Snelsons in Africa!: Mom returns to Africa ! "retain the name" (Mosiah 5:12)‏

Late tonight Mom should return to Africa! Yahoo!!

Elder F. Burton Howard of the Seventy acquaints us with a strong testimony of the converting power of the Book of Mormon: "Sister Celia Cruz Ayala of the Puerto Rico San Juan Mission decided to give the Book of Mormon to a friend. She wrapped it in attractive paper and set out to deliver her present.

On the way she was attacked by a bandit who stole her purse and with it the wrapped copy of the Book of Mormon. A few days later she received this letter:

Mrs. Cruz:

Forgive me, forgive me. You will never know how sorry I am for attacking you. But because of it, my life has changed and will continue to change. That book [the Book of Mormon] has helped me in my life. The dream of that man of God has shaken me. … I am returning your five pesos for I can’t spend them. I want you to know that you seemed to have a radiance about you. That light seemed to stop me (from harming you,) so I ran away instead.

I want you to know that you will see me again, but when you do, you won’t recognize me, for I will be your brother. … Here, where I live, I have to find the Lord and go to the church you belong to.

The message you wrote in that book brought tears to my eyes. Since Wednesday night I have not been able to stop reading it. I have prayed and asked God to forgive me, (and) I ask you to forgive me. …I thought your wrapped gift was something I could sell. Instead, it has made me want to make my life over. Forgive me, forgive me, I beg you.

Your absent friend." (F. Burton Howard, “My Life Has Changed,” Church News, 6 Jan. 1996, 16.)

This week I have studied King Benjamin's discourse in Mosiah 2-6. It appears to me, that this is a type of solemn assembly and temple experience, in which a group of obedient baptized members enter into additional covenants and take upon themselves the name of Christ.

"I shall give this people a name...because they have been a diligent people in keeping the commandments of the Lord". (Mosiah 1:11) "I would that ye should do as ye have hitherto done. As ye have kept...the commandments of God." (Mosiah 2:31)

"they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: [similar to a solemn assembly or temple setting] O have mercy and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins" (Mosiah 4:2)

"they all cried with one voice, saying:...we are willing to enter into a covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things that he shall command us, all the remainder of our days.." (Mosiah 5:5) "I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives." (Mosiah 5:8) "And it came to pass that there was not one soul, except it were little children, but who had entered into the covenant and had taken upon them the name of Christ." (Mosiah 6:2)

At baptism and when we partake of the sacrament we state that we are "willing" to take upon us the name of Christ (D & C 20:37,77) but it is the temple where this actually occurs.

Elder David A. Bednar said: " Elder Dallin H. Oaks has explained that in renewing our baptismal covenants by partaking of the emblems of the sacrament, “we do not witness that we take upon us the name of Jesus Christ. [Rather], we witness that we are willing to do so. (See D&C 20:77.) The fact that we only witness to our willingness suggests that something else must happen before we actually take that sacred name upon us in the [ultimate and] most important sense” (“Taking upon Us the Name of Jesus Christ,” Ensign, May 1985, 81). The baptismal covenant clearly contemplates a future event or events and looks forward to the temple.

In modern revelations the Lord refers to temples as houses “built unto my name” (D&C 105:33; see also D&C 109:2–5; 124:39). In the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple, the Prophet Joseph Smith petitioned the Father “that thy servants may go forth from this house armed with thy power, and that thy name may be upon them” (D&C 109:22). He also asked for a blessing “over thy people upon whom thy name shall be put in this house” (v. 26). And as the Lord appeared in and accepted the Kirtland Temple as His house, He declared, “For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house” (D&C 110:7).

These scriptures help us understand that the process of taking upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ that is commenced in the waters of baptism is continued and enlarged in the house of the Lord. As we stand in the waters of baptism, we look to the temple. As we partake of the sacrament, we look to the temple. We pledge to always remember the Savior and to keep His commandments as preparation to participate in the sacred ordinances of the temple and receive the highest blessings available through the name and by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, in the ordinances of the holy temple we more completely and fully take upon us the name of Jesus Christ." (Ensign, May, 2009, "Honorably Hold A Name And Standing")

I love you,

Dad

Photos of the week....

Bread on the head...

Vasco calmly playing the piano prior to Church. Earlier this week I delivered his mission call to his Branch President who decided to wait until the end of Sacrament meeting to present it to him. It turned out well. He accepted the call to serve in Brazil!

Moses one of our guards. We learned a few months ago that he was a less active member. He told Elder Abel & Mason (Zone Leaders) that a month ago, one day while he was smoking, I happened to see him, as our eyes met, I turned away so as to not embarrass him. He felt so bad that he decided to change his life, keep the commandments and return to Church. He has been actively helping the missionaries and a family that he introduced them to should be baptized this month.