Book of Mormon & Resurrection

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been a rollercoaster. We had our MLC training and had to prepare for that during the first part of the week. During the Training we did not spend much time as most of the meeting was accountability on stewardships and counseling on how we can improve. The thing that we did emphasize though was being finishers. In life there are countless tasks and demands, which we all sort and prioritize and then obligate time sufficient to render the results we are striving for. The sum total of our life is determined by our choices, and that was beautifully expounded by President Monson this last conference. Though many there are that begin a task and never see it through to the end. I fall in this category all too often. In reference to another talk given by then Elder Thomas S. Monson in the General Conference of 1989 titled "Finishers Wanted." I strongly encourage each of you to look it up and review it this week and tell me what you learn from it. That is a challenge, now I'll see who's really reading my e-mails or not. This talk has changed me for the better in so many ways. From the smallest task of being a finisher of the day and closing in sincere nightly prayer, to the biggest task of this life which is enduring to the end with our last breathe being a living testimony and witness of the reality of our Savior Jesus Christ and his Mission as the redeemer of all mankind. Being a finisher is essential and starts in the smallest things. LUKE 16:10 "He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much, and he that is unjust in the least is also unjust in much."

Something that has been on my mind a lot these past few months has been the significant proportion of the Book of Mormon that is purposed to witnessing of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the Bible, there is an account of about 40 days during which time Christ visited the apostles, they felt his hands and feet, and he ate with them proving his body is tangible, and that truly he was slain for the sins of the world. Aside from that there are only accounts of testimonies of his resurrection and it's eternal importance. The Book of Mormon is not only another coagulation of testimonies of prophets called of God and given his authority, the Holy Priesthood, it is much more than that. It is a witness of the LIVING reality of the Savior and that his work continues among All of God's children with this one charge: that we "...repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day." -3 Nephi 27:20 The reality of Christ's resurrection will be unfolded to the view of all those who "...will not harden [their] heart..." and further the promise is "...to [them] is given a greater portion of the word, until it is given unto [them] to know the mysteries of God until [they] know them in full." -Alma 12:10 With this in mind, we know that the life we are in is a probationary time while we as mortals prepare in everyway we can to live with our father again. By living the Gospel of Jesus Christ and covenanting with God through the proper priesthood authority and ordinances of the Gospel outlined by all of the Holy Prophets since the world began we can truly be inheritors of Eternal Life, the greatest of all the gifts of God. This will be obtained because of the Grace of Jesus Christ and by the judgement which we will be accountable for every action and our head given to the messengers that he has sent to us all, again and again, and again in this time of mortal probation. We then, must " work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling." -Phil. 2:12 and Alma 34:37 "...with fear before God." Because Godly fear is different than worldly fear.

What calm reassurance the spirit brings to know that we will all be partakers of the resurrection of our bodies. On top of that, through our choices and our actions we show whether or not we truly want to live with our Father and be partakers of his gift of Eternal life. We will each acknowledge that individually before the Lord and graciously proclaim that his judgements are just. I am glad that I get to share this knowledge with people, no matter where I am. I love all of you! Thanks for your support and encouragement! Have a fabulous week.

Elder McGarry