Wow, what a busy week!
This famous singer here named Ebony died this week which was sad, she has a few good songs that are super popular that we hear all the time. The censorship here in Ghana is a bit different than the US, so we got to see the detailed pictures of what happened. She was in a car wreck because somebody put a pile of sand that blocked part of the road, driver swerved and hit a big VIP bus. They died instantly so that is good. Really sad though, it is the big news around here.
I bought a bottled Sprite here, and got a sweet surprise of someone's chewed gum in the bottom. Of course, I found that after I drank all of it, no wonder it tasted a little funny! :) hahahahahahaha! I love it!
This man Emmanuel was recently baptized here, and he got hold of some false doctrine about the Latter-Day Saints. Anyways, it made him pretty angry, so he has told us that he will go to the President of Kumasi here and speak to him about getting the correct idea about the LDS to the people here. He is so wonderful and has such a passion for the truth!
We had MLC this week too, it was a little different this time, we sat in a council the whole time kinda like the new church curriculum, and it was pretty great to talk about the mission and things we can do to improve. Always spiritual.
On Friday, we met a prophet from the church "True Faith" which was interesting, but he was so curious about the Book of Mormon, so he was fairly receptive to us. At the end of our lesson, his prophet showed up and asked to speak to him, so we will see how it all goes this week when we meet again! :) hahahaha! :)
We visited our clerk this week, his house is dang nice, like crazy nice. Tall ceilings, somehow American style. Anyways, we saw them, and their 2 younger sisters are Chanelle and Shantay. They are so cute, and we had tons of fun getting to know them! :)
Well my thought of the week is about God's plan for us. I was reading in Alma 42:16-24 which talks about the harmony of God's plan. The Law, Justice, and Mercy, and how one part cannot be without the other in the plan, for example:
Law and justice (no mercy) = nobody lives with God, all are imperfect. Impossible.
Law and mercy (no justice) = Everybody goes to heaven, regardless of their deeds. Easy. No learning.
Justice and mercy (no law) = Doesn't make sense, no rules. No plan. No progress.
This is explained here in the Book of Mormon:
17 Now, how could a man repent except he should sin? How could he sin if there was no law? How could there be a law save there was a punishment?
18 Now, there was a punishment affixed, and a just law given, which brought remorse of conscience unto man.
19 Now, if there was no law given—if a man murdered he should die—would he be afraid he would die if he should murder?
20 And also, if there was no law given against sin men would not be afraid to sin.
21 And if there was no law given, if men sinned what could justice do, or mercy either, for they would have no claim upon the creature?
So, the two parts must be there in the plan. It can't just be that everybody goes regardless of their good or evil deeds, as that wouldn't be just and then God wouldn't be just. It also means that there has to be a way for mercy to be provided for us despite our weakness. That mercy comes from the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Without Him, God's plan is useless because all His children would be lost, but with Him, we are able to be saved on conditions of repentance and good works:
22 But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance, mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God.
23 But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice.
24 For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved.
We must learn of the Lord's plan for us, and we must understand what He requires of us so that we may be able to repent sufficiently. Only those who are truly humble and really repent of their sins can be saved. We are so blessed to have this knowledge from the Book of Mormon so that we may be instructed sufficiently to know the Lord so that at the last day, He will say, "Well done thou good and faithful servant" because of all the good works we have done and all the evil we have repented from.
Love you all,
Elder Wawro 😇
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