January 24, 2011

Hiya mum,

This week has been GREAT!! I enjoyed it very very much. Elder Rallison is great and we are getting along quite well. He is constantly singing and making me laugh. He is way more of a hick than I am and he's not even from kentucky. He is not really a hick though... but kinda. He likes high school musical and fantasy... so basically he is a very well rounded individual. He is very very different than Elder Young and it keeps it quite interesting. Elder Young was very english reserve and Elder Rallison is not. He is from America and proud of it. We had 40 hours of accounted labour this week and that is by far the best of my mission. It made me very happy. I love working and being able to see the success that comes from it. 

We have had some great first appointment with potential investigators. Just before we emailed... we sat down with Andrew in the library. We talked to him in town center about a week ago and now he is a new investigator and we have a return appointment with him. He seemed very genuienly interested and we haven't even shared the Book of Mormon with him yet. He seems very solid to me and I can't wait to meet with him again on Wednesday and invite him to be baptised. We have been able to find more people to teach this week and hopefully our teaching pool will continue to grow. We dropped Stella for good this week and that makes me really sad. We spent so much time with her and she knows the Book of Mormon is true, but she doesn't think she needs it. She wants to sort out her life first, but its easier to have the gospel of Jesus Christ help you. Everyone we meet and you meet have concerns or problems, and the gospel of Jesus Christ can replace the fear and doubt with faith and hope. 

I have been gaining a stronger and stronger testimony of how we need Jesus Christ. His example, gospel and life is a cure all. The Church of Jesus Christ has the answer to all your questions and concerns. Each person we teach has personal challenges and concerns. No matter what their needs or concerns might be, the Savior and His teachings—the gospel—can help them. Our message will enable them to improve the quality of their lives. It will help them deal with the problems and challenges that we all face in life. I know that as we rely on it, that it can bless our lives for good. I have been thinking as well about the commandments and why God gives us commandments. Why do you think he does? Is it because as we follow them he recieves bonus points? More creative power? An A+? We all know that is not why. He gives us commandments for our benefit. We are the sole benefactors of the commandments. It is the best way in which we can live the happiest life. A blue print for success and joy. How lucky are we??? When we think of commandments as restrictions and rules... then we do not understand them. All commandments bless us directly. We are so blessed to have them restored in our day... to stay away from the sin that pollutes this world. 

The world is rarely this evil, all of God's commandments are being disregarded and all the things that we are commanded not to do are becoming normal in the world. Commandments protect and secure us. Most importantly out of all these reasons to keep the commandments is that when we keep them we are giving God the one thing we have to give him, our free agency. We show our humility to his plan. When we humbly trust Him and acknowledge His power and mercy, we can have the assurance that His commandments are for our good. We are confident that we can do whatever the Lord requires of us if we rely on Him. As we keep the commandments, we prove ourselves and our love. "And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it." 

On Thursday night we went sheep teaching. On our Zone Calendar is said to Teach, Testify and Invite a sheep to come unto Christ. The attached picture proves our efforts. Life is wonderful. I enjoy every second of my mission. I do miss America though. I love you all very much. Have a wonderful week. Ta ta for now.

 

Love,

Elder Krebs

P.s. “The discipline contained in daily obedience and clean living and wholesome lives builds an armor around you of protection and safety from the temptations that beset you as you proceed through mortality.”

– ELDER L. TOM PERRY

“CALLED TO SERVE,” ENSIGN,