Weekly Letter -- 08 NOV 2010

Dear Family, Friends, and your dogs too (if you happen to own one),

This past week was great!

Steven Gordon was baptized! After he was baptized he shared his testimony with everyone. He said, "Brothers and Sisters, I know that the Church is true. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know the Bible is true, King James Version. And I know the Church is true. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen." He's 13 years old and stands five feet tall, but he was a giant of a man as he testified. I'm not sure how to explain what it was like other than his spirit was magnified and it filled the whole room, especially immediately around him. It seemed like he was eight feet tall. It was like watching a prophet testify. I'm deeply grateful that I get to be a part of his life. I love him a lot.

Yesterday, I felt a little overwhelmed with everything (it happens) and decided to figure out how to not be overwhelmed. The gospel of Jesus Christ is simple in nature, when it comes down to it. "Well," I thought, "then what are the one or two things I need to know and go back to? What are the things that, if I only focus on them, will take care of everything else, more or less?" I pondered for a while and then THE question came. "Is Jesus the Christ?" In my opinion, that is the question of questions. A closely related one would be, "Is the Book of Mormon true?" Those two questions feed into each other. If Jesus is the Christ, the Book of Mormon is true. If the Book of Mormon is true, Jesus is the Christ. And if those are both true, then we know exactly what we need to do, say, and think. If Jesus is the Christ, then we know why we should pay our tithing, fast, read scriptures, repent, pray, etc. If the Book of Mormon is true then Jesus is the Christ, and if Jesus is the Christ then everything He says, goes.

It makes me think of a quote my mother had put on our fridge. As she would cut my hair in the kitchen (in my earlier years) I would look at the quotes on the fridge. One of them was a cut-out from a newspaper column. I've forgotten the name, but it was an "Ask Suzy" column (supposedly, she held a world record for "Highest IQ" or something to that effect). One reader wrote in and asked, "What is the most powerful concept in the universe and why?" Suzy responded, "Truth. Because whether you like it or not, there isn't a thing you can do about it."

Jesus is the Christ IS the Truth, so what else matters?

He gave us two great commandments. Only two things we need to focus on in this life and the eternities. They are: 1) Love God, and 2) Love your neighbor. All other commandments point to those two. I felt the Spirit immediately comfort me when I came to a realization of this simple truth. When we hold up our thoughts, words, and actions up to the light of, "Does this express love for God and/or my neighbor?" then it's easy to discern and decide what to think, say, or do. I love the gospel. :)

That's all for this week. I hope you're okay with just reading my personal spiritual growth every week. I'm not sure what to write about a lot of the time and the gospel is always a worthwhile topic. :)

I love all of you! Mom, you're the best ever!!!! Don't forget it!!! I love you!!! :)

Love,
Elder Woolley

PS I just remembered something fun that happened this week! We had dinner at the Stringhams' again and they had a HUGE bowl of candy. It was all of their kids' consolidated candy. Anyway, one of their boys ate 27 pieces of candy in a half hour, so they dared me to break the record. So I did. 30 pieces of candy. And a funny feeling stomach. And a huge sugar high. And a huge sugar crash.

Oh, to be eight again :)