Hey everyone! What a great week! This week was just full of miracles. We have been teaching a man named Valdir since we got here. He has been investigating the church for a while now but always felt that he had never gotten an answer from god, saying the things we are teaching are true. Last Sunday we felt like we should do a fast with him to get this answer to know the church is true so he could be baptized. We weren’t able to talk to him again until Tuesday when we passed by his house again. That Monday night he had gone to the bishops’ house for a Family Home Evening and some new year’s party. That night the bishop asked him when he was going to be baptized. To the bishop’s shock, he responded “This Saturday”. He had received his answer and wanted to be baptized immediately. It was so amazing to see that same man who one week before looked me strait in the eyes and told me he didn’t believe the Book of Mormon was true or that Joseph Smith was a prophet, enter into the baptismal font and get baptized. It was one of the most spiritual experiences of my mission and really increased my testimony of the power of prayer and fasting. Him and his wife are now members of the church and can raise their kids in the gospel to hopefully one day serve missions. On Sunday when he was confirmed, he was blessed that one day we would become a leader of the church. I sure hope he lives worthy of this blessing.
Im sorry, but I have to be really fast today. We have very little time and a ton to do. I have a ton of pictures I want to send to you all but they will have to wait a bit. Last week and this week, the cyber were having problems and it takes forever to get just one picture sent so Ill have to find somewhere better. Well, I love you all tons and I look forward to your letters next week.
Love,
Elder Childs
Dan--I love the picture of the snake skin. Makes one take notice with each step--when in snake country.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your suggestion at my blog. Working on a solution.
I have enjoyed some of the comments you made here, because I used to live in Goiania, Goias and have been to the places you're in and many other places in Brasil. I have a couple of questions. You claim to have "restored" the church of Jesus Christ, but the church I read about in the New Testament of the bible required that the elders be married and have believing children (among other things). You're even free to call your elders "boys," which is all you are. So, how can you change the bible like that?
ReplyDeleteAnd the bible I read has believers being baptized immediately (even mid night) not set off for another date. Why do you change the bible on this point too?
I have some other questions too, but I'll let them go for now. You can write me at don [.] wood [.] 777 [at] gmail [.] com.
All the best,
Don
Hi Don,
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting a comment on my blog earlier. I will try to answer any questions you have about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Your comment mentioned elders and asked why we have elders in the church that are not married. I believe that the verses you are referring to are:
5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
(New Testament | Titus 1:5 - 7)
To be ordained a bishop in our church a man needs to be married as implied in the verse above. Also as cited above, none of our bishops are paid. That makes us fairly unique in modern Christianity, however, it is in line with the scriptures.
The term elders is used in various ways in the Bible. In many instances in the O.T. it has reference to the older men in a tribe, usually entrusted with the governmental affairs. Their age and experience made their counsel sought often. This was not necessarily a priesthood calling. Gen. 50:7, Ruth 4:2, Matt. 15:2, and Acts 4:5 are examples of this usage.
There were ordained elders in the Melchizedek Priesthood in O.T. times, as in Ex. 24:9–11 and Num. 11:16. Among the Nephites there were also ordained elders in the priesthood (Alma 4:7, 16; 6:1; Moroni. 3:1; 4:1; 6:1, 7). In the N.T., elders are mentioned as priesthood offices in the church (Acts 14:23; 1 Tim. 5:1, 17, 19; James 5:14–15). The term elder as used in the N.T. is from the Greek presybteros. The detailed duties of the ordained elders in the Church today have been defined by latter-day revelation (D&C 20:42–45; 42:44–52; 46:2; 107:12).
Elder is the proper title given to all holders of the Melchizedek Priesthood. Thus an apostle is an elder in this sense, and it is proper to speak of members of the Quorum of the Twelve or the First Quorum of the Seventy by this title (D&C 20:38; cf. 1 Pet. 5:1; 2 John. 1:1; 3 John. 1:1).
In line with the description above we also refer to our missionaries as elders. Our typically 19-21 year old men are single and celibate while they serve their missions.
In regards to baptism, the church is concerned that the person desiring baptism to be actually converted. We have no desire to baptize a person because they came to one of our meetings, liked what they heard, wanted to be baptized, got baptized, and then never came back to church again. Anyone that has read the Book of Mormon and sincerely prayed to know if it is true will receive a witness from the Holy Ghost that it is true. Those that have received this witness will hopefully have no problem with learning more about the church as well as coming to church to make sure that they feel comfortable there, and that they want to become one with the saints.
Have you ever had a chance to read the Book of Mormon? If you’d like one, I can get one sent to you. Please let me know any other questions that you have.
i somehow stumbled on this Blog today, nearly 5 years after the other comments. There is a wonderful Spirit here. Reading the story of Vladir, and also your testimony, were a great Blessing to me today. I feel the Spirit rather than the gloom that was here before :)
ReplyDelete