Quayd's letter

Quayd was so excited to share his testimony and notes from Elder Dallin Oaks visit last week! 

This week has been one crazy week.  Elder Oaks is coming and we have a young choice lady who has decided to follow Christ, our savior and is heading into the waters of baptism. We have been plagued with sickness and are dieing slowly within our apartment and have been SKUNKIFIED!!!!!!

And love is in the air and I can't be loving it better!!!!! hahaha I love this work! I love this gospel!! I love sharing the truth with those who need it!!! and I love those who change their life around and accept the gospel to help them!!!! Christ is real! I have witnessed his hand in all things and I have seen his grace and mercy through every thick and thin of this mission. With the companionship of the holy ghost testifying of its truth... hearts are softened... tormoil and grief are changed to peace and joy... and I have seen that this week! So, here a couple highlights! 

We have been plagued with sickness. It's not at all how I thought I would start this transfer off, but that is what happened. We are dying in our beds, coughing and hacking. Apparently, Beaumont is the place to get sick. haha It's not fun! Although I enjoy the sleep, I'd rather be living the life by teaching the gospel! We are doing a little better each day anyway.

We were SKUNKIFIED!!!!! Our car reeks of skunk !

Like I said, an apostle of the Lord came and on that very same day a baptism happened....Our new follower of Christ is Hayley. This choice young daughter of our Heavenly Father is a character! She is funny and sometimes arrogant with her sarcasm, but she is a light that this world needs! It's Christ’s light and his love! We saw that as we taught her and as as she said yes to the invitation. It's amazing,  the work the Lord has for us to do. ...We got to baptize Hayley. I got to see Elder Earl and Elder Matthews!  

Elder Oaks! There's a big difference seeing him on a tv screen and actually meeting him! He looks very young and healthy for his age which is saying something...  the Lord takes care of his apostles, along with the prophet himself. I got to shake his hand and you could feel his spirit! So some things that I learned from Elder Oaks…

 Well, he said he does not like the world of technology.  One thing that Elder Oaks has is humor! He said, as he was trying to use his iPad, “I hate this inferno device and the only reason I use it is because Elder Packer told me I had to.” I was laughing so hard. He calls his jokes “fragments”.

Here are some things that I learned…He told us a great deal of the Book of Mormon…he told us of Alma and Amulek and how that revolves around us missionaries and wife's and husband’s companionship… unity is very important.

 He also explained how we read the Book of Mormon just to go through it or to read it so we can say we read it for seminary.  That is what I did and I'm ashamed that I just read it through. I'm learning more and more about the Book of Mormon, but it still feels like I'm just reading it just so I can get through personal study... haha.  Something he said though struck me…Are we reading the Book of Mormon differently than we read anything else? Are we reading the Book of Mormon differently than a chapter book or novel or magazine? Are we reading the Book of Mormon with faith to learn something, to lose ourselves in its pages and it's doctrine of Jesus Christ? Are we finding faith and courage and a purpose for living and sharing this gospel?

We need to read the Book of Mormon differently, that we cannot read the Book of Mormon like we read other things.  Seek to find understanding… we will be just flipping page by page and in the end we will be stuck with question like... what did I just read? Sadly, I have done this and need to correct my error. He offered this advice: Experience reading the Book of Mormon! Put prayer in between reading the Book of Mormon and other activities. Plead for the spirit to guide the way to understand and capture the importance of the words of Christ. So, I am going to repent myself and try my best to understand the truth of its doctrine.

Also, he told us the success of the mission depends on honesty… to be honest with your mission president, with your companion, with your mission and, most importantly, with yourself!  He said, and I quote, “The devil has many tools, but, a lie has a handle them all.”  He said to be honest and fix anything of error. Honesty needs to be cloaked with diplomacy.

  

 I love you all and I know that the gospel is true, that it's being led by a beloved prophet and his followers, one of them being Elder Oaks. The wisdom these men have are inspired by God, the power of discernment and the priesthood.  I know also that Joseph smith was and is the prophet of these last days and that Christ is our eternal maker, our judge and our friend. Let us lay down our lives and fight for this gospel and not measure up to those around us but measure up to Him!

I love you and wish you a happy Valentine's Day! 

Love,

Elder Corbridge