WOW!!!! Long time no see!!! I really have to apologize for the lack of communication from my end of things the past 2 weeks. As I explained earlier the power has been less than reliable to put it lightly. I guess the hydro-power stations are putting out like 37 LESS megawatts which is causing load shedding programs to be started all over the country. The power was even out during church yesterday so we had to sing acapella and all the speakers had to speak really loud. I was able to give a short talk on the importance of the sacrament and say some things to the members and investigators that needed to be said.
The most important thing and reason we go to church is to partake of the Sacrament. Partaking of the Sacrament not only renews our baptismal covenants but helps us to complete the repentance process. In the Sacrament prayers our Heavenly Father promises us that we will be able to have His spirit to always be with us. I have always just thought of that as a promise from our Heavenly Father and not really pondered why that promise is fulfilled. I found the answer in Helaman 6:24 where it says that "The spirit cannot dwell in unholy temples." The reason taking the Sacrament each week is so important is that as we renew our baptismal covenants and complete the repentance process we become clean and pure, a temple which the spirit can dwell in. Each time we sin we make ourselves unclean, forcing the spirit from our lives. This is why we cannot just take the Sacrament once a month or once a year. We MUST have that constant cleansing to make our lives such that the spirit can dwell within us. Here in Africa Sacrament meeting starts at 10am and is the first meeting of the day. This makes it really tough for people to be there for the Sacrament. I guess I kind of did "blast" (missionary jargon for chastise) the congregation for their tardiness each week to Sacrament meeting. I said point blank, "Only half of you seated here RIGHT NOW were here for the most important part of your Sabbath day." These people, for whatever reason are cheating themselves of the blessings promised by our Heavenly Father by coming late to church. Church is not only for singing, preaching, teaching, reading scriptures. While those things are good and wonderful the main reason we attend our church services is to partake of the Sacrament. I hope and pray that each and every one of you my loved ones understand the importance of the Sacrament. If you don't now, make it a priority in your lives. If you notice you are consistently ten minutes late to church, set your alarm 10 minutes earlier and make it to church on time. I have a motto which sits on my Facebook page and many other places I can see regularly. It goes: "If I am five minutes early to everything, I will NEVER be 5 minutes late." This is so true, if you are early, you will never be late. It has been proven by science!!!! :D Let us all adopt this motto for ourselves. It will make us not only better Latter-Day Saints, but for those who do not share our faith (Yet!!!) it will make you/us better human beings. No boss or employer is going to complain because you are five minutes early to work instead of five minutes late.
Baptism this week, power just went out, generator for 5 minutes then computers shut off.
I love you all. May God bless you in all your endeavors. I pray that the leaders of the various countries we reside in my be inspired and guided to make proper choices. Have a wonderful week. Keep the letters coming!!! http://www.dearelder.com/. I haven't received one in about 3 weeks. Maybe the system is a little clogged, but there is always the chance that they just aren't coming... :( I want you to know how much I appreciate every word, and even though I can't respond to you personally know that my thanks are here for you.
Love,
Elder Winters
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