Elder Haven Ruiz: Week 82: Mama's Day!

Well, I hope everyone told their moms that you love them! I am so glad I got to talk to my family yesterday, it was good to see them! I love 'em to eternity! I love and appreciate all the women in my life that have helped, raised, and taught me to become the person that I am today.

So two weeks ago Elder Jepppsen and I went to our mission president's home with other zone leaders for MLC, it was really good, we learned a lot and the Spirit was there.

Monday morning last week we hiked a mountain peak as a zone, it is really beautiful in the mountains by Upland....buuuuuuuuut not as beautiful as the good ol' Wasatch Mountains in Utah. It was really cool to also have our personal studies up there on the mountain peak; it was as if I was meditating, it was so peaceful.

Later last week we also helped an old Korean guy move a lot of stuff out of his store because of fire and water damage. It was really sad to see him have to lose his business because of fire/water damage. For the past week or two he had been transporting his belongings in a shopping cart and putting it in a storage facility across the street....one shopping cart at a time, for several days. Some Church members that are repairing his business couldn't believe that he was doing all that by himself, so they called us up and we came in full force to try and empty the store as much as we could. We got a lot done, and the Korean man was very appreciative of our service. Just another day in the service of others, it's wonderful!

Elder Jeppsen and I have been knocking on doors nearly every day trying to talk to people. We've been incorporating family history in to our daily proselyting, and we've seen its effectiveness in the fact that people are a little more comfortable and less nervous talking to us haha. Don't worry everyone, us missionaries don't bite! We taught a few less-actives and recent converts. We had zone conference on Wednesday, and that went really well.

On Thursday I got to go on exchanges with Elder Gagnon in the Upland Spanish branch. We taught an english class to some foreigners and had some delicious tostadas at a members home!

I love my Savior Jesus Christ, and I love my Father in heaven. I am so grateful for the knowledge I have about them, and about the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Studying the Book of Mormon every day has changed my life, and I never want to lose this daily habit that has brought blessings into my life. I want to testify to you of the power that can come into your life as you study the Book of Mormon every day.

During this past general conference, President Thomas S. Monson said:

This morning I speak about the power of the Book of Mormon and the critical need we have as members of this Church to study, ponder, and apply its teachings in our lives. The importance of having a firm and sure testimony of the Book of Mormon cannot be overstated.

We live in a time of great trouble and wickedness. What will protect us from the sin and evil so prevalent in the world today? I maintain that a strong testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and of His gospel will help see us through to safety. If you are not reading the Book of Mormon each day, please do so. If you will read it prayerfully and with a sincere desire to know the truth, the Holy Ghost will manifest its truth to you. If it is true—and I solemnly testify that it is—then Joseph Smith was a prophet who saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Because the Book of Mormon is true, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s Church on the earth, and the holy priesthood of God has been restored for the benefit and blessing of His children.

If you do not have a firm testimony of these things, do that which is necessary to obtain one. It is essential for you to have your own testimony in these difficult times, for the testimonies of others will carry you only so far. However, once obtained, a testimony needs to be kept vital and alive through continued obedience to the commandments of God and through daily prayer and scripture study.

My dear associates in the work of the Lord, I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives.

Look at all those promised blessing he stated that we can receive as we study the Book of Mormon! Who doesn't want all those blessing in their life right now? Let us remember that the Book of Mormon isn't the source of our testimony, but a resource for our testimony. Our testimony must be centered on Jesus Christ, and as we study the Book of Mormon we can gain a better knowledge of his mission, ministry, atoning sacrifice, and gospel that he taught. As stated in the introduction to the Book of Mormon:

We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. (See Moroni 10:3–5.)

Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is His revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the Second Coming of the Messiah.

But don't take my word for it, go and find out for yourself whether or not the Book of Mormon is the word of God through studying it and praying about it.

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Elder Ruiz