Email May 4, 2015

Email May 5, 2015 – Elder Kenneth Wm. Burton

Bunch of Burtons

I don't really know where to start... my thoughts and feelings are all over place. I just received news that a friend of mine committed suicide a few weeks ago. My love and prayers go to him and his family. I am so grateful for the knowledge of the plan of salvation. The knowledge of the resurrection. The knowledge that because Christ lives we will all live again. Christ has helped me through so much, I pray that Rolland and his family receive the same knowledge and guidance. In another email today I received this quote, "His judgments are just; His mercy without limit; His power to compensate beyond any earthly comparison." -Boyd K. Packer. So true. Christs mercy is limitless. It is eternal. He loves us more than we can comprehend. There are moments when I feel that love and it just keeps expanding, growing, so much I can not feel it all. I can not understand it all. I love the Lord. I strive daily to give him my heart. Elder Reber and I have been discussing how love is a choice, it takes effort. That's why Christ said, "If ye love me keep my commandments." In doing so we come closer to him, building our love for him.

I've been recently studying the idea of promised solutions, rather than promised blessings. I was reading in 3 Nephi 9 where the Lords voice is heard after the destruction on the american continent right before the coming of Christ. The voice heard tells of the destroyed cities and the wicked that were in them.

 My thoughts- first, The cities were going to be destroyed no matter what. Whether they were empty or full of people. They were going to be destroyed, it was prophesied by prophets of old. So the "problem" was that they would be destroyed. So a solution was promised. Faith in Jesus Christ and repentance. Therefore one comes unto Christ and receives his protection. We can see that those who were repentant were cast out of their homes and cities. A huge trial. Imagine just repenting so that you would be saved, and then loosing everything! Yet they kept their faith, and after the trial of their faith the blessing was seen. The cities were destroyed, buried in the sea or burnt. And those that were more righteous were preserved because they had been kicked out. Not what they expected, but the promises made to them were kept because they kept their promises.

Throughout the scriptures we find promised solutions to all the "problems" we face. "How do we find joy in life?" "How do I raise a strong family?" "How do I avoid addiction?" "How do I make good decisions?" The gospel is a gospel of solutions. It is the way we grow and progress here on earth and throughout eternity. Through faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and repeat and continue.

To find you must seek. To have a door opened you must knock. To receive you must ask.  

God loves us so he shows us the way, and gives us the agency to follow the path if we so choose. Of which I am so grateful.

I love it here in Horsens. Only been here a day, but I love it. I can feel that it is were the Lord wants me to be. Partially because of what I will learn, partially because of what he wants me to do. I am called of Him to declare his word unto this generation, that they might receive everlasting life!

I love you all. I'm so excited to see you on Skype this Sunday!

Med meget kærlighed,

Ældste Burton