July 7, 2014
Santiago, Philippines
Life is beautiful. Complete with its perfect imperfections. I feel I'll keep my email short this week, but I would just like to bear my testimony of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the exact church that Jesus Christ Himself established in days of old. I don't know this by result of persuasion or by any means that could be obtained from the schemes of man. I simply know it because when I follow Christ, and press forward in my faith, I feel good. There isn't an end to my progression. My thirsting for the Spirit is quenched; my hunger for the words of God is not disrupted by the doctrines of man. Faith is not a perfect knowledge, but if you ask anyone, a perfect knowledge of a subject is not what motivated them to pursue it; a sound understanding of our inclinations is not what conceives our passion for them. It is because we feel it is right, and despite trial after trial, discouragement after discouragement, we keep going, because we can't get enough of it. We have been given ourselves -- the way we are, the way we speak, the way we think, the things we love to do, the things we want to get out of this life -- as a divine, inherited trait of our Father in Heaven. And because He knows there are all-too-many ways to squander our potential in this world, He provided a way to protect our own selves from being sold for less. It is through our ultimate, supreme Hero, Jesus the Christ. It was He whom we chose to follow in the Pre-Existence, not Satan. Satan has made himself quite a convincing god of happiness here on earth. Do whatever you want! There is no wrong! Well let me tell you, there IS wrong, and if we do wrong we will throw away all that has been given to us. Don't throw yourself away! Come unto Christ, and be perfected in Him! He is the only way whereby you will save your own self, quirks and talents and passions included. God knows you, and loves you more than we feel we deserve. And His love is eternal, just as all of us are. And in this the true church of Jesus Christ, we can take our hearts, and those within our hearts, and seal them for the Eternal Courts above. Love is eternal, and through love, we will progress forever. There is no death above, so decide today to serve our Lord and God. I leave this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
-Elder Kocherhans
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