Los Molinos 11 - New Companion, Still No Pictures

Los Molinos 11 - New Companion Elder Searle, Still no Pictures, Book of Mormon Testimony 

So I did everything I could this week to fix the camera and memory card but it's still not ready. So yet another week without pictures.

But it's OK. We had a SUPER special privilege on Saturday to listen to Elder Surley, one of the LDS church's Historians. I learned a TON and his presentation was really cool. He talked about the roots of the church basically and shared a really special testimony about the Restoration. He showed us a picture of a journal from the prophet Joseph Smith. The first real journal he started writing in 1841, just a few years after the restoration of the church. 

When we all saw it and read a bit of what he wrote, it was obvious that he wasn't much of a writer or scribe. He struggled, as Emma Smith once quoted, "to write even a well-worded letter". And then he showed us one of the original pages from the translation of the Book Of Mormon, half of the page in the writing of the prophet. Perfectly worded. Perfectly done. Without sentences, stops, or breaks. It was marvelous. I honestly was stunned to note the difference between what he wrote in his journal just as a man, and what he wrote as an inspired prophet of God. He testified that no scientist, historian, or educated man, let alone a 20 year old with a third grade education, could have ever "created" the Book Of Mormon. 

But even though the physical evidence was stunning and interesting to see, the spirit in the room was what gave me that spiritual confirmation once again that the Book Of Mormon is a volume of sacred scripture. That together with the Bible we have more of the same sacred Word of God. And it's amazing to me. God will not stop with the Book Of Mormon. With Doctrine and Covenants. With the Pearl of Great Price. We have evidence today with a living prophet and twelve apostles. That the heavens aren't closed. And I know that in the near future - if not after the Second Coming - that we will hear about other sacred books written from different parts of the world. And that's the beauty of it all, that the word of God will go forth until it has filled the entire earth. And it's great for me to be a small part of that invitation to the world.

The work is going well here in Los Molinos. I'm really loving the time with my comp Elder Searle. Elder Searle is my new companion and he's super cool. We get along together great and we're just taking advantage of the time we got together. The investigators are doing great. The people we're teaching are making sacrifices and truly seeing the blessings of it. We're having the time of our lives and working hard. The investigators are progressing and even though it's been hectic and we've had to do many things here and there, God is helping it all fall into place. And I'm trying to take advantage of it all.

Shout out to Megan Wright por haber cumplido 18 añitos. And to all my other family members and friends who have also had a birthday in these last months. Even though I may not remember them all, you still mean the world to me - hahaha

Elder Graff

I love you all so much and hope you have a great week.