Monday, May 23, 2016

 Tulancingo, Hidalgo-May 22

Hey Mom!!
This week was pretty great!! We had lots of success this week!! We were able to receive more referrals from members this week! And you know that when we receive referrals, the work goes a lot easier! Thats what Preach My Gospel teaches, that the ideal form of teaching is when the members share the Gospel with their friends, family, neighbors, etc. and then they go with the missionaries to teach those people! We were also able to have quite a few investigators in sacrament meeting this week! It was a pretty great week! I have been in Pachuca for the pást 6 months, in the Constitución ward and the Tecnológico ward. Today was transfer day!! I had transfers... its always sad leaving areas, but the Lord always has other things in store for us as well! I am now working with Elder Merino, we will be opening up an area as Zone leaders here in Tulancingo! Not one of us knows the area at all, so I hope we don't get lost!! I was in this Zone earlier in my mission when I was in Xicotepec, so I do know a little bit of how to get from one town to another haha! We are really excited!! Its going to be fun! 
Yesterday,when I was still in Tecnológico the Bishop asked me 5 minutes before sacrament meeting to give a talk, so I threw together the most important thing that I could think of in the moment. I ended up giving my talk about the Priesthood. I want to share a few of the thoughts that I shared at church. Well, as missionaries we share Lesson 1 or "The Restoration" at least once a day. We all know that the Church was restored by the Prophet Joseph Smith. With the restoration, we received many great blessings from God. For example, The Book of Mormon, Temples, True Doctrine, an understanding of the Lords plan for us, missionary work, eternal families, etc. But without the Restoration of the Priesthood, our church would fall under the same category, and would carry us just as close as other churches to Gods presence. The Restoration of the Priesthood brings to pass all the blessings of the restored church. With the true priesthood authority, we can be baptized in order to receive the remission of our sins. We can receive temple ordinances in order to be with our families forever. We can become as our Heavenly Father is, perfected and glorified with everlasting power and domain. But, why is the Priesthood so necessary to achieve these things? Surely, some may think, if we just live good lives and strive to be good people, we may be able to achieve eternal life... but that is not the way the Lord has and will bring to pass the eternal life of his faithful and obedient children. He explains in Doctrine and Covenants section 84, the reason why we need the Priesthood for all these things. In verse 19 it tell us that the Priesthood holds the keys to the secrets of the kingdom and the Knowledge of God. As we read in John 17:3, Eternal life is being able to know our Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ. Our Heavenly Father uses the Priesthood to exalt his faithful children. That is why D&C 84 goes on to say in verses 20, 21 and 22 that for that reason the power of the divinity is manifested in the ordinances of the priesthood like baptism, confirmation, the sacrament, the endowment, and eternal sealing. That is why the priesthood is so important! I am glad the our heavenly father has blessed us with the priesthood and I hope to always be faithful to him in order to be "sanctified by the Spirit" and to become worthy of an eternal life in the presence of my Heavenly Father! I know that this church is true! I know it! 
Elder Paynter

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