Alexanders Baptism

This past week was great! We had Alexanders baptism yesterday and I had the privelige of being able to baptise him. The program went so smoothly yesterday and he was so excited as we were outside the font about to go in. He had been through a lot in his life with crime and drugs but through Jesus Christ has changed it all around. It has been a testimony builder to me of the Atonement and how people can truly change if they use it.

We had a great week with Jocaline as well. She came to church again and is loving everything. She has agreed to be baptised and knows that this is the right path for her. Nono told us to give her another baptismal date and it will be the last one because this time she is going to enter the waters. Thato and the rest of our investigators are doing great as well. The Lord is helping us so much and preparing the people to receive the gospel.

This past week I came across a scripture in Jacob 4:7. I really hadn't recognized the significance of the scripture before this past week. It talks about how God shows unto us our weaknesses and as we turn to Him he will strengthen us. Some ways are through prayer, scripture study, and church attendance. But I think one of the main things that we can and should be doing as often as possible is going to the temple. I am so grateful for how close that we have one back home. The temple isn't just a place to feel the spirit; it is a place where we go to make higher covenants and as we do that we are endowed with power from God. Every time that we go to the temple we leave with more power! I am grateful for that opportunity to be given more and more strength from our loving Heavenly Father.

As well in my study I liked a couple scriptures in Alma 34:38 where it talks about how as we live in thanksgiving daily we are then able to recognize more easily the tender mercies that we are given in our lives. We should be able to see daily tender mercies from the Lord. I also liked a scripture in Alma 36:30 which says how when we do not keep the commandments we are cut off from the presence of God. This scripture appears throughout the Book of Mormon but it wasn't til recently that it clicked what it truly meant. The prophets weren't talking about physical or temporal things necessarily but spiritually being cut of from God or suffering from Spiritual Death. It is so key for us all to do the things to have His presence with us always!

I love you!

Elder Farnes