February 9

Mom,

This week was very busy, but pretty awesome at the same time. Elder Salmon and I taught seminary on Tuesday on Section 93 of the Doctrine and Covenants and it's a pretty awesome and fascinating section. The most interesting part of it to me is about how through obedience we are able to receive more "light" and "truth," which light and truth are the essence of Christ and through disobedience we lose that light and truth. As I was preparing for this lesson I reread Elder Craig C. Christensen's article from the August 2014 Ensign and it is such a good talk. I recommend you all study it yourself, but I'll quote one of the most interesting things from his article to me:

"From section 93 we read, “The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth” (verse 36). Here the Saviorequates light and truth with “intelligence” and “the glory of God.” In a similar verse we read, “The word of the Lord is truth, andwhatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ” (D&C 84:45).

"If intelligence equals light and truth, and light and truth equal Spirit, then intelligence must equal Spirit. In fact, all of these termscould be considered interchangeable and in many cases can be substituted for one another elsewhere in the scriptures:

“'Whatever principle of intelligence [substitute one of the other words—glory, truth, light, Spirit] we attain unto in this life, it willrise with us in the resurrection.

“'And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence [glory, truth, light, Spirit] in this life through his diligence and obediencethan another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come” (D&C 130:18–19; emphasis added).

...

"As you and I follow the Savior and embrace the light, we become His children, “children of light” (1 Thessalonians 5:5), His sonsand His daughters. As we continue on this path, we learn and grow and gain even more light (see D&C 50:24)."

Pretty fascinating teachings to me! I would say that this is something that I have definitely learned and felt in my mission. The more I seek gospel light and truth through righteousness, even if it is something that there isn't necessarily a commandment or mission rule, the more light I have in my life, the stronger my testimony of Christ is, and the better I can "see" in my life. I have seen this as I have tried to chose music that brings light into my life, even if he alternative choice isn't against the mission rules, and as I have tried to treat others with more kindness and use better language in my life.

Also this week we had a zone training with trainings on effective daily planning and teaching what happens after this life in the Plan of Salvation simply with a discussion on how to exercise our faith more fully as missionaries. It was pretty awesome. We also had meetings with both President Boyle from Monticello and President Redd from Blanding. They are such great guys and good examples of gospel living. I also got to go on exchanges with Elder Hardy in White Mesa, the one from Layton. He's a great guy and a really good teacher.

It sounds like the Larkins did a great job in their talks! My homecoming talk will be so different from my farewell talk. I can't really remember everything from my farewell talk, but it was lame and at the time I was suffering from the same state as that of the Jews:

"T hey despised the words of plainness , . . . and sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore, because of theirblindness , which blindness came by looking beyond the mark , they must needs fall; for God hath taken away his plainnessfrom them, and delivered unto them many things which they cannot understand, because they desired it. And because theydesired it God hath done it, that they may stumble ."

Really I was just looking beyond the mark and the beauty of the plainness of the gospel. But now I see the light and it is amazing! I also love First Corinthians chapters one and two which discusses a similar topic of the Greeks and the Jews not being able to understand and appreciate the doctrines of the gospel.

There is nothing more pleasing and beautiful than this gospel that we preach and live. I have a firm testimony of it and it has changed me from a man of worldly wisdom to a man of godly wisdom.

Take care of yourselves!

Love,

Elder Schaelling