Laboring in the Mission on Labor Day

With Elder Magnusson's career in education, the fall season holds a special place in our hearts.  We have been impressed as we've watched the students walk to school as they begin their new school year.  

On Tuesday, we visited Corozal to do a branch home evening with the missionaries, members, and their guests.  We had a lesson on how to have a gospel-centered home, played a game, and of course, had delicious refreshments.   

Before our home evening activity, we met with some people with the sister missionaries.  I was impressed with this young man who was cutting his lawn with a machete when we pulled up.  (feel free to show this picture to anyone who complains about having to mow their law with a lawn mower.) 

We talked with this young man about the blessings of attending seminary.  We shared our favorite scripture that we learned in seminary.  Mine is Heleman 5:12  

12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

We also met with this Guatemalan sister who is being taught by the missionaries.  As we walked up, I noticed her lovely basil plant among her other garden delights.  On our way out I mentioned her lovely basil.  She brought me over to another plant that was going to seed and she gave me some seeds to plant myself.  

As we are out and about we are able to talk to many people and invite them to hear our gospel message.  Many are happy to accept our invitation.  When we ask them for their address so we can visit them,  they tell us the general area where we can find their house because they don't have house numbers and street names aren't posted.  Thank goodness they give us their phone number so that when we get to the area, we can call them and they meet us on the street!  That's what happened as we met with the family in this back house, upstairs.

The mother was happy to hear our message about Christ's apostles and prophets.  We discussed that God reveals His will to His prophets; such as Moses and Abraham.  (see Amos 3:7)  How Christ set up His ministry when He was on the earth.  (see Matt 10:1-10) And after Christ's death and the death of the apostles, there was the great apostasy.  (see Amos 8:11-12)  

True to the Faith explains the Great Apostasy:

During the Great Apostasy, people were without divine direction from living prophets. Many churches were established, but they did not have priesthood power to lead people to the true knowledge of God the Father and Jesus Christ. Parts of the holy scriptures were corrupted or lost, and no one had the authority to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost or perform other priesthood ordinances.

We then explained that this apostasy lasted until Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820 and initiated the restoration of the fulness of the gospel as it is explained in the video below:

You can also see the video by clicking here.

This is explained on this mormon.org site.  

We invited her to pray to know if these thing that we taught were true.  She can know these things for herself.  See John 14:26  We look forward to teaching the family again.

On Sunday, following District Conference in San Ignacio, we gathered with the missionaries at Elder and Sister Flake's home for delicious lunch.

When we saw this on our walk one morning we were reminded of the Primary song with the first line that goes like this:  🎶 The wise man built his house upon a rock... 🎶

See Matt 7:24-27

24 ¶ Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

What's a weekly mission post without a hurricane update?  This week we are keeping our eye on Hurricane Irma.

It is good news for us that Belize was not mentioned.  We'll be praying for those areas that will be  effected by Hurricane Irma.