week 90

Hello everyone! 

I love the Book of Mormon! I'm not sure how many emails over the course of my mission have been about the Book of Mormon, but I have to talk about it because of how important it has become to me. Imagine how much it meant to Moroni! Imagine being Moroni - responsible for the care of a book which contains eternal truths essential for the salvation and eternal life of man, your father spend his entire life abridging it and your single most important duty is to protect those plates from a wicked society that would destroy them as fast as they would you. That's quite a responsibility. So we should take it seriously when Moroni, with all the energy, love, and understanding that he can offer us, seals his life’s work with the following plea and promise: “Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.” (Moroni 10:32-33)

On an individual basis, this is the whole point of the Book of Mormon . . . to help us act with faith and believe now and forever that His grace is sufficient to make us perfect, sanctified, and holy, without spot. This is the outcome that this book was written for and miraculously preserved for for thousands of years. This is the reason I am here sharing my testimony with the world and with you. Do you believe it? Are you putting Moroni’s full promise to the test in your life? I testify with all my heart and promise you that the Father’s covenant with you personally in this regard is real and eternal. Put it to the test! As you read the Book of Mormon paying special attention to the covenants God has made with Israel you will feel the power of those covenants and strengthen your desire to follow Christ. I promise you that and so does Moroni. 

As for a quick report of this week: 

This week in the branch it has been really slow but we have continued working really hard. We did not find any new people to teach, and for now since we don't have a working area book, we are really focusing on building positive relationships with members of the branch and sharing the gospel online through Facebook. I loved our MLC and the big focus on hope. If you are feeling down during the week, please read the section on "Hope" in gospel topics in the gospel library. It is incredible! 

I love you all! 

Elder Hilton 

my 20th birthday cake!