Zone Conference week 5-20-2019

 The Aburi Gardens

This past week was our interviews with our mission president and then zone conference was the next day. Let's just say that, I really, really loved our zone conference and what was discussed. President Keyes gave us a lesson about the doctrine of Christ which is faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. He explained how important it is and that it is the "Doctrine of Christ" not the "Doctrine(s) of Christ." It really touched me when he mentioned that, because some of us like to choose some commandments to follow and other ones we don't want to. Without one we can't have the other. SO when speaking of the doctrine of Christ, when we remove one we cannot have the strong foundation that we need to receive eternal life.

Elder Jones and I

After the lesson, we split into our zones and Elder Jones and I had the chance to speak to our zones and to have a short lesson with them. While I was preparing for it, I was impressed to speak about making changes in our lives and the purpose of making those changes. I spoke about how Christ was the very first example of this. When you read and study Hebrews Chapter 7 it talks about the line of the priesthood and that, during that time, only the descendants of the tribe of Levi had the rights of the priesthood. No one ever spoke about that Jesus Christ would come from the line of Judah, but he did. Some people use that to argue against his divinity because he "changed" the tradition. But isn't that why he was sent? To change tradition? To change the old and bring the new? HE came to fulfill what was already there and make new laws to help us to live a higher law. In addition, Joseph Smith is also a similitude of why Christ came. Joseph Smith was foreordained by God to come here and to restore the truth and to break traditions set up by man. SO as we are continuing to see changes in the church, let us not lose sight of the purpose of these changes and accept them to be true revelation from a true and living prophet.

As for teaching this week, on Friday night, we were visiting some members and were teaching a few of them on how to go about giving someone a Book of Mormon. When we had finished, we taught a wonderful lesson to Beatrice. We taught her the Plan of Salvation and we were using a pamphlet for references. When we were done, Beatrice said, "I hope that you are leaving that pamphlet with me, because I really need to read it and to learn more!" Man! It made me so happy to hear that, because it showed us that she loved learning about the plan of salvation and that she wants to truly understand it.

The Aburi Gardens has a one-hundred and ten foot tall, completely hollowed out tree, and I climbed inside and took a picture, ha ha! Just know that I am only like six feet off of the ground, so I am not in danger. :)

Then after that, we were about to leave when a young women in the branch called us over and said, "Remember those boys who came to church for the first time last Sunday? Well I want to take you to meet them so we can start teaching them. I have decided I want to serve a mission and I want to learn how to teach." I was quite blown away, honestly! I did not expect her to do that, but she was super eager to have us teach her friends, and to be able to teach with us! That is a rare thing to find in youth in the church, and we need to help them to have that same desire to go and teach the gospel! 

As you all know, I really love it here. I love being a missionary and I love teaching the gospel. I love you all and hope you have a great week! 

Sincerely,

Elder Baird

Mom's notes:

1. I can't ever remember what we say on the phone, so I may not have too many of these in the future.