Brock - March 27

I´m being transferred! I´m going to the capital for the first time in like, 10 months! I´ll be in area called Jandira. Also, as was previously passed to me, but confirmed last week, is that this transfer will be a five week transfer. I feel really happy. I´ve been praying for about two weeks that I could pass through two more areas, and if I had stayed in Tatuí one more I think it would have been unlikely to pass through two more.

This week we found a really good young man. He´s seventeen, and he´s friends with one of the youth. This youth brought him to seminary, and he really liked it. We´ve taught him the first three lessons, and he´s doing really well. He´s actually marked to be baptized this weekend, during General Conference. 

Speaking of General Conference, I´m super excited for this one! I´ve just got a good feeling about this conference. I hope that each of you are preparing questions you want answered. 

It sounds like the church is really cracking down, putting the real important stuff into perpsective. The sacrament, the youth programs, prayer. It´s really great. After a certain point in the mission, I saw how much a lot of stuff in our lives (and in the church) can really distract us, or even drive us away, if we don´t understand the essentials. Stuff like "deep" doctrine, which is really just a bunch of personal opinions or theories on stuff that doesn´t matter. Or youth programs, not realizing that scouting and young women and stuff like that are to prepare us to be men and women, and to build our testimonies of Jesus Christ. Or spats with members, or callings, or anything silly like that. None of it matters, without faith, repentance, covenants made by ordinances performed by holders of the priesthood, and enduring to the end. In our multizone conference, President Farnes said something really interesting. He quoted that scripture, "Many are called, but few are chosen," but he said it a little differently. He said, "Many are made clean, or cured, but few are saved." To put this more into context, he referenced the story of the ten lepers. Ten men, blighted by leprosy, seek out the Master, that they might be made whole. Having mercy on them, he sends them on their way to the Levite priest, saying that doing thus would cure them. Having been cured, nine go on their way, rejoicing, but one turned back, to praise Christ and God. Jesus remarked:

17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

In Portuguese, instead of saying "thy faith hath made thee whole", it says "a tua fé te salvou.", or, "thy faith hath saved thee". So what was the difference? The ten were cleaned, but the one was saved. We, as members, have all been cleaned, when we were baptized. But we are saved when we are converted, when action, recognition, faith, are shown. I liked it a lot. 

I love you guys. I hope you all had a great week. I´ll be praying for you, Grandma & Grandpa. Hope you get better soon. 

Elder Blaylock