Dear Family,
How are you? I am well -- this week Elder Cranford had an ingrown
toenail removed, so we spent several days in the apartment recovering.
On day one I cleaned, day two I made ambitious murals, and on the
third day, I read and tidied up our area book. I felt a bit like Jonah
-- but, we're now recovered and out working.
On Wednesday the missionaries from Bell Ville and Marcos Juárez came
to work in Leones -- they found various people whom we will be looking
for this afternoon.
Tomorrow we have interviews with President in nearby Villa María. I'm
looking forwards to seeing him.
I liked a quote from Joseph Smith that I read in Teachings of Joseph
Smith: 'Lo que no se hace por la fe es pecado,' o sea, 'What is not
done by faith, is sin.' It was a useful definition for me and I was
able to see more the need to really, really work to do all that the
Holy Ghost indicates, because if not, I'm hardly acting according to
faith. It's a good test: 'Am I acting according to faith now?'
I know that this is the only church that Jesus Christ established and
the only place where one may come to understand everything required to
be saved. The church is the organization which administers the gospel,
or the teachings and practises of Jesus Christ. I know that alone I am
nothing:
And the presence of God withdrew from Moses,
that his glory was not upon Moses; and Moses was
left unto himself. And as he was left unto himself,
he fell unto the earth. And it came to pass that it
was for the space of many hours before Moses did
again receive his natural strength like unto man;
and he said unto himself: Now, for this cause I know
that man is nothing, which thing I never had
supposed. (Moses 1:9-10)
And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep
his commandments; and he has promised you that
if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper
in the land; and he never doth vary from that which
he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his
commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.
(Mosiah 2:22)
And thus we see that the commandments of God
must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of
men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish
them, and strengthen them, and provide means
whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has
commanded them (1 Nephi 17:3)
Love,
Elder Schlachter
