Happy 4th of July!

My new Mission President - President Nagano

Choir practice for the new Mission President's Seminar 

Happy 4th of July!

     Hey everyone!!! How is everyone doing on this wonderful 4th of July week!!!! I have had an awesome week. It has been so hot outside which has zapped my energy but I have loved every second! Our choir leader down here at the MTC told us an amazing story which is on church sites but I had never heard before:

                                 A Vision in the Night Sky

     About two and a half years earlier, on September 22, 1827, two young men living miles apart—who would later become neighbors and best friends—each saw an astonishing vision in the night sky. Their names were Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball. Heber was living in Mendon, New York, near the Tomlinson Inn, and Brigham was 45 miles to the east in Port Byron.

     It began, Heber said, in the eastern horizon—a white smoke rising toward the heavens with the sound of a mighty wind. The smoke moved across the sky, in the shape of a rainbow toward the western horizon. It grew wide, then bluish in color, and became completely transparent. As Heber watched with his family and several neighbors, a large, commanding army appeared, marching in platoons across the sky from east to west. “We could distinctly see the muskets, bayonets and knapsacks of the men,” Heber recorded, “and also saw their officers with their swords and equipage, and [heard] the clashing and jingling of their implements of war, and could discover the forms and features of the men. The most profound order existed throughout the entire army; when the foremost man stepped, every man stepped at the same time; I could hear the steps. When the front rank reached the western horizon a battle ensued, as we could distinctly hear the report of arms and the rush.

     “No man could judge of my feelings when I beheld that army of men, as plainly as ever I saw armies of men in the flesh; it seemed as though every hair of my head was alive. This scenery we gazed upon for hours, until it began to disappear.” 

     Brigham Young, who at that time was not acquainted with Heber, described what he had seen the same evening: “There was a great light in the East and it went to the West and it was very bright although [there was] no moon at that time.” As he gazed at it with his wife, Miriam, they saw “great armies” marching across the night sky. The vision was “perfectly clear,” and it remained for several hours.  

     Heber and Brigham and their family members who witnessed the amazing scene felt it must have been a sign from God, but they did not know its meaning. Neither Heber nor Brigham knew the Prophet Joseph Smith or that he had received the gold plates containing the Book of Mormon that same day at the Hill Cumorah, just 20 miles to the east. These souls were going to fight the evil spirits that were going to work to stop Joseph from that great work. I was blown away by that story!!

     But my main focus this week I want to talk on turning back to God. DON'T WAIT. Satan's number one tool is to get us to sin because he knows we will all sin and make mistakes. Another of satan's tools is for us to delay repentance. He wants us to forget our God. If we remembered our Heavenly Father and His infinite love when we made mistakes there would be no problem. Would we not repent immediately, remembering God's infinite and perfect love for us and know that He would forgive any mistake? But the adversary would have us forget God's promises to us. He makes us feel unworthy to repent and worthless. Too worthless to talk to our bishop, our parents, or even to our own Father in Heaven. 

     In the story of the prodigal son, it says that when he is returning, the father sees him far off. Meaning that he was constantly watching for his son's return even though his son basically told his father that he was dead to him and wanted his inheritance immediately. Because think about it. To receive the inheritance would have meant the passing of his father, and he basically said to his dad that he was not dying fast enough and he wanted his money right then and he left. Now taking into account that he basically cut all ties with his father, his father is constantly waiting and watching in the distance. Just as our Father in Heaven. He is calling to us saying "turn back, turn around. Come on son. I am hear for you. I am not disappointed. Just turn around." He does not say this with anger loudly, but softly and lovingly. God is NEVER disappointed in the one who is repenting. Repentance in Hebrew means to turn around. Like the prodigal son, Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven are waiting for us to turn around. That is why in that story when the son turns around, his father is already running out to meet him with open arms. We need to repent now because God is waiting for us cheering us on the whole way. He never looks down on us disappointed. He knows all that we can accomplish. 

     But we cannot serve two masters. There is a story of a man who when everyone was deciding whether to follow Lucifer or the Savior in the opposing plans, he waited. He could not decide. There was a fence that divided one plan from the other and eventually two thirds followed Christ to one side and one third followed Lucifer. The man then thought, "Wait, I have all of this area to myself, I can sit on the fence, one leg on either side and get the best of both plans." Then Lucifer walked back down to the fence and asked the man what he was doing. He said, "I will sit on the fence and have the best of both plans." Lucifer just smiled and laughed, "Don't you know I own the fence." Do not sit on the fence brothers and sisters!! Do not remain idle!! Turn back!! God is not disappointed. He is waiting for you to just turn around. He cheers you on every day along with all of your loved ones. All He asks is to turn around and face the waves. The power of the Atonement gives the chance that if we just face the waves that are crashing down on us, that the Savior will step in front of that wave and will calm the storm and ease our pains just as he did for his Apostles. In Japanese the phrase used for the Plan of Salvation directly translates to the Plan of relief. That is exactly what it is!! We have so many tools to do so. God has given us the Book of Mormon. Do not see reading the scriptures daily as a chore that puts our real life on hold for a little while. That is real life!! See the scriptures as a motivation! 

     In the talk called the Power of Scripture by Richard G. Scott he says that, "Learning, pondering, searching, and memorizing scriptures is like filling a filing cabinet with friends, values, and truths that can be called upon anytime, anywhere in the world... Great power can come from memorizing scriptures. To memorize a scripture is to forge a new friendship. It is like discovering a new individual who can help in time of need, give inspiration and comfort, and be a source of motivation for needed change... Scriptures can calm an agitated soul, giving peace, hope, and a restoration of confidence in one’s ability to overcome the challenges of life. They have potent power to heal emotional challenges when there is faith in the Savior. They can accelerate physical healing." 

     I have never thought of that but the scriptures truly are our friend that we can call upon. In times of trial and temptation it is hard to remember our God and Savior, but as it says here the scriptures can be called upon at anytime, anywhere in the world. Turn towards your scriptures, turn towards the lighthouse, and please turn around. He is waiting and will always wait. But it is always harder to adjust your eyes to the light of Christ the longer you have been in darkness. If we work hard we can make the difference in our lives and those around us, but God is the difference. Just turn around. 

     I love you all so much. I do not know why I felt so strongly that I should send this but I did. Have an amazing week. 

Love, 
Elder Aiken.