Los Lunas Stake

Dear Family and Friends,

I am, true to tale, e-mailing on Monday this week because transfers are tomorrow. I will be staying in Alamo yet again and I am so glad. I have been a long term member of the Los Lunas Stake of New Mexico and it has really grown on me. I love my family away from home. It is not entirely common to spend so much time in one stake on a mission I don't think, but I am not complaining! I think it is great :) I've seen it trough three stake conferences now, along with a new stake presidency and changing bishoprics to boot. Everyone else in our District is also staying the same, so we have another 6 weeks for the four of us in the middle of nowhere to really work hard and see the fruits of the Gospel spreading through the vineyard.

Stake conference was amazing yesterday. I can't even begin to express how much I learned and felt the spirit. The first speaker was Lynn G. Robbins who spoke about how never before in the history of the world have there been so many distractions and opportunities for paths to diverge and conflict. Not even necessarily with bad or outright rebellious things, but with things that are not of true worth. The message was to Simplify. The Christlike attribute of simplicity is one that is being drown out by the overwhelming surge of commercialism and consumerism. To wrap that thought up I would say no more that a quote of whom I know not the source. It is this "Simplicity is the true form of sophistication." One of my favorite examples that was given was Joseph Smith's concise and doctrinal profound exhibition of the entirety of the restored gospel in the short and simple 13 Articles of Faith. Another great talk was given by Elder Corbridge of the 70. He emphasized that there have been and there will always be questions that will make you question your testimony. The list of these could continue on forever and if we seek to prove truth by trial and error we will be in an uphill battle with an avalanche of doubts and uncertainty. The questions that really matter are the primary questions and any other secondary questions will not hinder us if we know these simple truths. They are: 1. Is there a God in heaven and is he our father? 2. Is his Son Jesus Christ the savior of the world? 3. Is Joseph Smith a prophet of God? 4. Is the kingdom of God once again restored to the earth along with the Lord's Church? These four questions will be answered as clearly as night and day when we truly seek and ask with real intent. Then we may understand not only by our conscious reasoning, nor by the obvious witness of the facts that are abundantly before us, but by the all important and unparalleled significance of gaining a witness of the truth of these things by the spirit of revelation which is the spirit of God and of all truth.

I also want to briefly mention that the Baptism has been moved to next week, it would be easier to have the confirmation the following day rather than a week later. I got to participate in the Ordination of Martin Segura to the office of an Elder after the conference was over. He and his wife were some of the people that were taught and baptized while I served in the Sage ward. That was a tender mercy of God. It was good to see so many wonderful people that I know again. The only thing I could even wish for now would be snow, I could go for some good snow about now :)

Until next week I hope you all have a great time, learning and growing and becoming the best you can be :)

Ayoo Aniinishini

Elder McGarry