Letter From The President, April 6, 2014....

Dear Missionaries,

Missionaries, what a wonderful weekend to listen to the words of our “Prophets” and to feast on the instructions to get closer to our Savior. To reflect on His great sacrifice and to celebrate His resurrection; to know that He lives, and that we represent Him is truly an honor and a privilege. Now we have the obligation to live and apply what was taught. Elder Hales has taught us:

“The greatest blessings of general conference come to us after the conference is over. Remember the pattern recorded frequently in scripture: we gather to hear the words of the Lord, and we return to our homes to live them. We accept the Savior’s invitation when we ponder and pray to understand what we have been taught and then go forward and do His will.” (Elder Robert D. Hales, General Conference October 2013)

President Kimball couldn’t wait to start applying the principles of General Conference:

“I have made up my mind that when I go home from this [general] conference … there are many, many areas in my life that I can perfect. I have made a mental list of them, and I expect to go to work as soon as we get through.” (President Spencer W. Kimball, General Conference ,October 1975)

President Monson’s reiterated the importance of studying the talks:

“I encourage you to read the talks … and to ponder the messages contained therein. I have found in my own life that I gain even more from these inspired sermons when I study them in greater depth." (President Thomas S. Monson, General Conference, October 2012)

We had a revelatory meeting with the leaders of the mission last Friday and I am excited for them to share the amazing things we counseled on, in particular, bringing our investigators to Church and to the Temple Open House.

We saw so many miracles this week with the Mission and the Temple and we are anxious to watch for continued miracles in your areas. Every missionary needs to get someone to the Temple. If you have been, then go again with a different investigator. If you can’t get a reservation, come anyway; you won’t need a reservation because the flow is working so efficiently. This will require that you plan well so that your areas don’t suffer. It will also require that we coordinate extremely well with investigators and members to get to the Temple. Some of the comments of the missionaries have been amazing:

“I knew the temple would be such a miracle for missionary work but just having the opportunity to serve at the temple open house, especially in the reception tent after everyone has gone through the tour, I never could've imagined everything that I've experienced or heard. People literally come up to us and ask ‘how can i become a member?’ Every single person I talked to felt the spirit in the temple and they cannot deny that. I approached these two ladies and asked how they liked the temple. One was a less active member and the other was a non-member. The non-member told me it was a miracle in itself that she was even here. She said she would never come and that every time the Elders came to her house to see her Sister, she would run them off and slam the door in their face; or if they were there she would never sit in the same room as them. Then she looked at me and said ‘After today, that will never happen again’. When she said that, the spirit was so strong and she went on about how she was going to always let them in and be a part of their lessons and then she added ‘I’m not a member now, but that will change.’ And I knew those words were true. The Temple is speaking for itself and I know that we will reach our goal ... The Temple is the key!”  

The Temple is solidifying our investigators baptisms:

“... we had the unique opportunity to take her to the temple on Saturday.  It was so amazing to see the affect on her.  Once she had gone through, nothing (and I mean nothing) could have stopped her from being baptized the following day. She was even handed anti-material as we were leaving the temple, and when we told her that it was other people, speaking badly about the church, she folded it up (in a bit of an offended manner) and handed it to us saying she didn't want it.”

People are pleading for more information:

“It was amazing to see people’s hearts so touched by the spirit. I am sure many of them did not plan on feeling that way, or expected to love it so much. The Lord truly softened so many hearts through the temple. Two women came up to me and began asking me questions, all sorts of questions. I answered everything the best I could. They were loving every minute of it. Then they asked about the Book of Mormon. So I told them about that; then one of the women revealed to me that she had three friends who were Mormons. I told her ‘Well if you would like to see the book you should ask your friends to show you.’ She said okay, but then she said ‘can’t you give me one?’ I told them I really can’t give them materials unless they ask for it. In unison they said ‘Can we have one?’ They were so excited.”

The Spirit of the Temple is piercing their hearts:  

“We had so many people come up to us at the end of the tour and ask us, ‘What do we need to do to become members of your church?’ and ‘Can I have a Mormon Bible?’ The power of the temple is REAL. Everyone is feeling it and it's so cool to see them at the end of the tour converted through the Spirit of the Temple. There was this man  who was one of these miracles. His really good friend woke him up Saturday morning, ‘Get up, We're going to see the Mormon Temple.’ He hadn't heard anything about Mormons or the temple at all before his friend invited him. He hadn't even seen the temple before this time and at first he didn't want to go but then decided to in the end. For the past couple of years he told me that he felt very lost, like he didn't have a purpose in life. He'd been praying to God every single day to help him know where he needed to go, but he didn't feel like God was leading him anywhere. As he went into the temple, he said that he felt like God was calling him to come to Him through this church. He told me, ‘I want to be baptized. What do I have to do?’ It was such an incredible testimony to me that the Temple is God's House on earth and that he will call on His elect to receive His blessings.”

I have had the opportunity and privilege to go through with ministers from other religions and the positive feedback has been amazing. In fact, a Rabbi went through a few days ago and sent this message: “Thank you so much for hosting us earlier this week at the Temple. We are interested in learning more about the Mormon teachings.” I will be visiting with them this week.

Those that are going through the Temple are feeling the Spirit of Elijah, perhaps the influence of their own ancestors:

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”(Malachi 4:5-6)

They are being pulled towards the ordinance of baptism as they view the magnificent baptistery and feel the Lords command:

“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”(John 3:5)

They are feeling the power of binding families together for eternity as they enter the Celestial room and the sealing room:

“And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19)

The Spirit is at the Temple, what an amazing opportunity to help our investigators to feel it’s tremendous power and influence. The Temple is a beacon to the world, and a beacon to South Florida. Have the faith to bring your investigators to the Temple Open House; organize with your members, and I know you will share in these miracles!!!

 Our resolution is to achieve 175 Baptisms !!! April is now our Vision month! Prepare for the Prophets this week! We need 200 dates and 200 I@S this week. All must contribute!

You are Amazing!!! You are Incredible!!! You are Wonderful!!! And you are in the “Exciting Mission”!!! Remember our promise and that our names will be sealed in the Temple!!!

We Love you, We Pray For You, Elders and Sisters, We can do this!!! We have work to do!!! “Armed with the Power of the Temple, Let’s Do It!!!”

President Don E. Anderson