Thursday, April 19, 2012

Jesu Kristi Forsoningens Styrkende Kraft (The Enabling Power)

Heiyo! (all of these 10 year olds have begun saying that to us - hmm!)

I'll just be honest in saying I don't know where to begin!

Our rockin' investigators are still awesome and pushing forward in their grasp for eternal truth, but have been held back by personal, family and health issues! Aww, it just breaks our heart to have an appointment canceled - especially when there was nothing in their power to stop it. But the work of the Lord presses on :).
Writing in the journ-journ with a Calvin & Hobbes shirt
 I would like to thank you all for the absolutely heaven-sent packages and letters that have built me up this week. I feel so much more empowered knowing there is more than Elder Farnsworth and I out in this work. It is something I treasure - so I thank you all for that!


Earlier this week our Zone Leader from Trondheim came up to visit ol' Mo i Rana for the day. It is at times hilarious to see how other missionaries encounter the Mo i Rana experience. Our Mission President for example describes my first area (Bergen) to be heaven in terms of aesthetics, and my
 Poor choice of socks ><*
second area (Mo i Rana) to be quite the opposite. Elder Sessions (the zone leader) had a good, willing attitude about it though! And it is also hilarious to see how "big-city" missionaries who are on the street all day with thousands of people surrounding them, approach the little cities where you're on the street with the same 50-100 people the whole day, everyday. Talking with people and sharing the gospel is just done differently when you're in a more intimate evironment! But Elder Sessions provided wonderful tools to improve our work here :).


One of which was our focus on baptism as the focal point of our work. It's true, baptism is how we can literally bring people closer to their Savior. There is a difference in the degree of access to the Atonement of Jesus 
Christ before and after the ordinance of baptism. In our district meeting this past week (with Bodø over skype), we discussed the importance of baptism. However, one of the greatest issues we have with baptism here in Norway is helping others recognize the need for being baptized again. Authority in performing the Lord's ordinances is KEY. As Ezra 2:62 says (paraphrased), those who do not have their priesthood line of authority are considered unworthy for performing ordinances. Priesthood holders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can trace their restored priesthood line of authority directly back to the Savior Jesus Christ - we are so blessed! We, along with Bodø, performed practicals teaching this vital, and often extremely sensitive, point of doctrine! We in no way desire to offend others by saying their baptisms are incomplete. 

The greatest thing I have learned this week was from the April 2012 Liahona magazine, where Elder David A. Bednar shared his insights on the enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. All too often, us humans think we have to buckle down, grit our teeth and make the journey back to God alone, which in reality that is impossible without Jesus Christ. "We may mistakenly believe we must make the journey from good to better and become a saint all by ourselves, through sheer grit, willpower, and discipline, and with our obviously limited capacities . . . . Individual willpower, personal determination and motivation, effective planning and goal setting are necessary but ultimately insufficient for us to triumphantly complete this mortal journey." Jesus Christ is requisite to help us with our journey to become a saint. Our daily frustrations and struggles can be enveloped in Christ's love as we rely on Him, and push forward to improve. The more I learn about this Gospel, the more I am so grateful we are not alone in this journey!

Another thing that has been on my mind is the ever-increasing availability, and unreliability, of knowledge by means of technology. The complexity and rapid acceleration of all forms of information make it difficult to find what is true or not. It seems to me that many are led to believe untrue things just because it's in a book, or on the internet. Reliable sources are collapsing left and right to truly discern between truth from falsehood. However, from the scriptures we have a clear, defining frame of reference from which we can discern all things. (See Moroni 7:12-19). And if that isn't enough to help you find the truth, you can always turn to God in prayer to know the answers (See Moroni 10:5). Notice how the verse says "all things." Not "only spiritual things" or "only secular things" but ALL things. Both secular and spiritual, all that is necessary for you, and that crucially affects you, to return back to your Heavenly Father. And another thing I've realized on my mission: most of the time the Spirit speaks through common sense. God gave you the ability to reason for yourself for a purpose! Use it wisely.
 Waitin' in the bus stop!

Right now I'm in Bodø on splits, which is why this email was late. They had a baptismal interview, which went wonderfully. The Lord truly does prepare the people, and us, in order to bring His children into His fold! We are extraordinarily blessed to have the knowledge of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ through God's prophets and apostles in our day and time. We can deal with life's problems with faith and hope knowing that Christ's atoning sacrifice will set right any and all unfairness we can and could possibly encounter in this life. 

Just exercise faith!

-Eldste Bryce Thomas Johnson
 Exotic Fanta and Solo - Norske sodas MMM.


p.s. Sis. H. the jerky was inCREDIBLE. Meat's extremely expensive here, so thank you soooo much!!

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