He is the Word!

     Hello everyone!  I had a great lesson this week where we have been trying to get this investigator to pray for months and I finally just said, look, I cannot speak this language very well but I can give a short testimony. I did, and the spirit was so strong and he agreed to pray for the first time ever! It was a cool opportunity.  Also this week, I prayed for revelation of what to teach another investigator and I felt I should talk about family history. He has been taught for 40 years now!  His wife would not let him get baptized and he is scared to ask again. But I asked him if he has ever heard of family history and if I could see his ancestors. He said, no it is too difficult to find them. I told him about our website and he
just lit up.  He told me that he would be at the next next Friday at 7:30 if I would teach him about it, so I hope I can renew his desire.  We always set 2 baptismal dates in our mission which I love.  You set their baptismal date and then set the date for them to do the work for their family one month later!



     I love this mission!  I love this country!  I love this people!  I truly treasure the time here I have to serve these people!  But moreover this week I want to talk about the things we need to treasure and hold dear to our hearts in this life. In 3 Nephi 13:19-21 it gives us a clear direction:

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust
doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth
nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor
steal.

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Could you find a way that it could be better put than in verse 21? I
cannot!  I love how it continues in the next 2 verses.

22 The light of the body is the eye; if, therefore, thine eye be
single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness.
If, therefore, the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is
that darkness!

     I read this and I realized the truth that encompasses these two short verses. I have said it early every week and I will say it again. KEEP YOUR EYES ON CHRIST!!! The light of the body is the eye because what we set our eyes upon, fills our mind and our whole body with what we have seen. Many people focus their eyes on the lust of drugs, alcohol, and especially today, pornography. These plagues fill our lives with darkness, but if there is one thing we know it is that all darkness is the absence of light. If we set our eyes on the Savior and His teachings, darkness cannot remain where light resides.

     This week I wanted to talk about setting our eyes on Christ, but more specifically his teachings in the scriptures. We need to ask ourselves if we are viewing the scriptures, or are we setting our eyes on the scriptures. Are we letting "thine eye be single," with the scriptures so our bodies can be full of light. Elder Christofferson puts it that "the scriptures remind us of what we knew in the pre-mortal life, but also teaches us about what we were not able to experience in person."  Everyone in this world will feel of the power of the scriptures if they read them because they will remember what they already knew in the pre-mortal life, through feeling and thought. But also, we were not there to kneel at the side of Joseph Smith when he prayed and saw the Father and his Son, but through reading we know that that is true.
     Elder Christofferson continues, and this is my favorite part. He says that "Scripture tutors us in principles and moral values essential in maintaining civil society. Such as integrity, responsibility, selflessness, fidelity, charity." That is so amazing. I love how he puts it that the principles in the scriptures give us essential guidance in maintaining society. When King Benjamin and King Mosiah led their nations, they did so through the teachings of scripture. They led their nation in righteousness and the people loved them. It was only when the Nephites broke away from the scriptures that literally society fell. They broke into tribes and separated. 
     Here is the second point I love. It is the moral values themselves. They describe Christ. They are Christ. It was only through him that society was rebuilt that that time of the Nephites, and it is only through him in his Second Coming that everyone will be saved from the broken
society we will live in.
     Sorry, I just found so much power in the scriptures this week. The words of our modern day prophets is just further scripture basically. In D&C 1:38 we are told:

38 What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voiceor by the voice of my servants, it is the same.

     So my challenge this week is to search these scriptures and let thy eye be single to the Lord and his works. If I have learned one thing here on my mission is that these scriptures have power. They will reach the end of the earth. The prophets of old did not die defending them for the outcome to be anything else. Everyone will receive a chance to read these things in their native language. The Tower of Babel never changed the truth! It might of changed the people's words. But God's word is God's word. I invite you to read these things. But moreover, seek to find what areas of your lives you find that these principles are prevalent, and the areas where they are not. Just fill in the empty spaces in your life with the characteristics of Christ and you shall receive no weakness. We need to be so grateful to have these scriptures given to us by our tender parent, Heavenly Father.       He preserved these words from the hands of the adversary for centuries and now we have them today. Gratitude is the catalyst of all Christlike attributes. Take the scriptures into your life and let thine eye be single so your whole body can be filled with light!! Keep your eyes on Christ! I love this gospel! I love these scriptures! I am here because I cannot and will not deny the truthfulness of these scriptures. I have let mine eye be single and I am filled with the light of Christ and I hold no other purpose in my soul than to spread
that light to these people and everyone I meet. I will never be the same. Tell me this is not true!!!! I love my Savior!! Have the best week everyone! Ai shiteimasu!
Love, 
Elder Trevor Aiken

Turn to Him!

     Hey everyone! This week was very hard but also great. When we fall to the greatest depths in our lives we rise higher and closer to our Heavenly Father than we ever have.  That's because no one can fall lower than Christ did when He suffered for all of our pains, afflictions and our sins. If we turn towards our Savior and keep our eyes on him WE CANNOT 

FAIL! I testify of these things. I saw this come true this week. 

     I had a difficult time this week because the communication barrier is so huge with my Japanese companion. It was like we did everything he felt was right because he could not understand what I was saying when I brought forward ideas so I gave up.  We talked about it and finally resolved it after he kind of understood but I was still frustrated why this was so hard on me. I just prayed to the Lord so sincerely to help me have a positive attitude because I did not know why this was happening and what to do. I have rarely received such clarity in a time of struggle than this. I just realized that the Lord was just trying to humble me so that I would turn unto Him with all of my heart. I realized that He is the Gardner here and I am being cut down to grow and be molded into what He wants me to be. I took a minute to look at the big picture. I had realized that in these past few weeks that as it felt that the communication barrier was getting bigger and bigger with my companion, that as I was humbled, my communication barrier with the Lord was becoming completely transparent.  That is not to say that I don't work every day to understand and recognize the spirit and promptings, but I realized that the Lord was with me every second on those days. But I had to be humbled and turn to Him. If any of you struggle with a relationship and feel their is a communication barrier, look and see, if you humbled yourself, and look to see how you have come closer to the Lord. Your communication may have come much closer than it ever has. Just listen and He may have the answer for you of how to help that relationship.

     In a talk by Elder Richard G. Scott called 'How to Receive Revelation and Inspiration for Personal Life', he says this about humility: "For spirituality to grow stronger and more available, it must be planted in a righteous environment. Haughtiness, pride, and conceit are like stony ground that will never produce spiritual fruit. Humility is a fertile soil where spirituality grows and produces the fruit of inspiration to know what to do. It gives access to divine power to accomplish what must be done. An individual motivated by a desire for praise or recognition will not qualify to be taught by the Spirit. An individual who is arrogant or who lets his or her emotions influence decisions will not be powerfully led by the Spirit."

     I have truly realized that I need to humble myself one hundred percent in order to receive revelation and build an environment for me to grow. I also realized that it takes so much courage to do so. When we are around people we can say such powerful things and work hard, but what are we doing when no one is around, or even more so when we are alone in our prayers and our studies? Are we praying sincerely, are we reading with intent? What are we doing when no one is looking. What are the true intentions of our hearts? 
Philippians 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

     Being courageous is not doing what is right or what is brave when others are around. That is the bravery of the world. True bravery is doing what is right and what is hard when no one is looking. It is working like it all depends on us, but then praying like it all depends on Him. It is truly repenting and communicating with just you and the Lord. It is changing your heart. It is letting yourself to be broken down so he can rebuild you. That is true courage. It is God that knows our heart and our intentions and know us perfectly. Should we not think it wise to know him, so that we can truly know ourselves? I had to ask myself that question this week and I found my answer. God is our Father, Christ is the way, and we are His vessels. Come unto Him and you shall be endowed with the powers of Heaven to overcome all trials and tribulations as we turn unto God. Always keep your eyes on Christ and you shall never fall! This week I took my eyes away from his judgement and looked at the world and I fell. But IN THE SECOND, that I called for help, He raised me out of the water and was there right when I needed him. Just call to Him please!  Just like the father of the prodigal son he will never be angry. He is always looking for you to return from a long way off and he will accept you with open arms and with joy. Just turn. Just turn. I testify of our Father and of our Savior's love and power. I love them from the bottom of my heart. They guide me every day with everything I do. I love you all. And God loves you perfectly. Have an amazing week!!
Love,
Elder Trevor Aiken

Declaring the word!

     Hey everyone! I am doing so awesome!  We are the only area in my mission that is not allowed to go the temple every transfer which is really hard for me right now but I am loving every second.

     I had a powerful experience reading Alma 42 today. This is the last chapter of Alma conversing with his youngest son Corianton. He talks to him about how he needs to deny the justice of God no more and focus on his sins and repent and change. Now I went through the process so that is not what hit me in that chapter but this I what did. I cannot deny that this is God's work not mine. I am but a vessel and I am nothing and completely inadequate as a missionary without my Savior and Father in Heaven. But I do hold a lot of power.  If I go around being down or angry or I am disobedient or lazy, then I will not have the power of God with me, the spirit with me, or the gift of tongues. I will not be able to sanctify myself but more importantly these people. It is not my place to complain or waste this time in which God has called me to be his servant.  It is his time not mine. I accepted this call so God expects me to work. But I also believe that if I am lazy and give up, God could easily find someone else. Some people might be lost because of my selfishness but God's work will always continue and spread throughout the world. But I will miss on an opportunity to sanctify myself, convert unto my Savior Jesus Christ and take upon myself the character of Christ. Moreover, I will miss the chance to help these people receive a chance to be saved. I could not imagine entering God's kingdom and having people walk up to me and saying, "Elder Aiken, why did you not live obediently, walk uprightly before the Lord, and perform your work by the guidance of the spirit and give me a chance to receive the gospel by sharing it with me?"  I have been preparing for this mission long before I entered this life and I will remember it long after I leave it. So how will I leave it? I want to leave it by giving it my all and no longer denying the justice of God but accepting it in my life as a missionary and choosing to serve him and these people every day.      After reading that second to last verse in Alma, I was so zoned in to the chapter that I had not even realized that the last verse was my mission scripture:  Verse 31: And now, O my son, ye are called of God to preach the word unto this people. And now, my son, go thy way, declare the word with truth and soberness, that thou mayest bring souls unto repentance, that the great plan of mercy may have claim upon them. And may God grant unto you even according to my words. Amen.



     I will go and declare this word that they may receive this plan of mercy and this plan of relief. I will keep my eyes on Christ and I will approach the horizon. I will no longer deny the justice of God, but instead of denying the truth I will not only acknowledge it but I will change to walk in line with it.  Will you do work to do the same? Please walk the path to Heavenly Father with Christ with faith in ever footstep. 
     We had a cool this past week, an experience where we prayed to find an investigator.  After tracting for about an hour we went to our apartment and we both agreed that we
should actually go to the church to get some things done.  On our way, we ran into a young man and my companion rushed to speak to him.  When I got there, he saw I spoke English and was so excited.  He asked if I could teach him English since he needed help with some English homework.  I was very happy to help him, and after we talked for a while we gave him a Book of Mormon.  I'm hoping to help him again with the language and with teaching him about the gospel!
     I know this Church is true!  I'm so happy to be on a mission and I love the Japanese people!  Have a great week.
Love,
Elder Trevor Aiken

I made it!

      Hello everyone!  We left for Tokyo a week ago - and before I boarded the plane, I had to get one more Cafe Rio burrito!  I know it will be awhile before I get another one so I couldn't pass it up!

My first companion - Elder Higashi

     The flight to Tokyo was very long - but once we landed - I fell in love with it.  This is the best place on earth!  I have loved every single second. Seriously!
     I woke up for my first full day in Japan at the mission home to get my training and meet my companion. As you saw he is a Nihonjin. That means Japanese person. It is so rare to happen. I am in a tri-panionship because the third elder leaves in a week and me and my companion got whitewashed into an area.  So he'll be helping us get to know the area for a week before he leaves.  
     I got called to the furthest northeast area of my mission and the mission home is in the furthest southwest part.  It is about a 5 hour ride by bus and then a 2 hour train ride and then a 20 minute walk.  We had to leave immediately just to make it to our place in time to have dinner get settled and go to sleep on time so I missed my Facebook training which is why I haven't gotten it yet.
     So I woke up on my first day in my area and my companion, Elder Higashi, does not really do any work outs in the morning except for that handheld hand workout where you squeeze it.  But my other companion on the other hand... asked me if I wanted to get really fit with his workout. He is a Polynesian linebacker that is going to BYU but he broke his wrist and if he injures it again it has to be fused so he is not going to play for them. Anyway the first day was 200 diamond push ups. It took me soooo long and my triceps literally ripped in half - or at least felt that way.  
     The food is pretty good.  We rarely if ever will be fed. For breakfast I just have eggs or granola with yogurt. I miss fruit so much though. One peach down here is 4 dollars. Fruit and meat are outrageously expensive you would not believe. But to my main problem of Japan. They do not kill spiders because they believe it is bad luck to do so... NO LIE!!!!!!  And I am not kidding when I say they are everywhere and they are huge! Because they literally never kill them so they go anywhere they want.  We went to dinner the other night and came out and there was a spider that was about 2 inches around with its legs extended just chillin like it was casual.  I threw a rapper up there and it just flew to it and spun its web around it and had it rapped up in no lie about 20 seconds and I flew to my bike and just hit the road!       
     Now to my companion and my area!  First I have the cool opportunity on the 2nd, 3rd and the 4th of August here in Nagaoka - it's the biggest firework show in Japan.  People keep telling me it's a once in a lifetime opportunity to see. It is celebrated because of peace between Japan and the U.S. after WWII. Super cool.  Our area is Nagaoka and has 250 members. But only 25 active members sadly. It is a group.  But these members are amazing. We have been teaching this 17 year old named Koki and he wants to be baptized so badly but his parents will not let him.  So I challenged him to go home that night and bear his testimony to his parents of what he believes and to testify by the spirit and pray that the spirit could not be held back from that room. I told him to just keep believing. He texted me later that night and said "Elder Aiken I did it but my parents are hard to change their mind but I felt so good when I did it and I know it was the Holy Ghost. I believe!"  I have prayed every day for his parents to let him join. He wants to join and serve a mission as soon as possible and he is seriously so powerful. He is studying English a lot and is actually pretty good which is so rare. Especially in this area because we are so far from Tokyo and these people do not speak English. But he wants to go on a mission English speaking in America. 
     My companion is hilarious! He only knows a little English but he is awesome. I was about to step on the scale the other day and my companion says in broken English, "Today you see miracle. But only after you have a trialof your faith. You can do it. Step on" Then I stepped off and he says, "Its ok, God still loves you. And we have faith and ipad." I was laughing so hard. I am learning the language a lot because of it. And I will a ton more when the other Elder leaves and I have to lean on him which will make me learn it more quickly. 

     I learned how to fully explain the structure of prayer with an analogy and how to pray without any English.  It was so cool.  I have to make it very simple to them. I used the analogy of a sandwich. You need the two pieces of bread but you can put anything in the middle. Just as you need to open by addressing Heavenly Father and closing in Jesus' name but anything can go in the middle. But that we should start by giving thanks then ask a specific question that we want answered. I was so excited when I learned that. This Church is so true. These people are so ready for the gospel but Satan has such a grip on their hearts. Pornography plus drugs and alcohol are huge here too in a lot of areas so that is so sad.  
     I love this area. I love Japan!!!  I found some scriptures that I loved for Japan that I thought applied directly:

2nd Nephi 10:21-22

21 But great are the promises of the Lord unto them who are upon the
isles of the sea; wherefore as it says isles, there must needs be more
than this, and they are inhabited also by our brethren.

22 For behold, the Lord God has led away from time to time from the
house of Israel, according to his will and pleasure. And now behold,
the Lord remembereth all them who have been broken off, wherefore he
remembereth us also.

     The church is true no matter where you go. These people just need to see that light.  Have a great week!

Love you all!
Elder Trevor Aiken

Goodbye MTC!

    Time is flying so fast in the MTC. I truly cannot believe that I am leaving here in just 2 days. I am truly leaving my home. I look at the mountains and see the big Y on the
mountain and I feel like I am still kind of at home so I am interested to see how leaving the country for 2 years will be. I am so excited to go!! 
     I just want to talk about going to Japan right now. Do not listen to any negative opinions about the MTC from anyone. This is the best place ever. It is ordained of God to prepare missionaries to be the best they can be. I do not care that I learned what to say here in the MTC, it's not about that. It is about learning how to be a missionary. I have learned the language of the spirit and how to teach through it. And that is way more important than any foreign language you will learn. Cherish the MTC. 

     But about going to Japan. I have a direct 14 hour flight straight there from Salt Lake. There is no nervousness!  I
promise that that is true but I say that knowing that every day is going to be so hard, I will not understand anything, and everything will be foreign to me. I know I am going to be stretched to my very limit and that I will be so close to breaking at times. But I am not nervous because I have realized this fact. This is not my work. This is not
about me. I am just a vessel for the Lord's work to spread to other nations. If I worry and think about myself then I am not accepting that this is not about me and I will not be living with the character of Christ.  As President Hinckley said, "This is a time when you will have opportunities you will never have again. On your shoulders rests the responsibility of the Church." I cannot give in, I cannot give up, and I will not back down. I have to work every day for this service and these blessings. In a devotional this last week, the speaker said, "Don't you ever settle for mediocrity. God has given you
gifts. Use them." Average truly is the enemy of excellence. The days that I am not giving my all will be my hardest days. The best part about missionary work is work. That is where the joy is found and the ability to overcome trials is received. God did not call me to Japan to be left alone. I will receive my blessings as I work for them. 

     I want to thank everyone for helping me reach this point. It was hard to get here and become the missionary that I am. Harder than you will ever know. But thanks to all that you have done throughout my life not matter how little and how small. You helped just one youth make the correct decisions in life and correct himself when he made the incorrect ones. I would not be here without you. Yes I am just one youth, but to you I thank you. Never forget that one sheep. There might be one soul, one youth, or one friend that needs your guidance. Never forget the one. You never forgot me. You never forgot me. I am so thankful to have the parents that were always there for me. You might not know this but I have the best mom in the world. She has guided me and always been there for me. She is one of the single best examples of love and charity and service. I will always be a momma's boy! And my dad is also one of the best examples in my life. There is not a better example to me of hard work, dedication, and never quitting. And I have carried that with me every day of this mission. I dream of being half the man he is when I have a family of my own. I have the best big brothers and examples of righteously dedicated missionaries. I have always copied their mannerisms and their examples because I  knew if I could grow up to be like them then I could be someone to look up to and rely on like many have done with them. I have had the best friends in the world and I cannot wait to go dedicate the next 22 months of my life to the people of Japan.

     Thank you all again. I will ALWAYS be in your debt for guiding this one youth to this mission. The next time you hear from me I will be in Tokyo. Aishiteimasu!
Love, 
Elder Trevor Aiken

Be not afraid - only believe!

Happy 19th Birthday Trevor!

      This week was an awesome week! Almost everyone I have met and become friends with has left the MTC because I have been here for roughly eight years. Anyway I had the awesome chance to be able to clean the temple and it was so amazing. The peace you feel and the spirit there was remarkable.

     For this week I want to talk about faith. I have learned so much about faith this week. I know I have touched on it so much since I have been here but in these latter days faith is one of the most crucial aspects of life that will help us endure to the end. In a talk by James E. Faust called, "Be Not Afraid, Only Believe," he talks about faith. He says that, "Faith in every future footstep will fulfill prophetic vision concerning the glorious destinies of this church... If you take each challenge one step at a time, with faith in every footstep, your strength and understanding will increase. We can overcome all of our fears, not all at once, but one step at a time... We are the pioneers of the future." I love this. Faith in EVERY footstep. Faith is a daily concept that must be applied always. We cannot go around with "a prayer in our heart," at all times and not have faith at all times and act upon that faith. We cannot fear. In these latter days when fear creeps in our minds so do many negative, threatening, and damaging thoughts. Actions start with thoughts. They determine our actions.  We must remain positive and faithful to stay strong to overcome life's trials in these latter days. We must always have positive virtuous thoughts. Brigham Young said that, "virtue is knowing the will of God and doing it." 

     We must act just as the Brother of Jared did. In the video we see in the MTC called the Character of Christ which is a devotional to missionaries given by Elder David A. Bednar, he talks of the Brother of Jared's experience in a new light I have never seen before. In Ether 3:6 it says this: "And it came to pass that when the brother of Jared had said these words, behold, the Lord stretched forth his hand and touched the stones one by one with his finger. And the veil was taken from off the eyes of the brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of the Lord; and it was as the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood; and the brother of Jared fell down before the Lord, for he was struck with fear."

     I always interpreted it that The Brother of Jared saw the Lord's finger touch the stones. But Elder Bednar liked to point out that in verse 6 there is a period after finger. That is why I underlined it. He touched the stones, and then the Brother of Jared saw his finger. He pointed out that Jared did not see the finger right away because it was not meant to be a sign from the Lord. It was evidence of things not seen. The Lord touched the stones and then the Brother of Jared saw his finger. That is faith, not a sign. Elder Bednar said that the Brother of Jared's faith was confirmed by evidence of things unseen and after seeing stone after stone being lit, it is safe to say that his faith became a pure knowledge and then he saw the finger of the Lord after his faith was confirmed. I loved that thought. I have never thought of that. The Lord does not just give us signs because then we will base our testimony on those things and those testimonies never last. We need to convert unto Christ. 

     To wrap this up, I thought of President Packer with his funeral Friday and I thought of Enos and how that book is a perfect example of true conversion and enduring to the end. Enos has a wrestle before God because he hungered to be forgiven and to come unto God. He took the time to focus on himself to turn unto God and that was the last time he did so. Just as President Packer he turned unto God and spent the rest of his life focusing on others and serving others unto he met Heavenly Father once again. The last verse in Ether states this: "And I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest. And I rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me: Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father. Amen."

     I know this is how President Packer met our Father in Heaven. He was such an amazing man.

Brothers and sisters, we have all had our wrestle unto God for we hungered to be forgiven and come unto Him. If we have not I plead with you to have faith and to do so now. He is just waiting for us to return unto Him. Take that time to wrestle before God and then forget yourself. Be as Elder Packer and convert yourself and then spend the rest of your life serving and converting others. 

     I testify of the truth of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love, 
Elder Trevor Aiken

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.