Hello everybody!
First of all, I would like to talk about something I have
been thinking about for years. Do you know how every time you eat delicious
flavored chips, the flavoring powder gets all over your fingers. It makes a
giant mess and then you can't touch anything until you go wash your hands. It
ruins books, electronics, doorknobs, faucets, and everything else. It totally
ruins the fun of eating Doritos, Cheetos, cheddar flavored anything, and all
kinds of other delicious snacks. However, there is a solution: chopsticks. That
is right. If you eat your flavored snacks with chopsticks you get absolutely
nothing on your fingers. That means you can eat a whole bowl of cheddar Chex
mix while reading the bible and still not ruin those really thin, gold leaf
pages. Also, chopsticks are incredibly funtastic and make everything* taste
better.
*Does not include apple pie or mashed potatoes
We had zone conference this week. It is president and sister
Andersen's last zone conference with us. They will be leaving in July and we
will be getting president Stone. Apparently he is a really great guy and about
half our ward already knows him so it will probably be all good. Anyway it was
so great to hear their testimonies and feel of the love that they have for us.
It is so amazing the sacrifice they make for three years to help us be
successful missionaries. I cannot even imagine how difficult it must be to
manage 200 young adults going through the most stressful times of their life. I
am grateful for all they have done for me in their time here.
On Saturday we volunteered at the Nashville marathon with
our ward. We were at the third mile passing out water to the runners. It was
actually a pretty fun service project. We saw tons of people we know running
the race. Our stake president was right at the beginning going for the 2 hour
marathon but he still ran over and talked to us for a whole two seconds. It was
funny because after people would run past us you could hear them saying things
like, "Did you see the Mormons?" Also I got to taste lemon Gatorade
at 5 times the regular concentration. It was just as crazy as it sounds.
We met a new investigator this week. He came up to us to
inform us that Matthew 24 was already fulfilled and there is not going to be
another coming of Christ. For once in my life, I was actually able to use my
knowledge of dualism and types/foreshadows. Then I got to talk all about 2
Nephi and the prophecies of Isaiah and Nephi concerning the second coming. It
was pretty cool. 2 Nephi is my favorite book but nobody ever really talks about
it except at a college. It was fun getting to share that with someone who was
actually interested. Now he wants to read the whole Book of Mormon.
Which brings me to my message for the day, which is that 2
Nephi is actually really important. As you know, the purpose of the Book of
Mormon is "to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great
things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the
covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever--And also to the
convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God,
manifesting himself unto all nations" (Book of Mormon, Title
Page). The book of 2 Nephi contains the testimony and prophecies of three great
prophets all testifying that Jesus is the Christ and the Lord remember his
covenants. Nephi, Jacob, and Isaiah all saw Christ hundreds of years before he
was born and gave us their witnesses of this - fulfilling the divine law of
witnesses, as we read in chapter 11
2 And now I, Nephi, write more of the words of Isaiah, for
my soul delighteth in his words. For I will liken his words unto my people, and
I will send them forth unto all my children, for he verily saw my Redeemer,
even as I have seen him.
3 And my brother, Jacob, also has seen him as I have seen
him; wherefore, I will send their words forth unto my children to prove unto
them that my words are true. Wherefore, by the words of three, God hath said, I
will establish my word. Nevertheless, God sendeth more witnesses, and he
proveth all his words.
I would exhort you all to take the time to read this book
and feel the spirit from these three great testimonies. Anyway have a fantastic
week and know that I love you all.
Elder Basham
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