Elder Palma: 2024

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

Nkekea nenyo ( how are you all?)

Keep our focus on Christ We say this phrase a lot. In fact, it rolls off our tongue often. However, to really do this takes continual effort. We trust the plan of our Father in Heaven. He is in perfect control of each event happening in our lives. We help facilitate his bringing to pass our eternal life by trusting him completely. As we practice putting off the natural man of worry, and instead, trust our Father in Heaven, we grow in this capacity, line upon line. In the Book of Mormon, we read where even Jacob, a prophet of God, expresses his fear of stumbling and losing his own firmness of mind by being overly anxious about his own worries. Behold, my beloved brethren, I will unfold this mystery unto you; if I do not, by any means, get shaken from my firmness in the spirit, and stumble, because of my over anxiety for you (Jacob 4:18). As we practice trusting rather than giving way to fear we come to receive the promise found in Isaiah “ Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth thee” (Isaiah 26:3). As we follow this commandment, we are given the peace we need, which helps us to endure our trials with uprightness. Be undaunted Being undaunted means not allowing ourselves to become intimidated or discouraged by difficulties, dangers, or disappointments. It is to be courageously, resolute. During the great battle with the stripling warriors, Helaman tells us that there came a point during the battle, where the remainder of his army was about to “ give way before the Lamanites” they where bout to give in, give out, and allow themselves to be taken prisoner or killed. Notice here the descriptive words, Helaman uses in, “little band of two thousand” who fought most desperately. Yea, they were firm before the Lamanites, and did administer death to all those who opposed them . . . behold, those two thousand and sixty were firm and undaunted. Yea, they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them (Alma 57:19-21). These young men knew what they were to accomplish. Their orders were clear. They were to defend and hold their ground. It is equally important for each of us to stand our ground firm and undaunted. Perhaps there are lines in the sand we have yet to draw. Let us go forth undaunted, and meet our challenges with courage and resoluteness. As we continually turn to our Savior, Jesus Christ, He will enable us to become pure in heart, firm in our minds, and undaunted. Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established (Proverbs 16:3). Doing this is transformative in our spiritual growth. As we seek the change of heart to become pure in heart, firm in our minds, and undaunted, let us remember Helaman's inspiring counsel to his own sons who he was seeking to strengthen. And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth, his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock, upon which we are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation, whereon if men build, they cannot fall (Helaman 5:12). These kids are cute 😊. We taught them a simple lesson about the Restoration

Psalm 119

33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.

34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.

Psalm 56

4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

Psalm 4

1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.

Elder Palma

Tuesday, July 9, 2024

"My Third Mission"

We Look for The One

Every one of our Father in Heaven's children is precious in His sight. Jesus Christ suffered for all, not

some. A disciple s ministry includes looking after, and looking for, the one. A way we do this is by

acknowledging people. When we enter into their homes, or into their neighborhoods, or see them in

the streets, we are no respecter of persons. We see them for who they are and what they can become

through Christ. We recognize their divine worth. The worth of their soul precise in the sight of God!

One's age does not matter, their height, their profession, marital status, financial situation, education

level, past mistakes, or any other identifying factor. The identifier that we are after is inherent in their

DNA. It is this: Everyone is a son or daughter of God created in His image. And because of this,

everyone has divine potential. This knowledge helps us look into the eyes and hearts of those we

teach. It allows us to treat them with Heavenly Love. It causes us to pause and think for just a moment

about how we might approach them the way He would approach them. We invest in others

differently when we see them as He sees them.

We know that a hallmark of Jesus ministry was looking for the one. He would leave the 99, to find

the one. “What a man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the

ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?” (Luke 15:4). So too

we seek after the one.

June 30, 2024 Sunday. On this day we had successful 7 baptisms and confirmed, and in the whole month of June we have 8 souls that have been converted to the true church of Jesus Christ. The married couple. Five boys. “I know that God is happy to see his children gradually returning to him”.

D&C 18:16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!