The Mormon Moment

Hello :)

Today is Monday, January 23, 2012.  It's 11:00, sunny and 74 degrees

here in beautiful Miami, Florida.  Last week I learned a ton.  You

know when you think you know a lot about the gospel and someone points

something out to you, some simple phrase, and it makes you realize

that you've been approaching it the wrong way for 21 years?  Yeah, it

was kind of like that.  Brother Tracy Watson, former mission president

of the Mesa, Arizona mission and director of proselyting over the

entire world, and Brother Donaldson, former mission president over San

Diego, California while they were filming the Preach My Gospel

training dvds, from the missionary department came here on Friday and

held a leadership training.  I talked to brother watson afterwards and

he told me that former President Evans of the Mountain View stake was

a new mission president.

"really," I said "where?"

"oh that's right he hasn't been announced yet...oops...well keep your

eye on the church news, Elder."

We learned a lot of amazing things, many of which I will be writing

down in "The Book of Brandon"  It's a six page book of personal

scripture found in between Revelation and First Nephi in my

scriptures.  One of the most significant truths that was taught was

this simple statement by Elder Bednar.

"Those outside the church cannot access the atonement."

But wait!  There are plenty of good people outside the church who have

faith and go through changes and feel forgiven.  Are you telling me

they can't access the atonement?

Yes.  And this is why...In order to access the atonement and be

cleansed from and purified of your sins, you must make a covenant

through an ordinance by the priesthood.  Before that, you may feel the

influence of the atonement, you may feel the holy ghost, but you may

never have full access to those powers, and you will not be able to be

completely forgiven of any sin.

The way I see it, to receive forgiveness for a sin you must repent of

it.  Complete forgiveness requires complete repentance.  Without an

ordinance one may feel sorrow, confess, and even forsake a sin.  But

he cannot even attempt to make restitution to God, and that is where

Baptism and Confirmation come in, to sanctify the person and fit them

for the Celestial Kingdom.

The point is, if missionaries understand this, they'll be able to

place the proper importance and motivation for baptism.  Rather than

membership in a club, it becomes the gate to God's kingdom.  And they

are baptized for the remission of sins.

Well, that's all I have time for.  There's a lot of mitt romney fans

here and they often let us in just because they want to know what mitt

romney believes.  It's kind of fun.

Love,

Elder Fine