President Alba
Missionary
Letter 4-28-14
God’s Great Gift to His Children – our free agency
Elders and Sisters,
I want to thank you for what you do. I know that this is a hard, difficult and stressful call from God that we are trying to fulfill. I myself get discouraged at times and then I seek for a quiet place where I can counsel with the Lord and as I raise from my knees, I feel better talking with Him and having Him teach me and give me direction. Many times, the direction that I receive is extremely clear, other times it’s somewhat clear and there are times that I must exercise every fiber of faith that I have that what I do is in accordance with the desires of God.
The following is an article written by Elder Monson that describes our responsibility that we each have to exercise our God-given write to choose for ourselves.
Three R’s of Free Agency
“I would like to discuss with you the three R’s of free agency: the right of choice, the responsibility of choice, and the results of choice. How grateful I am that a wise and loving Heavenly Father gave us free agency! In the very beginning, after He had pointed out to Adam the trees in the Garden from which he might freely eat, He then directed Adam’s attention to one tree and advised him that he should not partake of the fruit thereof. He then added, “… nevertheless, thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee. …” (Moses 3:17.)
We also have the responsibility to choose. We cannot be neutral. There is no middle ground. The Lord knows this; Lucifer knows this. There is a great contest being waged for the souls of men. On the one hand Lucifer has attractively painted his road signs. Have you seen them? They are bright and most enticing. They read like this: “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” “It’s the popular thing to do.” Another one may read: “Just this once won’t matter.”
On the other hand the Lord has prepared his road signs for our guidance. They read: “As ye sow, so shall ye reap.” (See Gal. 6:7.)
“There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—
“And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.” (D&C 130:20–21.)
Thus we have one of two roads to follow. To us has been given the responsibility of choice.”
We have been given another gift to help us in making the right choices – the Holy Ghost. What a marvelous and wondrous gift we have.
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26.)
In addition to the right of choice and the responsibility of choice, we must consider the results of our choices.
Elder Monson then relates this story:
“Would you like to hear about a missionary who was prompted to make a wise choice? He was new in the work and was assigned to labor in the city of Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, with a veteran missionary as a companion. They called at the home of a family by the name of Pollard. They knocked, and Mr. Pollard let them in. He invited them to present their material. After he had heard their message, and after he had prayed with them, it seemed as though the spirit of the adversary came over him, and he became angry with the elders and told them to leave and never come back again. As he showed them to the door, he said, “You can’t tell me that you really believe Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, anyway.” The door slammed shut. The two dejected missionaries walked away.
This young missionary turned to his senior companion and said, “We didn’t answer Mr. Pollard’s question.”
The senior companion explained the futility of attempting to return. But the young elder said, “I’m going back. I won’t feel right until I do.”
They returned to Mr. Pollard’s door and knocked on it. He opened the door and said, “I thought I told you fellows to leave.”
The next decision took all the strength of character and all the fortitude that this young man could muster, for his senior companion did not give him much help. I heard Mr. Pollard himself describe the experience. He said, “That missionary looked me in the eye. He hesitated for a moment, and then said, ‘Mr. Pollard, as we left your home, you made a statement that we really didn’t believe Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. Mr. Pollard, I want you to know that I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and that this work is true.’”
After this declaration, the missionaries departed. Mr. Pollard later told me that all the rest of the day and that evening he kept hearing those words echoing through his ears: “I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I know it. I know it. I know it.”
The next morning he telephoned the missionaries and asked them to come back. They returned to his home and taught him the gospel. They taught his wife the gospel. They taught his children the gospel. All became members of the Church.”
We must also be aware that as we share the gospel with all of God’s children, that they too have a choice to accept or to reject. Even though we may think they may the elect and chosen of the Lord, they have their free agency to be stiff necked and have hardened hearts. We must find and work with those who have a softened heart and who are ready to receive the Doctrine of Christ in their lives.
As servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have the great and wonderful right to choose how we will act and what we will say and do, we also have the responsibility to choose and not just sit on the fence, however, we have no say in the result of our choices. That is the Lord’s privilege and right.
Elder Monson concludes with the following: “We need not feel that we must be without fault in order to receive the blessings of God. He will take us from where we now stand if we will come to him. He will build us up, spiritually, and he will build us up with confidence in ourselves.”
I pray that we may think about the choices that we make, even our thoughts! It is imperative that we choose wisely and responsibly so that there will never be a question as to results of our choices. I am grateful for a forgiving God who blesses me even in my weakness and helps me.
God’s Great Gift to His Children – our free agency
Elders and Sisters,
I want to thank you for what you do. I know that this is a hard, difficult and stressful call from God that we are trying to fulfill. I myself get discouraged at times and then I seek for a quiet place where I can counsel with the Lord and as I raise from my knees, I feel better talking with Him and having Him teach me and give me direction. Many times, the direction that I receive is extremely clear, other times it’s somewhat clear and there are times that I must exercise every fiber of faith that I have that what I do is in accordance with the desires of God.
The following is an article written by Elder Monson that describes our responsibility that we each have to exercise our God-given write to choose for ourselves.
Three R’s of Free Agency
“I would like to discuss with you the three R’s of free agency: the right of choice, the responsibility of choice, and the results of choice. How grateful I am that a wise and loving Heavenly Father gave us free agency! In the very beginning, after He had pointed out to Adam the trees in the Garden from which he might freely eat, He then directed Adam’s attention to one tree and advised him that he should not partake of the fruit thereof. He then added, “… nevertheless, thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee. …” (Moses 3:17.)
We also have the responsibility to choose. We cannot be neutral. There is no middle ground. The Lord knows this; Lucifer knows this. There is a great contest being waged for the souls of men. On the one hand Lucifer has attractively painted his road signs. Have you seen them? They are bright and most enticing. They read like this: “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” “It’s the popular thing to do.” Another one may read: “Just this once won’t matter.”
On the other hand the Lord has prepared his road signs for our guidance. They read: “As ye sow, so shall ye reap.” (See Gal. 6:7.)
“There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—
“And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.” (D&C 130:20–21.)
Thus we have one of two roads to follow. To us has been given the responsibility of choice.”
We have been given another gift to help us in making the right choices – the Holy Ghost. What a marvelous and wondrous gift we have.
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26.)
In addition to the right of choice and the responsibility of choice, we must consider the results of our choices.
Elder Monson then relates this story:
“Would you like to hear about a missionary who was prompted to make a wise choice? He was new in the work and was assigned to labor in the city of Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, with a veteran missionary as a companion. They called at the home of a family by the name of Pollard. They knocked, and Mr. Pollard let them in. He invited them to present their material. After he had heard their message, and after he had prayed with them, it seemed as though the spirit of the adversary came over him, and he became angry with the elders and told them to leave and never come back again. As he showed them to the door, he said, “You can’t tell me that you really believe Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, anyway.” The door slammed shut. The two dejected missionaries walked away.
This young missionary turned to his senior companion and said, “We didn’t answer Mr. Pollard’s question.”
The senior companion explained the futility of attempting to return. But the young elder said, “I’m going back. I won’t feel right until I do.”
They returned to Mr. Pollard’s door and knocked on it. He opened the door and said, “I thought I told you fellows to leave.”
The next decision took all the strength of character and all the fortitude that this young man could muster, for his senior companion did not give him much help. I heard Mr. Pollard himself describe the experience. He said, “That missionary looked me in the eye. He hesitated for a moment, and then said, ‘Mr. Pollard, as we left your home, you made a statement that we really didn’t believe Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. Mr. Pollard, I want you to know that I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and that this work is true.’”
After this declaration, the missionaries departed. Mr. Pollard later told me that all the rest of the day and that evening he kept hearing those words echoing through his ears: “I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I know it. I know it. I know it.”
The next morning he telephoned the missionaries and asked them to come back. They returned to his home and taught him the gospel. They taught his wife the gospel. They taught his children the gospel. All became members of the Church.”
We must also be aware that as we share the gospel with all of God’s children, that they too have a choice to accept or to reject. Even though we may think they may the elect and chosen of the Lord, they have their free agency to be stiff necked and have hardened hearts. We must find and work with those who have a softened heart and who are ready to receive the Doctrine of Christ in their lives.
As servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have the great and wonderful right to choose how we will act and what we will say and do, we also have the responsibility to choose and not just sit on the fence, however, we have no say in the result of our choices. That is the Lord’s privilege and right.
Elder Monson concludes with the following: “We need not feel that we must be without fault in order to receive the blessings of God. He will take us from where we now stand if we will come to him. He will build us up, spiritually, and he will build us up with confidence in ourselves.”
I pray that we may think about the choices that we make, even our thoughts! It is imperative that we choose wisely and responsibly so that there will never be a question as to results of our choices. I am grateful for a forgiving God who blesses me even in my weakness and helps me.
Dearest Loved Ones,
This is what I sent my mission president today... :)
I have learned a lot these past few weeks with Sister Murphy. It's been hard, but I think that the past few days have been very good. She has won her way into my heart, just as Sister Zenger and Sister Henry both did. I look forward to getting to know her as well as I was able to get to know them.
The work is hard. My faith is being tested. I'm struggling a little, I will admit. It's a lot harder than I thought it would be, but I know that I'm starting to get the hang of it. I think I know Santa Rosa like the back of my hand... I very rarely need a GPS. This is funny, because back home in Utah, I couldn't ever find my way around even with the numbered grid system! I know that it is a blessing that the Lord has given. It's something so small and insignificant (I could just use a GPS. It's not a big deal), but yet, it is one way that my Heavenly Father is helping build my confidence.
I really liked what you wrote in your letter today about that green missionary that wouldn't let the senior companion walk away without bearing testimony. Sister Murphy is awesome. I feel like she is follow-up training me. We are so similar, yet we have so many differences. It's been a learning experience for me, but a good one.
I've done a lot of praying lately, and it is wonderful that although Heavenly Father doesn't always take away the trial, He provides moments of peace. These moments come at the most random times, recently. For example, I was driving to church, with a lot of stress yesterday, and we were stuck at this endless red light, with no other cars around. My natural instinct is to tap the steering wheel and express my needs to the light, but this time something was different. I noticed how beautiful the clouds were, and the hymn of "Oh how lovely was the morning!" came right on cue. It was perfect, and I knew it wasn't just random. I felt this overwhelming feeling of peace come over me. I got lost in that moment, and time froze. It felt like I was there for about ten minutes, breathing deep and full of the spirit and light, yet I know it was only for about a minute. It was a beautiful moment that my Heavenly Father provided me so that I could to church not stressed, but happy and calm. Those are the miracles that happen every day. I see them everyday that I look for them.
The area is slower than usual. We are having lots of lessons fall through. I feel frustrated, but it is amazing how my Heavenly Father always centers me back on what is the most important. His Son, Jesus Christ.
I know that I am supposed to be out here. Without a shadow of a doubt. I know that I am supposed to be on a mission. I know that I am not perfect, but that He is. There really is no other place that I would rather be. I'm to the point where it seems that nothing else matters... school when I get back, family, friends, things I'm "missing out on" really don't even matter. Nothing that I have given up could compare to what I have gained out here. I have seen things and felt things that I would never have had an opportunity to see or feel. I have felt my testimony tried, and then strengthened because of it. I KNOW that Jesus is the Head of this church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and that it is in His hands, and that He will never abandon this work. Neither will I. I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, along with Thomas S. Monson and all the prophets. I know that God is in control, and that He knows what He is doing with me, and with all of His children. All I have to do is trust and obey.
It's been interesting, how I do not feel like I am the same person. I long to show my family and friends back home that I am not the same, that I have changed. I hope that when I go home, they can see the Savior in me. If that's all that ever happens from me being out here, so be it. This is God's work, not mine. I can't take credit for anything that happens, because I can got through the names of every person that we teach, and each is a miracle. And it's all because of My Heavenly Father, because I really have no clue what I am doing most of the time. It's all on trust. I'm just a 19 year old girl, sharing her testimony with as many people as will listen.
Thank you for all your love and support. I really do need the weekly email. Such a boost for me, especially before I write home to my family.
I will do better this week. I will follow the Spirit 100%, be exactly obedient, and I will pray fervently for a love for everyone around me, and I will be more like my Savior. That is the desire of my heart. I want Him to trust me enough to lead me to the elect.
You and Sister Alba are in my prayers,
Sister Darby Eleyce Miller
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