Elders and Sisters of the Great Texas Houston Mission,
Several years ago when I started coaching soccer I remember a game where I learned an important lesson. Our team was up by a goal and in an effort to preserve the victory, I brought my stronger players back on defense to defend the goal. The things that happened next taught me the lesson. Because I didn't have strong players to advance the ball down the field, the other team was able to take shot after shot on the goal. I don't remember if that game ended in a tie or if we lost, but I do remember that the decision to only defend was a bad decision and I also learned that the best defense was an attacking offense.
Sometimes when we think of repentance we simply feel that we are supposed to turn away from sin. These feelings are best exemplified in our thoughts when we justify ourselves in our minds by saying things like, "at least I'm not doing things as bad as so-and-so" or as missionaries, we may think, "I'm not a bad missionary, because I'm not doing bad things." Clearly that is important, but that is not all the Lord requires. When King Benjamin had finished speaking to his people in Mos 4, we read their reaction when they state: "the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent...has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually." (Mos 5:2) True repentance not only turns us from sin, but also turns us toward God. In True to the Faith we read that "It is a change of mind and heart that gives you a fresh view about God, about yourself and about the world."
PMG states that "Sincere repentance brings several results. We feel God’s forgiveness and His peace in our lives. Our guilt and sorrow are swept away. We feel the influence of the Spirit in greater abundance." (p. 62). With this greater influence of the Spirit, we have desires to do good. In fact the Lord declared in the introduction of the Doctrine and Covenants, "Nevertheless, he that repents AND does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven;" (D&C 1:32).
The Lord's desire and Sister Mortensen's and my desire is that your confidence wax strong in His presence. That requires that we have broken hearts and contrite spirits, that we seek to do His will and not our own. Only then will His peace be upon us and we will find joy in His service.
We love you all and love serving with you!
Love,
President and Sister Mortensen
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| Sister Ostvig and Sister Sievert teaching investigators Family History... the new age of the Work of Salvation |
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| Elder Diaz and Elder Wildman model our new service T-shirts |
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| Klein 1 Zone |
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| Klein 1 Zone unites after an uplifting zone meeting |
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| Looking sharp in matching ties |
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| Sister Hutchings and Sister Kyles get an upclose look at a Homecoming mum. Real Texas Cultural. |