Well it has been another REALLY SWEATY HOT week here in San Pedro Sula. But a great week too.
For exciting news we finally had investigators in Sacrament meeting!!! wooohhoooo. That was really great.
This past week we had a meeting, and the APs came to talk about how we could make our hour personal study more effective. They told us one of the best ways to study is by themes. That was really interesting to me, since I have always just read for books. I decided I would start for the different themes in the lessons, and I started lesson 3 (The Gospel of Jesus Christ) because it is personally my favorite. I had planned one day I would study, through Christ we can be cleansed from sin and Faith the same day... but that didn't really happen, I barely made it through through Christ we can be cleansed from sin! And by the time I made it to Repentance, that was a two day process. I was really grateful that the APs had challenged us to study this way, since this Sunday we got an on the spot call to teach Principles of the Gospel, and we decided to teach about the atonement and repentance.
Some of my favorite things was that God is just, and perfect. God must be paid in some way or another for the sins we commit. However, God is also merciful. He also wants to help us, so he sent his son to pay the price of Justice if we are willing to do our part and repent. But if we are not willing to repent, we must pay, and suffer even as Christ did. In the end, what is the easier path? Is it easier to wait and never repent and one day have to pay even as Christ, or to do all we can to repent so we can use Christ's atonement as payment for our sins?
Also I loved that it talked about true repentance changes our very natures. It changes us physically and spiritually. As we repent, we find ourselves more and more closer to Christ,a nd we feel of his love and joy.
In this life there are truly two roads that we can take: that of joy- of repentance, of trying to change every day, or that of pain- where we choose to do what we want to do, rather than what God wants us to do. If we choose to follow God, we will find greater joy and happiness than we have ever experienced before.
14 And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infiniteand eternal.
15 And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, whichoverpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.
16 And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole lawof the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption.
17 Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would havemercy upon you;
Have we worked out our salvation with God? Have we done all to come unto him? I love the story of Enos, that he cried unto the Lord for an entire day to receive a remission of his sins.
4 And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry untohim; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.
5 And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.
8 And he said unto me: Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in theflesh; wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole.
I hope we all take time to think more of the Savior, and to cry unto him to find our remission of our sins. To do all we can to repent so that we can be made clean, and one day live with him again. I know that Jesus Christ died for our sins, and when we do all we can to repent, he will truly make up the rest. I know God lives and loves us! And I know that he wants to listen to us and to hear us.
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And for pictures of our adventures to the fort in Omoa!
The flowers here are PRETTY gorgeous.
They used those things underneath our feet to cook.
This was the room that was their "church room" the voice was awesome and super echoey. Our tour guide gave a demonstration of how they used to "sing" to call people to come to church. We decided we needed to study as well in the church :D
The canons they used to use
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