Monday, May 23, 2011

May 23, 2011: President's Challenge

hey guys! please read this! and do this activity! it will bless your lives so much! I am doing it right now, i started the 18th of may and right now i am on page 80 of the Book of Mormon, and it has brought so much joy to me already! and has blessed me to always have his spirit burning bright, all day long! :) please do it! And we can talk about new things your learn, and how it strengthens your testimony so much! let me know if you are going to do it so i can talk with you guys about your progress.. (scriptures..thoughts..joy) I know it will come to your life! thanks


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Georgia Atlanta Mission
Date: Wed, May 4, 2011 at 1:52 PM
Subject: Presidents Reading Assignment
To: Steven H Satterfield


Dear Elders and Sisters,

As you know, the Book of Mormon, combined with the Spirit is the most powerful resource in conversion. The most important person for you to convert is yourself! You can't do that without the Spirit, and you can't have the Spirit if you don't read the doctrines of Jesus Christ. Despite how many times you may have read it in the past, the most accurate place to read the doctrines of Christ is in the Book of Mormon. It will draw you closer to God than any other book. The Spirit will come into your hearts, and you will be strengthened against temptation, gain a stronger testimony of the Savior and his Restored Gospel, become a better example and servant in the Kingdom, you will have greater love for the Savior and greater resolve to live His commandments, and you will acquire the strength necessary to face the adversities that are ahead as we advance through these latter days in preparation for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Thus, I am asking you to read the following and PLEASE FORWARD this email TO YOUR PARENTS OR GUARDIAN or others you so desire to join you in this exercise.


MEMO: To ALL Missionaries of the Georgia Atlanta Mission, their parents, guardians, siblings, or other supportive people that may be invited by a Georgia Atlanta Missionary to join in this opportunity.

FROM: President and Sister Steven H. Satterfield

Beginning 18 May, 2011, you are all invited to participate in reading the Book of Mormon together over a 12-week period, concluding 9 August, 2011. Fundamental to the "restoration of the gospel" in this, the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times, is the Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ. "The Book of Mormon is a powerful evidence of the divinity of Jesus Christ. It is proof of the Restoration through the Prophet Joseph Smith." PMG page 103

Here are the parameters of the assignment:

1. Begin reading by 18 May, 2011 and conclude no later than 9 August, 2011. This will require reading about 7 pages per day.

2. Before reading, kneel down and pray, asking for the Spirit to be with you as you read.

3. In your weekly emails (between missionary and those at home) to each other have "some" dialogue about something that impressed you about your reading of the Book of Mormon that week. Keep a sticky note or notebook handy to record those thoughts.

4. Obtain a new, inexpensive Book of Mormon and three different colored pencils to use in marking scriptural passages along with one blue pen. Use these three different colored pencils and pen to mark the following types of scriptures:

a. Colored pencil #1: Mark all passages that make reference to "Christ", His name, His words (often preceded by a prophet saying "thus sayeth the Lord", His mission and/or His atonement for mankind.

b. Colored pencil #2: Mark all passages that refer in anyway to the The Doctrine of Christ: Faith in Jesus Christ, Repentance, Baptism, the gift or influence of the Holy Ghost and enduring faithfully to the end of ones life.

c. Colored pencil #3: Mark all passages that teach Doctrines of the Gospel (not included in "a" or "b" above) such as: prayer, resurrection, judgment, priesthood authority, forgiveness, the Fall, Gathering of Israel, etc., etc. Mark the scripture and write in the margin the doctrine taught.

d. Blue pen: Circle the word or various forms of the word "deliver" whenever it is used directly or as a metaphor to refer to the deliverance from sin and death the Savior will provide for ALL mankind. (This will include the vast majority of the times you see the word deliver or forms of that word.) In addition, circle the word "remember" or versions of the word such as "remembrance" and write in the margin what the writer is asking us to remember.

SUGGESTIONS: Use a new, inexpensive Book of Mormon. Do not worry about marking things neatly since you will need to read 7 pages a day and must "move along". Reading the Book of Mormon at this pace is different from studying individual verses. You want to get the "big picture" of the Book so DON'T SLOW DOWN. Read at least 7 pages a day and quickly mark scriptures. Save close study of individual passages or doctrines for another time and a different exercise.

Some years ago Sister Satterfield and I were invited to read the Book of Mormon three times in twelve weeks or once every 30 days! We both did that, and it was one of the great experiences of our lives. Heavenly Father seemed to "run interference" for us with our worldly cares, as we diligently prioritized to put Him first. When I finished the assignment on the 90th day, I remember setting down the Book of Mormon, turning to my wife and saying: "No WONDER they changed the name of the Book of Mormon to: 'The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ!' You CAN'T read that book without knowing Jesus Christ is our Savior."

The restored Gospel of Jesus Christ is TRUE. The Book of Mormon is the physical witness to the truth of the Restoration through the Prophet Joseph Smith. This we KNOW to be TRUE.

President and Sister Satterfield
Georgia Atlanta Mission


V/R

Elder Vernon H. McCoy
Georgia Atlanta Mission
Finance Secretary

No comments:

Post a Comment