I got the Christmas cards from the ward and I am really grateful for them. I felt the spirit of the West Point Ward and their love and I am very grateful for the letters:) I am also very grateful for those who are writing me on Dear Elder. I am getting them and they are awesome, special shout out to Danalyn, Madelyn, and Brother(Bishop) McLaws:) haha.
So this week has been pretty awesome!! I am really feeling like I am scratching the surface of the power of Faith and its connection to grace and strength from the Lord and yeilding my heart to Him:) Really when we recognize the power of God, life becomes so much more amazing!:) It sounds so simple but we must constantly confirm and strengthen our understanding of these concepts, sufficient to draw on the powers of Heaven to ultimately put off the natural man and become like Christ through His atonement. Much of this comes from our understanding of God and the Savior and the Holy Ghost. As our understanding of them increases our ability to exercise our faith in them increases also. But when our lives are not in harmony with what we know is right we cannot have faith enough in ourselves to exercise faith in them. The more obedient and faithful we are the more faith we will be able to have in them. When we know we are clean and doing God's will then we are essentially free from worry and care. Not necessarily self confidence but confidence in God that because we are clean His power can have a great lasting effect on us and work through us to bring out much greatness. These are simple truths that have just been sinking deeper into my heart as I feel the Holy Ghost more and more in my life and testifying to what I am doing is true.
So basically I have also been learning about agency this week also and its connection to Jesus Christs atonement and that because of the atonement we need not ever have a real excuse for our sins, to sin and say "I am only human, I cannot do this, or this is only natural to be this way", or whatever our excuse for being the natural man is to deny that the atonement gives us the power to choose what is right. Through the atonement we always have the choice to do that which Christ would do and choose eternal life. The plan of salvation is here that we may change and progress and grow:) This is all made possible because the atonement allowed us to have the choice to choose what is right. To choose the path of eternal life. Do understand that the atonement gives us the choice to put off the natural man, repent and change will allow us to access that power and do so. There really is no limit to the power of the atonement, it truly is infinite:)!! Though our sins be as scarlet they really can be white as snow. No matter how many times I was told this it wasn't until I had faith in it through the atonement that it actually made a change in me or actually happened. The Savior would often question a person's faith before he healed them. Over and over again that happened, to illustrate the choice that we need to make to believe.
Also about grace I love grace:) As people we are nothing without the Savior but with Him we are everything;) The Saviors light is infinite and our light is so weak. But the amazing thing about that is that our light can be the Savior's light and His grace can consume our dim or dark areas of our life. Even when we feel we do not have the faith, the Saviors faith can be ours, every single weakness can become a strength as we exercise our faith in His atonement and His infinite power. We accept His grace by doing His will, and giving him our whole heart. Really we need not fear anything because of the infinite power of the atonement, so what I do not have the strength and power to teach this gospel on my own, but with the savior there is not a heart that cannot be touched, there is not anything we cannot do as long as I throw away all of myself and allow Him to work His power through me. Which is a lot harder than it sounds but depending on your faith its easier too. It really is a life long process but I am so glad I have the chance now to begin to give Him my all:)
Any ways I love yous alls and my English will be getting worse the better I get at tagalog haha. :)
Love, Elder Blackham
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