Epistle - 3.24.10

Good Wednesday Everyone!

 

Today was pretty fun. A family in the ward drove my companion and I up to the Mall. We we to the Museum of American History, had a picnic on the mall, threw a frisbee around with some other missionaries we met up with, and all in all just enjoyed the gorgeous weather the Lord gave us today!

 

Monday was a really neat night. I think I've mentioned the Pascarella family we've been working with. They're great. We selected a family in the ward we thought would be good Fellowshippers that lived close by, and set up a Family Home Evening for the Pascarellas at the Amorino's house. Very fun. The Pascarella's son and Amorino's son became best friends at the snap of a fingers and everything went great. They'll be at church on Sunday and I think they'll make a lot of friends. Great and exciting =]

 

Transfers is next week. It'll be very interesting to see what happens. There are a lot of possibilities this time, so I'm very intrigued to see what the Lord has planned.

 

I'll let you all know where I am next week!

 

Enjoy Life!

-Elder Ted E. Bear

Epistle - 3.31.10

Hello Everyone!

 

I've been transferred again. I'll be serving in the Capitol Heights area. It's a car area that covers the Maryland section of the Anacostia ward. That was the first ward I served in so I'm pretty excited to go see some familiar faces.

 

I've definitely enjoyed my time in White Plains immensely. It's been one of my favorite areas I think. Part of what made it so great is that I was thrown a couple challenges, and was able to overcome them with the help of the Lord. The area had a complete turnaround while I was there, from dead to quite good. My companions were both able to grow a lot too, which was fun to be a part of. Overall I am leaving with a good feeling and no regrets. Just the way it should be.

 

The cherry trees are starting to bloom in DC. So that is beautiful. One of the things Grandma Mary really wanted me to see in DC was the cherry festival. I think it was a tender mercy of the Lord that I lived right on Capitol Hill last year for all of the cherry blossoms. Or maybe Grandma was up there nagging him to put me there so I could see them =] Either way, as they come back this year I can't help but think of her when I see them. What a true example of Christian courage. The last time I saw her she could barely whisper, so she had to write on a white board, and her parting words to me were "Be careful and take care of yourself". Completely concerned for others. Amazing.

 

I love you all. I love this gospel. I'm so grateful for it.

 

Fare thee well.

-Elder Ted E. Bear

Epistle - 3.10.10

Hello Everyone!

 

Today has been a fun day. Every 6 months the mission President takes all the missionaries going home in the next 6 months to see the Arlington National Cemetary. We all meet just outside the metro stop, he takes us around and tells us about the history and we take pictures together and all that fun stuff. It was very neat. The changing of the guard and all that was pretty interesting to see.

 

It was very interesting to walk around in the cemetary and think. I couldn't help but notice that in that cemetary was preserved the ideals of honor and integrity and service upon which this nation was founded, and yet just accross the river... well, we won't go in to that.

 

We met a really great family last night. Carl and Melissa Pascarella. Her mom is a member, but went inactive when she was of baptismal age, then reactivated while Melissa was in high school, but she never got baptized. Carl used to be Catholic, but when they were going to make Melissa wait a year to take the classes to become Catholic because she missed the application date, he thought that was dumb and decided they would go find another church to go to, and currently attend a Methodist church.

 

We had a very good lessen. The spirit was very strong and they were open and willing to listen and pray about it. So that was fun.

 

Next week is going to be a stake converence with a regional broadcast from Salt Lake, the following week is Ward Converence, and the following week is General Conference!

 

SO we have a lot of spiritual outpourings in our future. Fun stuff.

 

I love you all, Till next week,

 

Elder Ted E. Bear

Epistle - 3.3.10

Good Wednesday Everyone!

 

Well I'm never quite sure what to report on. Life is good out here. We're teaching people. It's fun, and it's what I'm here to do and like to do.

 

I've been preparing a workshop for District Meeting tomorrow, and will just share my thoughts.

 

In this life we are to "Walk by faith, and not by sight". So we learn that our faith is the spiritual counterpart of our physical eyes. Symbolically speaking our faith is our spiritual eye, through which we can behold our path, and walk towards our great eternal destination.

 

Alma teaches that faith is not to have a perfect knowledge, but "To hope for things which are not seen, WHICH ARE TRUE."

 

Without knowledge of true doctrine, it is thus impossible for someone to have faith. Not knowing what to have faith in, they have no way to hope in and act in accordance with true doctrine.

 

In this sense, a vast host of humanity is wandering around spiritually "blind". Not posessing knowledge of true doctrine, they are incapable of spiritual sight. They are truly in a mist of darkness, as described by Lehi.

 

So it is our duty, having been blessed with knowledge of true doctrine, to impart of that doctrine to those around us, so that they, being bilnd, might see and behold their destination.

 

Being equipped with true doctrine, a son or daughter of God becomes capable of beholding not only their eternal destination, where they want to go, but also the path that leads there, and how they can excercise their faith to move towards where they want to go.

 

It is not mete that the blind be lead by the blind. Having sight, it behooveth us to lead, and to empower others to see as we see; to "See as they are seen, and know as they are known".

 

I love you all. Have another great week!

 

-Elder Ted E. Bear