Do you know the Doctrine of Christ?

Hey everybody!

How is everyone doing today? I'm doing fairly well. We went to a barbeque today and ate a lot, so that was pretty cool. We've had a pretty relaxed day, but I need more relaxing. I am so tired right now. So very tired. Hopefully this won't continue throughout the week.

Last week was kind of rough for me. I felt completely burned out. I had almost no desire to work and was kind of just going through the motions. But the worst part is that I really wanted to want to work, but it didn't work out until the very end of the week, and even then it didn't work as well as I would have wanted it to work. It was really quite frustrating. Also, my lack of wanting to work reflected in the success we had this week. We only found one family and they're not progressing. Not much happened this week, so that was fairly disappointing. I just really hope that I have a better week. I know that I'm still human and every once in a while I'll subcumb (sp??) to the weakness of being human, but man does it not feel good. Someday I'll be stronger I know. I'll just have to be patient and keep working to the best of my abilities and rely on Heavenly Father when the best of me isn't good enough.

Sorry for the recent lack of pictures, but the internet café that we've been using isn't very good at reading memory cards nor anything that has memory. I'll keep trying though, and perhaps one of these days you can see all of the photos that I've been taking.

Something that I am definitely looking forward to (in some distant, future day) is good ol' American cooking (for example, Mom's baked penne with meatballs). You guys don't even know how good you have it. It's very true that there are some Ecuadorian dishes that are delicious (my favourites are morocho with empanadas, llapingaucho/potato tortillas with caucara, and shrimp ceviche), but there just isn't anything that beats good ol' American cooking. The only problem is the following: I can't hardly eat American food anymore. Remember how way back when I used to be able to eat spaghetti by the pounds? Now a little plate completely fills me up. I could eat rice forever and ever and ever, but anything that is like what I used to be able to eat I can't eat very much of now. It's a tad frustrating, but I'm sure that with practice I'll be able to get back into the swing of things.

Congratulations Elizabeth for getting a principle part in the musical!! That's awesome! Someone has to film it so that I can watch it when I get back. I'm sure that you'll do an amazing job Elizabeth.

Jeffrey, I'm horribly, terribly, ridiculously excited for you to get your mission call. I suppose that you might wonder where I think you're going to go, and to that I have to say....Germany or Ecuador, one of the two. But we will see when we see. Maybe they'll send you to Accra, Ghana! Wooo!

Robby, you hang in there! I hope you get better soon! I hope you're having fun in school and are learning a whole bunch. Keep on keeping on buddy!

I have 30 minutes left and I don't quite know what to say...

Oh, inspiration, but let's see how much of it I can write in less than 30 minutes (still have to write to President).

Something that we've really been focusing on a lot in the mission lately is the doctrine of Christ. I want you all to take a couple of moments to think to yourself and see if you can come up with a concrete definition of what is the doctrine of Christ. Okay, who was able to do so? Well, if you weren't able to do so (or even if you were able to do so), I'd like to take a little bit of time to explain exactly what is the doctrine of Christ, and to do so, let's go to the Book of Mormon.

In 3 Nephi chapter 27, Jesus Christ explains to everyone exactly what is His doctrine and His gospel. Let's read verses 13-22, breaking it down part by part.

13 Behold I have given unto you my Gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me.
 14 And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—
 15 And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works.

 Okay, let's analyze this part. What is the principal part of Christ's doctrine? That Christ was sent to fulfill the Father's will, which was to atone for our sins. Christ has paid the price for all of us and asks that we come to Him in order to accept His Atonement in our lives. Now, how is it that we can come to Him? Let's keep reading.

 16 And it shall come to pass, that whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world.
 17 And he that endureth not unto the end, the same is he that is also hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence they can no more return, because of the justice of the Father.
 18 And this is the word which he hath given unto the children of men. And for this cause he fulfilleth the words which he hath given, and he lieth not, but fulfilleth all his words.

These verses teach us two principles and one of the ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ. First mentioned here is that we must repent of all of our sins. We must abandon all evil. We must repent completely, and in order to repent completely one must enter into the baptismal covenant. By being baptized, by one who holds the priesthood of God and by immersion, one promises to keep Christ's commandments, remember Him always, and take upon him Christ's name. These scriptures promise us that if we do these things and then endure to the end, we will be "filled": filled with joy, happiness, peace, and also the Holy Ghost. Not only will we be filled, but we will be held guiltless at the last day. What a wonderful promise. Let us keep reading.

19 And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end.
 20 Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.

Just in case you hadn't figured out what exactly is the gospel of Jesus Christ, He tells us what it is in very clear terms: faith, repentance, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, the reception of the gift of the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end. That is the gospel and doctrine of Christ. In order to be made pure through the atoning blood of Christ, we must have faith in Him, we must repent, we must be baptized by a priesthood holder, being immersed in water for the remission of sins, we must receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, just like the apostles of old taught, and we must endure to the very end. Anyone who says that they have received Christ in their lives but who hasn't done one of these things in reality has yet to receive Christ in his life, because Christ Himself has said here what it is that we must do to accept Him as our Saviour and Redeemer. It's so clear! And that's not all. To end, let's read the last two verses.

21 Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do;
 22 Therefore, if ye do these things blessed are ye, for ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

Jesus didn't set up His Church just so that we could gather and worship Heavenly Father. Jesus didn't set up His Church just because it was a good thing to do. He established His Church so that we could know exactly what His gospel is and so that we could put that gospel into practice. My fellow Latter-day Saints, we don't attend church services every Sunday just because it's a commandment. We attend church so that we can apply the doctrine and gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives, in order that we might be made spotless through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. We have to live the gospel in order to receive a remission of our sins. That is why Christ established His Church. Now, what happens to those who not only attend The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but also put the gospel into practice? "Therefore, if ye do these things blessed are ye, for ye shall be lifted up at the last day." In a word: exaltation. But you have to live the gospel and not only attend church services. I absolutely love this part of the Scriptures and I know that the gospel can change lives if we allow it to do so.

Well, that's all that I have for today. I hope everyone has a wonderful week and that they can receive the strength that they need to conquer the temptations of the world. I love you all very much!

Love,
Elder Andrew Schomburg