Nauvoo

Hey Everyone!

So I took my first two trips to Nauvoo this last week. One was for Zone Conference and one was for Stake Conference. I didn't get to go to the temple or anything, but I have now seen the temple. 

Here is one random fact from Nauvoo that I thought was really interesting: back when the saints were there before they were kicked out, they had built up a prospering city and the population was anywhere from 8,000 to 15,000 when the saints were there. After they had left, there was a population left of 1,100. The population is now 1,100. It just goes to show that when the people aren't righteous on the land, there is no growth.

I sang in the Stake Choir for the conference because it was a choir taken from the Kirksville 1st and 2nd wards. We sang a medley of "Where Can I Turn for Peace," "Be Still My Soul," and "Our Savior's Love." It was a nice medley of three of my favorite hymns. Then we also sang a beautiful arrangement of "If You Could Hie To Kolob." It was fun singing in a good ward choir. Being in the choir, I was on the screen pretty much the entire conference. After the conference, I was on the stand and up the aisle I saw Alli Perkins from my BYU freshman ward. She was in Nauvoo visiting her fiance. It was weird! But it was great to see her!

This last week was one of great inspiration and receiving great revelation from both of those conferences. It was one of "improvement and progression" ("If You Could Hie to Kolob" verse 3. But really look at the entire song).

The Doctrine of Christ. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, focuses on 5 simple steps. I say simple because they are easy to understand. Actually doing them is another story. It is in the 4th article of faith, it is the purpose of a missionary, it is in lesson three of chapter three of Preach My Gospel. 

• Faith in Jesus Christ
• Repentance
• Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins
• Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost
• Enduring to the End

These are the keys to living a gospel-centered life. All are centered on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It requires an attitude of "willing to accept, and even seek, correction" (Elder D. Todd Christofferson, "The Will of God" Mormon Message).http://mormonchannel.org/mormonmessages

It's tough, but always looking to the Savior is the key to life.

There is an article about teaching in the July 2012 Ensign called "The Lesson is Inside the Learner" by Sunday School General President Russell T. Osguthorpe (http://www.lds.org/ensign/2012/07/the-lesson-is-inside-the-learner?lang=eng). It is a wonderful article that shows 4 main points of teaching the gospel "that all may be edified of all” (D&C 88:122). These points are:

1. Conversion is the Aim.
2. Love is the Motive.
3. Doctrine is the Key.
4. The Spirit is the Teacher.

It is a wonderful article and I am starting to implement these steps and I suggest that you try to use them too.

I love you all and I will update you next week!
Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

    D&C 6:34, 36

Doubt Not, Fear Not.