Fun things happened this week!
Adriana and Norma got baptized this week! We met with them everyday for the last week and Norma, this last Friday said "I don't want to talk about Jesus anymore. Can I just take a break from Jesus for one day?" as she collapsed on the couch. So close kiddo.
Transfers destroyed our zone. Four missionaries are going home, there are 5 new missionaries coming in, districts were combined, areas were combined and half of the zone is changing. The most interesting one was my companionship. Hna Long is getting transferred to WHITE SALMON!!!! And I'm greenie busting for my last little stretch. It certainly will be interesting to see what happens here in these coming weeks.
There's this corn stand that set up next to the gas station. So we're walking to an appointment and the guy at the corn stand waves us over. We circle back after and end up talking to him for like 2 hours about the gospel and asking him question after question.
Round 2, we return and end up taking a call for him on FaceTime with a guy from Reno, Nevada and expound the Book of Mormon for about an hour.
The biggest thing that catches them up is Galatians 1:8 - if it is any other gospel, even from an angel it shall be condemned. But the hole in their argument is the question:
"Well then how do you define the gospel?"
Depending on who you're talking to it could mean lots of different things.
Baptism as a baby for Adam's sins?
Baptism as an adult for the remission of your sins?
Baptism by immersion or a sprinkling?
Can anyone do it or is there an authority that has to be there?
Do you get it from a school or a priest?
Can't I get a certificate online?
How many years of schooling do I need?
Isn't baptism really just a show of faith?
Do we receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands?
Or do we just accept it whenever?
What does it mean to be baptized by fire?
Is the priesthood a thing?
Who can have it?
How do you get it?
There are prophets again.
No, a Pope.
there are lots of false prophets.
God has reached out to other countries and we have another testament.
Did you hear about the scrolls and other scriptures found in the Vatican?
Nope, there's just a Bible.
Nope actually, it's just the first 5 books.
You return to God when you die.
You go to sleep when you die?
You just kind of poof when you die.
We came from evolution!
The Big Bang theory.
Adam and Eve.
Aliens.
Alright now I'm being a little silly. And I could honestly go on for hours. But do you see the problem? Some of these are easily argued, others are the reasons there are so many churches today. And so when I am confronted with this scripture I simply think, "So you do believe there is one true church. So where is it?"
"Oh no, all of them are good."
"And yet we don't teach the correct gospel? Who does then?"
Y'all catching my drift?
God is All-Powerful. He can do anything He'd like. He also is the same, yesterday, today and forever.
So where are the prophets?
Where are the Apostles?
Where is the Priesthood?
Where is the laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost as defined in Acts 8?
Why wouldn't He talk to other countries and peoples and manifest His power and gospel to them?
The Gospel in the Bible is laid out as
Faith
Repentance
Baptism by Immersion
Gift of the Holy Ghost
Enduring to the End
Scripture after scripture teaches us this.
Isaiah 55:9 teaches "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
So it's safe to assume then that our understanding does not limit God in the slightest.
I know that this is true. My testimony has really been put through the wringer these last three weeks with person after person arguing that I'm teaching the wrong gospel. But as I've turned to the Bible and the Book of Mormon, I can say without a doubt in my mind that there is one true gospel, the same gospel that Christ taught when He was on the earth. Logically, and spiritually it boils down to one. And it is each of our job to figure out which one that is.
Adriana and Norma got baptized this week! We met with them everyday for the last week and Norma, this last Friday said "I don't want to talk about Jesus anymore. Can I just take a break from Jesus for one day?" as she collapsed on the couch. So close kiddo.
Transfers destroyed our zone. Four missionaries are going home, there are 5 new missionaries coming in, districts were combined, areas were combined and half of the zone is changing. The most interesting one was my companionship. Hna Long is getting transferred to WHITE SALMON!!!! And I'm greenie busting for my last little stretch. It certainly will be interesting to see what happens here in these coming weeks.
There's this corn stand that set up next to the gas station. So we're walking to an appointment and the guy at the corn stand waves us over. We circle back after and end up talking to him for like 2 hours about the gospel and asking him question after question.
Round 2, we return and end up taking a call for him on FaceTime with a guy from Reno, Nevada and expound the Book of Mormon for about an hour.
The biggest thing that catches them up is Galatians 1:8 - if it is any other gospel, even from an angel it shall be condemned. But the hole in their argument is the question:
"Well then how do you define the gospel?"
Depending on who you're talking to it could mean lots of different things.
Baptism as a baby for Adam's sins?
Baptism as an adult for the remission of your sins?
Baptism by immersion or a sprinkling?
Can anyone do it or is there an authority that has to be there?
Do you get it from a school or a priest?
Can't I get a certificate online?
How many years of schooling do I need?
Isn't baptism really just a show of faith?
Do we receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands?
Or do we just accept it whenever?
What does it mean to be baptized by fire?
Is the priesthood a thing?
Who can have it?
How do you get it?
There are prophets again.
No, a Pope.
there are lots of false prophets.
God has reached out to other countries and we have another testament.
Did you hear about the scrolls and other scriptures found in the Vatican?
Nope, there's just a Bible.
Nope actually, it's just the first 5 books.
You return to God when you die.
You go to sleep when you die?
You just kind of poof when you die.
We came from evolution!
The Big Bang theory.
Adam and Eve.
Aliens.
Alright now I'm being a little silly. And I could honestly go on for hours. But do you see the problem? Some of these are easily argued, others are the reasons there are so many churches today. And so when I am confronted with this scripture I simply think, "So you do believe there is one true church. So where is it?"
"Oh no, all of them are good."
"And yet we don't teach the correct gospel? Who does then?"
Y'all catching my drift?
God is All-Powerful. He can do anything He'd like. He also is the same, yesterday, today and forever.
So where are the prophets?
Where are the Apostles?
Where is the Priesthood?
Where is the laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost as defined in Acts 8?
Why wouldn't He talk to other countries and peoples and manifest His power and gospel to them?
The Gospel in the Bible is laid out as
Faith
Repentance
Baptism by Immersion
Gift of the Holy Ghost
Enduring to the End
Scripture after scripture teaches us this.
Isaiah 55:9 teaches "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
So it's safe to assume then that our understanding does not limit God in the slightest.
I know that this is true. My testimony has really been put through the wringer these last three weeks with person after person arguing that I'm teaching the wrong gospel. But as I've turned to the Bible and the Book of Mormon, I can say without a doubt in my mind that there is one true gospel, the same gospel that Christ taught when He was on the earth. Logically, and spiritually it boils down to one. And it is each of our job to figure out which one that is.
To save you time, I would refer you to the Mormon Missionaries.
Start there. :)
Love you all!
--
Sister Jaycie Baird
Washington Yakima Mission
Love you all!
--
Sister Jaycie Baird
Washington Yakima Mission
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