Hello Christian Soldiers

Hello Christian Soldiers!

We cleaned this week, the most disgusting kitchen ever. No don't worry mom, not our kitchen. There is a member in our ward who had a seriously bad situation. It involved leaving his restaurant in the hands of a man who had a secret drug addiction. Yeah... he turned really sour, and made a effort to destroy all success of our friends business. One thing lead to another, and I am scraping the tiled walls of a very very dirty kitchen. We spent as many service hours as we could and it still looks like a mess. But that's ok, the purpose was to show love, and keep him pumped for life! So mission accomplish!

We also had the wonderful opportunity to hear from our president and leadership in zone conference Wednesday. I always walk out of those meetings with the burning desire to change; to change myself, the area, and the world.

Which brings me to B. Our mission leader here in Valencia.

This man, I will always always remember. He has been the most amazing example of Christ I have ever met.

He is a disciple of Christ.

He on his own time, has set up an addiction recovery class, brings less actives hope, and drives our investigators to church.

He never served a mission, he never will receive a dollar, he only knows, through surviving a difficult past, the redeeming power of the atonement of Jesus Christ, and desires to bring people to it.

That is amazing, but it makes me hurt to see him do so much, and such little effort from others.

So excuse me for a moment, I would like to speak to the priesthood of my own home ward. If at all possible, for the people here only speak Spanish, and don't listen.

Mosiah 18:

17 And they were called the church of God, or the church of Christ, from that time forward. And it came to pass that whosoever was baptized by the power and authority of God was added to his church.

18 And it came to pass that Alma, having authority from God, ordained priests; even one priest to every fifty of their number did he ordain to preach unto them, and to teach them concerning the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

21 And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another.

22 And thus he commanded them to preach. And thus they became the children of God.

Priesthood power is not ours. We have nothing more than the opportunity to connect with the powers of heaven. When we don't do God's will, we lose that power. That means every man who doesn't take time to complete his home teaching or preside in the home "in love and righteousness." We call ourselves bearers but we don't see the real manifestation of it till we put ourselves in line with God's will.

34 Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?

35 Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson—

36 That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness

I get frustrated when I meet with broken homes, with broken children, people who will never know family prayer. Tired and beaten women, and the overwhelming occupation of maintaining a family. I get frustrated when I see famine, war, and poverty that could have been solved maybe, just maybe, by some men presiding over their home with a bit more love and a bit more righteousness. I get frustrated when I think of the generations that will pass, the children, who never taught morals will fall in the future to a similar fate.

Jacob 2:31 For behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people in the land of Jerusalem, yea, and in all the lands of my people, because of the wickedness and abominations of their husbands.

Our work is not just one of the many that get in the way of the recliner and television. "It is not hapless, it is not hopeless: it is not to be consigned to the ash heap of History.

It is the work of almighty God and it is to change the world."

(Jeffery R. Holland Oct 2012)

I beg you. Please, when you sing Ye Elders of Israel. Truly think what it means. I cannot allow this to go on. I know that Home teaching is the answer not just to the Elders president, but to the very cruelty of this world. I love you my family friends and especially brethren.

Love, Elder Gardner