Hope and the Truth

We (both Sister Buchanan and I) have the experience in helping some of our people attend the LDS Addiction Recovery Program meetings. I attend most every Tuesday night with one person and Sister B with one or more people sometimes twice a week.

These meetings are some the most spiritual meetings I have ever attended in my church experience. There is so much there in testimony of the Atonement.

I keep a few notes on my thoughts as I attend these meetings. I decided I would post some of them here. These are thoughts from two of the last meetings I have attended.

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ARP meeting, step 2 - Hope

This is not a program of self-control - it is a process of accepting the Savior as our control - turning to Him what we cannot do for ourselves.

Thought: It is not enough to be at a status quo - "maintaining."
We can, for a time, maintain a steadiness on our own - but we are  then deceived - not accepting our true and real potential. We need to rely on the spirit to know what we need to do next. The talk by Elder Larry Lawrence shows us how we need to ask what we yet lack - what we should be doing. The Holy Ghost knows us individually and what we need. President Eyring said in his talk, that once we receive that direction, it is important that we DO it.

Through it all, it takes the power of God for us to do it.

We are in a fallen world. It was necessary for us to come into a fallen world, but still, I imagine that it broke our Heavenly Father's heart, knowing what it would really mean to go thorugha fallen world - he forbade them from doing it, but knew that it had to be done. Heavenly Father and Jesus saw the fall - they knew what it really meant, more than any body else. They also knew what it would take to bring us out of it and back to them. They did not turn their backs on us - just because we brought it upon our selves. They are pulling for us, reaching for us, yearning for us to to take full advantage of what they have given us to conquer our fallen state. Christ has the power to bring us up to a better world (Ether 12:4 and Hebrews 6:19).


Another thought on complacency (status quo) - We can find it easier to be complacent when we choose to ignore the truth of our situation - usually through rationalization. Step 4 of the ARP process - Truth and making a fearless personal moral inventory. It is also important to write and record our inventory, also keep a journal. That way it will not be as easy to rationalize and forget the truth about our weaknesses. Moroni also helps us understand the need to understand our weaknesses, not as permanent character flaws, but as means to an end - discovering through humility to trust in the Lord and be improved by Him in ways that are impossible for us alone. (Ether 12:27)

a simple summary of our mission experience

I have not written very much concerning this mission. We are quite busy most of the time visiting people and helping many people get through difficulties in their lives, mostly helping them turn more to their Savior for help and finding the support and strength that comes through church activity. We had some people who are getting closer to being in full activity, especially in getting ready to go to the temple for the first time, or to return after a long time away. It is very gratifying to see some progress made and heartbreaking when troubles overwhelm some of our people we have some to love so much.

One aspect that helps us in this work in Family History. We have quite a few people, both new members and returning members, who have gotten very interested in progressing towards the temple because we have been able to find their ancestors and see what work needs to be done for them. I particularly love doing the research and know the the Lord is helping me find success in the work.

We love the work!

Apostles

As many of you know, I have been keeping up a chart showing the Apostles of the LDS church. I just updated that chart and it is on our website.

Here is the web address:

http://www.buchananspot.com/LDS/Apostles.pdf

It is also in individual pages in .gif form:

http://www.buchananspot.com/LDS/Apostles1.gif
http://www.buchananspot.com/LDS/Apostles2.gif

I hope this is useful to you all!