Special Witness to Christ

Hey howdy hey!!

Today finds me well. We just got done eating some shrimp ceviche which was made by Sister Hilda, and it was delicious. Also, we managed to fit naps into our day, which was excellent. Naps are always welcome.

This week was about the same as all of the weeks before. Trying and trying to find people, finding a couple and discovering that they have no desire to learn more about the Church, and then trying some more. But thus is life for right now.

Happy Father's Day to all fathers and fathers-to-be!! I didn't get to say so yesterday, so I'm saying it now. Thank you for all that you do to help your children grow up strong and to help your families be unified. Thank you for being examples to your children and loving your wives. Thank you for those who preside over their households in righteousness and strive to edify your households over gospel principles. Thank you all so very much!

Yesterday we saw a video about the prophets and apostles that are on the earth now. Well, rather, that were on the earth in 2000 (some have gone to greener pastures). It's called "Special Witness to Christ", and it is one of the more amazing videos I have ever seen. It really reinforced my testimony of the reality of prophets and apostles in our days. They all bore testimonies that were incredibly powerful and described every principle of the gospel with amazing clarity. While I was watching the testimony that Elder Jeffrey R. Holland gave about the Atonement and what happened in the garden of Gethsemane, I was amazed at how detailed and descriptive his explication was. I wondered how he could relate that occurrence with such clarity when I realized something: it's because he has seen exactly what happened in that garden. As a prophet, seer, and revelator (of which all of the apostles and the members of the First Presidency are), he has the ability to see things past, present, and future as the Lord deems necessary. He receives revelation and direction directly from Jesus Christ Himself. I continued watching the video and that fact was clearly evident with all the other apostles as well. They not only bear testimony of Jesus Christ, they bear witness. They have walked and talked with Him, just as His apostles of old did. It truly is something incredible.

I know that there are many of you who won't understand or believe what I have just finished saying, but I want to call your attention to two scriptures: Amos 3:7 and Ephesians 2:19-20. The first tells us; "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, ^abut he ^brevealeth his ^csecret unto his servants the ^dprophets." If the Lord is going to do something, He will first make it known unto His prophets so that they may declare that thing to all of humanity. Prophets are necessary on earth to act as guides and help us understand how to follow Jesus Christ in such a way that we will be saved by Him.

The second scripture teaches us about the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ in antiquity. "Now therefore ye are no more ^astrangers and foreigners, but ^bfellowcitizens with the ^csaints, and of the ^dhousehold of God; And are built upon the foundation of the ^aapostles and ^bprophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief ^ccorner stone..."

The Church of Jesus Christ was founded upon the foundation of apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ being their leader. The same organization is found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There are 12 members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and a First Presidency, which consists of two counselors and a president, with the president being the senior apostle and the chosen prophet. All are called by Jesus Christ Himself, as was done in the days of old. They all have the same authority that Christ gave to His apostles in old. The Church is the same that He established, and the prophets and apostles of today are special witnesses of Jesus Christ to all nations and people. I know that with all of my being, and I know that every one of you can also know this if you will but ask God, in the name of Jesus Christ, if that statement is true. I leave you with my testimony of the truthfulness of latter-day prophets and apostles in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful week and that it's full of spiritual and temporal growth. I love you all and look forward to hearing from you in your letters and also in the weekly email. I love you!

Love,

Elder Schomburg