April 30, 2012

Hey dad/everyone,

  Thanks for your thoughts about the atonement dad, i really enjoyed them.  We're helping a less active guy understand the atonement better so of course i've been studyin it too. Yesterday i posed the question for him to ponder over, "what's the difference between Christ being our savior and our redeemer?" (if i already shared this idea i apologize) We're gonna follow up on it next time we seem him. But if we go to Moroni ten we find out.  It fits right along with grace i think. Verse 33 says, "33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

 Pay attention to the phrase "remission of your sins" and "that ye become holy". Christ is our savior because he remits our sins, and he's our redeemer because he can make us holy. If the atonement was only the remit sins part, it wouldn't work. What good would it do to come here from heaven and have our sins remitted and then go back the same as how we left? It wouldn't do any good. We need that redeeming aspect because it's the power to change or "Make Holy". Christ can change our heart in ways we can't, and that happens through his grace i suppose. Kinda neat :)

Anyways, we had a really good baptism yesterday of Kevin :) It waaaassss amazing. One of my very favorites for sure. Him and his roomate joey are so awesome. Joey's gonna be baptized as soon as he's off probation. I got to confirm kevin in sacrament meeting today which was awesome of course. Then him and joey both spoke at a recent convert fireside we had this evening. That's a fireside where only recent converts speak and missionaries bring investigators to hear the testimonies of those who were just how they were, and made the step of baptism. It was neat. Even though joey isn't baptized yet he still spoke. Solid solid testimony. We also got to speak twice today about being a witness of Christ. That's gotta be one of my favorite things to speak about.  Lets see, what else...

Will you tell Ben and Tyler and Seth that i'm proud of them? They're making it happen and setting themselves up for  fanTASTIC missions. If they'll keep doing what they're doing, and go into it wanting to follow every rule and be an example to everyone, including other missionaries, Heavenly Father wont be able to restrain the blessings. I would take them into our mission ANY day. I love them a whole whole lot.

Well i can't really think of anything else to say.. We're being blessed. Elder Brown and I are seeing alot of success in our area. Summer hits next week though so we'll see what that brick wall does. That's tough serving on a college campus. Heavenly father will provide though.

Love you all!

  Elder Spurlin