Service in Action

Elder Magnusson accompanied the amazing Belize City priesthood quorum in action giving valuable service to an elderly member. His outdoor stairs had collapsed from age and weather. The six of us arrived thinking we'd just prop them up. Yet, with their creative skills as fishermen and builders, these faithful brothers re-built the stairs and landing with the timbers, posts and boards that were in the yard. And, this was done in the rain!

On Tuesday, we traveled to the island of San Pedro by water taxi for mission business.  It's an 1 1/2 hour boat ride to get there.   I enjoy watching the passengers on the boat.  There are workers that travel there who help with the tourist and construction industries that are deep in thought as they travel to the islands, while others are tourists excited to swim and snorkel in the beautiful tropical waters.   When we showed the pictures and video of our trip to our children, their response was "ah, you guys kind of stick out..."  Yep!

Click onto the arrow below to see our water taxi speed through the water...

We have shown the video below to 3 families as we have visited this week.  The video talks about a Jamaican man who tells his experience of learning about and reading the Book of Mormon.  He recognized that the words in the Book of Mormon are Christ's teachings.  The families we visited could also relate to him because they have had similar experiences as they have been reading the Book of Mormon for the first time.

You can also see the video by clicking here.

Here are some quotes from the movie:

From Alma 40:11-12
"Behold it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirit of all men, as soon as they depart this mortal body, yea, the spirit of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life. And then shall it come to pass that the spirit of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all of their troubles and from all care and sorrow...."

When I read that, those words, I felt the Spirit. And if I can try to describe it, it was a feeling of peace. My mind was enlightened. I felt like it was true. Where I'm from in Jamaica, it's very superstitious place. It was very unpleasant thing to contemplate death. The scripture points out to me that it is a part of God's plan. There is a place prepared for people that die. And I'm happy that I was able to come to that knowledge, and I've got the Book of Mormon and that experience to thank for it.

From Alma 7:11-12:
"And he shall go forth suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind, and this that the word might be fulfilled which sayeth it will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death that he may loose the bands of death which binds his people. And he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people."

This verse of scripture is saying there that Jesus Christ has taken upon himself my sicknesses, my pains, my challenges, which puts him in a position to understand me better. When I read the scripture and it really touched me. I just felt like I wanted to be a good person. It left me with the feeling that I never want to do another bad thing for the rest of my life.

From Moroni 10:4-5
"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that you would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if these things are not true. And if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent and faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."

I came to a knowledge that the book is true I would say gradually. It came through little experiences here on that page, and a little experience there on that page, and always accompanied by the Holy Ghost. The way the Book of Mormon has changed me the most, it has filled me with the desire to become one in Jesus Christ. What the Book of Mormon does is it makes me want to share it with as many people I see on the street. I want this book to fill the world...