Jesus Christ is the sure foundation!

Tuesday, 5th September, 2017

Happy Tuesday everybody! Transfer time already! Good news: I'm still in Wattle Grove! 
Sad news: my soa Sister Taeu got transferred to Campbelltown Samoan Ward ): ): but thats ok! My new soa is 

Sister Chan from Malaysia! 

 She is awesome and I'm super excited to serve with her! Funny fact, I was fully confident that I was getting transferred so I packed up everything - and I mean everything even my bedding on Saturday when we had deep clean and just us my pillow and blanket - nekk minnit we get the transfer call and I'm staying and Sister Taeu is leaving (she didn't pack because she thought she was staying). So this week I have to unpack my stuff at some point hahahha. So that's Sister Roos! Miracles happen every day! Our Ward is doing a 40 day fast and we have had such great opportunities to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with people who members in our ward hold so dear! It has been a great week! 

My invitation last week was to allow your character to be built, perfected, purified and prepared to meet God through the refiner's fire that we are blessed daily to experience! I hope we were all able to allow the Saviour to shape us during the past week!

Two scriptures I really love this week that I wanted to share!

Helaman 5:12

"And now my sons (and daughters), remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." 

Matthew 7:24-27

"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of minde, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."

Think on this: In our premortal state we CHOSE TO FOLLOW the Saviour Jesus Christ! And because we did, we were allowed to come to earth. I testify that by making the same CHOICE TO FOLLOW the Saviour while we are here on earth, we will obtain an even greater blessing in the eternities. 

But let it be known, we must continue to CHOOSE TO FOLLOW the Saviour. Eternity is at stake, and our wise use of agency and our actions are essential that we might have eternal life. 

Whenever we CHOOSE TO COME to Christ, take His name upon us, and follow His servants, we progress along the path to eternal life. In our mortal journey, it is helpful to remember that the opposite is also true: when we don't keep the commandments or follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost, our opportunities are reduced; our abilities to act and progress are diminished. Just as the foolish man built his house upon the sand experienced a "great fall", we too, will also have the same experience if we make unwise choices and build upon unstable foundations.

Jesus Christ is the sure foundation! The promised blessing is that we CANNOT fall when we are built upon Him!

My invitation this week is to build your foundation - your lives- on the only sure and stable foundation there is - Jesus Christ - by using your gift of agency to make the choices that will enable you to come unto Him! I echo the promise he has made in Helaman 5:12 and Matthew 7: 25, you cannot and will not fall! No matter the storms, the tribulations, the challenges, the hardships, when we are built upon the Saviour we will stand firm! Always!

Elder Neal A. Maxwell said: "God does not begin by asking us about our ability, but only about our availability, and if we then prove our dependability, he will increase our capability."

Jesus is the Christ - our Saviour and Redeemer! He lives! The gift of agency gives us the opportunity to be obedient! Obedience brings blessings and blessings await our obedience! The gospel of Jesus Christ enables us to receive happiness not only in this life but for eternity! Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal and everlasting happiness! May we each build out lives on the surest foundation that is Jesus Christ!

I love you all!

Sister Roos (: (: xx

   

The Refining Process

28th August, 2017

Happy Monday everyone! How was your week? I hope it was great! We had an amazing week here in the Wattle Grove area! Miracles happen every day!

My invitation last week was to take upon yourselves the yoke of our Saviour so that we can learn of him and develop his perfect attributes! I hope that we were all able to do this to become more like our perfect example - Jesus Christ! 

Some time ago, a few ladies met to study the scriptures. While reading the third chapter of Malachi, they came upon a remarkable expression in the third verse:

"And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver" Malachi 3:3

One lady decided to visit a silversmith, and report to the others on what he said about the subject.

She went accordingly, and without telling him the reason for the visit, begged the silversmith to tell her about the process of refining silver. After he had fully described it to her, she asked, "Sir, do you sit while the work of refining is going on?" "Oh, yes ma'am," replied the silversmith; "I must sit and watch the furnace constantly, for, if the time necessary for refining is exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured."

The lady at once saw the beauty and comfort of the expression, "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."

God sees it necessary to put His children into the furnace; but His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying, and His wisdom and love are both engaged in the best manner for us. Our trials do not come at random, and He will not let us be tested beyond what we can endure (1 Cor 10:13 - fave).

Before she left, the lady asked one final question, "How do you know when the process is complete?" "That's quite simple," replied the silversmith. "When I can see my own image in the silver, the refining process is finished."

We all face challenges, trials, hardships, moments of despair. In these times we stand and may think "Why me?". May we instead look at this as an opportunity to be perfected, to be purified, to be prepared. May we stand and say "What can I learn?" "How will this help me grow?". In these moments where we are pushed further than we believe we can go, in these moments where we feel we are carrying the weight of things we cannot bear, in these moments where we do not feel adequate to achieve, let us remember - He watching over us constantly and intently! Let us remember the promise he gave - he will not test us more than we can endure.Let us remember -  it is in these very moments that our character is built! 

Elder Quentin L. Cook said "There are many kinds of challenges. Some give us necessary experiences. Adverse results in this mortal life are not evidence of lack of faith or of an imperfection in our Father in Heaven's overall plan. The refiner's fire is real, and qualities of character and righteousness that are forged in the furnace of affliction PERFECT and PURIFY us and PREPARE us to meet God."

My invitation this week is to allow your character to be built, perfected, purified and prepared to meet God through the refiner's fire that we are blessed daily to experience! I know that God lives. I know that we are blessed with experiences to help us grow and be better. I know that there are seen and unseen forces that help us in our times of need. I know that we are watched over constantly during these times. I know Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father love each of you. 

I love you all!

Sister Roos (: (: xx