I'm reading this fantastic book written by Jeffrey R. Holland called Broken Things to Mend. I'm almost done and its making me a little sad. Chapter 21 is called Abide in Me.
My father gave me great advice today. Something I really needed. He said that we all have afflictions and hardships but that I needed to make the effort to ask for help from my Heavenly Father. Its funny how much we believe but don't take it into action. His hands and Christs hands are always stretched out to us. And that's where I think the abiding comes in.
Jeffrey R. Holland says, "In spanish that familiar phrase is rendered 'permaneced en mi.' Like the English verb 'abide,' permanecer means 'to remain, to stay,' but even gringos like me can recognize the root cognate there of 'permanence.' The sense of this then is 'stay--but stay forever.' That is the call of the gospel message to everyone in the world. Come, but come to remain. Come with conviction and endurance. Come permanently, for your sake and the sake of all the generations who must follow you, and we will help each other be strong to the very end."
"We are to 'abide' in Him permanently, unyieldingly, steadfastly, forever. For the fruit of the gospel to blossom and bless our lives, we must be firmly attached to Him, the Savior of us all, and to this His church, which bears His holy name."
The branch here in Nicaragua don't have much but they do have really strong testimonies. Its amazing. Their faith is so strong. Abide in Him. Today I got to give my testimony in Spanish to them and it was a great feeling. For me to know that the church never changes wherever you go. They believe in what I believe in and they just need the same help as we all do to be strong to the very end.
Buenos dias hermanos y hermanas, les quiero compartir mi peqeno testimonio. Yo creo en Jesus Cristo y en Nuestro Padre Celestial. Creo en el libro de Mormon y en el Profeta Tomas S. Monson y que si segimos sus mandamientos estaremos con el por siempre. En el nombre Jesus Cristo, Amen.
