far a way from the meeting site. I am always glad that we get to go and participate though. It's good to be together with other missionaries and leaders who are here to support us. I feel that we have been instructed well. Our main focus in the conference was on planning and how to be more effective. This is something that I feel that I can definitely improve, as can we all. This week marks the third week of this transfer already which is crazy to me, but we all know ho time flies.

 

The thing that has stuck out to me this week the most is the resisting of evil. My verse of scripture that I ponderizing this week was Alma 61:14. It speaks of resisting evil and whatever evil we cannot resist with our words, let us resist with the sword. Through this we will be able to uphold our freedom to glory in our God and the Redemption of our Lord. This is given as Pahoran writes back to Moroni's chastening letter, and he so humbly offers this encouragement instead of taking offence to the bold and declarative letter. We have choice in this life to receive chastening from the Lord with patience and in the same spirit of love that it is given. Even if it is not given in a compassionate and loving manner, we are still able to choose to resist evil (Anything that is not exemplary of the fruits of the spirit illustrated in Galatians 5) by taking it and doing our best to apply it. Moving forward is a big part of that. The absence of progress is stagnancy, and in reality there is rarely ever any perfect stagnancy which means more commonly we regress. But moving forward is something that I have to remember to do. I am glad to have the chance to take the sacrament again after a two week lapse due to general conference. That is something that is taken for granted far too often. We talked about that at Zone conference too.

 

Overall the area is progressing. We had a big festival last weekend called Indian days. The biggest focus was that Columbus didn't find America, the Native people found Columbus. I could only wish to add one thing to that, which would be the Book of Mormon is the record of how the Native people came to America! We told several people that as they passed by our booth we had set up, but it all fell mostly on unwilling ears, and unseeing eyes. How blinded can we often be to what is staring us in the face. We have such little things that we need to just understand but we choose to keep looking for answers everywhere But where we need to look. President Uchtdorf hit so plainly on that in conference too. My verse of ponderization this week will be Helaman 3:35. I hope you all have a great week! I love you and wish you the best!

 

Ayoo' Aniinishni​

Elder McGarry 

Us and Elder Ahloy who was the last and only other Elder to​ be trained in Alamo

Bribing the Judges (Me and My companion with three others) Is totally ok at the Alamo Indian Day Parade ;) (Don't worry our judgments were not swayed by candy)

Chastening

Dear Family and Friends,

 

I first want to mention that Conference was so uplifting and edifying. I learned so much and I look forward to pouring over the messages again and again as these next six months fly by. I also have to add that Ponderizing is and ahs been one of my favorite things to do. Normally I try to memorize word for word, so as not to distort the meaning in any small way. I am glad to have a name and a specific goal to attach it to and I hope that each of you have found something that you can improve upon as a result of conference. My verse of ponderization is Alma 61:14 this week. If any of you are also doing this challenge I would invite you to send your verses to me :) I'd love to hear them.

 

My object in writing today is to show how the Lord has been so careful in putting us in the place that we are and in the circumstances that we are in life. I read a verse of scripture today that hit me, it talked about the Nephites and how the were lifted up in pride unto rebellion against their Brethren. The wording thereafter is such an important indicator and warning for us. It is this (Helaman 3:36) "...and IT did grow upon them from Day to Day." (Emphasis added) We have so many of these things that grow upon us from day to day. Just like Amalakiah caused that Lehonti should be poisoned "by degrees." We in our natural course of life may not seek earnestly to be prideful. We may not seek to hurt someone's feelings. But, by and by we are lead to do things that we would not normally do, and even by our choice. In such is the truth of Galations chapter 5 illustrated so plainly, that the Flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. As we yield to the spirit we are made to cause course corrections, and some more drastic than others. We are to put it directly, chastened by the Lord into a better course of action. Though many take chastening to be hard. Many think that their actions are not in direct rebellion against God but only a different view of the same things. This is a falsehood that the adversary exploits every second of every day. If you are not for him you are against him. There is no in-between, imaginary land where we can watch the battle being waged on those around us. The Lord's path is simple. Exact obedience with his commandments as our first priority. I have been chastened many times. It is a humbling experience. But I know that if we take these things to heart and Change our heart to God's will then we will feel an immense sense of unexplainable peace and comfort in this world of confusion and turmoil. Whom the Lord Loves He Chastens.

 

One more bit of exciting news. Elder Dunn was able to perform his first Baptism Last Friday! Kymelia was so happy and it was a great day!

 

I love you all and I hope that you have a great week!

 

Ayoo' Aniinishni​

 

Elder McGarry 

Kymelia's Baptism

Another one next week :)