God's great Plan of Salvation

To begin let us turn to Ecclesiastes 12:7...in this scripture we find out our nature and where we came from. We are literal sons and daughters of God. We lived with Him in heaven, learning, growing, and having experiences with the ultimate goal of becoming like our Heavenly Father. But there was a major difference between us and our Heavenly Father. He has a body of flesh and bones (Philip. 3:21 and Doctrine and Covenants 130:22) and we did not; due to this fact without obtaining our own bodies we could never reach our full potential, or in other words become like God. So God created a plan (normally referred to as the Plan of Salvation or Plan of Happiness). In this plan God presented to us that he would provide a world for us to live on and a way for us to obtain mortal bodies. He also explained that part of this mortal experience was to allow us to exercise free agency or make our own decisions for ourselves. Because of this we would pass through a veil of forgetfulness and not be able to remember our life before our time here on earth. In this way our choices, and agency to choose, wouldn't be forfeit by the knowledge we previously had but we could all choose for ourselves if we would follow God or not. But he also made some very significant promises. First, He would provide a Savior, one who would live a perfect life, give us an example to follow, and ultimately who would suffer and atone for the sins of all mankind so that we all, through Him, could have the opportunity to repent of our mortal shortcomings and be able to return to live with our Heavenly Father (Ephesians 5:5 and 1 Nephi 10:21). Second, he promised to give us guidance and direction through revelation, prophets, the scriptures, and the Holy Ghost. Thus the roles of the three, separate, distinct, and unique members of the godhead (or Trinity) were defined. Heavenly Father is the father of our spirits, Christ committed to be our Savior and example, and the Holy Ghost is our link between heaven and ourselves through thoughts and feelings of guidance. But in this council there was also another son of God, Lucifer, who volunteered to be our Savior, but he promised to bring ALL of us back to God through force (forfeiting our agency) and said that if he did this he wanted the glory for himself (Abraham 3:22-26). Thus God chose Christ to be our Savior. As a result, Lucifer decided to rebel against God and was thus cast out of Heaven along with all his followers, without bodies and without any means of returning. Thus the origins of temptation and opposition to God's will were on earth. Each of us who have received bodies were among those in this premortal council who chose to follow and accept God's plan, challenges and all. As a result, we have received mortal bodies and been placed on earth to gain experience, knowledge, and ultimately through our decisions be able to return to live with God. To accomplish these goals, God, as we were promised, has provided us with prophets in times past whose teachings we find in the scriptures as well as prophets today in our time who speak and give us guidance and direction specifically for the unique challenges of our day. But fundamentally there are 5 simple steps we must accept and follow to return to our heavenly home. They have been taught by every prophet in every era of time, including today. First, faith in Jesus Christ. Second, repentance (made possible through the atonement of Christ). Third, baptism (by immersion for the remission of sins). Fourth, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost (through the laying on of hands and as our constant companion as we are faithful). Fifth, enduring to the end (including all the covenants and promises in the temple, receiving the priesthood for men, and living faithfully, following all of God's commandments). Through it all we are always given the opportunity (and responsibility) to choose for ourselves. Ultimately, we all must die both physically (separation of body from the spirit as a result of the fall of Adam and Eve) and spiritually (separation of us from God because we are not perfect). But through Christ's atonement we can gain victory over both. Now with this foreknowledge, to attempt to shed some light and understanding on the question at hand of what happens or where we go after this life, between this life and living with God in heaven. In "True to the Faith" when discussing the Plan of Salvation and life after death it states, "When you die, your spirit will enter the spirit world and await the resurrection." So the simple answer is we will all go to the spirit world to wait, but what does this really mean? In the spirit world there are are two parts, Spirit Paradise and spirit prison. Spirit Paradise is a place of peace and happiness reserved for those who have been baptized by proper authority and who have remained faithful (Alma 40:12). Those in spirit prison have the opportunity to learn the gospel of Jesus Christ, repent of their sins, and receive the ordincances of baptism and confirmation through the work we do in temples (Doctrine and Covenants 138:30-35). Those that follow this course will then be able to enter spirit paradise. Thus all of God's children, living and dead, who have lived on earth will have the opportunity to choose to accept the gospel of Christ. One significant comment to make because you're probably thinking, "Who wouldn't accept the gospel of Christ when they're dead and find themselves in heaven?" There is a fundamental fact that is crucial to us keeping our free agency, and that is nothing can be forced upon us (this doesn't mean that natural consequences for our decisions won't happen, but that we will never be forced to make one decision over another against our will). Death, thus, does not change our personality nor our desires to do good or evil. Thus if we chose (or would have chosen) the follow Christ in this life, we will accept and follow Christ in the life to come. Next, comes the resurrection and final judgement. Through the atonement of Christ we will all be resurrected (our spirit and our physical mortal bodies (in its perfect form) will be reunited never to be separated again). After we are resurrected we will all stand before the Lord to be judged (Revelations 20:21). We will each be assigned to an eternal dwelling place in a specific kingdom of glory. There are three kingdoms of glory. First, is the celestial kingdom. This kingdom is the highest of the three kingdoms. Those who live in this kingdom live forever in the presence of God the Father, Jesus Christ, and together with their families. (To explain WHO receives this kingdom of glory refer to Doctrine and Covenants 76:50-70, 92-96 and Doctrine and Covenants 137:7-9, 10) (Basically all those who received, honored, and kept all the necessary saving ordinances and lived lives in the manner God directed). Second, is the terrestrial kingdom. Those in this kingdom are those individuals, honorable people, "who were blinded by the craftiness of men" (Doctrine and Covenants 76:75). They were those who did not enter into all the necessary covenants, accepted some but not all as well as not being true to the testimony of Christ. Those who received this degree of glory are also defined as those people who accepted the Gospel of Christ, but did not live lives honorable of receiving a place in celestial glory. (Doctrine and Covenants 76:71-80, 91, 97) Third, is the telestial kingdom. This degree of glory is reserved for those that continued in their sins and who did not repent. In the Doctrine and Covenants it defines these individuals as those who "received not the gospel of Christ, neither the testimony of Jesus" (DC 76:82). (DC 76: 81-90, 98-106, 109-112) Thus instructed and presented there are two crucial questions to be asked...First, which kingdom of glory is YOUR goal and with that goal what choices must you make in this life to achieve this goal? (Hopefully your goal is the same as mine, the Celestial Kingdom, which means that I (and you) must follow the 5 essential steps I have outlined) Second, how can YOU know, for yourselves personally, that what I have explained and presented is true? That this truly is the plan God presented and has given? It is quite simple, ASK HIM. The Savior has commanded us to pray always (Doctrine and Covenants 10:5), and who better to ask than the all-knowing, all-powerful, and your eternally-loving Heavenly Father. I promise if you will humbly approach your Heavenly Father in prayer, with a sincere heart and real intent (truly wanting to know and follow whatever answer you receive), you will receive a witness (personally and specifically for you) through the promptings and feelings of the Holy Ghost (because that is one of his duties, to testify of truth). I am so grateful for the knowledge I have received personally that I have a loving, living Heavenly Father, who created a marvelous plan, a plan of happiness and salvation, that allows for me to come to earth, receive a body, and gain experience. I know that only through the example, teachings, and atonement of Christ can I, and you, be forgiven of our sins and shortcomings and return to live with God and our families. I know these this are true! And I know that you can come to know these things are true for yourself, if you will ask. I know He will answer and give you the knowledge and understanding you desire. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Happy Mother's Day!

Getting ready for the Dia de Madre fiesta!

You are all beautiful! Just so you know ;) haha :)

So the highlights this week:

Highlights for 5/11/15:

Highlight #1: OBVIOUSLY....the call home. Well, half way done with all my calls home for the mission. How crazy is that?!?!?! Well, 230 days till Christmas, and Christmas is basically half way between now and when I get home...just a little baggy statement :) :) Haha :)

Skyping with my family...our newest and greatest family photo!

What I saw in Guatemala!  Loved it!

Highlight #2: Baptism. So, this week I was able to attend the baptism of one of my investigators. One of those moments of my mission I will NEVER be able to forget! Sorry I didn't tell you guys about it yesterday...my bad..haha :) But it was sooooooo amazing!! :) His next goal is to receive the priesthood and ultimately to serve a mission!!! How cool is that?!?!?!?! I am hoping to stay in contact with him to know where he goes in his life! Haha :)

Well, really those are the highlights other than the stuff I talked to you all about yesterday!! :) Haha :) Oh, the family's house where we were calling asked if the boys were twins....thought you'd find that funny :) :)

Well, here comes another change and another comp. Pray for me! :) I'm excited for the new and fun experiences that are coming this next change!!!! :) I love you all and hope all is well and you are all safe and happy :) :) Keep on smiling and the next thing you know the kids will be half way done with their next year of school and I'll be on the iPad again ;) haha :) Till next week!

With love and hope for a great coming week here and for all of you,
Elder Flake

My parting gift to my comp who is heading home this week.  Adios!

FOOD...

mmmmm...

Grateful for members who feed us!

Missionaries in my zone!

May the Fourth be with you! Ha!

A "little" hairy friend we discovered (along with about a dozen smaller ones) as we were doing service!
Everyone scattered except the missionaries...we wanted photos first! haha!

Guess what? I get to see you all this week!! :) I hope you are as excited as I am!!!! :) :) Well, to get to a couple highlights from this week...

Highlights for 4/5/15:

Highlight #1: Devotional. Well, a sister in our ward invited us to visit and watch the CES Devotional yesterday....and who would you guess were the participating choir. YEP, Utah State Univestity Insitute Choir!!!!!!! So that was fun, being able to see some friends and Brother Salmon! :) Haha :) Lots of the same people from last year's choir participated again! Now, this is not to diminish the AWESOME devotional by Elder Robbins about the ladder to truly knowing God. :) :)

Highlight #2: Culture. They take Mother's Day SERIOUSLY here! I dont think I've seen so many fiestas announced for an occasion since being in Xela! I've seen flyers for probably 3 or 4 concerts, 3 or 4 events, and then the elders quorum is doing a ward activity and cooking for the women of the ward! It's a PARTY!!! :) :)

Highlight #3: Food 1: Guatemalan. So this week me and my comp helped prepare a traditional Guatemalan fiesta food called paches. Look it up on Google and begin salivating. They are AWESOME!!! :) (or maybe it's just because it's not rice and beans and tortillas ;) haha, jk) So this family that we were helping has been preparing and selling their paches for generations (i.e. the mom of the mother of the mother of the mother of the sister in my ward...haha. I jokingly asked the husband if it possibly was a recipe that was in the Book of Lehi that Sariah made her husband and was included in his records...haha :)) I didn't get any pictures, but to give you a picture in your mind imagine a room with 3 huge (and I mean HUGE, like I could bathe in huge) pots. One full of cooked potatoes, one full of cooked rice and the other for the paches to be cooked in. Then take and mash the potatoes and rice and these consitute the "base" for the pache. The pache also includes a chile, a piece of carne, and a veces uvas :) They are super good! And usually only made for special holidays (ie Dia de Madre).

Highlight #4: Dia de Madre. So unlike the States, Mother's Day is a specific date in May not the second Sunday regardless of date. In Guatemala la Dia de Madre is always the 10th of May...and do you know what?...that happens to fall on the second Sunday of May this year!! How cool is that?!?! I get to celebrate Mother's Day the same day as all of you guys!! :) But next year it is going to fall on a Tuesday (I think, because of leap year)...

Highlight #5: Food 2: My Food. So this week I made some BOMB lasagna for an investigator because she didn't believe me when she asked if I knew how to cook and I answered "Yes!". So she wanted me to prove I could cook, so first we made the brownies of a couple weeks ago (and they turned out mas or menos because of some things that went wrong with some of the equipment (i.e. oven))...so to redeem myself she invited us to make lunch with her today and make lasagna. Well, needless to say, she now has acknowledged I can cook! :) Mission accomplished!

Well, there you guys go! Some (SOME) of the fun highlights of this week! :) One more week till changes...and another comp...and the start of another new experience! :) Wish me luck sending off another comp ;) Haha :) Love you lots! :) Keep up the great work at home!! :) See ya'll soon!

With love and prayers and ganas to talk to my family,
Elder Flake

Typical store

Do you like my mask?

Another "Normal" week in Guate

Easter fun with the ward at the church!

Highlight #1: Food. First and for most my food highlight for the week. BROWNIES!!! Yes, I made delicious, rich, moist brownies this week for one of our investigators at a member's house. They were super duper good! The only problem was that the oven we used only heats from the bottom...so the bottom was burned for about half a cm and the top was cooked but still uncooked. Then the topping was going great, yes was, until 5 CUPS of milk not 5 TBSP of milk were added. Needless to say the "frosting" was pretty runny. So from my vast cooking knowledge I decided to put some flour in the mix and microwave it! It worked like a charm! The frosting hardened up and we were able top the brownies with some super rico frosting!! :) :) Utter failure averted!

Highlight #2: Baptism Update. We currently have 1 fecha, and the plan of at least 3 others this coming week. The month of Mayo should be a great month of baptisms.

Highlight #3: English. Well I have become the English tutor for a less active member :) So this past week we started visiting him and his son. So while I was practicing English with the dad (throwing in church references and words), my comp was teaching and talking with the son! :) It worked out pretty well :) :) We have another appt this week with them to do it again and they promised to make or order pizza for us for dinner while we are there :) :) Got to love when a doctor wants to give you dinner ;) Haha :)

Highlight #4: Service. Well we preformed more service this week clearing out a lot of land for a member. It was going super well! And then the member handed me the ax....and pointed at some very large trees. Got to love Guatemala! :) haha :) Needless to say, it's been a while since i used an ax and the tree was pretty hard, so I obtained blisters, yes blisterSS. Look at your left hand, now imagine 13 individual blisters...got to love manual labor! ;) But they are slowly healing and all is well :) :)

Watch out!

I love you all and hope all is well at home! Keep the smiles on your faces and always remember life is meant to be enjoyed (look in the scriptures if you dont agree...como "men are that they might have JOY"), so ENJOY IT! :) Hope you guys are as pumped as I am to talk in 2 weeks!!!!!!!! :) I should know the details next week :) LOVE YOU LOTS!!!! :)

With much love and many prayers,
Elder Flake

PS I completed 9 months this last week! Man the time is FLYING by!!

PPS My comp just got his flight itinerary for his trip home. It's gettin real!

Tradition: Ice Cream after Priesthood Session of Conference!
I got one for my dad, but because he wasn't here and it was melting,
I had to eat it for him!

Another snake! Ewwww!

Tropical location for your mission = Mangos in your bag! Yessss!

The week that flew by!

Well this week has gone by SUPER DUPER fast! I cant believe it's already Monday again!! Well, some fun highlights this week, so I'll cut to the chase...

Highlights for 20/4/15:

Highlight #1: First Blister of the Mission. Well, the day arrived this week that I got my first blister. I woke up like normal, got ready for the day (including putting on my shoes), and then studied. We then left for a service project we had scheduled. I've been using the same shoes for the past 9 months and have had no problems. No blisters, no rubbing, no problems, at all. Well, I got my first blister...Now I know what you are thinking, "How can that be that I could get a blister after so many months using my shoes?" Well, it's actually quite simple...the blister was on my hand! ;) haha :) I got a water blister from using the machete for so long! haha :) My shoes still have a clean record of no problems :) :)

Highlight #2: Divisions. We did divisions this last week. They were SWEET! I got to work with my District Leader, a Tongan from the states.  It was awesome to have a gringo companion for a little while! And we got work done!! We found a couple new investigators, contacted some super positive individuals, and had a blast! :)

Highlight #3: Food. Yep, food highlight :) :) So for the Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Guate they have special foods they only make and eat during that specific week. One of these foods is Garbanzos (don't know if i spelled that right...). It is slow cooked garbanzo beans in a syrup with cinnamon, sugar, brown sugar, and water. So I asked a member here if she would teach me how to make it if I bought the supplies. Well, this week I learned how to make it! It was super duper yummy. We ate it so fast that I forgot to take a picture...haha :) But I still took some food pictures of other things :) :) So, no worries ;)

Highlight #4: Misc. So two other things that happened this week. The tradition continues...my comp's backpack got peed on by a members dog while we were there doing some service. This is a tradition because it happened to my last companion too...haha :) Beware of being my comp...haha ;) The other was we talked to a young man (that turned out to know English, so that was fun) who had attended the Xela Temple Open House with his friends. We asked what his favorite part was and he responded one highlight was finding out that we have jacuzzis in our temples...Huh???...OH! the baptismal font! :) He told us that he made that comment to his guide in the temple and that they then explained that it was not in fact a jacuzzi but a baptismal font where saving ordinances are performed. But it made me laugh, just that thought that we would have jacuzzis in the temple. haha :)

Well, this week has been a lot better and we have had a lot more success. I am soo grateful for this opportunity to serve as one of the Lord's chosen and called servants to bring His gospel to my brother and sisters here in Guatemala. I am so grateful for this gospel and for the peace, comfort and direction it gives me. I promise if you will meet with the missionaries, no importa si tu es un member or not, they will be able to help you come closer to your Heavenly Father and experience these same feelings of peace, comfort and direction. This is truly the Lord's, Jesus Christ's, church. He is at the head and he knows you personally. Hope all is well at home and everyone is loving life! Keep up all the smiling and positivity! There is no substitute for those things in life.

With love, thoughts and prayers,
Elder Flake

Peruvian breakfast...taught to me by my Peruvian companion!

I love my food!  Vegetarian lunch!

Me and my Guate Buddies!

This is the work of the Lord

Kept the tradition of ice cream after Priesthood Session!
Yes, I ate the whole thing!

I am sooo soooooo SO happy right now to have some time to write to you all and talk about my week and share with you all. A lot of things happened this week, but I can share the play-by-play when I get home, for now some highlights :)

Highlights 4/13/15:

Highlight #1: Interviews. Well the time for interviews came again this week. Oh how I love being able to talk to Presidente and Hermana Smith, feel of their love, and learn A LOT from them. We didn't know until Wed that we were going to be having interviews on Fri, so that was a fun surprise from the Zone Meeting ;) Haha :) Like the other 2 times I've had interviews I come away KNOWING that Pres. Smith has been called of God to guide and lead this mission, to guide and lead ME. I can truly say that Pres. and Hermana Smith are two examples to me of living lives guided by the Lord through prayer, revelation, and action. But the part I'm most greatful for is they take their knowledge and share thoughts and ideas with me about how I can come closer to Christ and majorar (more or less meaning do better). Presidente Smith has been called and set apart to lead at this time and he has my prayers, confidence, and support.

Highlight #2: A Mission Call. So guess what happened this week...yep our Ward Mission Leader here in El Prado received his mission call, finally. So to go back to Nov...he sent in his application papers in Nov hoping to be able to leave the end of Dec or in Jan. Well, plans changed because his papers came back with the message that they were incomplete due to some medical information needed. So he fixed that and resubmitted his papers. Well, fate had it again and once again his papers came back with a message that he needed to have his wisdom teeth removed. So the second week I was here in this area he had is wisdom teeth removed and resubmitted his papers. Then in Sacrament Meeting Obispo (the Bishop) called him up front to present him with his call envelope. (I liked this idea, have the call letter go to the ward to present to the youth personally in front of the ward instead of just to their home.) So last night he opened his call, finally, and will be serving in and leaving on.....drum roll....El Salvador San Salvador East and enters the CCM in a month. Crazy huh? Haha :) I had to wait 4 months after I opened my call...but I'm glad I had that time to prepare and buy everything ;) :) haha :) So I had my determination rekindled as I felt some of the same emotions for him that I had felt when I opened my own call :) It helped a lot!! :)

Highlight #3: A Quote. "Thus illuminated by the light of faith, adversity becomes a vehicle for growth and death becomes a doorway from one phase of our eternal existance to another." --From Our Search for Happiness by Elder Ballard.

So this week I had some very rejuvinating experiences to help encourage me on! I know this is the work of God and that He knows exactly what I (and each of us) need and the correct timing to impliment a little nudge or a little encouragement to keep us going but still allow us to grow :) I am soo greatful for this work and the trust and faith my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have in me. Have you ever thought about that, Heavenly Father and Christ excersice faith in us that we will choose to use our agency to do good and follow them. God, the all-knowing and most powerful being in the universe, has faith in me and faith in each of you individually. How cool of a thought is that? Makes you want to do better and be better, right?! ;) haha :) I love you all and hope all is going well for each of you! I pray for you each every day!! Keep up all the hard work and sharing the gospel! Love those missionaries in your ward, maybe someday they will return to visit ;) You never know ;) Haha :)

With love and thoughts from Guatemala,
Elder Flake

Guatemalan tostadas...YUM!

The mortician... ;)

Fun Ward Activity!!

FYI the church was organized 185 years ago today...just sayin' :)

Highlights for 4/6/15:

Highlight #1: New Comp. So I said farewell to my comp last Tue and he is now comfortable in his house in Peru (for all that I know). And because of the vacancy I received a new companion.  He's from Honduras, oldest of 4 kids, and YES I'm killing him (killing=the term for when a missionary is on their last change in the field before heading home; i.e. he's on his last change with me, so I'm "killing" him). So I guess I've become the mortician, or at least for last change and this change.

Goodbye to my (now former) comp!!!!

Highlight #2: General Conference. Can I just say WOOOOOOW?!!! That conference was the best conference I have ever listened to, I learned and grew from every single talk. I especially loved all the talks about marriage ;) :P So if you have not had a chance to see conference I challenge you to visit lds.org and watch it (and if you are in a rush of time to just watch 1 talk now, then go back and watch another talk until you've seen them all). I promise that if you will prayerfully and sincerely listen to and write down the promptings and impressions you receive and then take those notes and apply them in your life you will experience more joy, peace, and feelings of love in your life as well as witness the hand of God directing your life. I know it and I know that you can know it if you will accept the challenge.

Going to hear General Conference!

Highlight #3: Semana Santa. The Holy Week. Well, being in a prodominantly Catholic country there were a lot of new and unique traditions I was able to witness this week. One of these traditions that Xela is known for is their processions. What happens is all the catholics in an area go to their local church, hoist a giant and I mean GIANT parade float on their shoulders (this float includes different scenes from the last week of Christ's life), and then walk through the streets of the city "carrying christ's cross." It is a big deal here in Xela and there are many people that come to see and participate in these processions. To see what I mean just search on Google for "xela guatemala semana santa processions" and check out the pictures (Caution: Some of the pictures could be a little graphic, think Vatican City paintings graphic.) Some other traditions include the baking of special breads and the adorning of houses in purple. To say the least, this week has been an informative experience.

Well there you have it, my week in highlights. Hope you are all doing well and are super duper happy and loving life. I pray for you each every night and hope you feel those prayers and the blessings and protective hand of the Lord in your lives.

With much love,
Elder Flake

Views from my porch (above and below).  Beautiful!

Fresh Guate coconut...mmmm.

Just at a member's house goofing around with their drum set. :)