Transfers

Week #52

One more transfer gone. That's 9 transfers I've already finished and they all went very quickly. It's even stranger to think that I probably only have 3 or 4 more areas. The time is short.

This week we saw some great things in Montenegro. The attendance in the ward has been low. The difference between the number of Priesthood age men in the ward and the number of Elders that attended yesterday was 150. If all of them were Elders, there would be enough to form two quorums and probably split the ward. Fortunately the Stake President has started a plan of action to reactivate the members. 

The plan is simple. It consists of a five minute meeting after church every Sunday and people fulfilling their callings. Every Sunday, the ward council reports how many people were in each organization and their goal for how many will be there the next Sunday. Each member of the council is expected to already have a name backing up each number. The question that is being asked is, "who isn't here today that should be?"

The idea is simple. The goal is achievable. Incredibly, people still say they don't have time for Home or Visiting Teaching. President Uchtdorf stated the following. 

"'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.'

"Everything in life should be secondary to these two great priorities. (. . .)Those who live up to these principles will not sleep through the Restoration."

We must, as we have read many times, lose our life for the Savior's and Gospel's sake and the promise is that we shall find it. We shall find eternal life. 

Though the Law of Consecration is not fully in force, we can still live it. Many of us have even covenanted to do so. Consecrate means that we set apart or dedicate something to the Lord. If we are to live the Law of Consecration, we must set ourselves apart and dedicate ourselves to the Lord. We must place the Lord and building up His Kingdom as our first priority. This is what is expected of us. This is but one aspect of the commandment to "love the Lord thy God."

Many times we find it easy to justify our lack of activity. "I've done a lot already." "I deserve a rest." "That only applies to leadership callings." "I don't have time." These are common excuses and ones that I have already used. The Lord always gives us clear guidance through his prophets. 

I found this verse yesterday while reading ahead in the Gospel Principles manual. 

"O my son, I desire that ye should deny the justice of God no more. Do not endeavor to excuse yourself in the least point because of your sins (. . .)" Alma 42:30

We cannot deny the justice of God. We cannot deny that we must bear record of what we did and did not do. We cannot justify or excuse ourselves "in the least point."

Alma continues, "And now, O my son, ye are called of God to preach the word unto this people. And now, my son, go thy way, declare the word with truth and soberness, that thou mayest bring souls unto repentance, that the great plan of mercy may have claim upon them. And may God grant unto you even according to my words. Amen." Alma 42:31

Let us all share in this wonderful work. Let us all lose our life for the Savior's sake and share His Gospel with those we already know and those we will meet. Let us bring souls to repentance and give the great plan of mercy opportunity to take effect.

I know that this is the true and living Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. I know that the keys of the Priesthood were restored. I know that the Lord only has one path that we may follow and it is strait and narrow. We must repent and be baptized by one ordained to the Priesthood of God. We must receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost and we must endure to the end.

This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is no other way or other name by which we can be saved. 2 Nephi 31:21

Elder Dickson

Our District