1 Corinthians 15:10

7/28/14

Good Morning! 

I chose that scripture for my subject because it's a good scripture. I just like it. I feel like everything I have learned and grown in on my mission is because of the grace of God. I haven't done anything on my own. He has sculpted and molded me by His grace. And by his grace have I been made stronger. That’s what grace is about. Classic OTM experience happened to me literally five minutes ago here in the library. This guy standing next to me at the counter leans over and whispers to me, "it's a free gift, it cannot be earned, you do it because you love him not because you are earning anything." I turned to him, smiled, and with a calm dignity said to him, "That's true". Do I believe we have to earn our salvation. No. Do I believe that we even have the ability to earn our salvation. Absolutely not. But I do believe God is making us in to something much bigger than we understand. And that process begins here in this life with the decisions we make and what we become. His grace is a free gift, the most wonderful gift ever given. And what a terrible thing it is to waste. 

This week was a fantastic week! I have been so excited to tell you about this family that we found. We received a media referral a couple weeks ago for a lady. We tried contacting her several times by stopping by her house.  But no answer. The phone number we had also didn’t work. We went back on Tuesday with low expectations (probably not a lot of faith either :/ shame on me) to try to contact her one last time. So we knock on the door and this lady answers, super excited to see us. She quickly invites us in but we tell her we can't because there was no other male in the home. So we talk with her for a while on her doorstep. It turns out that she had contact with the church 20 years ago in California. She said that she would read the Book of Mormon every night. She loved it! She said it changed her life, brought her so much peace and happiness. She talked about feeling the Spirit when she read it. Then she moved to Arkansas. And lost all contact with The Church. Lost her Book of Mormon. Then recently our church started building a new chapel right up the street from her house! She felt the Spirit prompting her back to the church for a long time. Until she finally requested a visit from us on mormon.org. We talked with her on the doorstep for 30 minutes. Set up a return appointment for that same evening. Came back, taught her and her husband, and set a baptismal date with them both for the 23rd of August. Its amazing to see the passion that she has for this message. She LOVES it! She believes that the Book of Mormon is true. I believe with all my heart that it is true. I believe that because of the amazing things that it causes. It changes people from bad to good. It makes true disciples of Jesus Christ. I don't know how it couldn't be true! 

Anyways, The work here in Bella Vista is going so good. Miracles happen all the time. To all of us! If we will just open our eyes we can see them everywhere. I love this work! I love all of you! :)

Love,

Elder Sherwood