Fwd: Letter to my Family and Friends

[Tim Stay]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Zachary Stay <zachar...@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Jan 21, 2013 at 8:54 AM
Subject: Letter to my Family and Friends
To: Tim Stay <tim...@gmail.com>, Dalita Stay <lita...@gmail.com>

Hello! ¿Como Estan?

 

First, an announcement- I´m extending my mission! Well, so is every other missionary in my mission, but hey! Most of you know that with the lowering of the age, missionaries are spending 1/3 less time in the MTC. To accomadate this change, next transfer is going to be two weeks longer for every missionary in my mission. That means that instead of finishing 23 of October, 2014, I´ll be finishing the... 6th of November? I think that´s right. Yep.

 

I have attached pictures of the baptism of Jennifer, a sweet girl who´s 14. She´s great, has lots of friends in Young Women´s and her testimony is growing. I am grateful for the experience of helping her come unto Christ.

 

This week, I´ve really been working on getting more out of my personal study, because that´s often when I get the ¨Words of Life¨that I need to ponder about during the day so that I can have the Spirit. It´s also the time that I can draw closer to the Savior, and it helps me to know what my investigatores need to draw closer to him as well.

 

One scripture that I found this week is Helaman 5:12 ¨Remember that it s upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation´that ye must build your foundatio´, that when the devil shall send fourth his mighty winds, yea, his shaftsin the whirlwind, yea when all his hail and his mightyu storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of endless misery and woe, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.¨

 

I know that there is no other name or way that we can be saved, save it be Christ. I know that this Church is true. I know that this church has the keys and authority necessary for the ordinances of salvation.

 

I also know that the Book of Mormon is true. Yesterday, I gave my first talk in Spanish, and I felt inspired to talk about the Book of Mormon. It really is the keystone of our religion, because if the Book is true, Joseph Smith was a prophet. If Joseph Smith was a prophet, this Church is true.

 

And the way we can know that the Book of Mormon is true is through Moroni´s promise: ¨And when you receive this things (read the book of Mormon) I would exhort yo that hye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true (Pray and ask if the Book of Mormon is true). And if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost. ¨ (Mor 10:4)

 

I know that any person that reads the Book of Mormon, thinks about it, and prays about it, wanting an answer, will receive an answer. It probably won´t be a vision- no it´ll be the Holy Ghost, which will talk to you through your heart. Often times it´s a feeling of peace, of tranquility, of happiness.

 

My invitation is for those of you who don´t know for sure if the Book of Mormon is true to read, think about it and pray. I also invite anyone who does know that it´s true to do this. I know that your testimony of this Book and of the Church will be strengthened. I also know that your testimony of Christ will be strengthened.

 

I love you all so much. Thank you for your prayers.

 

Elder Stay