January 16, 2012

Dear Mom

We had a good week.  Our small broken down ward is growing each week.  We easily tripled our numbers this week from the first week.  We have been working a lot with the members, especially the less actives.  We have found so many awesome potential family's that are inactives.  The reason for them all is that they have been offended by someone in the ward, particularly the last bishop.  The majority of these people are sealed in the temple and ex-missionaries.  How is it that families with such strong testimonies are falling?  When they would tell us some of the things that happened with the last bishop and other leaders here, I have to ask, How is it that we have such horrible leaders, especially in the Church of Jesus Christ?  I felt like our leaders were the modern day Gadianton Robbers.  ¡no puede ser!  I'm not sure how much the stories we heard from the less actives are true or exaggerated, but even if they are true these families are still going to have to answer to God for not going to church.  But then it all became so clear.  We asked each one of these families, “When was the last time you participated in the sacrament?  When was the last time you read in the Book of Mormon? When was the last time you prayed?”  The answer was unsurprisingly the same.  They would always get really quiet, and then tell us that it had been a long time.  This is exactly what Alma taught in his famous talk about faith.  If we don't nurture the seed, or in this case, the tree, the roots that once were strong, will die.  Our faith is very delicate and if it is not nourished daily by scripture study, by prayer, or weekly by the sacrament, THE ROOTS WILL DIE.  Then it is only a matter of time before the winds start to blow and that big old tree comes destructively to the ground. 

This is were we started with the less actives. First helping them realize all the blessings they are missing out on, and then that they have to start nurturing their seeds of faith.  I think the one thing that I've learned the most on my mission is this;  We can not cease to read, to pray, to partake of the sacrament, or we will fall.  We are all in danger of the temptations of Satan, and if we let Satan take the wheel for only a second he will steer us off the cliff.  What every you do, keep reading, keep praying, and keep going to church.  Mom, the most important thing you can teach those girls is to start habits that will change their lives. Help them to feel the power of prayer. Help them feel the spirit of the Book of Mormon, and help them understand the protection we can receive from going to church every Sunday.  If they understand this, they will never fall.  I know this church is true.  God loves us and He will support us in our afflictions, if we have the faith to do what He asks.  Consistency is the key to salvation.  I love you so much, i hope all is good in the land.  Keep your chin up. The day dawn is breaking.

con mucho amor

Elder Gardner