A New Beginning

First of all, I have decided to continue this blog. Instead of posting about my Mission, I will keep this focused on sharing my testimony, sharing the gospel and going into different Gospel topics. I have not determined exactly how often I may post here, although I do hope to start posting more often. Now that we have that out of the way...

Families

 I have been learning about families in one of my Institute classes I'm in right not. As we have been going about it, I have found that The Family is one of the most important parts of the Plan of Salvation. When we think about it, if there were no more families, then we would stop having children. Without children, then humanity would cease to exist after the current generation passed away. So even in just a logical sense of self preservation, the family is Important.

The Family A Proclamation to the world was written 23 years ago and it lays out the structure of how a family should look like. We are all here on earth to get a body and over come the temptations that come through it. As we resist these temptations, then we are able to abide by the commandments of God. One of these is to be married as a Male and Female to help with producing Children for others of Heavenly Father's children to have the same opportunity to gain a body with us.

As we strive to live by Heavenly Fathers commandments, then we are able to align our will with Gods and we slowly become One with Him and our Savior Jesus Christ. As Jesus said, if ye are not One, ye are not mine. How great is it that we get the opportunity to become One with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

The family is an eternal principle. We are placed into families while we are here on Earth. Before we have to Earth we were still in families, we still had Spirit bodies while we were living with our Heavenly Father. With this family, we were and still are our Heavenly Parents Children. We have a Brother being Jesus Christ that stood up for us and gave us the opportunity to come down to Earth and gain this Body like our Father in Heaven has. Once we are done with this Mortal existence, we will still be able to remain in these family units. We will have a Wife that we will able to be Heavenly Parents with and have the same opportunity to have our own Spirit Children. As Joseph Smith said, One eternal round without end.

I promise that as we strive to make our families here on earth better, then we will be able to have the promised blessings of Everlasting Salvation. We will be able to grow closer to Heavenly Father's will for us. We will be able to gain peace and comfort in this live and the one to come. If you have grown distant, I invite you to come unto Christ and know he will guide us.

The End of One Life, The Beginning to the Next.

Well, this is the last email on my Mission.

Over the course of my time out here, I have seen the hearts of many change. I have seen what can happen when people invite Christ into their lives. I have witnessed Miracles. I have felt The Holy Ghost in my own life. I have seen the Atonement work wonders. I have gained a greater testimony. I have come to the knowledge of many things. I have learned a greater understanding of the Eternities. I know my Savior lives, I know He loves me, I know I love Him.

How do you grow your testimony?

How do you Endure to the End?

How do you talk to your Heavenly Father?

How are you continuing to progress in your own life?

What means the most to you in your life at this time?

How much faith do you have in Jesus Christ?

Are you prepared to meet the one who created you?

Who lovest you?

These are just a few questions for you to ponder on. I know that as we try to better our answers, we will be able to see progression.

I know God is our loving Heavenly Father, I know the Savior loves me. I know The Holy Ghost speaks truth to me.

I hope you have a great future ahead.

I'll be home Thursday,

Love,

Elder Warkentin

The realization of time!

So I've realized just how much time I still have remaining, some may
say not long, and others may you have ages. I know that Heavenly
Father will use me the best that I'm able to until the end. I love
serving a mission for the Lord. He will truly bless us, and no it
isn't only a futuristic blessing, it can be enjoyed now.

Last week, we got to go to the Alberta Aviation Museum. A lot of cool
history to be found there.

I think it is just remarkable the ways we can be used by God to further His work. Just this past week, we had to go on splits several times just to cover the appointments we had, however we had to rely on God to know who was supposed to go where. I also know that people can be influenced by the small things we do, for example finding out that some was baptized a year after you started teaching them.

I know that if we pray for how we can best help someone, the Lord will use us if you give your will to Him. The only thing that we can give to Heavenly Father is our Agency, but He has promised us Eternal Joy for giving that to Him.

Has the Priesthood helped you in your life recently?

I love all of you, being my Brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ.

Love,
Elder Warkentin

On a more spiritual side.

I think it has been cool to see just how much the Lord has been working with me in my own personal life. As I have reflected upon the life of my Mission, since I will be home soon, I have seen how I have been able to gain a greater understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have had things that I merely believed in become things that I have a knowledge in. I have seen how when we have enough faith, we are able to see things happen, even if the odds are stacked against it. The main point in my last letter was to show how, despite the odds of all the wonderful things that ended up happening, I know that without the sufficient faith, I know that not all of that would have happened. Not to mention how in that same week we started teaching 6 new investigators.

I know the Lord has been blessing us as we have gone forth with faith, just in this past weekly planning session, we have found that we are working with more then 20 Investigators and more then 20 In-actives, it is amazing to see how they are all at different points, yet they are all progressing to full activity in the Gospel. However, I know that without Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and especially the Holy Ghost, none of this would be possible. We must chose willingly to follow the commandments of God. As we do, we are promised blessings, I want to emphasize the word blessings in there. Blessings is more then just not having something bad happen, those blessings are also having divine assistance in all aspects of our lives. Heavenly Father loves each and everyone of us, thus, just like our earthly father loves us and will support and help things to happen for us that he may not be interested in much himself, our Father in Heaven can more Heaven and Earth to help things happen for us as well.

I can testify that I have seen the hand of God in my own life. I know he does things in such a subtle way, that if you aren't looking for it, you may mistake it or pass it off as some lucky occurrence. The fact is, Science is just trying to make knowledge of what having faith in Jesus Christ is for. We are promised that as we put or trust (faith) in Jesus Christ, all things shall be made know unto us. Thus the most successful scientist are the ones with more faith in Christ. We can not be a faithless society and expect to continue to have any happiness. So if you are feeling sad, I would invite you to gain greater faith in the future. I know our Father in Heaven hears our prayers and He will answer a sincere prayer. I love Him, and continue to learn more about Him. Do you?

Love,

Elder Warkentin

Quite the eventful week.

Well, to get a full recap, I will be going over a few days from the previous week. Starting on Monday the 4th, we got to meet the new Mission President, He is awesome, I would say I like him. Then Last Tuesday, we got to go to the Temple, it was the first one with the New Mission President. Then come Thursday, we got to have our District Meeting around a Campfire: Here is a picture of it:

Then on Saturday we were taken to a Baseball game. It was a game of Edmonton Vs. Lethbridge:

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Then the biggest news of them all. I got a new area this past Sunday. They closed down the Castle Downs Ward, and they made the Griesbach Ward. So now I'm in the Griesbach area. So now I get to learn a new area for my last 3 weeks. Then Yesterday was 7-Eleven day...

So it has been a fairly busy week for us. The work is going great as well. Each and every one of people we are working with see the need to Repent in their own lives, whether it be a small repentance process or a major one, they are willing to do what it takes to follow the guidance of the prophets and "Come unto Christ". I know we are all called to the work, Missionary, Member, or Non-Member. I know that as we build our faith, we will have the power to see Miracles. I hope you are able to build your faith continually.

Love,

Elder Warkentin

What a glorious time we live in.

We get to live in a time and age where we have much to celebrate. We had Canada Day last Friday, and there was Independence Day yesterday. The great thing is, is that we got to celebrate the freedoms we were given. One of those great things that we were given is is the freedom of religion. It was this freedom that inspired a young boy in the 1820's to search out the true church of God. He was able to pray to Heavenly Father and receive an answer to that prayer. He was told it wasn't upon the earth. He was then able to restore that true church to the earth because he was able to have that freedom to establish the church in the United States. Since then we have been able to see that freedom spread to other countries. We are able to have the true church in many of the countries around the world now. It all started way back when the U.S. fought for that freedom to further the work of God.

I know that we are able to have all those freedoms in our own lives. We have the freedom to chose, or exercise our agency. Agency was one of the gifts that Heavenly Father gave us from the very beginning. It has always been Satin's plan to try and take away our agency. Satin tries to make it seem like we have more agency when we disregard the commandments of God, however, we may feel like we have more freedom at first, but it is only temporary. In the long term, those bad choice end up restricting us of that agency in the future, and it becomes harder to make the right choices that will give us for freedom. I would exhort you to take the path that is harder, yea, even the harder right, instead of the easier wrong, of which becomes harder to continue in the future. I know God loves each and everyone of us, and He is always there for us, no matter how hard it becomes.

I know God loves you, I love you, I hope you have the Gospel come into your life ever more. I know the Gospel will bring you true and everlasting happiness. Why aren't you repenting?

Love,

Elder Warkentin

From Great Faith Comes Blessings

We had a really cool spiritual experience yesterday, we were stopping by different potentials we had in in part of our area, and when we tried this one, he had moved. However the person who moved in answered the door and he invited us in immediately. He had some questions for us and we were able to teach the first lesson right there on the spot. He is a cool guy and we have an appointment set up for this Thursday.

I know that the Gospel is here, and I know it blesses our lives, I have seen it in my own life. I know that as we strive to follow the spirit, the Holy Ghost will guide us where we need to go, what we need to say, what Improvements we need to do in our own life, how to change to improve, help us recognize truth when we see it, and warn us of dangers. I know that Jesus Christ died for all of us, because He loves us. I know Christ has set out the perfect plan for us, and has provided a way to accomplish it. I know that this church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, is the one and only true church of God here upon the earth. I know that our Heavenly Father loves each and everyone of us, for He has given us this chance to be down here upon the earth to learn and grow so that we can become like Him. I know this is just a small part of Eternity, and by that, it is Infinitely small. I know that as we give up our own desires, we will be able to take upon ourselves the desires of God. I know this church is being lead by prophets of God. I know The Book of Mormon is the word of our Heavenly Father, I cherish it and strive to learn from it everyday.

I would invite you all to gain a greater testimony for yourself. We can't all have a Saul to Paul, or Alma the younger experience, but I know that we can have our prayers answered, and I know we have the power to change our own lives. We just have to follow the Gospel that has been laid out in front of us, and willingly chose Jesus as our Savior.

I hope you all have a great week to come, and are able to read from the scriptures daily.

Love,

Elder Warkentin