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Monday, March 26, 2018

March 26, 2018, "Jesus Christ"


Email to Family and Friends

          I am absolutely loving it here in Thermopolis! There is so much work going on here! Everyone is so prepared! We are literally starting the lessons with at least 6-7 house holds this week that we just found last week! It is perfect for Elder Gonzalez's training! He is an amazing trainee, he is just so ready to learn, teach and find. I am so happy to be serving with him!
           I love all the people here it has been so sweet to see all of my family and friends again. I know the Lord has allowed me to come back here for a reason! These last 11 weeks of my mission are going to be some of the busiest and most good done. We trust in the God of Israel and there is none in our way to stop us, save it be ourselves.

"Jesus Christ"

             As the days and weeks go on I am realizing that the time I have to bear my witness of the Living Christ in this unique way is quickly coming to a close. With the few weeks I have left I want to share my most precious possession with all of you.
              Family and friends, I know that Jesus Christ is the only one and true way back to God. By Him, all good things come. I love Him, He is my personal Savior and Redeemer. I know He loves you, I know He so desperately wants to give you His redeeming power to impact your life for peace and joy. He weeps when you weep and rejoices when you rejoice. He is the Son of God! God be thanked for His Divine Son!
               

Elder Philip R. Bredsguard
Current Address- 917 Amoretti Thermopolis, WY 82443

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Tuesday, March 20, 2018

March 19, 2018, "Christ in the Book of Mormon"


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          We had the baptism of April Curruth yesterday! She is so amazing and her and her fiancé are moving down to Mesa here is a month or two! We have had a great week!
           We got transfer news this week! I'm am getting transferred to Thermopolis, WY to finish my mission!! I will be training a brand new missionary. By the time I go home I will have served in Thermopolis in 2016, 2017, and 2018. I will have served there in every month of the year except Feb. Making it a total of 10 months. 
            Needless to say I am very excited we are getting doubled in to replace Sisters there.

"Christ in the Book of Mormon"

  • "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophecy of Christ.." (2 Nephi 25:26)
  • Christ's name is mentioned every 1.7 verses in the Book of Mormon
  • Christ's Death and Crucifixion is discussed 36 times
  • His Resurrection 88 times
  • There is 117 names for Christ in the Book of Mormon
  • "Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world." (3 Nephi 11:10)
  • 12,021 words spoken by Christ in 3 Nephi
  • 166 years of peace after Christ visit
  • Number of names used for Christ by major Book of Mormon authors
    • Lehi...17
    • Nephi...38
    • Jacob...22
    • Abinadi...10
    • Benjamin...15
    • Alma...22
    • Amulek...14
    • Samuel...16
    • Mormon...20
    • Moroni...21
  • 2,500 men, women, and children touched the Living Christ (see 3 Nephi 17:25)
               

Elder Philip R. Bredsguard
Current Address- 917 Amoretti Thermopolis, WY 82443

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Monday, March 12, 2018

March 12, 2018, "Enter Therein"


Email to Family and Friends

          Hey familia! My companion had the flu this week so we had to stay inside for 4 days, haha I got a lot studying in! I learned a lot this week. We got to go to the temple as well. And I am continually amazed  at the beauty and the symbolism in there.
           We made a fort and a lot of paper airplanes but we got lots of good work in at the end of the week. I love you!

"Enter Therein"

              As I was reading in Helaman 14 this morning I came across verse 15 which states "For behold, [Jesus Christ] surely must die that salvation may come; yea, it behooveth him and becometh expedient that he dieth, to bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, that thereby men may be brought into the presence of the Lord."
               When I came across this verse my mind was then opened to see, that both symbolically and literally, the death of Jesus Christ prepares us to enter into the presence of God. By his resurrection we receive our immortal body clothed in purity even in the robes of righteousness. (see 2 Nephi 9:14) To be crowned with the crowns of celestial glory (see 1 Peter 5:4, D&C 75:5). His everlasting Atonement can cover us as we are all naked and ashamed as consequence of our sins, for we are fallen man and have gone contrary to the nature of God, even the nature of happiness. 
               May we all come unto Christ, that we may find peace and eternal joy as He covers us by His endless mercy, and when the time comes we will receive our Fathers sacred embrace (Luke 15:20, 2 Nephi 1:15) as we pass through the veil and enter into His glorious presence. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
               

Elder Philip R. Bredsguard

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Monday, March 5, 2018

March 5, 2018, "Love"


Email to Family and Friends

          This week was great! We have been doing so much good work! We are finding the definition of elect investigators! We have a whole family, another who is on date for the 18th and another who when we left her the Book of Mormon to read, could not put it down! The work is booming here!
           We go on so many exchanges here. I feel 40% of our time and energy is spent comforting and encouraging the Elders here in the Zone. A lot of them are in the midst of their own refiners fires to prepare them for what is to come for them. It is not easy for them, and I am thankful to God for the opportunity he has given to serve and love these Elders in the moment of their troubles
             It was a crazy week! We had some cool service! We watched a Picasso painting get actioned off for $65,000 during our service. One of the Elders in our Zone is on a mini mission from Idaho Falls and he got his mission call this week to Alabama. He is pretty exited! It's been a great week!

"Love"

              The thing which I desire most in my life is peace and love. There is such joy from these qualities. President Monson once said "Brethren, we do not honor the priesthood of God if we are not kind to others. My dear friend and associate Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin was truly a kind man. Said he:
               “Kindness is the essence of a celestial life. Kindness is how a Christlike person treats others. Kindness should permeate all of our words and actions at work, at school, at church, and especially in our homes. Jesus, our Savior, was the epitome of kindness and compassion.” (1)
               Kindness, gentleness, compassion, may these rule our day. I beg of you, please let these into you life and especially in your home. I know Jesus Christ can lead us by his loving hand into eternal bliss and joy. He is our Savior. I love Him.
               

Elder Philip R. Bredsguard

Notes

  1. "Kindness, Charity, and Love" By President Thomas S. Monson

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Monday, February 19, 2018

February 19, 2018, "Prayer"


Email to Family and Friends

          Hey Family! What a week! I am loving it here in Billings. The big city life is different haha (~100,000 people). This place I huge! Haha I laugh a little bit as I say that because the Phoenix valley is about 3 million! It will be a bit of a culture shock coming home.
           We are having lots of good work going on here, we are doing tons of snow shoveling for service and have been having lots of good success doing that down here. We have had some swear words and some kinds words to some up simply :)

"Prayer"

              I may have shared this before, but if I have I'm sharing it again! "Throughout his life, Joseph Smith would turn to God in prayer to seek the help and guidance he needed. A Church member recalled hearing him pray in Kirtland, Ohio, at a time of great personal difficulty: “Never until then had I heard a man address his Maker as though He was present listening as a kind father would listen to the sorrows of a dutiful child. … There was no ostentation, no raising of the voice as by enthusiasm, but a plain conversational tone, as a man would address a present friend. It appeared to me as though, in case the veil were taken away, I could see the Lord standing facing His humblest of all servants I had ever seen.” (1) 
               I hope we can all strive to rid the rote prayers in our lives and strive always to make them more personal and intimate. Let us have personal relationships with our Father in Heaven. You will be surprised how big of a difference it will make in your lives.


Elder Philip R. Bredsguard

Notes

  1. Teachings of the Presidents: Joseph Smith, Chp 10 "Prayer and Personal Revelation"

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Monday, February 12, 2018

February 12, 2018, "Trust in God"


Email to Family and Friends

          Hey Family! I miss you all! I am having a great time here in Billings! I love my companion, he is pretty funny. I used to serve around him in Butte and he served in one of my old areas so we talk a lot about those times haha.
          I love the ward here, the members are fantastic! We are finding awesome investigators and teaching great ones they had from before! I'm pretty homesick for Kalispell (my last area) but I am just as excited to meet all the wonderful people here, whom I call friends :) 

"Trust in God"

              Alma once said "for I do know [he is speaking from personal experience] that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day." (1)
              How true is that statement! We all have trials to pass through in this life, all personal and intimate. But may we all trust in Him who can support all. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (2) In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.


Elder Philip R. Bredsguard


Notes

  1. Alma 36:3
  2. Matthew 11:28-30

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Tuesday, February 6, 2018

February 5, 2018, "Faith, Hope, and Optimism"


Email to Family and Friends

          TRANSFERS - I am leaving Kalispell, I LOVE THIS PLACE! I will miss it with all my heart. I love the people. But at the same time I know I have done my duty, I have no regrets. I know that we have done the Lords will and accomplished what he has sent me here to do.
          I'm being transferred to Billings, my new companion is Elder Black he is from Thatcher, AZ, he is a great missionary. We came out together, I am exited to be working with him. We will have a lot of good work to do together. :) 

"Faith, Hope, and Optimism"

A conversation Mother and I had today.

              Mom: "Today in Relief Society, we had a council.  We discussed how Faith, Hope, and Optimism are related.  How fascinating!  As we learned together, I gleaned that without Faith, there is no Hope.  Without Hope, there is no Optimism.  Optimistic people are Faithful people.  Look around and see if this is true."
            "This means that Faith is the key to Optimism.  I saw how important it is to plant those little seeds of Faith in people; that what the world needs.  I've done it before with you children."
           "Sad and Angry and Glad are choices, as we learned in our recent General Conference.  In Relief Society today we learned that many people in the world are Sad and Hopeless.  There is nothing to hold to, nothing to believe in ~ not themselves, not their families, etc.  A woman in our ward is a therapist.  She said the majority of her clients are depressed and cannot overcome their depressions because they have nothing to look for to or to improve for, having no belief in anything greater than themselves.  And, they don't like what they see."
            Me: "I loved your last email. I learned so much from it, I love the way you put that Optimism can't occur in ones life tell faith is planted in ones heart, until one can trust in something greater than themselves. One thing I love about faith is it can only produce fruit if it is in a true principle. Your mind can be masked and if you are falling off a cliff, and there is a branch to grab on to, and if you in your heart honestly believe that it is on your right but it is on your left, it has no power to save you, to bless your life. You must have faith in a true principle."
          "That is in Jesus Christ, our Lord. He is true, and he lives. And we can feel ourselves being saved by his branch as we TRUST that he is there. We can feel our fall stopping. We don't need to know that it is there perfectly, but if we will just exercise a particle of that faith, that trust, through that, we will be saved from falling as we take hold of that branch. Our families WILL be blessed, they WILL find joy in life's trials. Not just some temporary happiness, but peace that is everlasting that can never be shaken save it be by our own lack of faith, our own lack of reaching out and trusting our Father, God Almighty. And consequently lose the blessings so much as if He wasn't even there, because we won't reach out to find Him. 
            "He has given us our agency, and with that agency we are free to chose life or death, happiness or misery. The Plan of Salvation, our Heavenly Fathers plan for our happiness, is so simple, it pains me that this generation is so stubborn that they will not open their heart to see. I don't need to know every doctrine of God to show that this is true, it is shown by the lives of those who live the Gospel. We may not be able to see the surety of the seed, but we can see the fruit of it in the lives of the faithful Saints. And I have never seen any refute that and I never will, the Saints are and will always be happy, because they have faith, hope, and optimism."


Elder Philip R. Bredsguard

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Tuesday, January 30, 2018

January 29, 2018, "Truth Eternal, Truth Divine"


Email to Family and Friends

          Hello family! I hope everything is well on your side of life! We had another one of our favorite families come to Church this week! I absolutely love watching and being able to assist in growth of my fellow brothers and sisters as they learn and are quick to live the truth, the Gospel, the Plan of Salvation, whatever you feel like calling it. :)
          I have been starting my new Book of Mormon and my topic this time is Jesus Christ, just everything about him and I am loving it!

"Truth Eternal, Truth Divine"

              A favorite British scholar of Elder Hollands once said, "I don't really think that all who choose wrong roads perish, but I do think that their rescue consists of being put back on the right road. A mathematical sum incorrectly worked can be put right but only by going back until you find the error and then working it fresh from that point. It will never be corrected simply by going on. Evil can be undone but it cannot develop into good; worlds without end. Time does not heal it and the spell must be unwound."
           Elder Holland continued on and said, "Nothing will hurt you more than what you don't know." Plato also declared "It is better to be unborn than untaught for ignorance is at the root of all misfortune." 
            Truth lived is the essence of a happy life. Once truth is applied joy follows, every time. And until we know and live all truth we cannot experience full and never ending joy. 
           I will give to you this great truth, "that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise. Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved." (1) 
           I testify that a truly happy life can only be built upon Jesus Christ, he is the source of all truth, and the Book of Mormon contains those truths, because there is no other book where they are put so simply. That is why Joseph Smith said "I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” (2) In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.


Elder Philip R. Bredsguard

Notes
  1. 2 Nephi 2:8-9
  2. Introduction to the Book of Mormon



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Monday, January 22, 2018

January 22, 2018, "Valiant in Christ"


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          What a week! We are so blessed her in Kalispell! The work is moving forward so fast! The Lord, my God has poured out His Holy Spirt upon this area! We are finding the very elect, those we are teaching are progressing, and we are growing in knowledge, power, faith, and charity. 
            We had interviews with our Mission President this last week, haha I begged him, if it was the Lords will, if I could finish Thermopolis, WY (my first area, I was there for just short of 8 months). He didn't give me a defined response and I wasn't looking for one, but it was hopeful :)
            It was a Less actives birthday this last week, so we decided we would get him something good ;) Haha we bought a HUGE Valentines Day card and turned into a Birthday card haha, there will be pictures, but it was hilarious! 
             We also wished another LA happy birthday! Haha I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.
           We are also teaching a deaf sister, who is an investigator, it is so amazing! As we are teaching with an interpreter, the gift on youngest is so present. I pick up so quickly on ASL while we are there! It is not humanly possible to pick this up as quickly as we are.


"Valiant in Christ"

              Last night, for my recreational reading, I was in the Acts of The Apostles. I was reading of Peter and John they were being tried for teaching, preaching, and performing miracles in the name of Jesus. The account says this, "and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
           "And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
           "And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." (1)
            That is the true test of this life, will we be faithful, will we be Christlike, obedient, true, and full of love when it is not convenient? 
            John Taylor, the third President of the Church, said: “I heard the Prophet Joseph say, in speaking to the Twelve on one occasion: ‘You will have all kinds of trials to pass through. And it is quite as necessary for you to be tried as it was for Abraham and other men of God, and (said he) God will feel after you, and He will take hold of you and wrench your very heart strings, and if you cannot stand it you will not be fit for an inheritance in the Celestial Kingdom of God.’ … Joseph Smith never had many months of peace after he received the truth, and finally he was murdered in Carthage jail.” (2)
              My family and my friends, will we be found valiant in the testimony of Jesus? Will we have the faith, hope, and charity to say as Christ did, "not what I will, but what thou wilt." (3) and "Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever." (4) 
              This is my testimony, I pray that I may not yield to temptation, I hope to remain faithful to Christ, if and only if, I put my trust in him and rely on His mercy and grace. I am a witness of his reality, that He is Gods Only Begotten Son, the Redeemer of the world, our Advocate with the Father. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Philip R. Bredsguard

Notes
  1. Acts 5:40-42
  2. Teachings of the Presidents, Joseph Smith, Chapter 19 "Stand Fast through the Storms of Life"
  3. Mark 14:36
  4. Moses 4:2

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Monday, January 15, 2018

January 15, 2018, "Peacemakers"


Email to Family and Friends

          This week was fantastic! We had a great Zone Conference this week! President Wadsworth and the Assistants to the President (two former companions who I go home with) gave great discussions! They were just what our Zone needed to hear!
           I had the chance to go on an exchange with an Elder from the Columbia Falls area. As I was praying about what I could train him on, all that would come into my mind is up to help him continue to find joy in the work. It was so great! I had him read D&C 128:19-25 which is a personal favorite :) 
           I get more and more tired as the months go by, this last Friday night as we got home I was so tired I wrote in my journal and went right to bed in my shirt, tie, slacks everything. And I slept like a baby.


"Peacemakers"

              Joseph Smith once said, “We [hope that] our brethren will be careful of one another’s feelings, and walk in love, honoring one another more than themselves, as is required by the Lord.”
              “Now, in this world, mankind are naturally selfish, ambitious and striving to excel one above another; yet some are willing to build up others as well as themselves.”
               “Let the Twelve and all Saints be willing to confess all their sins, and not keep back a part; and let [them] be humble, and not be exalted, and beware of pride, and not seek to excel one above another, but act for each other’s good, and pray for one another, and honor our brother or make honorable mention of his name, and not backbite and devour our brother.”
               “If you will put away from your midst all evil speaking, backbiting, and ungenerous thoughts and feelings: humble yourselves, and cultivate every principle of virtue and love, then will the blessings of Jehovah rest upon you, and you will yet see good and glorious days; peace will be within your gates, and prosperity in your borders.”
                I have taken these words to heart, my family, my dear friends, may we all be gentle, kind, and loving and strive to incorporate into our character the attributes of our God and our Beloved Father. It is possible, but only in and through Christ. What I say now I say unto all, you can change without Christ, but it will not last and you will fall. Only in and through faith in Jesus Christ and sincere repentance can we access the atoning grace and power of change. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Philip R. Bredsguard

Notes
  1. Teachings of the Presidents, Joseph Smith, Chapter 29 "Living with Others in Peace and Harmony"

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