The Book Of Mormon

 Hello Friends and Family!

I am so happy that I have the opportunity to be a missionary!  Not only am I having the best and happiest time of my life here in Georgia, but everyday I feel closer to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I wish there were words that could accurately describe how much our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ love us and watch over us. There are miracles that Elder Sorensen and I are able to witness everyday, and it is through these miracles, and through the Spirit we feel at every moment of the day, that I have been able to gain a stronger testimony of this Gospel, and of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints. There are so many things, like usual, that I would like to say! However, I will keep my weekly letter to four main things that happened this week that helped to strengthen my testimony in this work, and in our Father in Heaven.

First off, a week ago Elder Sorensen and I had the chance to be able to travel to Columbus (just North of LaGrange) to be interviewed by my mission president. While at my interview, I was able to feel the Spirit testify so strongly to me that not only was my mission president, President Grayson, called of God through Prophets and Apostles, but it helped to confirm to me that my calling as a missionary is from our Loving Heavenly Father as well. That certainly our God is a God of order, wisdom, and compassion. That I was able to gain a stronger witness, and a stronger testimony, that in fact, I have been called to the Georgia Macon Mission by a Prophet of God who speaks on behalf of Jesus Christ. How amazing is that? I was not only overwhelmed by the Spirit, but was reminded of how important every missionary’s calling is. That we all have a separate, yet unified, work to perform to prepare the Earth for the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. After leaving interviews, I couldn’t help but to feel the peace the Spirit brings when it confirms that our Father in Heaven does, and is always, watching over us.

Second, Elder Sorensen and I were able to have an awesome experience while knocking doors at a small apartment complex this week. While we were knocking doors, a voice behind one of them yelled, “Just come on in!” Don’t you just love the Southern Hospitality? Anyways, as we walked in, we were greeted by a woman named Linda. She is 52 years old, and says that she had been confined to her couch the last few weeks due to a car accident she had not too long ago. As we prayed with her, and were allowed to give her a quick message about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Elder Sorensen and I both felt prompted by the Spirit to share a quick scripture before we left. I opened up to one of my favorite scriptures: 3 Nephi 11:14-15, which reads, “Arise and come forth unto me,that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world. And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, or whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.” I will never forget what happened as I read that scripture. The Spirit was so strong, and Linda closed her eyes, and we all just sat there in silence for a few moments. Linda then said how she felt the chills, and how that scripture ‘really touched her’. It was amazing. It was just another witness to me of the power of the Book of Mormon, and the power (when we let it into our lives) that our Heavenly Father has to use scriptures, such as the Book of Mormon, to touch the lives of those around us, or even our very own lives as well. We were able to leave her with a Book of Mormon, and leave our witness with her of the power of the Gospel, and the joy that we can all feel as we read, pray, and ponder the scriptures to find every answer we need in our life. I know that the Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ. I have seen the Book of Mormon not only touch Linda’s life, but just as important, I have seen how the Book of Mormon can change an individual’s life, such as it has changed mine. That I know the Bible to be the Word of God (as far as it is translated correctly), but I also know the Book of Mormon to be the most correct Book on the Earth today. After we have an awesome experience with the Book of Mormon with an individual, as missionaries, we are sure to read with them the last paragraph in the Introduction to the Book of Mormon, which reads, “Those who gain this divine witness [of the Book of Mormon as the truth] from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is His revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the Second Coming of the Messiah.” I know that as we gain a stronger testimony of the Book of Mormon, and the power that comes as we read it, we will also know for ourselves that this is truly the Restored Church on the Earth today. It is because of the Book of Mormon that Elder Sorensen and I have seen the transformation an individual slowly makes from darkness, to light, as they read the Book of Mormon.

Third, Elder Sorensen and I were able to see another amazing miracle this week. One of our

Investigators, Lauren, reached out to us, and we were able to set up an appointment with her. Elder Sorensen and I literally tried for days to find a member to be able to come out with us, to meet with Lauren. As the appointment drew closer (within hours) we still didn’t have a member to come with us (Church policy requires we have a female member present whenever we teach a female, out of respect). Elder Sorensen and I had tried almost everyone in our Branch, and no one could go. We both decided we should pray. I will never forget what happened next. Right as we closed our prayer, and said ‘Amen’, our phone buzzed with a text message. We quickly looked at it, and a member said she would be willing to go with us! Our prayer was literally answered less than ten seconds after our prayer, it was so amazing! We were able to teach Lauren about the Book of Mormon, and read Alma 32 with her (which is all about faith). One verse in particular, when reading it with her, stood out to me. It is verse 21 which reads, “And now as i said concerning faith - faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.” I love this verse so much, because it relates to our experience we had less than an hour earlier as we prayed. That we did not have a knowledge that a member would eventually come out with us, or even a knowledge that our prayer would be answered quickly. However, we both had a hope in our Heavenly Father that he would see the intention of our heart, and allow us a member to be able to visit with Lauren. I know that if we but hope for something, and pray with the deepest desire of our heart for help, that our Loving Heavenly Father will always answer our prayers somehow. That although it may not be as quickly as we experienced, or as simply, that somehow Heavenly Father will always answer our prayers. I am overwhelmed just thinking about the concept of prayer: being able to approach our Heavenly Father, as His imperfect children, asking for things we do not yet have, and telling him thank you for the things we do have. And in that very moment, Heavenly Father hears us, and is aware already of how He will answer us. This Gospel is simply amazing.

The last experience that I want to share is about Candi. I was able to talk about Candi in my last letter, and the miracle with experience on her porch about a week ago. On Sunday, we had the chance to meet with her again. We were able to meet her disabled son, Austin, and visit with both of them.  We were able to give Candi a Book of Mormon, and share with her our testimony of how we can find peace as we read it, she just seemed to light up. The Spirit was beautiful there. The main reason I wanted to share this simple appointment is because of the feelings I personally had while in that home. Seeing the love a mother has for her son, reminded me of the love that I have felt for 18 years from my own mother. I know that there is no greater love, except that which stems from the Godhead, than a love from a mother. It was a tender moment for me, to not only remind me of how grateful I am to have a family, but more importantly, a mother who raised me so purposefully in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In closing, I was blessed to be able to have another awesome week here in LaGrange. Being on a mission in the Bible Belt, surrounded by literally thousands of different Christian religions, has brought to my attention the need to understand how essential the Book of Mormon is to our Faith. As Joseph Smith once called it, it’s the ‘keystone’ to our religion. I have a testimony of the Book of Mormon, and of the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know that we have a Savior by the name of Jesus Christ, and a Father in Heaven who loves us and answers our prayers every single day. Thank you for all your prayers and support; you are all some of the greatest blessings in my life. Until next week!

Elder Robb