Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Hastening the Work of Salvation - June 9, 2014

Behold, will hasten my work in its time.
- Doctrine & Covenants 88:73 


The Iowa City Stake Conference took place over the last two days. The Saturday Evening Session and the Sunday Morning General Session both focused on Hastening the Work of Salvation. If you have been familiar with the direction that God is directing His prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, to guide the church to hasten the work of salvation, fulfilling the scripture I opened my email with. President Monson said, "Now is the time for members and missionaries to come together, to work together, to labor in the Lord’s vineyard to bring souls unto Him. He has prepared the means for us to share the gospel in a multitude of ways, and He will assist us in our labors if we will act in faith to fulfill His work."

On Thursday we had President and Sister Jensen attend our Zone Training Meeting and train us. President Jensen also talked of hastening the work. Elder Nathaniel R. Payne, an Area Seventy, attended our Stake Conference. He spoke about hastening the work. He also gave some incredible insights about Children. How we are all children of God, all brothers and sisters, and we should act in that way. We are no better than anyone else, but we should always work to "help and lift another," in this we find strength beyond our own, and the Savior at our side (see Hymn #220). With Him at our side, we become more like Him. Sometimes I think about if the Savior stood beside me, if he was my missionary companion, would I change? How would I act?

An interesting question posed by Sister Jensen to us, that her Stake President years ago posed to her, "If you were to die right now, what would keep you out of the Celestial Kingdom?"

Tim and Steve both passed their baptismal interviews yesterday! We are looking forward to their baptisms on Saturday!

No matter what comes our way, have hope, have faith. God won't delay blessings, unless he sees a better way.

PMG pg 117 says:
"Hope is an abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promises to you. It is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance. It is believing and expecting that something will occur. When you have hope, you work through trials and difficulties with the confidence and assurance that all things will work together for your good. Hope helps you conquer discouragement. The scriptures often describe hope in Jesus Christ as the assurance that you will inherit eternal life in the celestial kingdom."

May we hope and move forward!

Wishing will not make it so. The Lord expects our thinking. He expects our action. He expects our labors. He expects our testimonies. He expects our devotion.
- President Thomas S. Monson

Love,
Elder Zachary R McKenzie
Iowa Des Moines Mission
D&C 6:34, 36
  Doubt Not, Fear Not.

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