Hallowed Souls

Good Morning!

We set a baptismal date with Jamie, one of our good friends! She's got a really cool story, but she's planning to be baptized on the 25th of February! Our other friend, Anna, may have to move her date back. The whole family got sick this past week, pretty bad, so the wedding probably won't happen this week, and thus the baptism will need to be adjusted as well. It's a great opportunity to continue helping her though, I'm grateful she's progressing still. Last person we have preparing for baptism (for now) is Rossten. He's ready, but we had to set the date for March 11th because he's in Alaska this weekend, Mexico the next weekend, and then yeah. Life got crazy for him, but he's a solid kid who understands the gospel and has been consistently coming to church for the past few months!

Another update: We have begun teaching Matthew King. He is a young man who's had a desire to be baptized for a while, but his dad wasn't in favor. It's a split household, and we found out when we visited the family (on Thursday) that Matthew's mom had just gotten full custody on Monday! We're excited, Matthew is eager to learn and should progress quite well. 

On a less positive subject, Milford has been interesting lately. We visited on Wednesday and things went well. We found a couple friends to teach. Then we went on Saturday, and that was a day for sure. Literally every single thing we'd planned canceled on us. Every lesson fell through, every contact wasn't home, we found a Spanish person (again) and clarified that a couple people weren't really interested in general. However, the Lord was with us and we worked hard. We met one kid, Trayton. He may be interested, we'll have to go back. And while at the gas station, I met Brianna. She was nice, it was a good conversation, but she wasn't ready for the gospel yet. Elder Jorgensen and I tried to contact everyone we possibly could on Saturday, and the Holy Ghost was with us so we didn't get discouraged. I love this gospel. 

Come to think of it, I also love the book of Hebrews. It's really insightful. Consider the following:

Hebrews 12:
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

There are many great things in these two verses. For context, it follows the 11th chapter of Hebrews, which focuses on examples of faith from people found in the scriptures. You should go read that too. Those great men, from Moses to David and on, had faith. They ran their races with patience, but never quite realized the promise (in their day at least) that the Savior would come. Each one lived their life without tangible evidence of the Savior walking the Earth. 

However, these people lived their life, and built their faith, on assurances of their faith received from God. They could stand and testify of the Savior, not because they'd walked side by side with him on the road to Jerusalem, but because truth had been conveyed from the Holy Ghost to their soul, and thus they had an assurance of faith. They knew Christ would be born and redeem the world from the fall of Adam and Eve. 

Now, here's a cool insight. Verse two says that Jesus is "the author and finisher of our faith". This phrase, while powerful, is enhanced when you look at the Greek definition for the word "finisher". It can also mean "one who completes, perfects". 

Jesus Christ is the perfecter of your faith. When you center your life on Him and His Atonement, He strengthens your faith by giving you little assurances, over the course of time and hard work, that strengthen your foundation and cause you to be unmovable (see v26-28). 

Elder Jorgensen and I were talking once, and the subject of inactive returned missionaries came up. We decided that the missionaries who go inactive are the ones who didn't have personal experiences with Christ's Atonement, and didn't maintain their relationship with Him and their Father in Heaven. I feel that the verses above highlight that. 

I know I've seen Jesus Christ help me overcome my trials. One thing that was mentioned recently is the reality of a 'before' story. How the people who remember their 'before' story will continue to cherish their 'after' story. It's this transition from before to after that strengthens the conversion process, and helps it remain. 

This is one way Christ can perfect our faith. There are many others, they'll most often be personal to your unique situations. But seek for them. It's the tender mercies and the strengthening and enabling power of the Atonement that change lives, enables conversion, and allows your soul to become hallowed, and to one day fulfill the scripture: 

3 Nephi 12:
48 Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.

Remember that all things are possible to them that believe (President Nelson, A/2021). Your 'before' story will set you up for your 'after' story, but there's always another 'before' to overcome, that will propel you into the next 'after'. You will achieve miracles, and your faith will be perfected, through your Savior Jesus Christ. 

- Elder Williams

Mailing Address:
1265 North 100 West
PO Box 2259
Beaver, UT 84713

Pictures:
1. I found the Beaver creamery! Fun fact, you can find people anywhere. We almost started teaching a lady who was working there and asked us questions about the Book of Mormon. Spoiler alert: were going back later today.
2. Brother Anderson saved our lesson! What could have been a bash turned into a fantastic lesson on the Book of Mormon with Chris and Trey.
3. District Council selfie.
4. District Council picture!
5. Shadrach after planning out Jamie's baptism!
6. Over the hill and across the way, after talking with Matthew King!
7. Melvin Walker, a dapper kind of fellow.
8. My favorite sunset in Milford.
9. Sunset across the Milford valley.
10. One of the members here plays way too much pool. He crushed Elder Jorgensen!
11. Superbowl Sunday sunset. We had an incredibly slow evening, nobody wanted to talk to us! 













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