January 25, 2016

Hey All! I think my number 1, Elder Nadauld, could not have said it any better.
“How is everyone doing? I say it every week, but I can't
thank you enough for everything. In my extensive 19 year old
vocabulary… You guys are the sickest! I love you all and I'm super
grateful for you!”

Sorry Nicklaus...I had to steel those lines from you! Haha! I really do hope everyone is doing so so good and that you can all forgive my vocabulary as well when I say that you guys are the bomb!

Love you tons!

This week was...do you think you can guess? ;) Of course it was LEGENDARY! I guess that’s what you get when you wake up with an Elder you grew up with, you are serving the Lord, you are in the best country in the world, and the Lord never ceases to extend His merciful love towards you and those you come in contact with each and every day.

The past week has been BUSY. We have been running around a million miles an hour since the last time we wrote! However, this week seemed to have come and gone in the blink of an eye. Some great things happened...and like Elder Nadauld also said in his letter...some pretty devastating things happened as well. But the good always overcomes the bad. The opposition of this life is the most real thing EVER...but when the blessings of the Lord comes it just makes you realize that the tough times were just as much blessings as the peaceful times...because without the down we would not know the ups!

On Monday night we were having a hard time finding people to teach. We seemed to be walking around without a cause. I guess I took a step back in my Free Safety days and I started to observe everything that was going on. The world kind of stood still just like the field did...out of my peripheral vision I saw a house kind of far away with a light on. When I looked a little closer I could see a family...quite a large one! So Elder Ashman and I went on offense and committed ourselves to the ready! What a great family it was that we found. A family of 10 is always a good find! Especially a family like the one we found! They are Catholic but as soon as we shared a message of the Book of Mormon they seemed to really feel of the spirit and of God’s love to mankind for giving us another testament of the Savior, Jesus Christ. We gave them two copies and they committed themselves to reading it! We are really excited to see where things go with this family! They even hooked us up with some birthday cake because the Grandma had completed another year!

It was super funny...the phrase “ask and ye shall receive” really came into play this past week. Elder Ashman said...”you know what? I think I am going to buy some eggs this week. That sounds really good.”  Later that day we saw a woman carrying a big bag of corn and we decided to help her out. So we helped her carry her big ol’ bag of corn back to her house and she ended up gifting us 10 eggs! Later on Elder Ashman says, “I am kinda feeling like some bread right now”...so we decided we would go grab some bread after the lesson we were going into...but low and behold...when we finished the lesson the Hermano gave us some bread! Then right before we found the big family of 10, Elder Ashman said, “If someone invited us into their house right now and gave us something to eat...I would not even be mad.” Haha! And BOOM...Birthday cake! Too funny! I think my companion is magic!

On Wednesday we had a worldwide missionary conference. It was kind of wow moment for me. These servants are called of God...so many answers and ways for me to become a better missionary were given to me. It was such a neat experience to listen to the brethren and the revelation that they are receiving for the missionary work around the world.

We had a really cool lesson with a deaf Hermana that really impacted me deeply. I realized that the spirit does not need words to speak...but gentleness, true intention of heart, and love...truth. We wrote a question on a napkin and gave it to her. “What is your greatest fear?” She replied, “Being alone. I cannot stand the thought of not being with my boys. I lived in the United States alone for years without my children...and I never want to be separated form them again. I never want to be alone.” What a great experience it was to write the simple words...

“Thanks to the gospel of Jesus Christ, you don’t have to be alone. Thanks to Jesus Christ and HIS gospel that He restored through the Prophet, Joseph Smith, you don’t have to be alone. You don’t have to be separated from your boys.” It was a very spiritual moment for everyone. I am not sure if Elder Ashman knows it...but my eyes were sweaty for sure! ;)

Hmmm...One more AWESOME experience. So in early November we left a goal with an Hermano so stop drinking by the first of December. It would have given him about a month to stop drinking and prepare for baptism. He agreed...but my companion and I in that time never went back for some reason. The first of December passed and Elder Ashman and I did not go back to visit him either. I am not sure what it was but every time planning session rolled around at night we just did not feel like we belonged in the house of that family. However, the other day planning session rolled around and their name popped into my head...so we threw them in the agenda! They live quite a ways away and when we got there they were not there :/ We were pretty disappointed. We had come from far and felt prompted by the spirit to go there and we had failed. But right before our eyes we saw them. The hermano was holding his wife (member) by the arm and were walking very slow and carefully to the house. The wife did not look so good either. Come to find out the wife had been really sick. We had NO idea. They had been in the Hospital all of that week and the EXACT DAY we decided to go there...and the EXACT hour...she was released from hospital and they made it home...and there ran into us. We had a short talk with them and the husband told us that in the hospital he received his answer. He decided that he needed to be baptized. Talk about the right place at the right time!

I continue to be changed each and every day. I continue to be more blessed than I deserve. I continue to pray for each and every one of you every day. The Lord lives. I know it!

I am excited to see what this week has to offer! Now on to the spiritual message...

I absolutely love Christ’s invitation to the Nephite mothers and fathers, “Behold your little ones” (3 Nephi 17:23). How do you behold your children? What is it you see in your little ones? What role do your kids play in your life? Who would you be today without your children? How these Nephites behold their children teaches us such a marvelous lesson. In the following verse it says, “and as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven...”. Do you see your children as Heavenly gifts? As the Nephites look to behold their little ones the first place they look is to the Heaven. These verses teach us who and what children truly are and what parents should see them as...as Heavenly sent angels. When I came across this principle I was caused to go back in the Book of Mormon to find out how it is that the Nephites saw their children this way. How can you come to see your children this way? What do you need to do as a parent or future parent to behold your children by first looking to the heaven? What is needed by a parent to have a child from heaven? All throughout the Book of Mormon we see incredible examples of how the Nephites came to see their children as heavenly gifts and blessings. You could spend a lifetime finding teachings but I would like to look at a couple of the ones that I found though there are countless. At the very beginning of the Book of Mormon, in 1 Nephi 1:2, Nephi “makes a record in the language of his father...” Knowing the language of Lehi and his many revelations and testimonies I would assume that the language of Lehi was quite influential. How is your language? How do you speak to your little ones? In the 3rd chapter in the 1st verse of 1 Nephi, Nephi “returned from speaking to with the Lord, to the tent of his father.” Are your heavenly angels speaking with the Lord? Do your children converse with you often concerning the tender mercies that the Lord has shown unto them? Do you talk to them concerning the tender mercies that the Lord has blessed you with in your life? ``And it came to pass that after we had come down into the wilderness unto our father, behold, he was filled with joy, and also my mother, Sariah, was exceedingly glad...” (1 Nephi 5:1). Do you rejoice in the presence of your children? Do you make your happiness from their presence known unto them? “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.” (2 Nephi 25:26) Do your children know of Christ? Do they trust in the remission of sins through Him? Is your home a Christ centered home? Do you read the “prophecies and preachings” of Christ daily with your little ones? “...and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, suck deep into my heart.” (Enos 1:3) Do you speak of eternity often with your children? Do you often express the joy you feel for the chance you have to live with your little ones for forever? Do you speak often concerning the joy that comes from being a “saint” and what life would be without being one? “And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone from the sins of the world.” (Alma 36:17) When these Heavenly gifts of yours are “racked with torment” are they reminded of your testimony of the Savior, Jesus Christ? Do you share your testimony often with your children? Do they see you share your testimony with “the people?” “They had beed taught by their mothers they if they did not doubt God would deliver them.” (Helaman 56:47) Do you instill in the minds of your little ones the delivering power of God if they “doubt not”? Do your words remind your children to not doubt in a world where doubt is all there is?

The list could go on forever. I invite all parents and future parents...which basically sums up every living creature...to look in the Book of Mormon to find what it was the Nephites did, or did NOT do, to make their children into angels...to behold them in the heavens.

I want to publicly thank my incredible Nephite-like parents. I hope one day to be half the parent that they are. I hope one day to behold my own child...a perfect child of my own, directly sent from the presence of God, by casting my eyes to heaven from where they came and to remember what they are. I hope to become a Nephite parent through the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ...also known as...

The Book of Mormon: Readers Guide and Instruction Manual on “How to be a dad” Haha!

Love you mom and dad! And love you all!

Elder Noll

January 18, 2016

This week was another unforgettable one!

It started out with such a neat lesson on Monday night! The circumstances were kinda funny... so it was super dark... he lives down by a river and away from everything... and the mosquitoes were on the search for food... and for some reason I was the only option on the menu! Haha! Not a single other person got one bite but I came out of that lesson looking like I had chicken pocks! They were getting a pretty good laugh at the fact that I couldn’t stop scratching myself. But the lesson itself was SO cool... kinda funny too. The first words he told us were “You know? To be completely honest... I hated you guys before. Like what on earth are two white guys doing in my country?”

Elder Ashman and I were a little unsure about how to take that. I was speechless. But then he opened his mouth again, “But you guys are pretty great! I look so forward to our visits and I love the church! I love the Mormon’s! This whole “Book of Mormon” and “Joseph Smith” thing is really starting to warm up to me.” So we are super happy and grateful to be able to keep working with him. Isn’t it incredible the difference this gospel makes in our every day lives? How is it possible that an old man can go from a hatred of two young men and a message to a profound love for two messengers and a 14-year-old boy who saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ? How is it that an old man can go from denying the Book of Mormon to reading it each and every day and striving to learn and live by its precepts? Only God can perform such miracles. Only God has such power... that I am sure of.

We ran into an Evangelist the other week and were blessed with the chance to talk to him for a bit. After teaching the Restoration, we gave him a Book of Mormon and set up another appointment for later on in the week. When we came back to the appointment we asked him if he had his Book of Mormon and he said “OF COURSE! I carry my Bibles around with me everywhere I go! I am even sharing with some of the guys at work what I have learned from this Mormon Book!” We were so excited! He had read so so much and was ready with tons of questions and the Lord’s spirit was more than ready with answers. I am not just converted by the Book of Mormon’s power... but forever convinced that there is no other Book that will change the life of an individual like it can.

In Ecuador there are guys all around on bikes that have little carriages connected at the front to take people to and from destinations... it is probably the most popular job here... that or working in the banana field... but Elder Ashman and I decided to take one the other day. The guy was so awesome. He was like 70 years old and pushing us around like it was nothing. Such a champ. So we got a solid photo of our homie, Manuel and us.

We gave a CTR ring to an investigator and he just about lost it. It was so funny but so touching. He asked what it meant and when we told him he nearly fell out of his seat. The best was when he said “never in all of my 70 years and almost 7 months of life, in the Caste llano (Spanish) language, have I heard such words that make me tremble quite like CHOOSE THE RIGHT. Beautiful!” He is such a stud. It really made me think... Do I rejoice in the words “Choose the Right”? Do I rejoice in actually choosing the right? What are the things that make me tremble because of beauty? Is it something or the world? Or is it of God? I decided then and there to only rejoice in the things of God and even more so... REJOICE in choosing the right. Even TREMBLE with joy because of righteousness.

Another awesome experience began about 3 months ago when we started talking to a random woman outside of her house. She told us that her daughter was a member, but is not going to church. We were blessed with the chance to visit her and help her to return to the church. She is a faithful member now and had an interview with the Branch President that she was super nervous for. After the interview she called us and said she needed our help with preparing a class for Sunday. When we got there she handed us a booklet and, super content, told us that she was called as the new Sunday School teacher... then she handed us a stack of other papers... TO APPLY TO BE A MISSIONARY! She is going on a mission in July or August! We were and still are over the moon happy! What would have happened if we would not have talked to that woman that day or been brought by the spirit to her? We would not have met this member who had not been going to church. What would have happened if the spirit had not helped us find this girl? She would not be going on a mission! Super interesting how the Lord works... how is plan is set up... and how the Holy Ghost leads us to those in need. Definitely a tender mercy from our Savior.

So the fans in our house are super old to the point where they don’t even have the protectors on the front... I guess you could say that those suckers give us fear. I just know any day now the propellers are going to come loose and take off one of our heads! But because it is so hot we usually sleep with our heads at the bottom of the bed where the death fans are so they cool us down a little instead of having the fan at our feet. It is just a little scary with the propellers going a million miles an hour without the front cage that keeps the propellers in. Anyways... I woke up in the middle of the night with a throbbing pain in my finger... I didn’t think much of it but when I went to the bathroom there was blood oozing down my hand and all over my clothes... so I went back to the room and there was blood on my sheets... after I washed the wound off with water (which is pretty much just making it dirtier in Ecuador) there was a big old clean cut from the fan on my finger. Haha! We got a good laugh out of that one. So I have always contemplated the question: Does the Indian sleep with his feet of his head to the fire? Well... Does the missionary sleep with his head or feet to the fan? ;) What would you choose? I think I will go back to the feet to the fan... and maybe just sleep with my shoes on!

I was taken back by a lesson and principle of this perfect gospel that permitted me to “endure to the end” of this past week. It does not only apply to that of Missionary Work... but to the entire world! If we analyze the 26th chapter of Alma we find a few of the trials and emotions they experienced as they preach the gospel to their brethren. Many of the things that occur to them we feel as missionaries... and many of the obstacles and afflictions they experience we face as children of God as we strive to be more like Him.

(Alma 26:27) “And now when our hearts were depressed... ” What is it you feel in your darkest moments? A depressed heart seems like a lonely heart... weak, saddened, and shattered. How many of you have felt this? How many are feeling this? I do know there is at least another that has felt your depressed heart. The sorrow and heaviness we have in our heart is only a fraction of the depressed heart of the Savior when His “soul began to be exceedingly sorrowful, even until death... ” (Matthew 26:38).

Later in the 27th verse of the 26th chapter of Alma, the Lord counsels these sons to “bare with patience their afflictions.” How is it possible that we can possibly be expected to have patience through something that, in the moment, we don’t even think we can overcome? Why is it that when you are so weak and so vulnerable you are expected to have patience? How can we have patience when “nobody understands us”? Think of your darkest moment... think of the most despair that you have ever felt in your entire life... maybe it is happening now... can you imagine experiencing that all over again? Or starting over only to feel the exact despair all over again. How would it be to suffer what you can hardly bear twice?... three times...?

 “And He left them, and went away AGAIN, and prayed the THIRD time, saying the same words... ” (Matthew 26:44). Not only did the Savior feel His heart ripping from His chest once... but he felt it twice... then again. Not only did He fall on His face from an overwhelming and excruciating pain that would save you once... but twice... and then again. Do you think that took patience? Back in Alma we learn, “…and we have been casted out... .” Do you feel neglected? Forgotten? Alone? Rejected? “And He is despised and rejected of men... ” (Mosiah 14:3). So did Christ. What about when the sons of Mosiah say “...and mocked... ”? Do you feel unimportant? Made fun of? Insecure? Unappreciated? “And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe from Him, and put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him” (Mark 15:20). So did He who was crucified for you. Remember when these sons said “... and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks... ”? Do you feel offended by the spit that the world tosses? Have you ever been smitten to the heart and asked yourself, “why me”? “And they smote Him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon Him... ” (Mark 15:19). The Son of God felt that. “... and we have been stoned, and taken and bound with strong cords and cast into prison... ” Have you been physically wounded? Are you overcoming physical pain? Do you tremble and cry because of the constant pain? Are you weak? Weary? Do you feel trapped? Taken advantage of? Used? Do you feel as if your thoughts and feelings have been bound inside? “And they laid their hands on Him and took Him” (Mark 14:46). Your Brother was taken by hands and taken advantage of. Your Savior was stoned. Your Redeemer was bound by nails. Do you think He knows? Do you think He has felt it before?

“And behold I say unto you, has there been so great love in all the land?” (Alma 26:33)

Brothers and Sisters, there is no greater love than that of a Father who sent His only Begotten Son for us. There is no greater love than that of a God who came so that he could succor us with all perfection and love. I know that He knows you. I know that He understands you. There is no wound that cannot be healed. There is nothing that can’t be mended. There is nothing that we cannot overcome, dominate, or triumph.

The Savior overcame all affliction, dominated all doubt, and triumphed every trial, tribulation, and pain. The Glorified Redeemer of the world has already won your battles...

Look to Him who knows. Search for Him who won your battles for you. Trust in Him. Find this Brother to find out how He won your battles. Ask our Heavenly Father to help you overcome your moments of despair just like Jesus Christ overcame that same moment... your moment. Take comfort in knowing what He became after having overcome your trials because that is your future.

I testify that the Son of God knows you. I know He knows me. I have asked God the Father to help me overcome my crosses in the exact way that the Lord overcame it during that very day that changed our lives. He gave us life because of the sacrifice that was made; and the answers have been so perfect, exact, and pure. And so will yours.

Missionary or not, He knows. He feels. He understands. That makes two of you. A bond that nobody else will ever share nor understand. Rejoice in that bond until it takes you to His everlasting and loving arms and presence.

Elder Noll

January 11, 2016

   I feel like I blinked last Monday and here I am again...wow. This week was filled with greatness! And so was the week before...I did not have a whole lot of time last week, so I guess I have two whole weeks to catch up on!!

Where to begin...??

   Something pretty funny but miraculous happened...the power goes out here ALWAYS. Maybe two to three times a week...and it always seems to happen RIGHT as we get home for the night, sweating, and tired. So we absolutely despise when the power goes out...especially because the fans don`t work and those are the only things that keep us alive! Haha! So we walk in the door and right as we close it behind us...BOOM. Darkness. We were devastated! It has gotten to the point where we just kind of laugh it off but deep down we are shedding tears. So we had a neat planning session around the candle light and then hit the sack. We got on our knees and started to talk. "Dude...Brons...I mean...Elder Ashman...what would happen if we had the faith that Enos had? I bet the Lord would give us light."

"Ah! I know! Or the brother of Jared! We would have light right now!"

"Seriously! What would you do? Do you th-"

And then my words were interrupted with the light coming back on. We busted up laughing and could not stop. We are sure that God was kicking it up in the heavens like "You guys have not seen ANYTHING." But after all the laughs were out it taught me a really cool lesson. Instead of talking about having the faith of others...instead of thinking about how great the faith that others were able to obtain and the miracles that occurred...we ourselves should develop the faith. There is nothing that should ever keep us from experiencing miracles besides ourselves.

   We talked to a pretty neat family from Colombia. They ended up asking us what we were going to do after the mission. I replied..."I am going to go home, study, play football, work, and eventually get married in the Lord`s house for time and all eternity."

The wife replied, "Time and all what??"

"ETERNITY! FOREVER."

The look on her face was priceless. The look on the husbands face was even more priceless. They looked away from us and then looked at each other. Then they looked back at us and then back to each other. They were so amazed. Elder Ashman and I were super pumped to see their reaction and it is obvious that they would do whatever it takes to live together with their two little girls for forever. We left them with a Book of Mormon and invited them to read and pray to know if our message was true. So we will see where things go! What joy this message brings...to those that hear it and those that share it!

   We ate Guinea Pig...that was super interesting. So chewy. I had been waiting my entire mission to eat it and I will say that I am not hoping to eat it again. First off all it was un-chewable...like I literally swallowed the bites whole. Two...I wanted to cry. They basically gave me an entire Guinea Pig body...the little guy all fried up just made me think of every Guinea Pig that I have ever held, loved, or pet. After I ate the meat off of the legs I could even move the guys little knee joints. They still functioned! Oh I felt so bad. NEVER AGAIN. 

   We had an awesome finding experience. We had passed for just about every soul that we knew one day...so relying on the Lord and with a prayer in our hearts we kept on moving. We were somehow brought to some random house on some random corner. We had been wanting to go there for quite a while but had always just put it off but we decided to make it the first knocked door of the day...an AWESOME guy answered the door. He started to explain his life to us. Like his entire life story. We were a little lost with where he was going with it...but finally he got up to a Saturday over 21 years ago...when he and his wife were baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! Shortly after his baptism he became the Branch President. Shortly after he became Branch President his wife passed away and had not been back to church again. What a miracle it was to find this man. We feel like he is ready to come back to the fold after all this time and we know that the Spirit led us there for a sacred purpose.

There is so much more but we will just have to keep it at that!

What else is required of us apart from being "...meek and lowly in heart, and confessing by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ..."? -Moroni 7:44

What is it that we must be filled with so "...that we may become the sons (or daughters) of God? That when He shall come we shall be like Him? That we may have this hope? That we may be purified even as He is pure?" -Moroni 7:48

We learn from this same chapter in Moroni that the answer is charity. Knowing that "...if he hath not charity he is nothing" I have been really focusing on what charity really is and how to obtain it so I can be "something". In verse 45-46 Moroni explains, "and charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. If ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail--" I had to take quite some time to find out what this word "charity" really meant. Because these verses STILL don`t tell us "what" it is...but they only explain "how" it is. But verse 47 gave me a more specific answer as to "what" charity truly is.

"But charity is the pure love of Christ..."

We could say that charity is equal to the pure love of the Savior...they are synonyms.

What is purity? What is the "pure love of Christ"? James teaches us that "wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle,...full of mercy,...without partiality..." As I ponder on history and every event since God said, "Let there be light", up until this very second, and try to think of the one action that was perfectly pure, forever peaceable, eternally gentle, forever merciful, and that contains no partiality, the Atonement of our Savior is what comes to mind. Charity is the Atonement of our Lord and Savior. The Atonement of our Redeemer is Charity. I was able to come to such a better understanding, though I will never fully comprehend, of what the Atonement is. So knowing that charity and the Atonement are equal let us go back and plug in atonement where necessary.

"Wherefore if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confess by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have the atonement; for if he have not the atonement he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have the atonement. And the atonement suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not. The atonement is not puffed up and does not seek her own, nor is it easily provoked. The atonement thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth. The atonement beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not the atonement, ye are nothing, for the atonement never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto the atonement which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail. But the atonement is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever, and whoso is found possessed of the atonement at the last day, it shall be well with him."

The Atonement of Him who descended is everything. It will change us from nothing into something and will take something and turn it to everything. The Lord`s Atonement that was made specifically for you will never fail...it CANNOT fail...the only thing that will fail is us and our failure to possess of ourselves of this atoning sacrifice.

What does it mean to you to have a God who was chosen, before the world was even organized, to help you become like Him? Where would you be without such a sacrifice? What can you become through the Atonement and how is it that you are to obtain it? Let`s plug in atonement one more time to find out!

"Wherefore my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of your heart, that ye may be filled with the atonement, which He hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of His Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons (or daughters) of God; that when He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him how He is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as He is pure."

Perhaps you are in your very own garden, on your very own hill, or in your very own tomb; I invite all to fill yourself with the love of Him who was in your garden first. I invite all to beg on your knees to your Father who knew you from the beginning of time and who still knows you to be filled with the charity that was shed forth on Calvary before you made it to your Calvary. That empty tomb was left empty so that you could be filled with the greatest sacrifice that the universe has ever know. Perhaps you feel as if forgiveness or redemption is unattainable. I testify in the name of Him who offered us this pure love, that it is possible because of the Atonement. For it "beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, and endureth all things." His Atonement is real. I know it. I feel it. I love it.
Are you using what what given to you? What was shed for you? Take the time to develop a love for the Atonement and be a possessor of it. USE IT.

Elder Noll

How many grapes can you fit in your mouth?

Always wet...either sweating or in the rain!

December 28, 2015

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY NUMBER ONE!!! Happy Birthday Macy Moo! Love you so much and am wishing you such a Happy Birthday from thousands of miles away. Be careful on the roads! I won´t mention dating because I know you are going to wait for me so I can take you on your first date so I am not too worried about that. 

GENTLEMEN ATTENTION: Just because I lost weight doesn´t mean that I lost my tenacity. I´ve got drive...drive that will kick your butts at anytime, anywhere, or in any place. Watch yourselves. I have eyes ALL around town. 

Hello friends and family! How was Christmas?! I hope that everyone had so much fun! Hopefully everyone is staying safe and hopefully everyone is getting ready for a new year that will be filled with miracles and progression! This Christmas spirit is unbeatable! That`s for sure! We have been blessed with so many miracles and tender mercies this past week I don`t even know which ones to share. We don`t have tons of time today so I will try to keep to the good stuff!

Just the basic rundown of the week...

 

On Tuesday we had to be in Guayaquil at 8ish...which meant that we had to leave La Troncal at about 5:45ish...which means that we got up at 5...but what sucked was that the power went out at 2...so we actually got up at 2ish and could not go back to sleep. I woke up first...and sweating profusely I tried to see what was wrong so I was messing with my fan but after nothing happened I discovered that it was because of the power outage...about 1 minute I heard Elder Ashman starting to roll around...then I heard him start to mess with his fan...laughing, I said...``Good luck, man...already tried it.`` We both laid there laughing hysterically while we sweat like never before...haha. So let`s just say that Tuesday was an exhausting day...but incredible to say the least. The training went well and after that we met up with our zone and went over to a children's cancer hospital. That alone made my Christmas the best one yet. As a companionship we all chose a little cancer patient to go talk to, give gifts to, and show our love towards. Elder Ashman and I went strait for the little 8 year old Irina. She was adorable! Elder Ashman and I had the best time just talking to her...we sang together...drew pictures together...and watched her open gifts. It changed me. I think one particular part hit me the most though. When she drew her pictures every time she got to the part to draw her hair she paused...looked at her mom...looked at us...looked at the paper...and giggled...with tears in her perfect eyes and sadness in her heart she put it aside and managed to let out a smile. She drew every picture like that. Every. Single. One. As a little 8 year old girl that is pretty brave. That is pretty brave! That is pretty Christlike. I was taken back in awe and deep thought...what is it that matters most? Our outward appearance? Our hair? No...none of it. Our hearts. As long as you can draw you with a smile and a giggle you are perfect. As long as you can fight of the tears...fight of the sadness...or the negativity...and draw you as you are...you are perfect. Just like the little angel Irina that Elder Ashman and I grew to love ever so deeply.

From there we got to go to the temple! That says enough, right? I learned things that I had never thought of before. There I was alone in a certain part of a certain room and I wept. I don´t even know why!!! I whispered to myself...´´this is so true´´...but when I left the temple I soon realized that sometimes the spirit whispers truths through our whispers...so it was him saying...´´Elder Noll...this is so true. This is so right.´´ What a marvelous blessing. GO TO THE TEMPLE!!!

 

The next day we had the gathering as a mission. Dinner with the Springvilleites! Elder Johnson, Ashman, and I all got to kick it together for the night! It was so cool to be with the two guys! What a great program it was. President Riggins spoke to us on how to come to know God and His Son, Jesus Christ. Hermana Riggins spoke on the Lord´s Atonement and the Sacrament. Two great topics to go along with the celebration of the Lord´s birth.

 

The way home was quite the journey...we bought the tickets and when we made it to the bus stop the guy that checks the tickets took Elder Ashman´s ticket and crinkled it up and threw it on the ground with the millions of other crinkled up tickets...we still have not found out why! Haha! But we were not going to be able to snatch the bus if we could not find his ticket...we searched for like 2 seconds and one of the first ones we grabbed...out of the thousands on the ground...was his. That says enough...no explanation needed. God is a God of miracles.

 

Christmas Eve was the greatest thing of my life. We were so happy. Kicking it through the streets, wearing santa hats, handing out toys to all of the little kids and then singing Christmas songs to the parents that testify of the birth and life of Jesus Christ. We found SO MANY new people to go teach because of that ONE day. Because of the day before the celebrated birthday of our Older Brother. We are so excited to help the people we found progress and find more happiness in their lives.

 

Christmas with the Jaramillo´s! We made our way down to Duran and called the fam bams at the Jaramillo´s house and ate lunch with them. So grateful for that amazing family. They have changed my life. It was so good to see my family...the best family in all of the world...you others are okay I guess ;) Keep trying to catch up to mine though! You might be able to take second! ;) Haha! When we made it back to La Troncal it was another great chance to find more people. We made a couple more visits and got on our singing grind again! So that was Christmas!

 

So those were some great experiences and moments from the week. With so many that I am holding back because you have to have a ´´STAY TUNED´´ for next week! Right?! This week will be another great chance to find new families and new prepared children of our Heavenly Father! We are super pumped! 

I hope all have a fantastic new year! Make good goals! Make hard goals! Goals that are going to make you fight...struggle...nothing good comes with ease! 

My older brother said something so interesting to me; ´´The most important word in the English dictionary is arise...so go...ARISE.´´ So I asked myself the question...how is it we arise? If it is the most important word how is it that I can fulfill its importance. What do I need to do to arise? Then I had a flash back at something that my dad taught me a little while back. The word ´´humility´´ comes from the latin step ´´humus´´, which is an organic plant that grows in the soil. To be humble means to descend below the soil. To descend to the greatest depths possible. To lower yourself below the dirt. So my brother tells me to to arise...and my dad tells me to descend...they kinda contradict don´t they?? What does Al have to say? Maybe you, being the Nephi of the family, can hook me up with some words of wisdom! ;) Haha! What I came to figure out is that my brothers invitation to ´´arise´´ is what I need to do...is what we all need to do...and that my dad gave me the ´´how´´. To arise we must first descend. To arise and be lifted we must develop humility...we must lower ourselves to the dirt.

I love the question that the Prophet Alma makes us in Alma chapter 5. ´´Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that you have been sufficiently humble?´´ Have you lowered yourselves to the depths? Are you as a child is, willing and submitting to counsel and change? Do you make sacrifices for the benefits of others? Do you walk ´´puffed up´´? Do you accept praise or TAKE praise and give it to God where it is due? ´´...have ye spiritually been born of God?´´ Have you spiritually become a child? An infant? A newborn? ´´...have ye received His image in your countenances? When you are seen of the world what is seen? When the world sees you is a member of the only true church in the universe seen? When the world sees you do they see humility? Charity? Light? When you look at yourself in the mirror each day do you see glimpses and attributes of your Savior, Jesus Christ? Are you reminded of Him throughout the day because of the things you do, how you act, and what you say? ´´...have you experienced this mighty change of heart?´´ Have you experienced a mighty change by admitting that you are not so mighty? 

In Luke chapter 14 the Savior teaches us this principle in a way that I absolutely love. In the way that my brother and father have taught me. ´´But when though art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room...´´ WE ARE BIDDEN NOW! To go to the LOWEST ROOM. Like my dad said...to the dirt...to the greatest depths...so ´´...that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go UP HIGHER; then shall thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.´´ We are invited to go to the lowest room so that we can eventually ´´go up higher´´. Interesting how it works. The lower we descend...the higher the invite will be...and the more glorious shall the ´´worship in the presence of them that sit at meat´´ with us will be.

´´For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.´´ Exaltation is the goal. It is the ´´WHY´´ to this earthy life. We are here to obtain it. To inherit it. When my brother invited me to ´´rise´´ he invited me to be exalted. There is no other higher rise than that of exaltation that can only come through what my father taught me by growing in the soil...in the greatness depths through humility. It is a work in progress each and every day...so let´s get at it! I invite all, including myself, to ´´sit down in the lowest room´´...to become an organic plant that grows beneath the ground...to humble ourselves to the dust...so that we can be exalted. So that we can rise. 

Arise by descending. Descend to arise!

Elder Noll

 

December 21, 2015

To be 100% I have no idea where to start...

I think this week has been one of the most amazing, spiritual, miracle filled, and absolute life changing weeks of my entire life. Maybe that is just what goes down when your beautiful mother completes another year ;) Happy Happy Birthday to my beautiful mother. The woman who keeps me going when the going gets rough. The woman who I look up to like none other. I love you mom and hope that it was an incredible birthday!! :)

Again... I am just not sure where to start. Hmmm... on Monday we ended up downloading the “A Savior Is Born” video and noticed that the cyber we were in had a TV... and it was a pretty good one. I made eye contact with Elder Ashman (it must just be Utah Valley Code Talk) and we were thinking the same thing. We went up to the owner of the cyber and said, “Hey, so we are not sure if this video will play on our Pen Drive... would we be able to ‘test’ it?” Haha... we got him! So we put the video on and then BLASTED the volume and it seemed like it got just about everyone’s attention. Especially a woman who asked if we could visit her. We were stoked! She told us... “there is a reason that I just so happened to be here and you two just so happened to play that video. God is trying to tell me something.” So we got down her name and number and visited her the next day! In her words... “the Mormon’s are right! What time is church on Sunday??” Haha! Such an amazing experience!

We have also been spending quite a bit of time singing. Just the two of us. Haha. I probably should have dedicated myself to a bit more of singing before the mission. At times it did not go too well... but the spirit made up for that!:) One particular time was kinda funny... we passed by a house and Elder Ashman and I both stopped on a dime... it was an impression like I have almost never felt before... we at first thanked the Lord for giving us the same impression at the SAME EXACT TIME and then went over to knock the door. A very old... very grumpy... and very denying man answered the door. He did not even say good afternoon... haha. The only thing that left his mouth was that he only believes in the Bible. We rejoiced and said, “US TOO!!” We asked him if we might be able to sing a song for him. But he denied. We asked him again. But denied again. We implored... but he said no again and began to shut the door... we acted pretty fast though... and BELTED out in song: “VENID ADOREMOS!!” (O’Come All Ye Faithful) That really caught him off guard with each word we sang he opened the door a little more until we finally finished the song and then he let us in the house. He began to weep. He is a widowed man who lost his wife years ago and misses her more than anything. He said he is tired of being alone. He just wants to see her. We shared a short message on the Plan of Salvation and invited him to read the Book of Mormon and come to church with us. He told us that he would never do such a thing but thanked us for the visit. And that was all. As we left I was shattered. What could we have done to help this man? What did I say wrong? If we both had such a strong impression why was it that we failed? Elder Ashman, looking happy as ever, taught me a pretty valuable lesson. “You know what Jess--uhh... I mean... Elder Noll...even though he denied us I think we were sent there to prepare him for the spirit world. To prepare him for future missionaries in the life to come. We left the spirit in his home and now he will be able to recognize it quicker. Be baptized that much sooner.” How right he was. What a miracle it was to meet this man and help prepare him for the spirit world.

Then came another miracle... we had an appointment with another investigator at night time, but really felt we needed to go over there a little earlier. This man has stopped drinking and smoking... and is doing all he can to be worthy of baptism this coming January. When we got to the house I knew EXACTLY why the Lord sent us there early... this man was in desperate need of a blessing. We watched him tremble, sweat, and grieve for the pain he was feeling... the withdrawals. I wept. As he stuttered out the words... “I-I-I-I ddd-don´t-t... knnnnn--ow... know… if-f-f I c-c-ca-ann do itt-t. I wept. We testified of the Savior’s Atonement. That the Lord God trembled first. He sweat first. He grieved first. And that with His help and with His power he could overcome any and all difficulty. We decided to give him a blessing and it was amazing. After the anointing his trembling and shaking did not cease... he continued stuttering. Then came the blessing... we “commanded” him in the name of Jesus Christ to “be still.” We “ordered” him to “be at peace.” The blessing came to an end and we told him we would come back and visit him at night. We shook his trembling hand and left all in the Lord’s hand. The night rolled around and we headed on over to his house just like we promised. For quite a distance away we saw the silhouette of an old man... after he saw us the silhouette starting jumping up and down and waving his arms. We made it to his house. I extended my hand and I shook a still hand. I shook a firm hand. I shook a hand at peace. And so did Elder Ashman. We were amazed at how reverent we was... how content he looked. This man is 100% free of drugs and alcohol and his withdrawals have magnificently disappeared.

Thursday was one of the craziest days I have had in my entire life. We headed off to Naranjito which is about an hour away from La Troncal to work there until Friday. We were going to head to Guayaquil for a temple sealing of a family in Duran. So we packed everything up and got two days worth of clothes, toiletries, wallets, shoes, journals, suits, etc. in the suitcase and headed out the door, waved down the bus, threw the suitcase under the bus and headed to Naranjito. You have to take various buses to get there so we got on and off a few buses and then looked at each other with the worst feeling in our stomachs... THE SUITCASE! We had forgotten it on the first bus! We were devastated! The bus that it stayed on goes through La Troncal, Triunfo, Milagro, Kilo 26, Samborandón, Duran, Guayaquil, goes back through the cities that I just mentioned, goes up and through into the mountains of Ecuador in the direction to Quito and makes it back to La Troncal about 10 hours later. WE WERE TOAST. That suitcase was LOOONNNGGG GONEEE.

We frantically started making calls, but each worker told us that it was gone for good and hung up on us. Everyone told us we could not do anything. We did not know the bus number or what time we got on... we were calling every line of the bus route and nobody listened to us. “Can´t help you”... “that sucks!”... “what do you want me to do?”... not quite sure how many prayers went through our hearts... I begged Heavenly Father to help us find the suitcase... I did not want to finish the mission without a suit and with crooked teeth! Haha! I was actually really specific... “Please help us find this suitcase TODAY... with EVERYTING inside. We finally got ahold of a lady who told us we could TRY to pass the bus station and figure out what bus it was… and try to see if the suitcase was NOT taken by anyone. The only problem was that we were forever away and would not have made it back on time. We called the other Elders from La Troncal and told them to swing by the station and check out the situation. We had not a clue what bus number it was but we told them to just go check #30. And what a coincidence... #30 pulled over in front of them... so they opened up the storage under the bus... and there it was. The suitcase... after every city that it passed through... every person that had seen it and could have claimed it. Elder Ashman and I REJOICED! Haha!

By that point we had kinda bailed on the whole Naranjito thing for the day and we were on our way back to La Troncal hopping from bus to bus. Elder Ashman had tp pee… and we missed one of the buses! Haha! But we finally made it on the last bus and whipped open Mormon 9... and we came to the conclusion that it is true... “God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.” Not to mention that we ended up talking to the dude that sat by us on the bus and he was the biggest stud... he is super interested… wants to go to church... just a GOLDEN investigator.

So why did we leave that suitcase on the bus... I do not know... but it could have very well been to find a prepared soul. Boy did I learn a lot from that experience. Things that can’t be written!

We got to attend a temple sealing which, of course, was incredible! The Cruz family!!! Man did that touch my heart. I certainly did NOT cry... but my eyes were pretty dang sweaty if you are wondering. When the little 5 year old girl, Melanie, walked in that room all dressed in white smiling like never before I could not help but think of the experience I had with my amazing family years ago... though I do not remember... to be sealed to my parents and my older brother. Everything about God´s plan completes itself in the temple. It truly is amazing.

This week will be a little crazy with Christmas and traveling to Guayquil various times so I am sure we will have some great stories in a week...so stay tuned!!

Have you found out why “a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son?” Why was a baby boy brought to this world in manger? Have you found out why there was no room in the inn? Have you found out why this child “grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom?” Why “the grace of God was upon Him?” Have you discovered for yourself what could possibly lead someone of such humble birth to such a humiliating death? Have you found out why a first born received His mission call to a Garden, Golgotha, and a tomb? What is it you have because ONE child was born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago? Who would you be if this birth had not taken place? “What think ye of Christ?”

“Knowest thou the condescension of God?”

I ponder often about, where, and what our older Brother was before His mission. In the 17th chapter of John the Savior asks, “O Father, glorify me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” What was the degree of glory that He had before the world was? “...whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all, whose glory the sun of the firmament is written of as being typical.” The glory that Jesus Christ had made, even the sun, that which gives light, heat, and life to the entire universe, “typical”... usual... NOTHING. Meditate what it is He left for you. He “came down” as Mosiah 15:1 explains to us. In Spanish “He descended” among the children of men. He descended below all... lower than any being in universal time... the being who had the glory of God... more brightness than the sun... more splendor than any living, non-living, or imaginable being or thing... therefore, fulfilling His condescension.

So when “the angel” makes the same question to you as he did to Nephi, “Knowest thou the condescension of God?”  you better be able to answer the same way he did. “I know that He loveth His children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.” We do not know the meaning of all things. Why is it that you feel alone? I do not know. Why is it that you feel insecure? I do not know. Why is it that you feel heartache and pain? I do not know. Why is it that you feel forgotten, incapable, or overwhelmed? I do not know. Why is it that they had to die? I do not know. Why is it that God allows this glimpse in eternity in my existence as a glimpse of darkness and hopelessness?

I.DO.NOT.KNOW. I do not know the meaning of all things. But what I know means more!

What I do know is that a baby was born of a virgin! That is a miracle in and of itself! And what is even more of a miracle is what He became! What I DO know is that the Everlasting Redeemer, Creator, and Lover came to earth... descended below all... condescended below all. What I do know is that the Man of Holiness... of Counsel... Endless and Eternal was born! The Creator of all... of YOU!... has been born! What I do know is that the Prince of Peace, Savior of my soul, and older Brother was born! So do I know the condescension of God?? Perhaps NO! Do I know the answer to all things? NOO! But what I do know is that for you, for me, and for every intelligence, A SAVIOR HAS BEEN BORN!

To know you.

To feel you.

To understand you.

To succor you perfectly and powerfully.

I testify with every fiber of my soul and spirit that a Savior has been born. I testify that He lived in the flesh and because of that I too live in the flesh. I testify that He still lives and because of that I will forever live. As will you. You will be exalted because of the birth of a child. You will be glorified because of what happened in a manger bed.

Felíz Navidad!

Brothers and Sisters, may the birth of this child fill your heart and spirit with the love of God like never before. You may not know everything this holiday season. You may not come to understand all. But what you need to know... and what I know and testify of... is that a Savior has been born... and He LOVES us. And that is all that counts.

Share the love!

Be safe! Be happy!

Elder Noll

December 14, 2015

Hey All! How's the cold?? I keep waiting for the snow but I have to remind myself that I won't be seeing any of that any time soon! Haha! It is actually starting to heat up here! 

 

I am still at it with Elder A! It is the bomb! Tuesday was quite the adventure I'd say...

Elder A headed over to a small town called Naranjito to help out two Elders who are working over there. I headed off with Elder B from Columbia and Elder A went off with Elder M from Peru. We ended up having a great day! We talked with tons of people and ended up finding some pretty prepared souls. There is no doubt that the Lord is with us when we contact...it is incredible how we run into the most prepared people...it is almost as if God has us by a leash and is leading us and guiding us EXACTLY along His prepared path for us and others. So it was a great day of work! 

 

We spent a large majority this week in Triunfo doing various interviews and interchanges too which went awesome as well. 

 

One of the coolest lessons we had was with a family that had lost their father/husband a little while back. We taught them of baptisms for the dead and the look on their face and the joy and peace in that room was something that would lead me to live with this plaque for the rest of my life. What an incredible miracle. The lesson came to an end and we didn't invite them to be baptized for themselves...but we invited them to prepare to be baptized for and in behalf of their father/husband...they gladly accepted. Then, very shortly after, accepted to be baptized themselves to be qualified to enter the Lord's temple and do their father/husband's work. Amazing what ``the most glorious of all subjects``, as Doctrine and Covenants explains, can do to a family in need.

 

Elder A and I were suffering one particular day...just looking and not finding. Knocking and not being accepted. Calling and not being answered. A prayer was said in our hearts and we continued walking. We found ourselves in a rather deserted part of the sector and we heard from quite a ways away and honk...and the honk did not cease. Haha! Finally this super old dude pulled up right by us and yelled some words that we did not expect..."HEY! When are you going to come visit me?! I have been waiting for you guys for months. All I want is to follow God and for you two angels sent here by God to tell me how! So when's it gonna be?!" I cannot wait to play this moment back in the heavens on the big screen and see the reaction of Elder A and I. Our jaws dropped but there was a slight grin on the both of us...we slowly turned our heads and looked at each other...then we looked back at him...then back at each other...then read each others minds...then telepathically talked...**dude...did you just hear that? Someone wants us to visit him? What is happening? We should probably say something before he bounces because we have been silent for about a minute now talking telepathaically** ;) We replied..."TOMORROW AT SEVEN!" This is one cool dude let me tell you guys. He stopped smoking...yesterday he gave us the last bottle of liquor he had to dump out...and he went to church. What led us to that street...I don't know...what put us in that moment and that time...forever a mystery...but what I do know and what is NOT a mystery is that it came from God. And this man will be baptized on the second of January.

 

We have had some funny times this week...I guess that is expected when you are with Elder A! Haha! He almost abandoned me...well I guess I almost abandoned him. We were going to get into into a three-wheeler with a little carriage in the back and I got in first...as soon as I got in Elder A had only managed to get an arm in and a hand grasped on a handle but the driver took off. They take the mufflers off of everything so our screams and shouts could not be heard telling him to stop so that Elder A could jump in the moving vehicle! Haha! I was laughing too hard too seeing the look of fear in Elder A's eye that 1) He was going to eat it...and 2) We were going to break the mission manual code by not "being together always" because I would have been long gone had he not jumped in. Not sure how he did it...maybe it is the Tapout DVD's in the morning...? Haha!

 

We had another chance to give an amazing Priesthood blessing, this time to a deaf woman. She is not completely deaf but we have to write a lot of what we want to say. We explained to her what blessing for the sick was and she immediately got super nervous. So scared. She was trembling and crying and we were not sure as to why. But we followed through with the anointing. The anointing was done and then we both put our hands on her head to seal the anointing and bless her. Before we said anything she was shaking profusely...the fear and doubt was not only present spiritually but physically. As we sealed the anointing it was a physical change that was felt first. The whole world stood still it seemed...the cars stopped passing by out the door...the music seemed to turn itself off...as the words were spoken, her shaking and trembling body slowly was calmed...Elder A and I (I asked him after if he felt the same) both felt as if all fear and doubt she had flowed from her body and into our hands. The power was palpable in our hands as we represented the Savior, Jesus Christ in healing this woman. Our hands began to almost vibrate...to pulse...and then the spirituality of it all came in...the biggest feeling of love and peace overcame us all...when the blessing came to an end the woman jumped out of her seat with the biggest smile on her face..."I AM GOING TO GIVE YOU GUYS SOME CHOCOLATE AND TOAST!" Haha! It was the neatest thing...and Elder A and I are convinced that she heard each and every word and promise made to her in that blessing. Boy do I love the Priesthood!

 

There are so many more incredible experiences but not enough time to say it all...

 

We bought like 50 bananas today and made chocolate covered bananas...so that was neat. You know what we will be snacking on for the next little while! 

 

We bought a soda before heading over to Triunfo because we figured we would be parched on the way over...we poured our cups and waited and waited until the bus came to a stop...we were really nervous to take a sip because the buses are all over the place...finally we hit a light and I took a small sip and played it safe but Elder A kept going...before I could swallow and in the blink of an eye the bus took off and the rest of his soda was all down his shirt and pants and the rest of mine was in and out my nose from laughing so hard. That was a good time. 

 

I am pumped for the many miracles to come and the good laughs that are right in front of us...

The mission has been focusing on testifying of Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, and the Book of Mormon. There is no combination more powerful than those 3 subjects together and, when heard, the Holy Spirit is bound to testify of their truth. I have been meditating a lot on what it means to have the Book of Mormon. What is it that these words do for us? From who do these words come? What is the eternal outlook on this book? In the 33rd chapter of 2nd Nephi we are given a pretty clear explanation. "And I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayer for the gain of my people...for it persuadeth them to do good; it maketh known unto them of their fathers; and it speaketh of Jesus, and persuadeth them to believe in Him, and to endure to the end, which is eternal life." I love what comes as a result of this book and what it is. As Nephi writes his words he begs the Lord that what he writes will be for the "gain of his people". It is for out gain and benefit. The Book of Mormon also "persuadeth us to do good". Every word, principle, precept, and doctrine found is to help us do good. It is to help us become perfected in Christ and live as He did. The Book of Mormon "makes known unto us of our fathers". It shows the miraculous and merciful hand of the Lord in leading our fathers to the promised land as well as life changing examples of individuals and groups of people that rejoice in the Lord, Jesus Christ. Examples and stories that have placed us where we are today and without them...we would be completely lost. It "speaketh of Jesus" and "persuadeth them to believe in Him". I testify that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and that "a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than any other book". This book will help us "endure to the end"...which is eternal life. A BOOK...Brothers and Sisters...can give you eternal life. What does that mean to you? If eternal life is a natural desire to all living beings how often are we reading the Book of Mormon that will lead us there? If eternal life as a family is God's goal and the end vision of a family how often do we read the Book of Mormon together as a family to prepare us for that so called eternity? 

At the end of the chapter there is a principle that is so fundamental and that I absolutely love! "Hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye will believe in Christ ye shall believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and He hath given them to me..." If you believe in the Lord, Savior, and Redeemer, Jesus Christ you will believe in the Book of Mormon because it is of Him who this sacred and soul saving book testifies of. This book testifies of the everlasting power, love, and mercy of Jesus Christ. One of its last teachings from the Prophet, Moroni, is of God's grace and the Savior's infinite Atonement. If we deny this book we deny the Lord's power, love, and mercy. We deny God's grace. We deny the premortal existence of Jehovah. We deny the birth of Emmanuel, a Savior of us all, brought to us through a Virgin named Mary. We deny all that He did during His life and we deny the fact that He arose the third day after Atoning for the sins of the world. 

Nephi then explains and eternal principle..."And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye-- for Christ will show unto you with power and great glory, that these are His words at the last day; and you and I shall stand face to face before this bar; and ye shall know that I have been commanded of Him to write these things...". The time will come when Christ will manifest himself unto us in great glory...with that manifestation will come His testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and His witness of the revelation received by those who wrote it...then we will stand face to face with Nephi...how do you want to feel at that moment? Sadness, guilt, and regret for not believing or not reading it? Or do you want to pass by...maybe sneak in a high five and a knuckles...and say...

"Dude...Nephi...your book...is SO tight!"

I know that the Book of Mormon is true. A man would be completely and totally unable to write or make up such miraculous, powerful, and truthful teachings. Every Book of Mormon Prophet and modern day testament in the bringing to pass the Book of Mormon would not have died for a lie. They would not have left their families, suffered, and been murdered for a cause that they did not KNOW with a surety to be true. 

Love you all!

Until next week!

Elder Noll

running around in 90 degrees with 80% humidity...but they got the lizard!!