Monday, March 12, 2018

Alma 12: 14-15

(Aldste Cummings)


Tjena!

This week was a good one. I don't think I've ever said that a week hasn't been good in any of these emails. I guess that's because they're all good!

This is finals week with all the college students so a lot of the people who would like to meet with us were busy with studying and stuff. We spent a lot of time with the Sweden Stockholm Mission classic: Stan. That is to say, downtown. "Stan" is short for the Swedish word "Staden" which means "the city" and just means, like I said, downtown. It's generally where all the stores and malls are and the streets are closed to car traffic. That's where we as missionaries talk to people and try to find people who are interested in learning more about our glorious message. We had some pretty good success with that this week and are excited for the weeks ahead!

As for the scripture I chose this week, it's a little depressing maybe. We as members of the church tend to focus our attention on "the blessed and happy state of those who keep the commandments of God"(Mosiah 2:41) and not so much on the other side when it comes to judgment day. I admittedly don't like to think about it either, but oftentimes feel that people misunderstand what is going to happen that day.  I've met a lot of people here who seem to be pretty proud of their defiance before God. Most recently and clearly, a man said to us yesterday, "If God exists, I am a child of Satan."

No one will be proud of wrongdoing when we stand before the bar of God. We will not be punished because God made an arbitrary decision that such would not be tolerated in the kingdom of heaven. Rather, as a law outside of His control, such can not be tolerated in the kingdom of heaven. We will stand before Him with a perfect knowledge of our sins and "acknowledge to our everlasting shame that all his judgments are just."

God is a loving father who created this world for us with the desire that ALL of us would return. He has done everything to make that possible. He will not shut us out because he doesn't want us to live with Him, our own wicked actions will deny us the opportunity according to the universal law of justice. In fact, it would be more comfortable for us to be separated from Him than stand unworthily in His presence.

With that in mind, let us always "acknowledge [our] unworthiness before God"(Alma 38:14) and strive with all energy of spirit to be worthy to look into his face and worthily accept His loving embrace.

Have a great week!
Love,
Äldste Cummings







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