Priesthood, Prophets, Temples and Jesus

Penticton, Canada photo by Skyler Rushton

This weekend’s General Conference was excellent! The Prophets and Apostles are super inspired every time they address us! The Bishop here, Bishop Towns, promised the whole congregation last week that if they brought any question or questions to general conference, it would be answered by one of the General Authorities. I took this challenge, we had investigators take this challenge and miracles ensued! I had all of mine answered and my testimony was strengthened yet again by the “special witness” of the Lord’s appointed leaders. It was awesome!

General conference was so good. It made me especially grateful of four things: The Priesthood, Prophets, Temples and Jesus! I am so happy that we have each and every one of them available to every single person that lives or has lived on the Earth! I especially loved Elder Holland’s talk, Elder Anderson’s, Elder Oak’s and Elder Christofferson’s especially. They sure know how to throw down and every single one of their words have stuck with me since this weekend!

So the Priesthood… I love it a lot. I think Elder Oaks explained what it is and how we each use it perfectly. Such. A. Great. Talk. The Priesthood is restored today and with it, we can have our lives blessed and return to live with God after this live in our family units. So awesome! I also loved when Elder Oaks said that sister missionaries have Priesthood authority when they are on their missions. I almost wish the sisters in this mission could have been at priesthood session and heard that because they sure go through a lot of crap sometimes. They gave us an investigator last week that we went to teach and when we showed up, all he did was attack how the sisters are so “unreliable”. So we told him what’s up and walked away. What a jerk!

Prophets… are amazing! They hold so many keys, that they are invaluable to us here on the earth today and throughout all dispensations! I love President Thomas S. Monson. Has he seen Jesus Christ? I don’t know, but he certainly is his mouthpiece to us today! I sustain and follow the prophet as closely as I can because I believe that he was called of God to lead us today for a reason. I wouldn’t be on my mission right now if it weren’t for him! And modern day, god given prophets are part of our special message to the world today. How great they are!

Temples hold a special place in my heart. We took our investigator Beth on a church tour last Wednesday and afterwards went into the waiting room of the Langley, B.C. temple. It was an amazing lesson, we taught tithing and the law of chastity, but the temple was the cherry on top. The spirit hit all of us like a wall and Beth LOVED it there. “It’s SO peaceful!” she said! I shared my favorite New Testament scripture with her, John 14:27, and she began to weep. It was such a sacred experience… it was marvelous. Now if she would just get baptized ha-ha…

Jesus Christ, my personal Savior and Redeemer, I can’t explain to you how much my love for him has grown on my mission. To see His hand touch the lives of others through me and his other servants is something very sacred to see. I love the Lord with all my heart and I hope that my love for Him can grow even stronger! But how do we truly “love” the Lord? By doing everything that he has asked of us. By living the commandments, by living a Christ-like life and by doing everything that He would do if He were in our position. He is our advocate and knows each and every one of us PERFECTLY! Oh how I love him!

Well friends and family, I hope this letter didn’t seem too “preachy” ha-ha. I just want you all to know how much I love the Priesthood, Prophets, Temples and my Savior, Jesus Christ. This last week was pretty dang good and this next one should be even better! I love all of you sooooo much! Have an amazing week! God bless you!

With Love!,

–Elder Rushton The Third