My week has been great. Elder Jernigan and I have been working really hard. I don't have too much longer in Linstead, but I am doing what I can. I won't know where I am going until Saturday though, so I will let you know when I find out.
This week, Elder Jernigan and I set up a Bible study at a local school. We invited a bunch of the community members and church members and studied the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them. It was pretty good. There is always room for improvement, but who am I to complain for the first time?
I have been asked to teach 15 minutes on the enabling power of the atonement in Zone Meeting this next wednesday. I am really looking forward to it. Elder Bednar gave a great talk on the subject called "the atonement and our journey through mortality" if you want to study it.
I will give you all the rundown though. When Jesus was on the earth, he suffered and died for our sins. Every one knows that. Jesus also suffered all of our pains, sicknesses and infirmities (Alma 7:11). According to President David O. McKay, "the purpose of the gospel is to make bad men good and good men better, and to change human nature."
So we each need to go from bad to good (through repentance) and good to better. We know the atonement helps us to go from bad to good. What assistance do we have to get from good to better?
We find this principle in Mosiah 3:19. We are told that we must overcome the natural man, AND become a saint through the atonement of Jesus Christ.
There are two parts to this process. Everyone seems to be familiar with the cleansing power of the atonement, that overcomes the effects of sin. This is called the Redeeming Power. There is a power available for us for the other side too though!
To help you see it- this is the process of life,
Bad-------------->Good----------------->Better
I I
Redeeming Power Enabling Power
(Repentance) (Grace)
The Enabling Power of the atonement comes because Christ suffered all of our pains and sicknesses and infirmities, not just the punishment for our sins. It is the power that helps good men and women become better.
We are able to access this power as we humble ourselves before God and pray for his help. When we seek his help humbly, and then do all we can to change our situation, this power kicks in to make us more than we can be on our own. This Enabling Power is also known as grace. This is the power that enables us to do things beyond our natural ability. This is the power that helps us to endure through rough times and fulfill all of our callings.
I hope I have done an ok job at explaining it. My thoughts are still a little scattered, but I hope that you can understand. If you don't, reading Elder David A. Bednar's talk should clarify!
I know that it is true though. Understanding this power will bring a whole new level of Heavenly help and progression into our lives. I would encourage you all to do some study on it.
There is my sermon for the day. I hope you all get it. There may be some slight information gaps (stuff I know and you probably should to understand), but I don't have any more time to go and fix them. You know how that goes.
Oh well. This week was great. I am doing good. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Tell the extended fam hi for me.
Love, Elder Pullan
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| Me and Moomy |
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| one of my favorites... |
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| Jamaica |
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