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