6/25/18: El Espíritu

Buenos días!

It's transfer week here in the New York New York North Mission (soon to be New York City Mission). There is some crazy stuff going on, and some of it is hitting our zone here in the bronx. My companion will be headed down to Brooklyn!! First time the North and South missions are combining! I will also be receiving a missionary from the south, Elder Laami. We also are getting our new mission president this week, so that will be awesome to get to meet him! Some crazy things happening, but it is awesome. 

I don't want to take too long today, so I'm just going to share one of the things I've learned this week. It has to do with the spirit. As I was studying about it, I came across a scripture in the 19th chapter of Alma, verse 6. It is when King Lamoni is struck dumb because he realizes everything that Ammon has told him is true. As the queen calls for Ammon to heal her husband, in verse 6 it explains to us the change that Lamoni is experiencing. 

"Now, this was what Ammon desired, for he knew that king Lamoni was under the power of God; he knew that the dark veil of unbelief was being cast away from his mind, and the light which did light up his mind, which was the light of the glory of God, which was a marvelous light of his goodness—yea, this light had infused such joy into his soul, the cloud of darkness having been dispelled, and that the light of everlasting life was lit up in his soul..."

King Lamoni was not only removing the darkness from his mind and heart, but was replacing it with light through the spirit! If we think about it scientifically, we can relate it to electricity. There are different materials and items in the world that are conductors, which let electricity flow, and insulators, which stop the flow of said electricity. As sons and daughters of God we are natural "conductors" to the spirit of God. As we sin and make mistakes and focus our lives on other things we envelop darkness, or things that work as "insulators". The only way to be fully conducive to the spirit, is to not only remove the insulators, but to replace them with conductors! As we put things into our lives that invite the spirit, the spirit will more abundantly be with us. Common sense.

 

So why is it so important to be conducive to the spirit? Why do we need to put off those insulators of the world that seem so important? Because of what it says at the end of the verse. His soul was infused with joy. Joy! That is why we do everything in the gospel. We don't keep the commandments or go to church or help others because it makes us miserable, we do it because it makes us happy. If we feel like it isn't making us happy, then maybe there are some "insulators" for us to remove! The best part is, as we put forth our effort to remove these things, the lord has promised us that he will put in the "light of everlasting life". Now if that doesn't make it worth it I don't know what will. 

So now if we are fully conducive to the spirt, we might think that everything is good and dandy. False. We will still have problems, challenges, bad days, sadness, and disappointment. The difference is, we will face these things with a brighter hope, with a smile on our face, and the realization that one day we will be free from all of those insulators as we dwell with God. A quote from president Henry B Eyring stuck out to me this week. It says, "We all experience tragedy during which we need the reassurance of the spirit." Now we get to decide whether we have the ability to receive that reassurance. Just like king Lamoni, we must replace those negative thoughts and feelings with feelings of joy and gladness that only come as we live the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I experienced that joy last night as Elder jensen and I taught a family the restoration. I felt the validity of the first vision testified through the holy spirit as my companion recited it. I know without a doubt that the joy I have felt through living this gospel is something I never would have experienced without coming on the mission. I hope that all of us can do things to help us feel that same feeling. Love you all, and hope you have a great week. ❤️

Elder Adam Ray Allen
New York New York North Mission
700 White Plains Rd Ste 315 Scarsdale, NY 10583