Mission Tour
Letter from Feb 21
This week we had a mission tour as you can tell. Elder Gong of the Presidency of the Seventy came to our Mission and we had a special devotional and zone conferences this week. They were both really great and SUPER spirit filled.
To prepare for the meetings, he had us read from Joseph Smith History and the Talk from President Nelson from the Broadcast. I came to realize why he had us study those, even though he didn't talk about it hardly at all. For the last 3 or 4 weeks, i have been studying those 2 things every single day and really trying to understand how Joseph Smith felt as he was reading, praying, and trying to find his answer. the best way that I thought I would understand how he felt was if I tried it myself. I went into reading the Bible in James Chapter 1 with a question in my heart. I read verse 5 and felt something really cool, as soon as i read it, I got the chills and felt the spirit super strongly but did not receive my answer. I then got down on my knees and followed the council of James, to ask of God. I did so, and did not receive my answer, and did not have quite the same experience that Joseph Smith had in the Sacred Grove. During the Sunday devotional I was searching for my answer from Elder Gong and again, did not receive it. The Devotional was amazing and I learned a whole bunch of things about myself and how I can become a better Missionary and also a stronger Disciple of Christ and remember him more. Then on Monday while out working I did all that I could to remember Christ in all that i did and we had a great day and worked really hard to reach our goals that we have set, but still no answer.
On Tuesday at the Zone Conference, Elder Gong touched on the things that we can do to Remember Christ in all that we do. It was a great meeting because Elder Gong is such a fun guy and made it so we were talking and teaching most of the time while he was there with us. As we were all counseling together as a Zone, I realized something in Specific that he had told us. One thing as missionaries that we need to do better is listen, not just with your ears. but with your heart, and most importantly with your eyes. I had found part of my answer there and he also showed and told me some things that I need to do to better myself as a missionary. Heavenly Father sent one of his servants to us to answer the specific question that I had in my heart. I know that this Gospel is true and that it was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I have prayed many times and received answers to prayers many times as well, but never before had it been this clear to me. I love my Heavenly Father so very much and am Grateful for the love that he has for me, and I know that he loves each and every one of you.
Love,
Elder Sager
Cole's mom here...
After reading this letter I couldnt help but to look back on a trip we took as a family to upstate NY to the church history sites in Palmyra. We were there in 2012 when Cole was 14 years old. While standing in the farm house the missionaries asked Cole to read a passage from the bible James 1:5. this was always a special moment for us. Cole was standing in the same place where the Prophet Joseph Smith was standing when he was a young boy of 14 investagting which of the churches to join when he read James 1:5 "If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given unto him." To now hear the words my son is sharing about this sripture fills my heart with love and joy. Knowing he is kneeling in honest and true prayer asking the Lord daily to help him and answer his prayers just as the Prophet did makes me so proud of the young man my son has become. He also speaks of the Sacred Grove. im invluding a few pictures taken from that trip. A few of Cole in the farmhouse and on that Cole took in the sacred grove.
This week we had a mission tour as you can tell. Elder Gong of the Presidency of the Seventy came to our Mission and we had a special devotional and zone conferences this week. They were both really great and SUPER spirit filled.
To prepare for the meetings, he had us read from Joseph Smith History and the Talk from President Nelson from the Broadcast. I came to realize why he had us study those, even though he didn't talk about it hardly at all. For the last 3 or 4 weeks, i have been studying those 2 things every single day and really trying to understand how Joseph Smith felt as he was reading, praying, and trying to find his answer. the best way that I thought I would understand how he felt was if I tried it myself. I went into reading the Bible in James Chapter 1 with a question in my heart. I read verse 5 and felt something really cool, as soon as i read it, I got the chills and felt the spirit super strongly but did not receive my answer. I then got down on my knees and followed the council of James, to ask of God. I did so, and did not receive my answer, and did not have quite the same experience that Joseph Smith had in the Sacred Grove. During the Sunday devotional I was searching for my answer from Elder Gong and again, did not receive it. The Devotional was amazing and I learned a whole bunch of things about myself and how I can become a better Missionary and also a stronger Disciple of Christ and remember him more. Then on Monday while out working I did all that I could to remember Christ in all that i did and we had a great day and worked really hard to reach our goals that we have set, but still no answer.
On Tuesday at the Zone Conference, Elder Gong touched on the things that we can do to Remember Christ in all that we do. It was a great meeting because Elder Gong is such a fun guy and made it so we were talking and teaching most of the time while he was there with us. As we were all counseling together as a Zone, I realized something in Specific that he had told us. One thing as missionaries that we need to do better is listen, not just with your ears. but with your heart, and most importantly with your eyes. I had found part of my answer there and he also showed and told me some things that I need to do to better myself as a missionary. Heavenly Father sent one of his servants to us to answer the specific question that I had in my heart. I know that this Gospel is true and that it was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I have prayed many times and received answers to prayers many times as well, but never before had it been this clear to me. I love my Heavenly Father so very much and am Grateful for the love that he has for me, and I know that he loves each and every one of you.
Love,
Elder Sager
Cole's mom here...
After reading this letter I couldnt help but to look back on a trip we took as a family to upstate NY to the church history sites in Palmyra. We were there in 2012 when Cole was 14 years old. While standing in the farm house the missionaries asked Cole to read a passage from the bible James 1:5. this was always a special moment for us. Cole was standing in the same place where the Prophet Joseph Smith was standing when he was a young boy of 14 investagting which of the churches to join when he read James 1:5 "If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given unto him." To now hear the words my son is sharing about this sripture fills my heart with love and joy. Knowing he is kneeling in honest and true prayer asking the Lord daily to help him and answer his prayers just as the Prophet did makes me so proud of the young man my son has become. He also speaks of the Sacred Grove. im invluding a few pictures taken from that trip. A few of Cole in the farmhouse and on that Cole took in the sacred grove.
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| Cole @14 years old in the Smith Farmhouse Palmyra NY (aug 2012) |
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| Reading James 1:5 |
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| Picture taken by Cole Sager in the Sacred Grove 2012 Joseph Smith History 1:16 "-just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me." |
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