Another Email - 4/28/09

From: Bryan Barney
Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 7:08 AM

Keep up the good work, dad! Working with inactive/ less active members is a very, very hard thing, but on the other hand, it's one of the most important parts of the Church's work. Missionaries can go and convert, but without the support of members, retention isn't very high. You just have to keep going at it, and the Lord will bless you for your service.

Getting people to the Temple is, well, it's the endgame, isn't it? The Apostles spoke A LOT about going to the temple this conference, and it's an incredible experience. There are a lot of people who maybe don't feel worthy, whether they'll say that or not, to go to the temple. For this the NEED the friendship of members, to help lift them. Satan will do everything in his power to make people feel unworthy. At times, yes, we are unworthy of this or that blessing, but I learned something very important this week from a Seventy:

You MUST Rejoice at the Opportunity to Repent. Every chance to repent is a new chance to come that much closer to Christ. Obviously this doesn't mean we should go out and sin a bunch so we can repent, but that we should receive all calls to repentance with a smile, so that we can be that much better. Repentance is a miracle. Christ suffered absolute agony to give us the chance to repent, we should, therefore, use that chance to the fullest and with the highest level of gratitude possible. Obviously, to repent, you must feel sorrow for your sins, but at the same time, you ought to rejoice at the chance to become a better person.

Anything less mocks the entire work of God, seeing that the Atonement is the very center of His plan.

But I think you should see if we have a copy of Preach my Gospel in my room. It's an incredible book. I encourage you all to read it, but especially you and Colin. It's well, I use it as the 6th book of scriptures in my standard works.

I have to run now, I have a lot of photos to send Mom, and time and money are going fast, but I love you, and pray for your success!