Hi Steph!
Yeah, it seems that God makes promises like in the word of wisdom, tithing, and His command to multiply and replenish the earth. Then "scientists" start to create doubt with their tiny perspective on the universe. They see a few facts in a insignificantly small part of eternity and start to think that society, the ecosystem, and the entire galaxy is falling apart. The Lord sees all, and He knows what will happen throughout eternity. When He gives a commandment and a promise we can trust that it is what is best and if we obey we can have greater blessings and light in our lives.
I recently read Joseph Smiths "King Follett Sermon". Joseph explained that God gives laws that will help us move from one state of glory up to the next and the next until we are perfect. It was kind of an interesting testimony on how God works. You might check it out. There are headings that will allow you to just read parts you want to read about. I know you are very busy.
Sorry I keep giving you stuff to read HA HA. The Holland talk video is the thing that I really think should be watched to prepare for a mission if you were to choose just one. Oh, and another cool point, in Alma ch 26 it’s basically Alma and Amuleks homecoming talk. They even expressed that they got depresses and the Lord comforted them. So don’t worry about how you feel or if you feel insecure. Even those amazing missionaries were human and needed comfort! Just focus on what you are supposed to do, and you will be strengthened. You can do it. Just like Nephi and the brass plates. I love you.
I firmly believe the things I said. I say them to each of you in Christ's name amen.
Elder Brendlinger
i love you.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
There are objectives but no grades.
Hey Mom, Dad, Bre and Steph,
Thanks for the e mail it’s nice to hear from you! I think I will have a CD player at some point. Spanish is going well. I’m not a super star but I am learning some phrases OK. It’s not frustrating. I know how hard it is outside the MTC. It’s easy compared to that. We kinda have tests. They are weekly TRC practices. There are objectives but no grades. This week we are practicing talking about family and food, then teaching the first lesson in Spanish for the first time. It should be exciting! We all just do our best. It is nice to have something specific to work towards. Our teachers help us as much as they can during the week. We kinda choose what we want to go over. We do Spanish some times and doctrine other times. It is always about 10 hour of class though. I don’t mind though. I have so much to learn. It’s a good pace. The food has been good. It’s kinda buffet style so people never leave hungry, and most people gain 5 to 10 pounds HA. There are between 1 and 3 entree choices so there is almost always something that sounds good. They have a bunch of drink choices. Well I love you guys! Say hi to the young men and stuff!
Love Elder Brendlinger
Thanks for the e mail it’s nice to hear from you! I think I will have a CD player at some point. Spanish is going well. I’m not a super star but I am learning some phrases OK. It’s not frustrating. I know how hard it is outside the MTC. It’s easy compared to that. We kinda have tests. They are weekly TRC practices. There are objectives but no grades. This week we are practicing talking about family and food, then teaching the first lesson in Spanish for the first time. It should be exciting! We all just do our best. It is nice to have something specific to work towards. Our teachers help us as much as they can during the week. We kinda choose what we want to go over. We do Spanish some times and doctrine other times. It is always about 10 hour of class though. I don’t mind though. I have so much to learn. It’s a good pace. The food has been good. It’s kinda buffet style so people never leave hungry, and most people gain 5 to 10 pounds HA. There are between 1 and 3 entree choices so there is almost always something that sounds good. They have a bunch of drink choices. Well I love you guys! Say hi to the young men and stuff!
Love Elder Brendlinger
Friday, February 12, 2010
I have become a literal part of the 5th article of faith!
Hi guys!
It’s great to hear from you like always! Thanks so much for your words of support dad! It means a lot.
So I recently looked at my ministral certificate with my district. It is a little card we carry in with us at all times. It has very meaningful words. it says
"Garret Steven Brendlinger, who is in full faith and fellowship with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is a duly ordained minister of the gospel and as such has authority to preach the principles of the gospel and to administer the ordinances there of- we invite all people to hear his message."
That was really impressive to me. Not only am I a "minister" but I have become a literal part of the 5th article of faith! I never realized that either of those things would happen to me, but it’s really awesome.
I will do my best to live up to this responsibility. This certificate is recognized legally too. Even the non-Latter Day Saint world acknowledges that when you have this you are not "soliciting" or teaching random thoughts you have, but we have authority to preach and administer. I’m grateful for that opportunity.
I love you guys and I pray for you! I wish you the best. Talk to you later.
Love Elder Brendlinger
It’s great to hear from you like always! Thanks so much for your words of support dad! It means a lot.
So I recently looked at my ministral certificate with my district. It is a little card we carry in with us at all times. It has very meaningful words. it says
"Garret Steven Brendlinger, who is in full faith and fellowship with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is a duly ordained minister of the gospel and as such has authority to preach the principles of the gospel and to administer the ordinances there of- we invite all people to hear his message."
That was really impressive to me. Not only am I a "minister" but I have become a literal part of the 5th article of faith! I never realized that either of those things would happen to me, but it’s really awesome.
I will do my best to live up to this responsibility. This certificate is recognized legally too. Even the non-Latter Day Saint world acknowledges that when you have this you are not "soliciting" or teaching random thoughts you have, but we have authority to preach and administer. I’m grateful for that opportunity.
I love you guys and I pray for you! I wish you the best. Talk to you later.
Love Elder Brendlinger
I love going to the Temple!
I love going to the Temple! I always have one set of questions answered and I get a whole new set of questions for next time. Ha, but I love it. I can really feel that I’m being taught by the spirit in there. Speaking of that, the spirit is very smart. In fact it knows everything. Joseph Smith said in his King Follett Sermon that he knew more than any man because he had the spirit with him. I know that being taught by the spirit is very important for mission service. It even teaches when we practice lessons with members that role play. I was talking with one instructor and the spirit helped me explain the first vision in a way that I never even thought about before. The spirit taught me as the words came out of my own mouth. That was a remarkable experience. By the way the thought was -- "God answers prayers according to our personal needs. Since Joseph was going to be the prophet of the restoration he needed to see God and His son so that he could endure persecution and testify with power. We can also pray for answers, but we probably won’t see God. But we do feel exactly what WE PERSONALLY need to feel. God will tell us everything we need to know in the way we need to hear it."
I love you all, and I wish you the best!
Elder Brendlinger
I’m learning that I alone can’t fulfill my purpose as a missionary.
I love you guys,
I am learning a lot about faith and diligence right now.
I’m learning that I alone can’t fulfill my purpose as a missionary, but when I do my best to work hard so I can be worthy of the promptings that the spirit provides, and live worthy to receive the strength to do those things THEN I can fulfill my purpose which is to invite others to come unto Christ. Under the direction of The Eternal Father the Lord Jesus Christ is the leader of this work and he is not a passive leader. He is in every part if good mission work that is done by both member missionaries and full time missionaries. The Spirit is a guide for missionaries and as the tool to reach the hearts of Gods children. Without the spirit any success in the mission field is merely coincidence.
I love you and I pray for you.
I was told to encourage my parents to serve senior missions by a president of the 70, so I know it will be an amazing experience if you guys can do it.
Love Elder Brendlinger
I am learning a lot about faith and diligence right now.
I’m learning that I alone can’t fulfill my purpose as a missionary, but when I do my best to work hard so I can be worthy of the promptings that the spirit provides, and live worthy to receive the strength to do those things THEN I can fulfill my purpose which is to invite others to come unto Christ. Under the direction of The Eternal Father the Lord Jesus Christ is the leader of this work and he is not a passive leader. He is in every part if good mission work that is done by both member missionaries and full time missionaries. The Spirit is a guide for missionaries and as the tool to reach the hearts of Gods children. Without the spirit any success in the mission field is merely coincidence.
I love you and I pray for you.
I was told to encourage my parents to serve senior missions by a president of the 70, so I know it will be an amazing experience if you guys can do it.
Love Elder Brendlinger
Those that convert without full knowledge of the Gospel are very blessed because they have great faith.
Hi every one,
I love you all! Recently as a devotional we just sang the audiences favorite hynms. it brought a great spirit. We sang families can be together forever, and I got emotional and felt really grateful that I’m able to be sealed with you all for eternity. It meant even more cuz I did sealings last week in the temple and got to hear, over and over, the covenants that hold us together. What a great gift families are to us all!
Another favorite song is a poor wayfaring man of grief (number 29). It reminds me of how involved the savior is in my life. He sees everything I do and knows all the good and bad. Every good thing that I do, I indirectly do it to him.
I’m happy to hear that you guys are setting goals for the New Year with the ward. I read a scripture that reminded me of your missionary efforts. I think it’s in Alma 32:15-16. It was talking about how those that convert without full knowledge are very blessed cuz they have great faith. I hope you find some people that will hear your message.
Oh interesting fact, I may leave for the field a week before the rest of my district cuz I’m so local. They are 3/1 and I’m 2/24(may have changed I don’t know) but yeah it’s not a huge detail. I love you! Bye
I love you all! Recently as a devotional we just sang the audiences favorite hynms. it brought a great spirit. We sang families can be together forever, and I got emotional and felt really grateful that I’m able to be sealed with you all for eternity. It meant even more cuz I did sealings last week in the temple and got to hear, over and over, the covenants that hold us together. What a great gift families are to us all!
Another favorite song is a poor wayfaring man of grief (number 29). It reminds me of how involved the savior is in my life. He sees everything I do and knows all the good and bad. Every good thing that I do, I indirectly do it to him.
I’m happy to hear that you guys are setting goals for the New Year with the ward. I read a scripture that reminded me of your missionary efforts. I think it’s in Alma 32:15-16. It was talking about how those that convert without full knowledge are very blessed cuz they have great faith. I hope you find some people that will hear your message.
Oh interesting fact, I may leave for the field a week before the rest of my district cuz I’m so local. They are 3/1 and I’m 2/24(may have changed I don’t know) but yeah it’s not a huge detail. I love you! Bye
Every bit of knowledge will be used on a mission.
Hi!
If you ever wanna get a hold of me you can send a letter to dearelder.com and use my mail box number 122 and UT-Pro 0224 mission. I’ll be at the MTC till Wed. Feb. 24th. It usually gets to me the same day.
I can’t listen to music here but I can in the mission field. If you send me some talks would be cool to have on CD as well. "ldsvoices.com" and other sites have free talks that can be downloaded and burnt to CD. Don’t feel like obligated to make some for me though. ill still love you guys. As for cassettes I think so...but idk. My old comp had a tape recorder that he used at an audio journal and sent the tapes to a friend. To me that seemed ok to do during personal time, but we have a no music rule at the MTC now.
TRUST ME every missionary can benefit from more time for study and pondering and spiritual experiences. So Steph, enjoy all the prep time the Lord set out for you. Every bit of knowledge will be used. I’m really focusing on teaching people not teaching lessons. Well my time is almost up. I love you guys! Hope to hear from you soon!
Elder Brendlinger
If you ever wanna get a hold of me you can send a letter to dearelder.com and use my mail box number 122 and UT-Pro 0224 mission. I’ll be at the MTC till Wed. Feb. 24th. It usually gets to me the same day.
I can’t listen to music here but I can in the mission field. If you send me some talks would be cool to have on CD as well. "ldsvoices.com" and other sites have free talks that can be downloaded and burnt to CD. Don’t feel like obligated to make some for me though. ill still love you guys. As for cassettes I think so...but idk. My old comp had a tape recorder that he used at an audio journal and sent the tapes to a friend. To me that seemed ok to do during personal time, but we have a no music rule at the MTC now.
TRUST ME every missionary can benefit from more time for study and pondering and spiritual experiences. So Steph, enjoy all the prep time the Lord set out for you. Every bit of knowledge will be used. I’m really focusing on teaching people not teaching lessons. Well my time is almost up. I love you guys! Hope to hear from you soon!
Elder Brendlinger
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