Passionately in Love with a
book!! Who da thunk!!!
Wow, what a great week we are
having… first off I want to say happy birthday to Haleigh. So in other words
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY HALEIGH!!!!!! I
was a little upset that I didn’t have the chance to write and say happy birthday
this Monday like normal… but we went to the temple this week. The temple is a
really powerful and sacred place. I was thinking of describing the temple as
Magical, but the place is not Disneyland… but a whole lot better.
I have been spending a lot of time thinking about the
Gospel. You would think that as a missionary it’s would be the only subject on
your mind… but to be honest you can talk about the gospel all day but not
really arrive to any profound faults. I have been using the bible a lot in my
teachings because the majority of the people that live here are catholic or
some other religion that believes in that sacred book. I’ve came to a shocking
conclusion that, and it might seem a little bit obvious, the Lord has called me
to teach the restoration of the gospel. The most power instrument in the
conversion that I have in my arsenal is the combination of the Spirit and the
Book of Mormon. I am not saying that I have not been using the Book of Mormon
in my teachings, what I am saying however is that my capacity to understand the
simple truths that exist in the testimony of the Nephites, has been helping not
only me understand more of the gospel but also all of the our investigators. I
have been slowly learning a new principle. There are different levels of desire
that comes from reading the Scriptures. First, when we really don’t know the
importance of the Scriptures we are at level one. The first level is called
reading. We just read the scriptures but we are just reading to read and not to
learn. Level 2, just barely above reading, that being to read just for the
stories. I am not saying that it’s bad to just read the different stories in
the book of Mormon. All of the history has a special lesson that we can learn
but... well… it’s not going to feed your soul all that much. The third
level is starting to ponder over what you are reading. In this level we begin
to think and consider the topics and lessons. We begin to form a foundation of
faith and trust in the Lord through his words. Level 4 is to deeply study the
pages. Intensely meditate the subject matter… pray diligently for wisdom and
knowledge…seek the guidance of the spirit and counsel from our modern day
prophets. Really level four is to be in love with the scriptures. If you can
believe it there is one level that is just a bit higher than level 4 that being
the dominant level 5. I thought about it and came to the conclusion that the
most powerful feelings that we have in this world… that truly dictate our
actions are our passions and love. Level 5 is to be in love with the scriptures
that it arrives to the point of an addiction… that you don’t feel good if you
are not reading them. Your heart becomes intertwined with the teachings of the
prophets that your spirit cannot function properly, without a heavy dose of
SCRIPTURE POWER!!!! We arrive at this point when reading for 15 minutes is not
enough, and we begin to do everything in our power to feel the spirit stronger
and stronger in our lives. In my mind I can see it as a real addiction… that if
we don’t take larger and larger doses we don’t get that same spiritual high. I
want to arrive to become SPIRITUALLY ADDICTED. I have decided that I am going
to start to reflect, contemplate, and fall in love with reading the scriptures
so that I can start to become passionately addicted them.
I hope that sometimes when I am writing you guys I don’t
just sound like I am totally crazy… but know that I love you. I am glad that
all is good at home.
Hurrah for Israel !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Elder Harris
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