November 28, 2016, "Light the World"

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           This week has just flown by! We have five baptisms coming up, 2 weddings, and we also found a family of five investigators which are really interested in the church, so that is another 5 baptisms that might be coming up. So everything is going very fine and dandy here in Thermopolis!! 

          We have helped the Ward here get really involved in the Christmas initiative as well. I love this area so much!

"Light the World"

This is a talk I gave in the most recent sacrament meeting in the Thermopolis Ward. And I would like to share it with all of you. This was a very emotional talk for me.

          Some of my earliest memories are of pain and of anger. I was raised in a home of violence and abuse. My dad was a man who turned to frustration instead of the Lord.When I was five years old he was taken to prison, and my mother was left to take care of me and my six older siblings.

          Those who know me best, know how much I love Christmas! I anticipate it's coming all year long. And I would like to share with you a Christmas memories that occurred shortly after my dad was taken.

           It was Christmas morning and I was about the age of 6. Finances were very tight, and me being who I am, was ecstatic for this day. Yet, I did not know if there would be any presents for me. I remember us all bolting to the tree, to find large square presents, one for each of us. With excitement we torn them open! We found in them these huge, soft, warm, and thick blankets. And of course mine was the best, it was a blue blanket with a large Whinne the Poo in the middle.

          I still have this blanket, I have have used it all my life. I used it all they way until I left for my mission. I love this blanket! Yet, I have never know where we got this blanket. I never knew tell about a year ago. These blankets were a donation to our family. As a home that went through domestic violence. I never had a blanket like that before.

          That beautiful Christmas Day sits vividly in my mind. It has stayed with me my entire life and I will stay with me for all eternity. The reason for that, is because some one I don't know, and I don't know if I'll ever know who it was, shared the Christmas Spirit with me. President David O. McKay once said that the Christmas Spirit is the Christ Spirit. (1) 

           Jesus once said " I am the light of the world." (2), Christ once said "Ye are the light of the world." (3) This Christmas season may we light the world. This is what the Lord himself is asking of us, to share his light, through us in twenty five ways over twenty five days. These very simple acts of service will impact our brothers and sisters lives, as that random stranger did mine.

          " As we have felt the pure love of Christ [this morning], we have felt more His love for others. Charity is the pure love of Christ. Whatever we feel now is only a beginning. The Lord has promised each of us a glorious future this way: 'That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until that perfect day.' (4)" (5)

          "There is no better time than now, this very Christmas season, for all of us to re dedicate ourselves to the principle taught by Jesus the Christ. It is the time to love the Lord our God, with all our heart- and our neighbors as ourselves. It is well to remember that he who gives money gives much; he who gives time gives more; but he who gives himself gives all." (6)

           May we light the world this Christmas season! I can promise you as a representative of Jesus Christ that if you truly apply this Christmas initiative in your homes, you, your wives, and your children will be blessed. I love each and everyone of you. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Philip R. Bredsguard

philip.bredsguard@myldsmail.net

917 Amoretti St Thermopolis, WY 82443 

Notes

1. See David O. McKay, Gospel Ideals (1953), 551
2. John 8:12
3. Matthew 5:14
4. Doctrine & Covenants 50:24
5. The Light and the Life of the World, President Henry B. Eyring, Christmas Devotional 2014
6. Christmas is Love, President Thomas S. Monson, Christmas Devotional 2012

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November 21, 2016, "Pure Testimony"

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           A priest in the ward we are in, is going to clean our apartment today! Haha I made a deal with him that if he would read chapter 2 of Preach My Gospel that I would clean his room but if he didn't do it by Sunday (a week) then he would have to clean my apartment. Haha I'm sure you already know the result :)

           We got so much snow this week and it's supposed to snow more tonight and tomorrow. I love it when it snows because then we get to go out and spring spontaneous service all day! We're professional snow shovelers now! Haha just kidding. But we went up behind this elderly lady and started shoveling her driveway. She jumped up and turned around and started cussing at us and telling us to go away. We were just like "we're just trying to help." Haha so we start walking away and she asked us if we a "Jehovah's" We said no. So she asked who we were, so we said proudly, " We are missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ." We then asked her if she would like some help. She said, "O yes! I listen to the Mormon's on TV every Sunday morning! All those Jehovah's want is my money." Then we had a great visit with her.

          I made a snowman! I ate some icicles. It's been a good week.

"Pure Testimony"

          I have been asked by some, to give my pure and simple testimony. 

          "He is risen" (1), there is no greater three words given unto man. I know that Jesus Christ, the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, lives! He is full of grace, mercy, and truth. It is he that came to take away the sins of the world, the sins of every man who steadfastly believeth on his name. (See Alma 5:48) "How great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth." (2) "For there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (3) And now I stand with Joseph, the prophet, by saying "Shall we not go on in such great a cause?" 

           In the sacred and holy name of Jesus Christ, amen

Elder Philip R. Bredsguard

philip.bredsguard@myldsmail.net

917 Amoretti St Thermopolis, WY 82443 

Notes

1. Matthew 28:6

1. 2 Nephi 2:8

1. Acts 4:12

November 14, 2016, "Change"

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           We have just been so busy! I love it! I love the Thermopolis Area. Sunday brought some amazing miracles!

           One of our best friends and next door neighbors is a less active member of the church and not only did he finally come to church yesterday, but he met with the Bishop afterwards!

           Also one of our favorite investigators that moved back to Irvine, CA came and visited for this week, and we never got her admit that the church was true but she would never deny it either, she would just laugh haha. But Sunday was fast Sunday and I bugged her about going up if I went up she said no, but I still went up any way because I wanted to, and when I came back, Pete (her and our best friend and a member) told her that the Spirit is what pushes people up there. So I'm sitting behind her and give her a little push forward haha. She laughed and after about 2 minutes of quietly bickering between Pete, Helen and I we agreed that if Pete bore his testimony first, then she would bare hers only if I stand right next to her haha. And while she was up there she told the entire congregation, with tears in her eyes that she knew that Joseph Smith is a prophet! And then we had a great lesson with her latter last night. It was a very good week :)

"Change"

          Being a trainer I have been given the opportunity to develop gifts and talents and I have also been given the blessing and curse of seeing my own weaknesses. The new companion that I have been given has been very, very homesick this week. I thought I was at least okay at comforting others in time of need, but haha apparently I'm not the greatest you could say.

          I have done all I know to help him, things that I know work. He has his agency. But I am at a complete loss of what to do. I was listening to a talk titled "His Grace is Sufficient", and I know who the Lord calls he qualifies. I know he will make me who he needs me to be to help my companion, even though I currently lack to gifts to do so. I know that through the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ I can grow and develop into an effective disciple of Christ. I can be full of "the pure love of Christ" (1), I can be a mighty teacher in faith and hope, and that one day "when he shall appear [I] shall be like him, for [I] shall see him as he is; that [I] may have this hope; that [I] may be purified even as he is pure," (2) through the grace of Jesus Christ.

          None of us are perfect, none of us will ever be perfect in this life. Our Father in Heaven doesn't expect us to be perfect, but he dose expect us to improve.

          We are saved wholly and completely by grace. Many other religions accuse us of "earning our way to heaven", but that is not true. Christ demands so much of us not to earn our way to heaven, but to learn our way to heaven. So that our "confidence wax strong in the presence of God." (3)

          "The purpose and central blessing of life is change. It is to be changed to become more like Jesus Christ. It is to incorporate into your character, the qualities of His character. It is to move from one degree of intelligence and capacity to the next, and from there to the next, until you see God face to face and know Him as He knows you." (4)

          "You not only can change but you do change all of the time. Sometimes people do not believe this. They excuse their failures and weaknesses by saying: "That's just the way I am." "I am just short tempered, impatient person." I can't get up in the morning. That's just the way I am." "That's my nature." Or, "I'm just shy. That's all. That's just who I am." "I am not really a spiritual person." 

          "To believe that weaknesses and deficiencies in your character are unchangeable is to reject the central truth of the plan of salvation! You are not cast in stone. You not only can change but you do change all of the time. You are a dynamic, changing, evolving being. You are always changing. You never stay the same. You cannot stand still." 

           "You are right now the sum total of what you have thought, said, seen, heard and done. What you think, say, do, hear and see, cause you to change; to change for good or evil; to become either stronger or weaker; to either internalize the qualities of light or the qualities of darkness. You are responsible for who you are and you are responsible for who you will become. Do you know what kind of person you want to become? Do you see in your mind who you want to be? Do you know?" (5)

          "Think of this life as a path on which you never stand still. As you move forward, you incorporate into your being the characteristics and qualities of God. As you move backward you assimilate the qualities of Satan." 

          "Every challenge you face, every hard thing you confront, every bad thing that happens to you, every unfairness, every conflict, every sadness, tragedy, every disappointment and heartache, every temptation and every opposition happens for one purpose only: to give you opportunity to respond by applying in your life the teachings of Jesus. As you do so you are changed to become more like Him." (6)

          We are to turn our heart and will to God. To all, I say "Surrender your will to Him. Unconditionally. Withhold nothing. Turn it all over to Him; all of your desires, wishes, dreams and hopes. Be true and faithful in your head and in your heart, not just in your behavior. Trust in Him. Trust Him who knows all things. Trust Him who has all power. Trust Him whose love for you is perfect. Trust Him, who alone suffered, paid and atoned for your sins, and for your weaknesses as well. Trust Him that He will make of you, immeasurably more, than what you will ever, ever, in all eternity, make of yourself. He will create of you a masterpiece. You will create of you only a smudge. You will create an ordinary man. He will create a God." (7) 

          I think that President David O. McKay once said something like this: "The greatest battles you will ever fight will be within the silent chambers of your heart" That is the battleground between what you want and what the Lord wants. If you surrender, if the Lord wins, you win also. If you win, if your will prevails, you and the Lord both lose. The only way to win is to lose. Lose yourself in the Lord's work, and you will win beyond your wildest imaginations, for "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (8). 

          "Jesus Christ not only came to atone for our sins; He also came to show us the way. He is the Way. You not only may become like Him; everything is stacked in your favor to become like Him." (9) I know that I will be the trainer He needs me to be, and he can make you, into who you need to be. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Philip R. Bredsguard

philip.bredsguard@myldsmail.net

917 Amoretti St Thermopolis, WY 82443 

Notes

1. Moroni 7:47

2. Moroni 7:48

3. Doctrine & Covenants 121:45

4. "The Fourth Missionary" By Lawrence E. Corbridge

5. "The Fourth Missionary" By Lawrence E. Corbridge

6. "The Fourth Missionary" By Lawrence E. Corbridge

November 7, 2016, "When Your Heart is Depressed"

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           My new companion is Elder Kolby Lester. He is from Gilbert, AZ. He I lives in Val Vista lakes, we only live 8 min away from each other! He is a brand new missionary from the MTC. He is one of the most humble men I have ever met. I'm so happy and grateful that I get to spend at least 6 weeks with him and learn from him.

          We got yelled at by a Catholic yesterday! Also Jack, the 11 year old, has been living the Word of Wisdom the past few weeks, and he had a real trial giving up his tea haha. But he committed to living it for a month to see if it is truly from God. I didn't know how He was going to do it, but the other day Jack told us he knew the Word of Wisdom is true. So we asked how he knew it was true. He told us that when he went to go get his shots that usually he cries like a baby, but this time it didn't hurt that bad and he said that the Spirit told him that it was because he is living the Word of Wisdom! God truly works in mysterious ways haha.

"When Your Heart is Depressed"

          This last Saturday my heart was depressed. We have been trying to meet with a part member family that we know very well and who have been super prepared by the Lord. They have had many miracles in their lives recently. We see them all the time but when ever we try and set up an appointment/ dinner, Satan always gets in the way and the lesson will always cancel 30-60 min before it's supposed to happen. For example their clothes caught on fire at the laundry mat a few weeks ago, and a car accident.  

          So this lesson/ dinner cancels 30 min before like the others. So we come home to make our own dinner. All I ate was an apple. And I thought I would take a nap. Those of you who know me, know I don't take naps. So I thought I would go up stairs and just rest (my mom is always bugging me about that ;), love ya mom!). I tried to take a nap, but for the life of me I cannot turn off my brain, no matter what it's always doing something. 

          After about 15 min of trying to rest and being fed up that I couldn't take a nap. I went over to my desk opened up my Book of Mormon and just started to read. IMMEDIATELY, peace, joy and an indescribable sense of tranquility came over me. The rest of the night was truly an amazingly spiritual night and know that it was due to me opening up that beautiful book and reading.

           There is power in the Book of Mormon! This is my favorite book! "If you are struggling, confused, or spiritually lost, I urge you to do the one thing I know will get you back on track. Begin again to prayerfully study the Book of Mormon and live its teachings every day, every day, every day! I testify of the profound power in the Book of Mormon that will change your life and strengthen your resolve to follow Christ. The Holy Ghost will change your heart and help you see “things as they really are.” He will show you what you need to do next." (1)

           May God watch over each and everyone of you who reads this, you are my friends. I love all of you. "Never forget, just how powerful you really are." (2) In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Philip R. Bredsguard

philip.bredsguard@myldsmail.net

917 Amoretti St Thermopolis, WY 82443

Notes

1. Stay by the Tree, By Elder Kevin W. Pearson, April 2015

2. Lanny D. Owens

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 Elder Johnson and Elder Bredsguard

Tom's wife gave Elder Bredsguard his jacket after he passed away.  What an honor for Elder Bredsguard!