My Spiritual Message

July 5
this week i was asked by the mission office to write up my testimony and send it in to be put in the mission newspaper. i've decided to send the article to all of you instead of writing a long email and trying to think of all of the things i did this week because its a lot easier. obviously my article is focused towards missionaries but i hopefully all of you can find something in it to help your study of the gospel as well.

here it is..

Makin' a good personal study.

I have found it hard sometimes to make my personal study as effective as i want it to be or to find the time to study all the things that i want to study. i get frustrated trying to balance a good amount of Book of Mormon study, outlines, Jesus the Christ, Preach My Gospel, and personal questions that i just want to answer while still getting a 'spiritual lift' each morning. But my testimony today is that similar to Hyrum Smith's. It is that we don't need to submerge ourselves into deeper doctrine everyday to continue to recieve spiritual insights. As we study and preach the first principles of the gospel (which can be studied through doing outlines), "new ideas and additional light concerning them will be revealed to (us)." (pmg pg 6). Following along with the first principles of the gospel, i want to share some new ideas and personal light that i have learned about gospel principles i have been studying my whole life.
Everyone knows that with faith we can perform miracles, heal the sick, and even move mountains. However, it is not commonly observed that there is a bigger, even more important miracle produced by faith. What miracle is bigger than moving a mountain? Well, I'll tell ya. It is a remission of sins and eventually salvation. As you already know, this remission of sins comes through our true faith to repent and rely on the atonement of Jesus Christ. But why repentance? Why can't God just forgive us of our sins? Of course repentance is a good thing; it causes us to humble ourselves, change, and draw closer to God but is it really necessary? I mean Christ truly did suffer an infinite atonement so why aren't we all just...saved? I am sure there are many answers to this question, some of which are found in Alma 42, and i am excited to continue my study about this basic gospel principle. As for now, I have a testimony that faith is the foundation for salvation. A principle that if truly understood and applied leads to long lasting repentance, remission of sins, and even eternal life. If we base our study time upon these principles, showing the way to our investigators, i know that the words of King Benjamin will be fulfilled and we will all grow in a knowledge of our creator. "And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true." (Mosiah 4:12) It is my hope that we all excel in the knowledge of our Father in Heaven and his plan as we bring the gospel to his cherished sons and daughters.

Elder Wells