Marzo 20, 2011

We didn't get a letter from Elder Schomburg this week since he moved from the Peru CCM to the mission home in Quito, Ecuador, but grandma received a letter that she forwarded to me with this note attached: "This is such a great message, I thought you might want to share some of his thoughts on his blog."

Enjoy...

Dear Grandma,

Thank you so very much for all of your letters.  I really love seeing all the new pictures in your letters.  I especially liked the most recent letter that I received (sent Mar 10) that included all of those pictures.  I really loved being able to see you and all the family.  That was wonderful.

Life is very good right now.  By the time you get this, I will either be packing to go to Ecuador or I will be in Ecuador.  I am so excited to go.  It has been wonderful being in the CCM, learning espanol and learning more about el Evengelico de Jesuscristo (gospel of Jesus Christ), but I feel like I’m ready now to move to the next phase of missionary work; invitando a las personas a venir a Cristo (inviting people to come unto Christ). I’m slightly scared of being on my own with only a (very possibly Latino) companero a ayudar a mi.  Pero, yo se que esta obra es la obra del Senor, y El ha proveedo una manera para mi. (But, I know that this work is the work of the Lord, and He has provided a way for me.)  He didn’t call me out here knowing that I couldn’t do the work and learn the language; He called me out here because he knew that I could do the work and learn the language.  I know that I will be called to work miracles in the name of the Lord, and I’ve been called to Ecuador because the people there need the gospel.  Everyone in the world needs the gospel of Jesus Christ, but the people in Ecuador have been prepared for me to teach them.  That idea is amazingly powerful for me.  And I’m not inviting people unto Christ solely as a 20 year old kid; I’m inviting people unto Christ as a representative of Christ.  I am a messenger of Christ.  I have been given the authority, through the laying on of hands, to do the Lord’s work in His place; to say what He would say.  Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said:

“I am called of God. My authority is above that of the kings of the earth.  By revelation I have been selected as a personal representative of the Lord Jesus Christ.  He is my master and he has chosen me to represent him. To stand in his place, to say and do what he himself would say and do if he personally were ministering to the very people to whom he has sent me. My voice is his voice, and my acts are his acts, my words are his words and my doctrine is his doctrine.  My commission is to do what he wants done.  To say what he wants said. To be a living modern witness in work and deed of the divinity of his great and marvelous latter-day work.”

I know this is true with all of my soul, with all of my being.  This message is the most important message the world has ever had, especially now in the ultimos dias.  Thank you so much for what you have done to help me Grandma.  I’d like you to look up Romans 8:31.  It’s one of my favorites.  I love you Grandma.

Love,

Elder Schomburg