Elder Wessel

Elder Wessel

Monday, January 4, 2016











Holy dudes?? What has happened?? All my friggen best friends are getting married!! That’s so radical I can’t even imagine it!! How is Colton Hill doing?? I bet he is married as well!!  Yikes.. And Clara Marsh, Tyson Bowden! Wow... the whole world is changing...

 

But me, I’m still me! Loving the heck out of the mission!! I’m happy as can be and I would not want to be in any other place in the world rather than here! Especially at this time when things are going so well!! 

 

So this week we have been preparing the leadership council and have heard new instruction from the Apostle, Elder Oaks.  He sent some instructional videos to our President and he informed us of the new changes in the mission field around the whole world.  First off he started off with doctrine from 3 Nephi 11.  Where Christ comes to America and plots the gospel there, for all to hear.  He states his purpose and he calls people to repentance. 

 

The interesting thing of this story is when Christ comes, the first thing he does is testify that he is the Christ. Showing that when people obtain a testimony of the living Christ faith will grow strong and will empower us to do many things which we have thought are not possible. He then lets the crowd come up and touch his hands, feet and side.  Testifying that it was him, that was crucified and suffered for our sins, our afflictions and he came for us! Doing so, calling people to repentance so he could use his atonement to clean us from our sins. 

 

The very next thing, he calls up Nephi.  Gives him the authority to baptize and tells the people, upon repentance, ye shall get baptized in the water.  Exactly how ye have seen me do it.  If we look at this, he helps people have faith; he helps them see that we are sinners, gives them a chance to repent and then cleanses them with baptism... In verse 36-40. This is my doctrine.  Repentance and baptism.  If we teach anything other than that, we will have the gates of hell open unto us. 

 

Its super interesting that Christ himself did not come down to teach about all the details.  He came to save us.  He wants us to come unto him.  That is what we are doing! I’m participating in the work that Nephi did in 3 Nephi. I am fulfilling the work of Jesus Christ as it says in the scriptures!! HOW GREAT IS THAT!! What a blessing!

 

 

Then also, as assistants, we have not been able to focus on an area.  Actually our President took our area away and we have just been his right hand men.  It has been fun, but hard to get accustomed to. So that is something I have been struggling with, not being out in the field teaching the things which I have recently mentioned.  But this week, with the instruction of elder Oaks, there is a new system that the church implementing in the whole world.  Areas of example.  Laboratory areas.  Where the assistants are there to set the example. They are there to help missionaries understand how to work well with members, baptize, work with the ward council, mission leaders, and the bishop! All those things we are going to be able to do again! President told us, I knew something like this would happen, for that, I knew I had to call you guys! By the way, I’m super pumped. That is the missionary that I am.  Is a field missionary helping people become better! I love it.  I am so happy and excited to be able to be trusted of the Lord for this position.

 


So this week was just a lot of preparation for that happing now in the mission.  Our following area and where we are going to be working.  We will still hold the same responsibilities and still help President, we will just have this extra wonderful job!!! I’m so excited.  So President this week gave us the liberty to choose where we want to work.  What place would be the most successful for us to be the examples.  We thought about Neuquen.  We are going to stay here. We went and have been interviewing bishops in many different wards and found out that the bishop in Neuquen is the one that will help us the most! I’m super pumped and so happy to serve the Lord!

 

I know I am week.  I know I am not the best.  But I know that as I do everything I possibly can, God’s grace will come and save me from my short comings.  I know that in 2 Nephi 25:23 it says that "we labor diligently.. To persuade our children and also our brother to believe in Christ.. For we know that it is for grace that we are saved, after all we can do."  With no doubt I am pushing myself.  I am doing and going to keep doing everything I can do. God will do the rest.  I trust in him. 

 

This is my message.  After all we can do, his grace is sufficient.  Lets be Diligent.

 

Elder Wessel