Seek Ye Learning

Week #36

Great, I wrote everything after this first paragraph first. Sorry if it feels a little scattered. It is just a little bit stream of consciousness, but I ended saying what I wanted. Hopefully it makes sense.

First, my sister finally had an out of Utah experience. (She went to Washington DC for a youth leadership convention. Her first real experience outside of our Utah “bubble”.) Parents already know about the dangers of the world and the difficulty of raising children. I don't know that second part, but the first is obvious. The problem is we cannot be protected our entire lives. We must pass through the refiner's fire.

The walled garden is nice. It is a very safe environment and if we stay in it, we will see a lot of beautiful flowers, just as Cosette in Les Miserables spent her teenage life in the well-tended and protected home of Jean Valjean. Readers will notice however, that she was almost completely unaware of the pains of her guardian, the struggles of  Marius and the other students and far from the hard life of Eponine. From what I remember, Cosette didn't change much. She dreamed of a castle on a cloud and never really saw anything else. This is not our purpose.

The bubble is wonderful for raising children, but, after guiding by the hand and teaching in every moment, Christ sent His disciples and apostles into the world as sheep among wolves. We must leave the bubble. We left the safe castle on a cloud and the presence of our Heavenly Father to come to this dangerous Earth with the purpose to learn and progress. If we are to become eternal parents we must know how to choose. I believe that agency is much more than a gift from God. I believe that the proper use of agency is requisite to become as he is. 

Why is agency so important in the Plan of Salvation? We learn that we come here to be tested. That we will receive our reward according to our use of agency. Those who use this agency to follow the Gospel of Christ and complete the Ordinances of Salvation will receive all that the Father hath. Stay with me just a little longer.

Our purpose is to become Gods. We must understand choice and the influences it has. We, as eternal parents, will make many choices that will heavily influence the potential of our children. We must understand agency. One who never made a choice is not prepared to make choices for others. I believe this is why we had to leave the presence of our Father. We must understand eternal consequences before we can be eternal beings.

The plan of the devil was to deny us our agency. Now, he strives to prevent our success in the Plan of the Father. What tools does he use? Attacks on our ability to choose. Addictions, oppressors, lies to misdirect the use of this gift and sometimes even whispers that we no longer have a choice. His very motive is to prevent our eternal progression. The motives of the Father are immortality and eternal life. Why is this important?

The Father did not send us alone into this world. He gave us His Son. He gave us a guide, The Holy Ghost. He gave us a second chance in the Spirit world. He gave us repentance, the Gospel, the Church, and the scriptures. He gave us His power to exercise upon the Earth. This same power by which He cast Lucifer from Heaven is held by the worthy men of His kingdom. With so many testimonies, who can doubt that God is our Loving Heavenly Father?

So why did I spend so much time on just one subject? I think it's important. This is the message that missionaries carry. This is what was restored. The Plan of Salvation to teach us why we exist and where we go. The Commandments to teach us what we need to do. The Gospel of Jesus Christ to teach us how. The Restoration of the Priesthood, the power of God to make it possible. 

These are the missionary lessons: The Restoration, The Plan of Salvation, The Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Commandments. This is Preach My Gospel. We are commissioned of Jesus Christ. We teach as one having authority. We do not teach as the Scribes or the Pharisees, nor do we teach as the Catholics, Evangelicals, or Philosophers. We teach as representatives of Christ. We teach with authority and we will not be confounded by false doctrines and strivings of men.

Third Nephi is filled with the words of Christ and if we were to count which words are said most, I would not be surprised if the phrases Repent, Come unto Christ, and be baptized were the most stated. This is what we say as missionaries. We stand in the place of Christ and speak His words. 

Wow, one hour and ten minutes and I haven't even finished one email. I'll wrap it up now. 

Fellow missionaries (that means members too) we have taken upon ourselves the name of Christ. Let us do good works. Let us glorify our Father in Heaven. The Father glorified His name in Christ. We, in His place, can also glorify the Father. 

I know that my Redeemer lives. He lives, my prophet, priest, and king. 

I love you all. 

Elder Dickson

P.S. My new companion is Elder Vieira. He’s Brazilian and works very hard.