Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Letter From Mat--Easy Way to Write Matt, Notes to Family Members, Don't be like Lehonti!


They're chicken feet!  They eat them here, how weird

Hey! So, turns out that I can now send and receive E-mails from all around the world from anyone, also, because of that new change of rules, we have 2 hours to write every body! and because of that, I don't think I'm going to print off letters any more.

Miriam, I'm really glad that you got that job! I hope that you do well there! Are you thinking about going to college? Where are you going? I heard you got a full ride scholarship! That's awesome! Tell me more about it! Tell me more about your life? How ya doing?

Katrina, Well I hope that I'll be able to just get back and talk... I will admit that it's very hard for me to speak English and very hard for me to write too, but writing in my journal helps me. You did not tell me that you had gotten a part, but you did tell me that there was a chance that you would be getting a part. How cool! Tell me a little bit about the story line! Its true, I'm having a great time here. I am kinda torn because I don't really want to go back... But I guess I still have more than a year to enjoy the mission. I would love to watch legend of korra with you but I'm really debating whether or not I'm going to watch TV when I get back, it really sucks away your life.

Thomas, Did you know that Richard does pole jumping? You should ask him about it, it sounds like the kind of event just for you! (skinny little bean poles using wooden poles to jump really high) haha, just joking, so how's your finger doing? The guy never went to church... maybe he was just a skammer. well, I guess we'll see. Tell me more about your amazing life! Stay safe physically, mentally and spiritually.

Mom, so, The woman and the guy? Well, I haven't heard a thing about them... Hhaha. I think the greatest thing that I've learned so far is that I haven't learned enough! haha :) I am sure that the Lord will answer your prayers too, and I really hope he does because I need them haha :) So, a bout of not being able to sleep... Let's see... I think that you should try and explain the problem to the Lord, and ask for all the help that you can get, explain why its important for you and for your kids. Other than that.... Maybe you have a problem like Dad's. Have you done a sleep study yet? Thanks for everything you do for me, including the letters! I love you.

Dad, I'm really glad to hear that you had a good week, I'm going to answer a few of your questions from last week. No, I don't see crowds of gringos from cruise ships. No, people don't think I'm a tourist. No, I don't see famous people, or I haven't yet.  As for your letter this week, I can tell that you are excited to be going away for spring bread haha, I'm also glad that you had a great week! So, you remember how I said that you wouldn't be able to come down and pick me up... that might be a lie... I don't know, if you want to, a few months before my mission ends, you can e-mail my mission president and explain what you want to do, maybe he'll say yes, maybe he'll say no, who knows, just don't bug me about it haha! (I don't know why I said that, you haven't been bugging me at all.) I'm super glad that you've been studying the scriptures! You should use preach my Gospel to improve your studies. You should look at pmg as more of a guide book or text book or instruction manual and less as something that you read from cover to cover. I love you Dad!ç
OK, this week, what am I going to write...... Hmm.....

well....... Thomas, prepare for a mission right now, ask the Lord about it and get a testimony, nourish that testimony through scripture study and daily and constant prayer. Miriam and Katrina, you should do the same thing but instead of a mission, looking forward to matrimony, teaching your children will be 100 times more important than teaching an investigator, and think about serving a mission, as it could bless your life in countless ways,
Another thing,

We should never trick or fool ourselves into doing something bad, don't justify something wicked, and if doing something puts you in dangerous situations, stop doing doing that thing. If you do something that puts you in a dangerous situation but you think that you can ''withstand'' the temptation, stop doing that thing. It doesn't matter if we ''withstand'' a temptation or not, if we compromise our standards, it will eventually lead to a spiritual down-fall.

Just look at Alma chapters 47, (I'm going to ask that you all briefly re-read or skim the chapter as I don't have time to write a summary) we all know about Lehonti who was on top of the mountain and how he and his army were determined not to come down and speak with Amalickiah  and how he was tricked into coming down, but how could he have withstood the temptation completely? The answer comes much earlier in verse 5, when the Lamanites flee from the king's army, they decided to flee to Onidah,  the place of arms. Why didn't they decide to flee to the people of Ammon, the Righteous group of Lamanites that would not lift a sword to save their own life? They would've been safe there to live in the ways of God, but they were not willing to abandon the ways of man and the tradicions of their fathers, or perhaps it was the fear of the imagined punishment that drove them to Onidah,  and so they faced the slow degradation of their ''determined resolution'' to ''not be subjected to go against the Nephites,'' fade and crumble.

If we are not willing to abandon the acts that lead us to sin, we will eventually end up in our own mountain, where the easiest option will be to watch a similar degradation of our own standards and values.
Don't do the same thing as the Lamanites.

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