March 3rd, 2013  Dear Elders and Sisters of the California Santa Rosa Mission – fellow servants of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

David A. Feitz shared the following in the October 2011 special edition dedicated to the Book of Mormon.

“One evening my missionary companion and I knocked on the door of a young man who was an international student studying at one of London’s many universities. He invited us in, and we explained that we were missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He seemed eager to learn more about the Restoration of the gospel, so we testified of the Prophet Joseph Smith and told him about a sacred book from our Heavenly Father called the Book of Mormon. We emphasized that it was sacred because it testifies of Jesus Christ.

We explained that he could know for himself of its truthfulness and offered to give him a copy. As I handed the Book of Mormon to him, he got up from his chair and left the room without saying a word. I held the Book of Mormon in my hand momentarily, and my companion and I looked at each other in puzzled silence, wondering what to do. I put the book down on the table.

We could see our young friend in the kitchen washing his hands and drying them on a fresh towel. He came back into the room and picked up the Book of Mormon from the table and simply said, “My people always wash their hands before they touch something sacred.” Tears came to my eyes as I watched this young man open the Book of Mormon for the first time and turn its sacred pages with his clean hands.

Alma taught that the scriptures are sacred and are preserved to bring souls to salvation. He declared to his son Helaman, “God has entrusted you with these things, which are sacred, which he has kept sacred, and also which he will keep and preserve for a wise purpose in him, that he may show forth his power unto future generations” (Alma 37:14).

I was sent on a mission to teach the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, yet I was the one being taught by this young man with his clean hands. In many cultures—including my own—it isn’t necessary to wash our hands before reading the scriptures, but his simple gesture of respect was a reverent and powerful reminder of the sacredness of the Book of Mormon.”

 

I wonder if we treasure this wonderful book of holy writ with the reverence and love that I deserves?  I wonder if we reverence the things we read in it and apply them in our lives so that we too can “come closer” to Christ as Joseph Smith so beautifully described?

 

President Ezra Taft Benson warns us that we don’t take this marvelous book too lightly.  He stated: (The Book of Mormon – Keystone to our Religion)

 

“In 1829, the Lord warned the Saints that they are not to trifle with sacred things (see D&C 6:12). Surely the Book of Mormon is a sacred thing, and yet many trifle with it, or in other words, take it lightly, treat it as though it is of little importance.

“In 1832, as some early missionaries returned from their fields of labor, the Lord reproved them for treating the Book of Mormon lightly. As a result of that attitude, he said, their minds had been darkened. Not only had treating this sacred book lightly brought a loss of light to themselves, it had also brought the whole Church under condemnation, even all the children of Zion. And then the Lord said, “And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon” (D&C 84:54–57).  (Italics added for emphasis)

“If the early Saints were rebuked for treating the Book of Mormon lightly, are we under any less condemnation if we do the same? The Lord Himself bears testimony that it is of eternal significance. Can a small number of us bring the whole Church under condemnation because we trifle with sacred things? What will we say at the Judgment when we stand before Him and meet His probing gaze if we are among those described as forgetting the new covenant?”

 

Often times, I see copies of the Book of Mormon on the floor or just here and there – are we not holding this sacred work with the reverence that it needs?

 

I have asked each of you to always hold a copy of the Book of Mormon in your hand when we are out in public and I ask that we recommit ourselves to doing this.  There is a great power that this brings to us and to those we teach.  It is the power to convince all that Jesus is the Christ; that His church – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints contains the fullness of the gospel; it holds truths that can be found no where else; it has convincing power that Joseph Smith is the prophet of the Restoration.

 

Let us hold this precious and marvelous book with reverence, let us study it’s precepts every day.  Most importantly, let each of us recommit ourselves to live the truths that are given us.  President Benson continues:

 

“Mormon himself said, “Yea, I speak unto you, ye remnant of the house of Israel” (Mormon 7:1). And Moroni, the last of the inspired writers, actually saw our day and time. “Behold,” he said, “the Lord hath shown unto me great and marvelous things concerning that which must shortly come, at that day when these things shall come forth among you.

“Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing” (Mormon 8:34–35).

If they saw our day and chose those things which would be of greatest worth to us, is not that how we should study the Book of Mormon? We should constantly ask ourselves, “Why did the Lord inspire Mormon (or Moroni or Alma) to include that in his record? What lesson can I learn from that to help me live in this day and age?”

 

What an inspiration!  I love to the Book of Mormon.  I testify to each of you of the sacredness of this Holy Book and that in it is the power to convince men and women to the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel – even to the conversion of our own souls.

 

Love to all,

 

President Alba

Letter to the Missionaries Feb. 10, 2013

 

Dear Elders and Sisters,

 It has been an amazing two weeks as we have traveled throughout most of the mission for interviews.  We love you all so much and we know how hard you are working, thank you.   We love your enthusiasm and your smiles which warm our hearts.  We love to be with you.  We love to feel of your power and testimony.  Do you realize the light that you carry with you? 

This morning President Alba showed me this scripture while sitting in church.  D&C 97:8-9“Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command-they are accepted of me.  For I, the Lord, will cause them to bring forth as a very fruitful tree which is planted in a goodly land, by a pure stream, that yieldeth much precious fruit.”

This is what we are seeing.  Sanctification, purification, humility, obedience, hard work, patience, and sacrifice.  And all these are accepted of the Lord and they are bringing forth the precious fruits. You… are the ‘pure’ stream.  We, as a mission are growing nearer to God and He is drawing near to us. The blessings are coming and will continue to come as we continue on in obedience.

My dear partners in this vineyard.  What a time it is to be working shoulder to shoulder with you in this the kingdom of the Lord. What a time to be welcoming more laborers in the field to our vineyard. What a time to stand a little taller and to reach a little higher.  What a time to be a light for those who are already here and for those who are destined to join with us. We have asked you to shine a little brighter so that none will lose their way.  What a time it is.  This is your time…but really every moment is the Lord’s time.

I love each and every one of you.  Together we will harvest the precious fruit.     Love, Sister Alba

Missionary Letter February

The Hastening of God’s work

As the Lord begins with all earnestness to hasten His work, I testify that the adversary, the father of lies is feeling that his reign is about to come to an end.  His urgency offers us a glimpse of who he really is and how he wants us to fail in this great cause.  He knows that in the end, his mission will end and that he will be in the losing end.  He also wants to take as many of Father’s children with him and he will use all cunning, craftiness and lies to hasten his work as well.   What are the tools that he will use?

1.      He wants to lull us to sleep and think that “all is well in Zion.”  That there is still more time and that we can take our time in sharing the gospel with our friends and neighbors.

2.     He wants us to believe that all people are good and that we don’t want to interfere with their life styles.

3.      He wants us to believe that our efforts are worthy of God’s love while we yet fail to invite all to come unto Christ.

4.     He will plant fear in our hearts and wants us to divert us from our faith and faithful living – everyone of us has had to walk by faith into what has always been some uncertainty.  His plan is to help us to lose our faith and our desires to obey God’s will.

This is His plan. Let us be faithful. God is in charge. He knows our name and He knows our needs.

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ—that is the first principle of the gospel. We must go forward. God expects us to have enough faith, determination, and trust in Him to keep moving, keep living, keep rejoicing. He expects us not simply to face the future; He expects us to embrace and shape the future—to love it, rejoice in it, and delight in our opportunities.

God is eagerly waiting for the chance to answer our prayers and fulfill our dreams, just as He always has. But He can’t if we don’t pray, and He can’t if we don’t dream. In short, He can’t if we don’t believe.  We must believe!

We are living in the greatest dispensation of all time.  This is what prophets and seers saw in their day and what they saw gave them great hope that God in the end would triumph – He would triumph with us at His side. 

The Prophet Joseph Smith (1805–44) said: “The building up of Zion is a cause that has interested the people of God in every age; it is a theme upon which prophets, priests and kings have dwelt with peculiar delight; they have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and fired with heavenly and joyful anticipations they have sung and written and prophesied of this our day; … we are the favored people that God has [chosen] to bring about the Latter-day glory.”

President Wilford Woodruff (1807–98) stated something similar: “The Almighty is with this people. We shall have all the revelations that we will need, if we will do our duty and obey the commandments of God. … While I … live I want to do my duty. I want the Latter-day Saints to do their duty. … Their responsibility is great and mighty. The eyes of God and all the holy prophets are watching us. This is the great dispensation that has been spoken of ever since the world began. We are gathered together … by the power and commandment of God. We are doing the work of God. … Let us fill our mission.”

President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of this generation: “We of this generation are the end harvest of all that has gone before. It is not enough to simply be known as a member of this Church. A solemn obligation rests upon us. Let us face it and work at it.

“We must live as true followers of the Christ, with charity toward all, returning good for evil, teaching by example the ways of the Lord, and accomplishing the vast service He has outlined for us.

“May we live worthy of the glorious endowment of light and understanding and eternal truth which has come to us through all the perils of the past. Somehow, among all who have walked the earth, we have been brought forth in this unique and remarkable season. Be grateful, and above all be faithful.”

Elder Holland spoke of this:  “Over a representative period of time, our prophets have focused not on the terror of the times in which they lived and not on the ominous elements of the latter days, in which we are living, but they felt to speak of the opportunity and the blessing and, above all, the responsibility to seize the privileges afforded us in this, the greatest of all dispensations. I love the line from the Prophet Joseph Smith saying that earlier prophets, priests, and kings “have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and … have sung and written and prophesied of this our day.” What were they so joyful about? I can assure you they weren’t concentrating on terror, tragedy and chaos that Satan brings. President Woodruff’s words were: “The eyes of God and all the holy prophets are watching us. This is the great dispensation that has been spoken of ever since the world began.” Let me repeat President Hinckley’s words: “Through all the perils of the past, [s]omehow, among all who have walked the earth, we have been brought forth in this unique and remarkable season. Be grateful, and above all be faithful.”

I marvel at the opportunity that God has blessed me with – imagine – to be part of this the greatest dispensation of time.  To be fully engaged in sharing His Gospel to His Children – yes all His children here among all the stakes of Zion in the California Santa Rosa Mission.  I rejoice in this great opportunity He has afforded me to be among you great missionaries of God to invite all to come unto Christ.

Ours is not an easy task if we think that we have to do it by ourselves.  He has declared that angels have not ceased to minister unto the children of men. (Moroni 7:29-32) “For behold, they are subject unto him, to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and firm mind in every form of godliness.  And the office of their ministry is to call men unto repentance, and to fulfill and to do the work of the covenants of the Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the way among the children of men, by declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that hey may bear testimony of him.  And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts, according to the power thereof; and after this manner bringeth to pass the Father , the covenants which he hath made unto the children of men.”

I add my own testimony and strength to those angels He has sent our way – you – full-time missionaries who were prepared from the foundation of the world to be here at this time to fulfill the prophecies made by holy prophets since the beginning of time.

Let’s invite all to come and join with us.  Is there a greater cause than to prepare the earth for it’s final cleansing?  Is there a greater joy than to bring souls unto the Father through Christ Jesus?  Is there a greater generation of soldiers through any dispensation of time?  

Think of the help we have been given to take the light of the gospel to a darkened world. We have almost 60,000 missionaries—far more than in any other age.  But we need even more – we need each of the members to join this great cause – to help in the fulfilling of the covenants that God has made with past prophets.  We cannot do this without them!  Invite them to come join the ranks!

I testify that God’s purposes shall be fulfilled and that He is counting on each one of us – all within the sound of my voice – He needs us in the great hastening that is taking place today – we are the fulfillment of prophecy – let’s join together?

 

I testify that this is His work and that Christ is His Son and that the Church of Jesus Christ has been fully restored to the earth, never to be taken away again. 

 

Love,  President Alba

The Hastening of God’s work

As the Lord begins with all earnestness to hasten His work, I testify that the adversary, the father of lies is feeling that his reign is about to come to an end.  His urgency offers us a glimpse of who he really is and how he wants us to fail in this great cause.  He knows that in the end, his mission will end and that he will be in the losing end.  He also wants to take as many of Father’s children with him and he will use all cunning, craftiness and lies to hasten his work as well.   What are the tools that he will use?

1.      He wants to lull us to sleep and think that “all is well in Zion.”  That there is still more time and that we can take our time in sharing the gospel with our friends and neighbors.

2.     He wants us to believe that all people are good and that we don’t want to interfere with their life styles.

3.      He wants us to believe that our efforts are worthy of God’s love while we yet fail to invite all to come unto Christ.

4.     He will plant fear in our hearts and wants us to divert us from our faith and faithful living – everyone of us has had to walk by faith into what has always been some uncertainty.  His plan is to help us to lose our faith and our desires to obey God’s will.

This is His plan. Let us be faithful. God is in charge. He knows our name and He knows our needs.

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ—that is the first principle of the gospel. We must go forward. God expects us to have enough faith, determination, and trust in Him to keep moving, keep living, keep rejoicing. He expects us not simply to face the future; He expects us to embrace and shape the future—to love it, rejoice in it, and delight in our opportunities.

God is eagerly waiting for the chance to answer our prayers and fulfill our dreams, just as He always has. But He can’t if we don’t pray, and He can’t if we don’t dream. In short, He can’t if we don’t believe.  We must believe!

We are living in the greatest dispensation of all time.  This is what prophets and seers saw in their day and what they saw gave them great hope that God in the end would triumph – He would triumph with us at His side. 

The Prophet Joseph Smith (1805–44) said: “The building up of Zion is a cause that has interested the people of God in every age; it is a theme upon which prophets, priests and kings have dwelt with peculiar delight; they have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and fired with heavenly and joyful anticipations they have sung and written and prophesied of this our day; … we are the favored people that God has [chosen] to bring about the Latter-day glory.”

President Wilford Woodruff (1807–98) stated something similar: “The Almighty is with this people. We shall have all the revelations that we will need, if we will do our duty and obey the commandments of God. … While I … live I want to do my duty. I want the Latter-day Saints to do their duty. … Their responsibility is great and mighty. The eyes of God and all the holy prophets are watching us. This is the great dispensation that has been spoken of ever since the world began. We are gathered together … by the power and commandment of God. We are doing the work of God. … Let us fill our mission.”

President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of this generation: “We of this generation are the end harvest of all that has gone before. It is not enough to simply be known as a member of this Church. A solemn obligation rests upon us. Let us face it and work at it.

“We must live as true followers of the Christ, with charity toward all, returning good for evil, teaching by example the ways of the Lord, and accomplishing the vast service He has outlined for us.

“May we live worthy of the glorious endowment of light and understanding and eternal truth which has come to us through all the perils of the past. Somehow, among all who have walked the earth, we have been brought forth in this unique and remarkable season. Be grateful, and above all be faithful.”

Elder Holland spoke of this:  “Over a representative period of time, our prophets have focused not on the terror of the times in which they lived and not on the ominous elements of the latter days, in which we are living, but they felt to speak of the opportunity and the blessing and, above all, the responsibility to seize the privileges afforded us in this, the greatest of all dispensations. I love the line from the Prophet Joseph Smith saying that earlier prophets, priests, and kings “have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and … have sung and written and prophesied of this our day.” What were they so joyful about? I can assure you they weren’t concentrating on terror, tragedy and chaos that Satan brings. President Woodruff’s words were: “The eyes of God and all the holy prophets are watching us. This is the great dispensation that has been spoken of ever since the world began.” Let me repeat President Hinckley’s words: “Through all the perils of the past, [s]omehow, among all who have walked the earth, we have been brought forth in this unique and remarkable season. Be grateful, and above all be faithful.”

I marvel at the opportunity that God has blessed me with – imagine – to be part of this the greatest dispensation of time.  To be fully engaged in sharing His Gospel to His Children – yes all His children here among all the stakes of Zion in the California Santa Rosa Mission.  I rejoice in this great opportunity He has afforded me to be among you great missionaries of God to invite all to come unto Christ.

Ours is not an easy task if we think that we have to do it by ourselves.  He has declared that angels have not ceased to minister unto the children of men. (Moroni 7:29-32) “For behold, they are subject unto him, to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and firm mind in every form of godliness.  And the office of their ministry is to call men unto repentance, and to fulfill and to do the work of the covenants of the Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the way among the children of men, by declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that hey may bear testimony of him.  And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts, according to the power thereof; and after this manner bringeth to pass the Father , the covenants which he hath made unto the children of men.”

I add my own testimony and strength to those angels He has sent our way – you – full-time missionaries who were prepared from the foundation of the world to be here at this time to fulfill the prophecies made by holy prophets since the beginning of time.

Let’s invite all to come and join with us.  Is there a greater cause than to prepare the earth for it’s final cleansing?  Is there a greater joy than to bring souls unto the Father through Christ Jesus?  Is there a greater generation of soldiers through any dispensation of time?  

Think of the help we have been given to take the light of the gospel to a darkened world. We have almost 60,000 missionaries—far more than in any other age.  But we need even more – we need each of the members to join this great cause – to help in the fulfilling of the covenants that God has made with past prophets.  We cannot do this without them!  Invite them to come join the ranks!

I testify that God’s purposes shall be fulfilled and that He is counting on each one of us – all within the sound of my voice – He needs us in the great hastening that is taking place today – we are the fulfillment of prophecy – let’s join together?

 

I testify that this is His work and that Christ is His Son and that the Church of Jesus Christ has been fully restored to the earth, never to be taken away again. 

 

Love,  President Alba

The Hastening of God’s work

As the Lord begins with all earnestness to hasten His work, I testify that the adversary, the father of lies is feeling that his reign is about to come to an end.  His urgency offers us a glimpse of who he really is and how he wants us to fail in this great cause.  He knows that in the end, his mission will end and that he will be in the losing end.  He also wants to take as many of Father’s children with him and he will use all cunning, craftiness and lies to hasten his work as well.   What are the tools that he will use?

1.      He wants to lull us to sleep and think that “all is well in Zion.”  That there is still more time and that we can take our time in sharing the gospel with our friends and neighbors.

2.     He wants us to believe that all people are good and that we don’t want to interfere with their life styles.

3.      He wants us to believe that our efforts are worthy of God’s love while we yet fail to invite all to come unto Christ.

4.     He will plant fear in our hearts and wants us to divert us from our faith and faithful living – everyone of us has had to walk by faith into what has always been some uncertainty.  His plan is to help us to lose our faith and our desires to obey God’s will.

This is His plan. Let us be faithful. God is in charge. He knows our name and He knows our needs.

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ—that is the first principle of the gospel. We must go forward. God expects us to have enough faith, determination, and trust in Him to keep moving, keep living, keep rejoicing. He expects us not simply to face the future; He expects us to embrace and shape the future—to love it, rejoice in it, and delight in our opportunities.

God is eagerly waiting for the chance to answer our prayers and fulfill our dreams, just as He always has. But He can’t if we don’t pray, and He can’t if we don’t dream. In short, He can’t if we don’t believe.  We must believe!

We are living in the greatest dispensation of all time.  This is what prophets and seers saw in their day and what they saw gave them great hope that God in the end would triumph – He would triumph with us at His side. 

The Prophet Joseph Smith (1805–44) said: “The building up of Zion is a cause that has interested the people of God in every age; it is a theme upon which prophets, priests and kings have dwelt with peculiar delight; they have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and fired with heavenly and joyful anticipations they have sung and written and prophesied of this our day; … we are the favored people that God has [chosen] to bring about the Latter-day glory.”

President Wilford Woodruff (1807–98) stated something similar: “The Almighty is with this people. We shall have all the revelations that we will need, if we will do our duty and obey the commandments of God. … While I … live I want to do my duty. I want the Latter-day Saints to do their duty. … Their responsibility is great and mighty. The eyes of God and all the holy prophets are watching us. This is the great dispensation that has been spoken of ever since the world began. We are gathered together … by the power and commandment of God. We are doing the work of God. … Let us fill our mission.”

President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of this generation: “We of this generation are the end harvest of all that has gone before. It is not enough to simply be known as a member of this Church. A solemn obligation rests upon us. Let us face it and work at it.

“We must live as true followers of the Christ, with charity toward all, returning good for evil, teaching by example the ways of the Lord, and accomplishing the vast service He has outlined for us.

“May we live worthy of the glorious endowment of light and understanding and eternal truth which has come to us through all the perils of the past. Somehow, among all who have walked the earth, we have been brought forth in this unique and remarkable season. Be grateful, and above all be faithful.”

Elder Holland spoke of this:  “Over a representative period of time, our prophets have focused not on the terror of the times in which they lived and not on the ominous elements of the latter days, in which we are living, but they felt to speak of the opportunity and the blessing and, above all, the responsibility to seize the privileges afforded us in this, the greatest of all dispensations. I love the line from the Prophet Joseph Smith saying that earlier prophets, priests, and kings “have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and … have sung and written and prophesied of this our day.” What were they so joyful about? I can assure you they weren’t concentrating on terror, tragedy and chaos that Satan brings. President Woodruff’s words were: “The eyes of God and all the holy prophets are watching us. This is the great dispensation that has been spoken of ever since the world began.” Let me repeat President Hinckley’s words: “Through all the perils of the past, [s]omehow, among all who have walked the earth, we have been brought forth in this unique and remarkable season. Be grateful, and above all be faithful.”

I marvel at the opportunity that God has blessed me with – imagine – to be part of this the greatest dispensation of time.  To be fully engaged in sharing His Gospel to His Children – yes all His children here among all the stakes of Zion in the California Santa Rosa Mission.  I rejoice in this great opportunity He has afforded me to be among you great missionaries of God to invite all to come unto Christ.

Ours is not an easy task if we think that we have to do it by ourselves.  He has declared that angels have not ceased to minister unto the children of men. (Moroni 7:29-32) “For behold, they are subject unto him, to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and firm mind in every form of godliness.  And the office of their ministry is to call men unto repentance, and to fulfill and to do the work of the covenants of the Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the way among the children of men, by declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that hey may bear testimony of him.  And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts, according to the power thereof; and after this manner bringeth to pass the Father , the covenants which he hath made unto the children of men.”

I add my own testimony and strength to those angels He has sent our way – you – full-time missionaries who were prepared from the foundation of the world to be here at this time to fulfill the prophecies made by holy prophets since the beginning of time.

Let’s invite all to come and join with us.  Is there a greater cause than to prepare the earth for it’s final cleansing?  Is there a greater joy than to bring souls unto the Father through Christ Jesus?  Is there a greater generation of soldiers through any dispensation of time?  

Think of the help we have been given to take the light of the gospel to a darkened world. We have almost 60,000 missionaries—far more than in any other age.  But we need even more – we need each of the members to join this great cause – to help in the fulfilling of the covenants that God has made with past prophets.  We cannot do this without them!  Invite them to come join the ranks!

I testify that God’s purposes shall be fulfilled and that He is counting on each one of us – all within the sound of my voice – He needs us in the great hastening that is taking place today – we are the fulfillment of prophecy – let’s join together?

 

I testify that this is His work and that Christ is His Son and that the Church of Jesus Christ has been fully restored to the earth, never to be taken away again. 

 

Love,  President Alba

The Hastening of God’s work

As the Lord begins with all earnestness to hasten His work, I testify that the adversary, the father of lies is feeling that his reign is about to come to an end.  His urgency offers us a glimpse of who he really is and how he wants us to fail in this great cause.  He knows that in the end, his mission will end and that he will be in the losing end.  He also wants to take as many of Father’s children with him and he will use all cunning, craftiness and lies to hasten his work as well.   What are the tools that he will use?

1.      He wants to lull us to sleep and think that “all is well in Zion.”  That there is still more time and that we can take our time in sharing the gospel with our friends and neighbors.

2.     He wants us to believe that all people are good and that we don’t want to interfere with their life styles.

3.      He wants us to believe that our efforts are worthy of God’s love while we yet fail to invite all to come unto Christ.

4.     He will plant fear in our hearts and wants us to divert us from our faith and faithful living – everyone of us has had to walk by faith into what has always been some uncertainty.  His plan is to help us to lose our faith and our desires to obey God’s will.

This is His plan. Let us be faithful. God is in charge. He knows our name and He knows our needs.

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ—that is the first principle of the gospel. We must go forward. God expects us to have enough faith, determination, and trust in Him to keep moving, keep living, keep rejoicing. He expects us not simply to face the future; He expects us to embrace and shape the future—to love it, rejoice in it, and delight in our opportunities.

God is eagerly waiting for the chance to answer our prayers and fulfill our dreams, just as He always has. But He can’t if we don’t pray, and He can’t if we don’t dream. In short, He can’t if we don’t believe.  We must believe!

We are living in the greatest dispensation of all time.  This is what prophets and seers saw in their day and what they saw gave them great hope that God in the end would triumph – He would triumph with us at His side. 

The Prophet Joseph Smith (1805–44) said: “The building up of Zion is a cause that has interested the people of God in every age; it is a theme upon which prophets, priests and kings have dwelt with peculiar delight; they have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and fired with heavenly and joyful anticipations they have sung and written and prophesied of this our day; … we are the favored people that God has [chosen] to bring about the Latter-day glory.”

President Wilford Woodruff (1807–98) stated something similar: “The Almighty is with this people. We shall have all the revelations that we will need, if we will do our duty and obey the commandments of God. … While I … live I want to do my duty. I want the Latter-day Saints to do their duty. … Their responsibility is great and mighty. The eyes of God and all the holy prophets are watching us. This is the great dispensation that has been spoken of ever since the world began. We are gathered together … by the power and commandment of God. We are doing the work of God. … Let us fill our mission.”

President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of this generation: “We of this generation are the end harvest of all that has gone before. It is not enough to simply be known as a member of this Church. A solemn obligation rests upon us. Let us face it and work at it.

“We must live as true followers of the Christ, with charity toward all, returning good for evil, teaching by example the ways of the Lord, and accomplishing the vast service He has outlined for us.

“May we live worthy of the glorious endowment of light and understanding and eternal truth which has come to us through all the perils of the past. Somehow, among all who have walked the earth, we have been brought forth in this unique and remarkable season. Be grateful, and above all be faithful.”

Elder Holland spoke of this:  “Over a representative period of time, our prophets have focused not on the terror of the times in which they lived and not on the ominous elements of the latter days, in which we are living, but they felt to speak of the opportunity and the blessing and, above all, the responsibility to seize the privileges afforded us in this, the greatest of all dispensations. I love the line from the Prophet Joseph Smith saying that earlier prophets, priests, and kings “have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and … have sung and written and prophesied of this our day.” What were they so joyful about? I can assure you they weren’t concentrating on terror, tragedy and chaos that Satan brings. President Woodruff’s words were: “The eyes of God and all the holy prophets are watching us. This is the great dispensation that has been spoken of ever since the world began.” Let me repeat President Hinckley’s words: “Through all the perils of the past, [s]omehow, among all who have walked the earth, we have been brought forth in this unique and remarkable season. Be grateful, and above all be faithful.”

I marvel at the opportunity that God has blessed me with – imagine – to be part of this the greatest dispensation of time.  To be fully engaged in sharing His Gospel to His Children – yes all His children here among all the stakes of Zion in the California Santa Rosa Mission.  I rejoice in this great opportunity He has afforded me to be among you great missionaries of God to invite all to come unto Christ.

Ours is not an easy task if we think that we have to do it by ourselves.  He has declared that angels have not ceased to minister unto the children of men. (Moroni 7:29-32) “For behold, they are subject unto him, to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and firm mind in every form of godliness.  And the office of their ministry is to call men unto repentance, and to fulfill and to do the work of the covenants of the Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the way among the children of men, by declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that hey may bear testimony of him.  And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts, according to the power thereof; and after this manner bringeth to pass the Father , the covenants which he hath made unto the children of men.”

I add my own testimony and strength to those angels He has sent our way – you – full-time missionaries who were prepared from the foundation of the world to be here at this time to fulfill the prophecies made by holy prophets since the beginning of time.

Let’s invite all to come and join with us.  Is there a greater cause than to prepare the earth for it’s final cleansing?  Is there a greater joy than to bring souls unto the Father through Christ Jesus?  Is there a greater generation of soldiers through any dispensation of time?  

Think of the help we have been given to take the light of the gospel to a darkened world. We have almost 60,000 missionaries—far more than in any other age.  But we need even more – we need each of the members to join this great cause – to help in the fulfilling of the covenants that God has made with past prophets.  We cannot do this without them!  Invite them to come join the ranks!

I testify that God’s purposes shall be fulfilled and that He is counting on each one of us – all within the sound of my voice – He needs us in the great hastening that is taking place today – we are the fulfillment of prophecy – let’s join together?

 

I testify that this is His work and that Christ is His Son and that the Church of Jesus Christ has been fully restored to the earth, never to be taken away again. 

 

Love,  President Alba