Nov 23, 2009

Hey momma

Well it was really good to hear from you even though the computer is down. I can't tell you how much I love to see when I get on to see an email from my momma.
Sounds like everything has been kinda calmin down now over there in Az. Things here in Mexico are well.... just normal. Me and my companion are workin hard but it seems like the Lord is just trying our faith right now. All the families that we have progressing right now just don't seem to want to progress. I think one of the hardest things that we have to do as missionaries is to find the people that are chosen and ready to hear the gospel but the next hardest thing is to let the people go that aren't progressing. That is what my comp and I have been doing lately.
Our mission had the great opportunity to hear from the area presidency this past week. Elder Johnson spoke to us and you could really feel that he was and is a chosen servant of the Lord. He taught us alot of things but I would just like to share one thing with you. We started talking about Repentance and Elder Johnson gave us a question. he said " we are goning to imagine that I am a person that lives in Iraq, I am a good person that likes to read the scriptures, prays to God, help the naked and the hungry, and repent of my sins that I commit every day, I have not had the opportunity to hear the restored gospel of Jesus Christ because right now the missionaries can't enter into my country to teach me. I have not taken a baptism in the correct way. Can I receive a remission for my sins by repenting even though I have not been baptized." Let me tell you that it got me thinkin quite a bit, as well as the other missionaries. Some elders said yes other said no. I started thinkin that as Zone leaders we have the opportunity to interview the investigators before they get baptized. There is one question that we have to ask them and it is if they have repented of the sins that they have committed in the past. I started thinkin that a person has to be worthy to be baptized and well that means that the have to receive a forgiveness for their sins. I thought that this person really could receive a forgiveness for their sins even if he wasn't baptized. Let me tell you that I was wrong. A person can't receive a forgiveness for their sins without receiving a true baptism even if they repent of there sins everyday. We read that in the 4th article of faith that we believe in faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, second repentance, third baptism by immersion FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS and fourth laying on of hand for the gift of the Holy Ghost. Elder Johnson taught us that this is why Missionary work is so important, If we don't receive a correct baptism we can't receive a forgiveness of their sins in this life. Baptism is the FIRST STEP into the kingdom of God. We must always look for the people ready to change their life. the people ready to receive a remission of their sin. THERE IS NO GREATER WORK UPON THE FACE OF THIS EARTH.
Well I just want to share with you what I learned this past week. I hope you understood everything. I don't know why but it is getting pretty hard for me to write in English. Well I want everyone over there in the house to know that I love them sooo much. and please let me know if you need anything!!!

con mucho amor

Elder Reed

oh I forgot to tell you that we will be having transfers the up coming week so we will see what happens. I only have 3 cycle here in Neza and I am feeling like I will be here one more cycle. But we will see what the lord says ;) LOVE YA!!!