April 14, 2018
Dear
Family and friends,
Another
week has flown by and I look forward to talking about some uplifting
experiences that I had this past week. Here in Curitiba, we are continuing to
approach winter and the temperatures are continuing to drop. Annually, this
time of the year in the mission, we have the opportunity to have what we call
“Mission Tour”. Mission tour happens when a General Authority visits the
mission to give training, interview missionaries and staff, and to oversee the
functioning is of the mission. Our
three-day mission tour this year, which happened for us this last week here in
the mission, was presided over by Elder W. Mark Bassett of the Seventy, and
first counselor in the Brazil Area Presidency. With his fast visit, he taught
about the Doctrine of Christ, but as well left a Doctrine that had a major
effect on how I think, work, and who I am. For my short message today I would
like to share a little of what I learned from this Doctrine and how it might as
well effect each of us in our lives spiritually, intellectually, emotionally,
and so forth.
The
doctrine of SACRIFICE is an eternal
truth established before the foundation of the world. It is a doctrine that we
find throughout the history of the gospel spiritually and as well a doctrine
that may be applied into our lives in many different aspects because of its
nature.
Sacrifice
in my opinion may be defined spiritually as giving up something valuable or
precious, often with the intent of accomplishing a greater purpose or goal. I
like to make the comparison of Practice and
put it hand in hand with this principle. We sacrifice our valuable time and
effort to be able to gain in return something of more value (the bettering of a
skill, sport, or activity in which is referenced).
Sacrifice in its many forms is always
established upon the greatest sacrifice of all, which I have continued to touch
upon over these former weeks. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the most
defining example of sacrifice that the world has been given throughout history.
No other event will ever overtake the offering of the most valuable, precious,
and innocent blood for the reward of eternal life of all men. No other article
of history has ever given us any such great example as to the pure definition
of Sacrifice. The life of Jesus Christ was indescribably precious, yet was
sacrificed for something of unsurpassable purpose. The “Immortality and Eternal
Life of Man”1
Because
of this, we may find the depths of the truths found in the doctrine of the
“Worth of Souls is great in the sight of God”2. With so much
sacrificed for our own souls, we find a transcendent value within ourselves.
The sacrifice
that our Heavenly Father asks of us today is that of a “Broken Heart and a
Contrite Spirit”3. To have a broken heart and a contrite spirit is
to be humble and receptive to the will of God and to the counsel of those He
has called to lead His Church. It also means to feel deep sorrow for sin and a
sincere desire to repent. The prophet Lehi emphasized the importance of
offering this sacrifice: “Behold, [Christ] offereth himself a sacrifice for
sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and
a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered”4.
Sometimes there are other specificities that our Father in Heaven asks us to
sacrifice depending on our situations; For example, as missionaries, we are
specifically asked to sacrifice all disobedience, fears, romantic passions,
pride, negativity, sarcasm, and slothfulness, as well as two years of our lives
and much time away from Family, friends, and other loved ones to be able to
fully enjoy the companionship of the Holy Ghost and to focus more fully on
serving others.5 Apostles and many other auxiliary leaders as well
are asked to give up much of their time and lives when they are called to full
time service, and each member of the church in any respective calling is asked
to devote all of their efforts, living, and circumstances unto the Lord.
Those
who show their willingness to sacrifice as the Lord has commanded will be
accepted by Him. He taught: “All … who know their hearts are honest, and are
broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants
by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are
accepted of me”6.
Overall,
sacrifice is a principle of the Gospel that must be directed and motivated by
Love. In the Book of Mormon, we see the
examples of Lehi’s sons. Nephi was diligent in all things with his eye “Single
to the Glory of God”7, while his brethren Laman and Lemuel “Did
murmur in many things”8. The difference between sacrifice and
obligation is9. Nephi
responded to the commands of the Lord because of his Love for him. Abraham faithfully was willing to sacrifice his only
son out of Love to the commandments
of God. The scriptures and history have come forth to show that those that are
faithful and that demonstrate true sacrifice are those that do so out of Love, not out of obligation. That is the
secret.
Therefore,
the takeaway this past week from Elder Bassett was sacrifice. If we are not
sacrificing our time and life for the things that are important now, we may
start today in doing so. True sacrifice is demonstrated with Love, and through
our good works and our positive attitude in all things, we may better develop
this skill. The same skill that will eventually bring us to a knowledge of our
Father in Heaven and in his son, Jesus Christ, and lift us into Eternal Life10.
“For whosoever will save his life, must be willing to lose it for my sake; and
whosoever will be willing to lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.”11
May we
each then be willing to lose our lives for his sake, sacrificing with a loving,
willing, and faithful heart, is my humble prayer. In the name of Jesus Christ,
Amen.
Until next week,
-Elder Matthew Arscott
References:
1.
Moses
1:39
2.
D&C
18:10
3.
D&C
59:8
4.
2
Nephi 2:7
5.
Reference
to Tad R. Callister: “Becoming a Consecrated Missionary”
6.
D&C
97:8 and LDS Topics “Sacrifice”
7.
D&C
82:19, see also D&C 4:5
8.
1st
Nephi 2:11
9.
1st
Corinthians 13:3
10.
John
17:3
11.
Luke
9:24
Photos:
Running around during Mission Tour I found a
second to take a picture with some visiting friends:
Last transfer office crew returns for a reunion
Elder Eddington and Elder Arscott
Elder Arscott and Elder Garlick
Elder Arscott and Elder Reid
Elder Arscott and Elder Nydegger
This is dinner even though Mom thought it was a dessert
It is called Tábua. It is bacon, sausage, and beef mixed with olives, red peppers, barbeque, cheese, and fried potatoes to be like lays chips. We served it with Fresh mango juice which we made as well.
. Sorry mom, that is NOT chocolate and Ice cream
Bacon, Sausage, Veggies, Potatoes, BBQ etc. great dinner. 
Car show on P-day 
Car show on P-day
Car show p-day. 
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