January 1, 2014

Hello friends and Family! Happy New Year!! 

  So this week was really fun! Christmas at the MTC is like no other Christmas I have ever experienced. It will definitely stand out among all the others! We had the opportunity to hear from Elder David A. Bednar in our Christmas devotional. It was incredible! He handed out 200 cell phones and had missionaries text in questions that they wanted answered and then they would pop up on his I-pad up on the podium. Before he gave us the opportunity to ask questions he told us that all questions are good, but some questions are better, the best are prompted by the holy ghost at the right time and in the right place. One question was, "why do i feel inadequate?" Elder Bednar's answer was that if you don't feel inadequate, you have a problem. You will never feel adequate enough to measure up to the Lord's requirements because you're mortal. This inadequacy is a blessing though, it helps us to re-focus our lives on depending on the Lord. The strengthening power of the Atonement helps us do all things through Christ who strengthens us. We should feel inadequate because we're imperfect, but we should not let that discourage us, but rather drive us to depend on the Lord Jesus Christ. He answered a lot of really awesome questions with incredible answers that pierced every heart there. He talked about how the hallmark characteristic of Christ's ministry is "one by one." Christ uniquely and individually bore the pains and sorrows and sins of every soul, one by one. When he taught, he didn't teach a group of people, but a group of individuals. When Christ came to the America's he bid the people come forth and see the nail prints and know that it is Him of whom it was spoken. Every soul there, all 2500 of them came forth one by one and each had an experience with the savior, and they all witnessed it. He didn't have one person come up and experience and then turn around and say "its him everyone!" he let each and every soul come up, one by one. Everyone can experience Christ in this individual manner. 

  I know in a way that transcends the five senses that Jesus Lives and is the Christ. The Holy Ghost witness and makes things more sure than our carnal senses can. I know for myself, Independent of any other person, that Jesus Lives, He loves me, and He payed the price for my anguish.

  I had an experience with one of our progressing investigators this week where he got a job in answer to prayer but he had to work on sunday. We expressed how important it was to go to church and related all the blessings you receive from church attendance and we asked him to excersize his faith and ask his boss if he could not work on that day. He prayed a lot before we met him next and told us that he found someone who would work for him this Sunday and he would probably get a new schedule for the new year. He said he believes it was an answer to prayer! Then he brought a man over on our next visit named Thon whom he met on the street and bought a meal for. We taught Thon about our purpose and how God can bless lives and had Adam share the aforementioned experience and Thon said he would meet with us again! 

  I'm loving this language immensely and i'm really learning so much everyday. i can see the Lord's hand in this work. I know for a fact that i couldn't do any of this without his help. I am learning everyday how to depend on him more fully. I know each of you can experience Christ individually in your life, depend on Him, seek Him, follow Him. He is our lord and redeemer, He has already paid the price. He has mad it possible to do all things through him. The Lord will provide a way. 

  I Love you all! 

                       -Elder Lyle Brewer