Serving Other Senior Missionaries

Another thing that we really enjoy about our mission is being able to serve other senior missionaries.  We occasionally have the opportunity to visit or head-up a few get-togethers to help keep senior missionaries feel connected.  We sometimes serve in areas far from each other, and in areas where there are few members of the church.  Last weekend, we were able to have a day-trip with Elder and Sister Blackham and Elder and Sister Morgan, both from Idaho, and visited Skagen, which is the northern-most tip of Denmark.

Being built on the sand, tossed by the sea, and beat upon by the winds had new meaning to me this weekend as Bev and I went to this far north point of Denmark.  This is where the Baltic Sea meets the North Sea.  The two seas can be very violent where they come together and clash against each other.  We saw the effects of blowing sand and water on the structures of man at the St Laurence Sand-Buried Church.  This experience reminded me of some of the struggles we have of building our lives upon a solid foundation to avoid the effects of the forces of evil men and Satan.

Elder and Sister Blackham, Sister Morgan, Elder and Sister Parker
at the St. Laurence sand-buried church

Skagen location of old St. Laurence sand-buried church

Notice the sand blowing in

Where do we go for answers?

Recently we visited with some young people who had questions about the church and its history.  They had searched for answers in many different places.  With the Internet and social media you can get an opinion on anything from people who feel they are experts on everything.  You also find people who use free speech as an excuse to be critical and even rude concerning the beliefs of others.  We saw that in the recent publishing of cartoons of religious leaders, which caused great offense.  We discussed with these youth that just because you had the right to say, do or publish something, didn’t make it the right thing to do.

One of our young adults shared the statement,  “When you have questions ask God not Google.”  That brought us to our discussion of James 1:5, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

Often we stop at quoting verse 5.  If we go on to verse 6 we learn, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”

 Ephesians 4:14: “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.”

We now were able to talk about the “Google” world.  We see much of the world, inside and outside the church, being tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine instead of going to the true source, God, and His prophets.

We need to build our lives and families upon the rock of Christ and His church, and then hold on tight.

Luke 6

47 “Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

 48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. “

Matthew 7

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.”

It is my hope and prayer that we will build upon the rock of revelation, upon the rock of our savior Jesus Christ and His church.  Follow the prophets of God and we will be able to weather the storms of the last days.