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| When we left our house there wasn't a cloud in the sky? |
Happy Fourth to you all over across the pond. Hope all is going well with you all. We had a great week here- had some great exchanges on Friday with the other missionaries in our apartment, Elder Egana and I were out in our area, and had some incredible experiences just feeling the truth so strongly and experiencing the Spirit, so that was something I just felt really strongly I wanted to write about today. Truth, and knowledge. In Doctrine and Covenants 93:24, it talks about truth being a knowledge of things as they are, were and are to be. And in the context of this, during our exchanges we were having a companion study and talking about the Restoration of the Gospel, as well as the Great Apostasy after the fall of Christ's Church, and there are just moments where you know, without a shadow of a doubt, that something is true. We were reading in 1 Nephi 10, about how Nephi after hearing the words of his father desired to know if they were true or not. And there is a pattern there- desire, belief, pondering, and asking. And above all else- a testimony, a witness from the Holy Ghost. If we consider in the context of "scientific knowledge", I suppose I was thinking about how those things that are "proven" must needs be observed, or "seen". But what about a faith? Some knowledge that we, in our fallen, weak state, are in no state to witness with our eyes or observe due to our sheer inability to comprehend. This is the knowledge that comes from the Spirit of God. And this is the only, only, way to know of things that we simply cannot, are not prepared, to see for ourselves. The reality of God as our Father. The Divine Sonship and salvation of Jesus Christ. And the reality of Christ's Gospel and Church here on the Earth. There is only one Spirit. There is only one truth. You can't pick A and B on a multiple choice test. Thus, if there is only one way to salvation and everlasting joy, to me the only way to find out is through the Holy Spirit of God, through the feelings that It gives to us in our selves, that there is no way that these things could be false. And if I may say with some boldness, if there be anyone who shall deny these feelings in themselves or in others as they recognize that they come from a Higher Power, that person in one who defines the Anti-Christ. So, if there be any one searching for knowledge, seeking to plant a seed of faith, than take the advice of James in James 1:5, and ask of God. As we do so, and as He provides us with knowledge beyond our means to acquire on our own, and in doing so we have the infinite capacity that He, even the Creator of all things, and become one with Him in the knowledge and truth of all things. In D&C 93:36, we learn that the glory of God Himself is intelligence- light and truth. So may we all, as His children, continuously seek knowledge from His grace and the gift of His Spirit. I love you all, have an incredible week and Independence Day.
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| Some pretty scenage from a new part of the area- reminds me of downtown Auburn. |
Love,
Elder Griffitts
