A Drop of Blood
HAPPY EASTER!
I hope you all had an amazing week and an even better Easter Sunday. I absolutely love this time of year and there is so much love and gratitude going around from all the different faiths. So many people are willing to have us into their homes to share a brief message of Jesus Christ. So... this week was interesting. We got a text from President Rehm explaining that we would have a new Elder in our companionship (tripanionship). He then informed us when and where we were going to exchange. Elder Stewart is now part of our companionship. His companion had to go home due to back surgery. Because Elder Stewart is now with us, we are also now covering 3 wards (what we call congregations) and we have 3 meeting times that we have to attend on Sundays now... and that isn't including all the meeting we have on Sunday as well. Usually we are going to be at church from 7 or 9 until about 5... Makes for an extra long and busy Sunday!
Weather update: We got 14 inches of snow on Wednesday and it slowly is melting, but we got 3 more on Friday and are supposed to get more snow on Wednesday this week. The weather here is kinda like Georgia in the sense that it is bi-polar, however snow is included in the bipolarness here.
So, this past Thursday as I was about to get into bed I had a strong impression come upon me on the topic of my e-mail for this week. I'm not sure who out there needs to hear this, but I have a very strong feeling that someone does so here is goes.
This being the Easter Season, my thoughts have been turned to what happened some almost 2000 years ago now. Jesus Christ, the very son of God suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane and then hung on the cross on Calvary. I have been thinking about this a lot the past few weeks and from such I have acquired a much deeper love for the Savior and all he did for me as an individual as well has his PERFECT love for me. He knew that he was going to die. He could have escaped from the cross. He could have rebuked them all, but that was not the will of the Father. There is a song that I just recently found that describes this perfectly. It is called "New Again" by Brad Paisley and Sara Evans.
New Again
"(Brad Paisley) Mother - do not cry for me All of this is exactly how it's supposed to be
(Sara Evans) I'm right here. Can you hear my voice? My life, my love, my Lord....my baby boy
(Brad Paisley) As they nail me to this tree Just know the Father waits for me
(Sara Evans) God how can this be your will? To have your son and my son killed?
(Brad Paisley) Whatever happens...whatever you see... Whatever your eyes tell you has become of me This is not... Not the end... I am making all things new again
(Sara Evans) I remember when you were born In that manger where I first held You in my arms So many miracles and lives you've changed And this world repays you how? With all this pain
(Both) Whatever happens(Whatever happens)...whatever you see(I don't wanna see)... Whatever your eyes tell you has become of me This is not... Not the end... I am making all things new again"
I know and testify that when he died, it was not the end for he rose again 3 days later which is why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints does not have crosses. We do not focus on the fact that he died as much as on the fact that he rose again 3 days later and that he lives today.
Another song that is very touching to me is entitled "A Drop of Blood"
He Lives and loves each and every one of us. Our Father in Heaven loves us as well. He loves us so much that he gave us his son to take away this sins of the world. "Though your sin be as scarlet, it shall be made white as snow"
The thing that came to my mind that I wanted to talk about is prayer. We can receive answers to anything through prayer. I feel sometimes that we take it for granted. I would invite each of you to pray, but this time take time to listen. Take time to listen to what your Father in Heaven has to say to you. During some of my prayers I have stopped in the middle and just simply said, "Father, I love you" and just sat and listened. It is incredible the feeling of peace and comfort I have felt through that. I know that we are not all the same so I can't promise you that saying those words will help, but I can promise you that as you take time to listen, you will feel peace. You may not receive an answer to your prayer, but you will feel peace.
In the Bible Dictionary under Prayer, it says,
"As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are His children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part (Matt. 7:7–11). Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings."
Prayer should be instinctive and natural. Do we pray when we are having a hard time? Do we turn to him in difficulties? I know that our Father in Heaven created us and prayer is the way that we can receive divine help. He wants us to be happy but we have to ask him to help us. Don't take it for granted.
General Conference is a conference that is coming up this next weekend. This conference is one in which the prophet on the earth today instructs us on what we need to hear. Other general authorities speak as well on various topics. I would invite you all to write down 5 questions that you have been pondering for a very long time and to even pray about them. Write these questions down, and I promise each and every one of you that all of your questions will be answered by listening all of the sessions of General Conference. I promise. Here is the link where you can watch it and find more information. There are 4 sessions, 2 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday, each one is 2 hours long. I know it is a lot but I promise you if you will watch it, all 5 of your questions will be answered.
These questions may include:
"How can I be a better husband or father? Wife or mother?"
"How can I find joy?"
"Where can I turn for peace?"
I hope you all have a wonderful week!
With Love,
Elder Levi Snow Soller
(I would strongly recommend you watch both music videos)
P.S. Comment below (blog) or send me an e-mail with any questions or comments you may have.