June 23, 2018
Good
Morning Friends and Family,
Here in
this last week we saw the opening of the “World Cup” of soccer. In other
places, it may not be as amplified as other things, but here in Brazil
it is central to the culture. In this “World Cup” everybody is invited. But
only those that Qualify through
trials of other games are allowed to play in what is the cup itself. This in
itself is an honor and a prize.
Our
Heavenly Father offers the same type of Honor and Prize, but his qualification
isn’t limited to just 32 teams or people. He allows everyone who is worthy to
once again regain eternal life, a glorified and perfected body, and live in his
presence.
Lloyd D.
Newell states a similar principle using a parable from Christ: “In every age to
every people, God opens His arms to His children. With all the love of a tender
parent, He invites us to come unto Him.
Nevertheless, He never forces or manipulates. He respects our agency and
allows us to choose whether to receive His offering and feel His love or not.
In the
parable of the great supper, Jesus likens the kingdom of God to a delicious
dinner that has been carefully and lovingly prepared. When all is ready, the master sends his
servant to gather the invited guests, but each is too preoccupied to
attend. “They all [begin] to make
excuse[s].” One says that he has just
bought “a piece of ground” and needs to oversee it. Another is busy with his “five yoke of
oxen.” And the third has recently been
married and wants to stay close to home.
They have just been offered the feast of feasts—bounteous servings of
love, peace, and joy are on the table—but all who have been invited are too
encumbered by the cares of the world to even taste the heavenly offerings.
Upon
hearing this report, the master quickly sends his servant out to “the streets
and lanes,” the “highways and hedges” to invite the poor, the maimed, the halt,
and the blind to eat the food, still steamy hot and uneaten on the table. These meek and humble people gratefully
respond to the invitation and enter the kingdom of God.
Oftentimes,
what keeps us from God are many of the “good” things He has given us: the land, the oxen, the relationships that
can consume our time and prevent quiet reflection or personal worship. Hopefully, the ease and security of such good
things will not distract us from that which matters most, from feeling the need
to seek God and respond to His invitation to everlasting life. The Lord’s promise is certain. He is “gracious and merciful, and will not
turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.”
May we
all qualify for his Presence, and "Return unto him" and our greatest prize, through our dedication
and our willingness to be truly obedient and put off “The Natural man” in all
things, remembering that "All are free to Qualify for this Prize", is my prayer and hope this week.
With
Love & Vai Brasil,
-Elder
Matthew Arscott
Elder Quaresma is obsessed with the Pinhão nut and put some in a bag off the street funniest thing I've seen this week
My morning study table
Irmão Fernando and Vinicius pizza night
Leptich, Bryan, Arscott, Smith - 3 Americans and 1 New Zealand - Celebrating not making it to the World Cup
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