5/17/10
WOW! Where do I start?!
Well Mom, Grandma, don't worry! We did get there on time! We met up with our zone in the Pantitlan metro station and headed to Aragon. We got there plenty early, we had to be there at 9. We got there at 9, and President Bulloch started by talking to ALL of us. He told us that this was a very special moment that the Lord was sending to the MME. He told us that we should remember this day forever and especially remember what Elder Bednar told us.
We entered in as a mission to the MTC. We sat down and waited for a while, and when Elder Bednar walked in we all stood up. We sang "Called to Serve" to start, and then Sister Bednar stood up to speak. The first thing she did was call Elder Bertin up to the stand so that she could give him something his mom had sent him. Elder Bertin was Elder Bednar's home teacher before the mission. When Elder Bednar saw him he gave him a big hug and so did Sister Bednar. She told Elder Bertin to think of the biggest lesson that his mother had taught him. He said obedience is the key. He said that his mom always taught him to be obedient. Then Sister Bednar told us we should always be the kind of missionary our mothers thinkwe are. She talked to us about the importance of personal and companionship study. At the end she bore powerful testimony of Elder Bednar's Apostolic calling. There was a special Spirit there right from the start! She read D&C 84:87-88 and told us to imagine out mothers with us reading that with us. She did that with her son before he left and she testified that this scripture is true.
Elder Bednar stood up after Sister Bednar. He started talking by telling us about the silly things that we do as members sometimes. He told us that we as members as soon as we see someone on the stand we think we have to write every single thing they say because if we don't we're not going to learn something. He said that we are so worried about writing that down that we don't let the Spirit into our hearts to testify of the things we are hearing. So he said there was only one thing he wanted us to learn and to quit doing and that was to stop trying to write down everything. (I was going to record his talk, but the I remembered that in the MTC I saw a recorded talk by him and he said that was the only rule. Before he got I remembered that and turned my camera off!)
Then he talked to us about how we as members sometimes pray but don't act. He asked us if we've ever heard a prayer like this..."..help all the people that aren't here this week to come next week...." .He told us that if we pray like that we aren't praying in faith or acting. He said the prayers should be "Heavenly Father, there are some people here missing today. We are going to go and do everything we can to get them here next week. We are going to do everything Father, we just need one thing- help us to be inspired so we don't all go to the same house!" As missionaries sometimes we say "send us success! We're going to stand on this corner and contact, send them to us!" That was when Elder Bednar started to go into agency. WOW! He taught us that there are things to act and those to be acted upon. If we say a prayer like that as missionaries, we are aren't agents unto ourselves but we are waiting to be acted upon.
Well Mom, Grandma, don't worry! We did get there on time! We met up with our zone in the Pantitlan metro station and headed to Aragon. We got there plenty early, we had to be there at 9. We got there at 9, and President Bulloch started by talking to ALL of us. He told us that this was a very special moment that the Lord was sending to the MME. He told us that we should remember this day forever and especially remember what Elder Bednar told us.
We entered in as a mission to the MTC. We sat down and waited for a while, and when Elder Bednar walked in we all stood up. We sang "Called to Serve" to start, and then Sister Bednar stood up to speak. The first thing she did was call Elder Bertin up to the stand so that she could give him something his mom had sent him. Elder Bertin was Elder Bednar's home teacher before the mission. When Elder Bednar saw him he gave him a big hug and so did Sister Bednar. She told Elder Bertin to think of the biggest lesson that his mother had taught him. He said obedience is the key. He said that his mom always taught him to be obedient. Then Sister Bednar told us we should always be the kind of missionary our mothers thinkwe are. She talked to us about the importance of personal and companionship study. At the end she bore powerful testimony of Elder Bednar's Apostolic calling. There was a special Spirit there right from the start! She read D&C 84:87-88 and told us to imagine out mothers with us reading that with us. She did that with her son before he left and she testified that this scripture is true.
Elder Bednar stood up after Sister Bednar. He started talking by telling us about the silly things that we do as members sometimes. He told us that we as members as soon as we see someone on the stand we think we have to write every single thing they say because if we don't we're not going to learn something. He said that we are so worried about writing that down that we don't let the Spirit into our hearts to testify of the things we are hearing. So he said there was only one thing he wanted us to learn and to quit doing and that was to stop trying to write down everything. (I was going to record his talk, but the I remembered that in the MTC I saw a recorded talk by him and he said that was the only rule. Before he got I remembered that and turned my camera off!)
Then he talked to us about how we as members sometimes pray but don't act. He asked us if we've ever heard a prayer like this..."..help all the people that aren't here this week to come next week...." .He told us that if we pray like that we aren't praying in faith or acting. He said the prayers should be "Heavenly Father, there are some people here missing today. We are going to go and do everything we can to get them here next week. We are going to do everything Father, we just need one thing- help us to be inspired so we don't all go to the same house!" As missionaries sometimes we say "send us success! We're going to stand on this corner and contact, send them to us!" That was when Elder Bednar started to go into agency. WOW! He taught us that there are things to act and those to be acted upon. If we say a prayer like that as missionaries, we are aren't agents unto ourselves but we are waiting to be acted upon.
He went on to say that we also do something in the Church where we as teachers ask a question trying to get a person to guess the answer in our head. He said that that person no longer has the opportunity to act and is no longer an agent utno themselves. He applied this to us as missionaries. We must get them to act so that they can come to the conclusion that the gospel is real. Nothing, NOTHING we say will get them to be baptized. If they are baptized for what we say they will not stay in the church.
After Elder Bednar talked for a little bit, he passed the time over to Bishop McMullin. He spoke to us and answered a few missionarie's questions. They asnwered questions for a little bit and then we finsihed with the testimony of the Bishop and his wife, and Elder and Sister Bednar. The power of the Spirit in the room was amazing. It was overwhelming. The Spirit was there, and taught us! I hope and encourage everyone to read the talks that we were assigned to study beforehand. Listen to the Spirit, let the Spirit guide you in your daily life. President Johnson the area president said that THAT is the most important lesson a missionary can take home.
Elder Bednar told us that the meeting we had today was the most important meeting in all of Mexico. I know that is true, and I know I heard an official representative of Christ today. I testify and give my witness as a representative of Christ that this is the true Church. That God does live. That there is a Prophet on the earth today, even Thomas S. Monson. I love this work, and I love the Lord. I'm so blessed to be here!
Love you all,
-Elder Rasmussen
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