Monday, February 7, 2011
Words of Inspiration
F. Enzio Bushe
see book, Yearning For the Living God, by F. Enzio Bushe
Exerpts from talk given February 4, 2011, at East Bennion Stake Center, Taylorsville, Utah.
When Elder Bushe was taught the gospel in Germany he told the elders who taught him that he would be baptized only if he never had to talk in church or hold any position. Only three weeks later he was asked to talk. He went back to the elder and asked, What about your promise?” He was told he should get on his knees and pray about it. As a result he was told he had gifts he didn't know about. When he talked he had no notes and does not believe in notes to this day. He got up to talk and a strong feeling of love spread from his head all the way to his feet. He talked what was in his heart and then sat down. The branch president then got up and announced the closing song and prayer. Elder Bushe had talked for an hour and a half and the other speakers did not get a chance that day.
It's what we learn that counts. Life is a learning process. We must learn we are children of a loving father. We must learn what that really means not just what the Primary song tells us. It's the soft, silent voice in the soul with an uncomfortable message. We can't do all that is in us by being comfortable. We can't say no to the promptings without deminishing ourselves.
The Lord can't take away the consequences but He also can't take away His love. Knowing we are His children is never routine knowledge. It gives us enthusiasm. We can open our life and become what He knows we can be.
At the time of Joseph Smith the universe was thought to be much smaller—maybe 80,000 stars. We now know that there are uncounted billions of stars with new systems being found almost daily. We are a part of giant universe. He is our teacher. Yet, we tend to think we can “do it by ourself.”
Moroni 7:9. And likewise also is it counted evil unto a man, if he shall pray and not with areal intent of heart; yea, and it profiteth him nothing, for God receiveth none such.
James 4:2-3 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
Exercise agency but use agency wisely.
Matthew 7: 7-11 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
He loves us and wishes the best for us. The good thing He can give may be which direction to turn in each decision we make. We decide to live a life of fear or a life of love.
Moroni 8:16 Wo be unto them that shall pervert the ways of the Lord after this manner, for they shall perish except they repent. Behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear.
We can ask to have our soul filled with love. We want to be filled with love from the head down.
Use the kind of faith talked about in Matthew 17, be able to cast out devils. Have faith as a grain of mustard seed...and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Elder Bushe was asked to help a young missionary with an evil spirit. He was unsure and didn't know what to do but he knelt and prayed. Again, he was filled with the strong sense of love “from the head down to his feet” and he hugged the young man. Immediately the missionary relaxed and was freed. We need to ask to be filled with love because Love controls all. It casts away fear. Be committed. Move in the direction of His Love. All the pain in life comes from fear. Joy comes from love.
When we love God we have no need of fear. God will always guide us in the direction we need to develop the qualities that we need the most.
see book, Yearning For the Living God, by F. Enzio Bushe
Exerpts from talk given February 4, 2011, at East Bennion Stake Center, Taylorsville, Utah.
When Elder Bushe was taught the gospel in Germany he told the elders who taught him that he would be baptized only if he never had to talk in church or hold any position. Only three weeks later he was asked to talk. He went back to the elder and asked, What about your promise?” He was told he should get on his knees and pray about it. As a result he was told he had gifts he didn't know about. When he talked he had no notes and does not believe in notes to this day. He got up to talk and a strong feeling of love spread from his head all the way to his feet. He talked what was in his heart and then sat down. The branch president then got up and announced the closing song and prayer. Elder Bushe had talked for an hour and a half and the other speakers did not get a chance that day.
It's what we learn that counts. Life is a learning process. We must learn we are children of a loving father. We must learn what that really means not just what the Primary song tells us. It's the soft, silent voice in the soul with an uncomfortable message. We can't do all that is in us by being comfortable. We can't say no to the promptings without deminishing ourselves.
The Lord can't take away the consequences but He also can't take away His love. Knowing we are His children is never routine knowledge. It gives us enthusiasm. We can open our life and become what He knows we can be.
At the time of Joseph Smith the universe was thought to be much smaller—maybe 80,000 stars. We now know that there are uncounted billions of stars with new systems being found almost daily. We are a part of giant universe. He is our teacher. Yet, we tend to think we can “do it by ourself.”
Moroni 7:9. And likewise also is it counted evil unto a man, if he shall pray and not with areal intent of heart; yea, and it profiteth him nothing, for God receiveth none such.
James 4:2-3 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
Exercise agency but use agency wisely.
Matthew 7: 7-11 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
He loves us and wishes the best for us. The good thing He can give may be which direction to turn in each decision we make. We decide to live a life of fear or a life of love.
Moroni 8:16 Wo be unto them that shall pervert the ways of the Lord after this manner, for they shall perish except they repent. Behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear.
We can ask to have our soul filled with love. We want to be filled with love from the head down.
Use the kind of faith talked about in Matthew 17, be able to cast out devils. Have faith as a grain of mustard seed...and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Elder Bushe was asked to help a young missionary with an evil spirit. He was unsure and didn't know what to do but he knelt and prayed. Again, he was filled with the strong sense of love “from the head down to his feet” and he hugged the young man. Immediately the missionary relaxed and was freed. We need to ask to be filled with love because Love controls all. It casts away fear. Be committed. Move in the direction of His Love. All the pain in life comes from fear. Joy comes from love.
When we love God we have no need of fear. God will always guide us in the direction we need to develop the qualities that we need the most.
The Beginning of February
Today was a hard day. The stake president of the stake we've been with the longest is being released next week and he has been one of the best stake presidents we have ever known. We have become very attached. We learned today that he is also moving to San Diego so that makes it doubly hard. Then on top of that we have Sister Johnson leaving this week so our hearts are quite shredded today.
However, all was not sadness. We got a phone call from a man we have taught most of our mission. He was in sad shape when we met him—recovering alcoholic, in a back brace, and very poor health. He is now going to the temple to be endowed the first part of March and is being sealed to his wife. He doesn't even look like the same man we first started to teach. We saw him ordained an elder last fall.
We attended a stake fireside last Friday night where the speaker was F. Enzio Busche. He gave many instructions we will use in our teaching. He maintains that love and fear cannot exist together. Therefore, if we approach people with love we can help them overcome their fear of returning to the church. We have seen many people who admit they need to return but just can't overcome the inertia that binds them. They are afraid. If we can bring the Love of God to them, they can release their fears.
Moving the Sisters Johnson and Latu wasn't a problem with our truck. In fact, even though it was from one stake to another, it was within walking distance (if you don't count the very steep, long hill). The new place will be very good and the couple are wonderful who live there.
Sunday we met with a couple, the Oswalds, in the new stake who want to help us. They prayed when they were looking for an apartment, that they would find a place where they could do missionary work. They are both returned missionaries and wanted to continue to serve. They have two cute, small boys. We spent about an hour with them and discussed several families in the apartment complex. We are going with the wife tomorrow to call on a few people.
We attended a ward correlation meeting today and talked about the mission process. They promised to have some contacts for us soon. We know this is a wonderful stake. We are told that often. We just feel there is much to do and our time is growing too short. We are trying to be patient but we wish the wards would hurry a little. We have volunteered to speak in sacrament meetings but have had no takers yet. At least at the stake correlation meeting Thursday there were a couple of ward mission leaders that supported the idea of meeting more often together to correlate rather than us going to each of their homes one at a time to meet with them. So far the stake meeting has just been a time for someone to stand up in front and talk about missionary work but with no talking among the ward mission leaders. They don't see much value in attending when the only time they can talk to missionaries is if they can quickly catch them after the meeting.
It's interesting how things work in different stakes. We have now been in four different stakes but this is the first time we have encountered a stake that doesn't value missionary work or at least doesn't value it in stake correlation meetings. Missionary work can't be a once a month effort.
However, all was not sadness. We got a phone call from a man we have taught most of our mission. He was in sad shape when we met him—recovering alcoholic, in a back brace, and very poor health. He is now going to the temple to be endowed the first part of March and is being sealed to his wife. He doesn't even look like the same man we first started to teach. We saw him ordained an elder last fall.
We attended a stake fireside last Friday night where the speaker was F. Enzio Busche. He gave many instructions we will use in our teaching. He maintains that love and fear cannot exist together. Therefore, if we approach people with love we can help them overcome their fear of returning to the church. We have seen many people who admit they need to return but just can't overcome the inertia that binds them. They are afraid. If we can bring the Love of God to them, they can release their fears.
Moving the Sisters Johnson and Latu wasn't a problem with our truck. In fact, even though it was from one stake to another, it was within walking distance (if you don't count the very steep, long hill). The new place will be very good and the couple are wonderful who live there.
Sunday we met with a couple, the Oswalds, in the new stake who want to help us. They prayed when they were looking for an apartment, that they would find a place where they could do missionary work. They are both returned missionaries and wanted to continue to serve. They have two cute, small boys. We spent about an hour with them and discussed several families in the apartment complex. We are going with the wife tomorrow to call on a few people.
We attended a ward correlation meeting today and talked about the mission process. They promised to have some contacts for us soon. We know this is a wonderful stake. We are told that often. We just feel there is much to do and our time is growing too short. We are trying to be patient but we wish the wards would hurry a little. We have volunteered to speak in sacrament meetings but have had no takers yet. At least at the stake correlation meeting Thursday there were a couple of ward mission leaders that supported the idea of meeting more often together to correlate rather than us going to each of their homes one at a time to meet with them. So far the stake meeting has just been a time for someone to stand up in front and talk about missionary work but with no talking among the ward mission leaders. They don't see much value in attending when the only time they can talk to missionaries is if they can quickly catch them after the meeting.
It's interesting how things work in different stakes. We have now been in four different stakes but this is the first time we have encountered a stake that doesn't value missionary work or at least doesn't value it in stake correlation meetings. Missionary work can't be a once a month effort.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)