8/27/18: Fijando Fechas

Como les va!

This was another solid week, and I'm still loving the time I've had in the Bronx. It's been 14 months in the city and I honestly could serve the rest of my mission here and be content. 

We had a sweet lesson on Friday with one of the people that we are teaching. She hasn't been keeping a ton of commitments, specifically one about praying. We invited her multiple times to offer a prayer to know of the validity of the book of mormon, and she told us that she hadn't. As we got to talking, she ended up telling us that she already knew it was true. The book, the church, baptism; she already had received her answer. We set a baptismal date for the 6th of October. She has been going through some rough stuff, so we shared a few scriptures with her from Alma that I will expound on shortly. 

First off, my studies have been life changing recently and I love it! I've set a goal to have personal study for the rest of my life cause it is literally the dopest hour ever. This week I was studying in Genesis about Abraham, where in chapter 22 he receives the commandment to sacrifice his son, Isaac. I have heard this story a lot, but this time I asked myself the question, "Why would God command someone as worthy and righteous as Abraham to do something like this?" We all know that later, as he is about to perform the sacrifice, he is commanded to refrain. It was a test of faith, and Abraham passed it with flying colors. 🏁

Is it a coincidence that the very next chapter in Genesis, is the chapter where his wife Sarah dies? It seems as though this sacrifice that the Lord had put before Abraham was not only to see if he could trust him, but to prepare him for what was to come. 

In Alma 7: 11-12, it talks about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. In verse 12 specifically it talks about how Christ performed this sacrifice in order to "Know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities". 

Now how do these two points of Abraham and the testimony in Alma relate? The word "succor" is the answer. Elder Jeffrey R Holland said, "“[Succor] is used often in the scriptures to describe Christ’s care for and attention to us. It means literally ‘to run to.’ What a magnificent way to describe the Savior’s urgent effort in our behalf. Even as he calls us to come to him and follow him, he is unfailingly running to help us”"

Christ is "Running to help us". Sometimes that help comes in the form of strengthening us spiritually before a hardship comes our way, just like the example of Abraham and Isaac. Other times it comes through finding a remission of our sins, retaining that remission, and millions more ways. 

As Christ runs to help us, we must run to accept that help. The joy I personally have felt through putting in my effort to come unto Him has been something I can't put into words. He wants all of us to experience the joy he offers :) 

Love you all! Have a great week! 

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