I SAW THE SIGN!!!!

E-mail from April 9, 2012

It is I!!!! The Blind Kung-Fu Master!!!!!!

Once, again, many people have been critical about the kids we are working with getting baptized after their Mom, but I can attest, because I am a witness of the real change that has come over them! They told Elder Peterson and I in our first lesson with them that they really didn't want to be baptized and really weren't interested, but after hearing what we had to say, they decided to TEST out our words. From there, every visit, the growth and change that came over them was more and more apparent. They were truly converted! I would not have ever been comfortable with them getting baptized unless I KNEW they were doing it for the right reason.

LOVE is the sure sign of conversion! Whether someone just got the lessons or whether they were born a member, LOVE is the purest and surest way of showing our commitment and conversion to Jesus Christ. Now, we could go into depth about why that is, but that is something for another day.

But to state my thesis simply-

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (Read Alma 26. Pay special attention to those brought to "sing redeeming love." Why? What happens to bring this about?)

35 By this shall all men know (Sure witness) that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

And that is what missionary work is about, isn't it? Making disciples of people? Not necessarily just baptizing them; sure, that's part of it, but we, at the core are seeking to bring others to Christ, to get them to know him and to follow him. Love is the sign! Love is the means! Love is the way!

I would like to bear you all my witness that I have felt God's redeeming love in my life! Who could have supposed that God would have been so merciful as to have snatched me from my awful, sinful, and polluted state? How blessed am I not only to be out here on a mission, and to have the capacity to be serving; but to be able to behold the fruits of my labors; that is just gold added to gold! Let us take the counsel of King Benjamin and ALWAYS RETAIN in REMEMBRANCE our own nothingness, our carnal nature, our fallen, and pitiful state; then with this clearly established in the mind, let us ALWAYS RETAIN in REMEMBRANCE the majesty, power, justice, mercy, and patience of God towards us, unworthy creatures. As Jordan would tell us, "Are we not all beggars?" Do we not rely on God for EVERYTHING?! It's one thing to say and confess this fact, but for goodness sake- BELIEVE IT!!!! LIVE IT!!!!! Carve this fact into your soul so clearly that those you come in contact with will be able to sense it in your countenance!!

Have a great week everyone Love you all!!

Elder Ryan Bell