Questions for Brother, Elder B. Walker

[Elder J. Walker's questions and response to his brother's Elder B. Walker's email home.]

Eddie

I also gave a talk yesterday, but I had time to prepare. I can't believe that you only are 155 pounds Ben. I am bigger then you now. It will be strange when we stand next to each other after my mission. I don't think I have gained any weight lately. I am still about 170. I think that is because I am now on a bike a lot more often. Me and my companion race sometimes. The max speed I got to on level ground is about 35 MPH. That is fun when you are going the same speed as the cars next to you.

We had 2 baptisms this week, Eddie Woodson and Mike Pearson. Mike read the whole Book of Mormon in 3 weeks. That was before he was baptized. He was the most prepared investigator I have ever taught. I love those people where they are like unto little children because they are so willing to learn and accept new ideas.

Mike

Ask any of the elders in your area Ben if they are from Sandy, West Jordan, Riverton, South Jordan, Draper, Kearns, or Hairmen. Those are the only cities in my mission.

Also Ben, we have a ward and a branch in our area that I have never gone to their Sacrament Meeting because we have had no work there and we have had to be at other sacrament meetings instead due to investigators. So I know very few people from that area.

Most of the kids in Utah have already started school. It is strange to think that I don't have to worry about school for a long time.

Mike's Friends

We have a lot of work in this area. When I first came into it we have 1 person on date and 2 lessons with a member present a week. I remember struggling because we were working so hard to get those people and nothing was coming. Then about 3 weeks later we would get calls from people and tell us that they have a friend that wants to learn about the gospel. This happened quite a lot. Eddie was a media referral and Mike's girlfriend's Dad called us and told us that he has someone that wanted to receive the lessons. We now have 10 lessons with a member present a week and 4 people on date to be baptized even when we already baptized 2 people on Saturday. This is a valuable lesson to me because it shows me that I can't do it by myself. We have to rely on the Lord to help us as we do His work. (This was the topic of my talk yesterday). It says in Preach My Gospel page 97 that "No man can preach the Gospel without the Holy Ghost." It also says to not rely on yourself, but on the Spirit. How much can we do by ourselves? Basically nothing. We would not be here if we only relied on ourself.

Mosiah 2:21-24

 21 I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.

(side note if we serve him with our whole soul we would still not profit God anything. We are so small compared to God, but we have the potential to become like him)

 22 And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.
 23 And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.
 24 And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?

We do have the potential to become like him. D&C 76:58: "Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God—"

Russian New Member

That is my lesson for the day.

Also I have 2 questions that I have been thinking of this past week I want someone to help me answer them:

1)  D&C 76:74: "Who received not the testimony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards received it."

This is the people that will go to the terrestrial kingdom, but why if they except it in the spirit world do they not get to receive the celestial glory only because they did not receive it in the flesh? So does that mean when I teach someone and they don't receive it that I have condemned them because I taught them and they were not willing to progress?

2) What is an intelligences? Abraham 3:22: "Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;"

Is it like the dust of the Earth? like our physical bodies were created? Did we think for ourselves while we were intelligences?

Just some questions that I don't know and was wondering if you could find the answers for me.