IF AND THEN

As we and the Elders go about proclaiming the Gospel we teach correct principles, we get commitments and Then we promise blessings. We have been taught to be bold in promising blessings. Sometimes we use an If and Then format when teaching correct principles. The If part is counsel from the Lord. The Then part is the promised results of obeying or disobeying that counsel. We teach the principle of the word of wisdom We commit them to stop smoking, promise blessings and encourage them as they struggle to overcome. The Word of Wisdom is "a principle with a promise" (D&C 89:3). We commit those we teach to stop smoking.  If they stop smoking - Then the promises are health, wisdom, strength and other blessings.It's hard to remember that the Then part is according to the Lord's time and not according to our expectations. Today at Sunday dinner Elder Ultra was kind of down. He and Elder Phillips have been teaching a husband and wife. They love coming to church and were looking forward to being baptized. First they had many principles they needed to obey. The husband was a heavy smoker and the Elders had been working with him. This couple committed to come to church today but when the Elders called to remind them, they told the Elders they would not be coming to church anymore. One of the reasons for this decision was because the husband did not want to stop smoking. He enjoyed it to much. The Elders promised him If he would stop smoking then the Lord would bless him. He understood this concept but chose not to receive the blessings. This week we visited with two inactive sisters. One was struggling with her testimony. The other had a testimony but had fallen into inactivity for a number of reasons. We committed the one struggling with her testimony to read from the Book of Mormon daily and we would bring her some information on the issues she is having problems with. We promised her if she would read, then her understand would grow and she would be blessed with a testimony.  The other sister had some genealogy for her parents she needed to do but didn't care who did the temple work.  Elder Berry and I volunteered to help her get started with her genealogy and will go back Tuesday. This sister is a school teacher and is out for the summer, the timing was great. She also has health issues. We committed her to come to church, work on doing the things she need to do to return to the temple so she could do her own parents temple work. We promised her if she would do these things and  start by coming to church then she would find great happiness, the Lord would bless her.  

We hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July. We are so thankful to be blessed to live in this free land. Tuesday July 3rd  Elder and Sister Gowans invited us to celebrate with them at Fort Gordon. It was such a great day and that evening we watched a beautiful fire works show. Read 2 Nephi 1:7 & 2 Nephi 10: 10-12

The temperature was just hot. Sisters Berry and Gowans enjoying a snow cone



Elders Berry and Gowans were very sad because the Army wouldn't let them drive. This is a display only



We celebrated the 4th by going to the Farmers Market and buying fresh vegetables and fruit. We bought  two watermelons. One we took to a ward member and the other we cut to eat but sliced it and put it in containers and gave it to ward members. Over the course of the week we bought three more watermelons and shared with the Elders or sliced and delivered to ward members. Saturday night the Elders came over for  Sunday van route planning. It has been so hot here so the Elders enjoyed some watermelon. Today for Sunday dinner we also served watermelon. It was so refreshing. Back to the 4th - The Gowans haven't been downtown August so we drove them around and went to the Augusta Museum of History. We spent Wednesday evening at my sister Patti's house for dinner and celebrating birthdays. Patti's two sons and one grandson all share the same birthday. We celebrated their birthdays along with the 4th of July.  What a great evening and delicious food. Thanks Patti.

Another celebration we were invited to attend was the one year old birthday of Flynn. He is the grandson of Bobbi and Daryl. Their family joined the church several months ago along with their married daughter Amethyst who has two little children. It has been exciting watching them grow in the gospel. Whenever people join the church they can't quite grasp the concept of "endure to the end". Old habits of attending church now and then will not bring the promises of "If and Then". When the family was baptized coming to church every Sunday was very difficult and frustrating to them. When they did come they were late, coming in the chapel and finding enough room for a large family was difficult and embarrassing, plus they didn't see the importance of attending every Sunday. They love the gospel and the programs for the youth. The Cliett's bought a music store about the time they were baptized and have struggled with that challenge. Since they have been baptized Elder Berry and I and the Elders (even though the Elders who baptized them have been transferred) have been a part of their life. New converts love the missionaries no matter how old we are. All of a sudden things just started to come together for Bobbi and Daryl, they have come to learn "if" they keep all the commandments "then" the Lord will bless them. Bobbi and Daryl were troubled about the temple after performing baptisms for the dead. Elder Berry and I visited with them, answered thier questions and gave them information to read. The ward is having a temple preparation class on Sunday and they are attending that. Bobbi and Daryl are now eagerly preparing for the temple in five months. Now the Cliett family get to church early and have claimed their spot. Their attitudes have changed and they are happy although it is still a struggle to get a large family to church every Sunday. Once Bobbi was struggling with not shopping on Sunday. She called me, wanted to talk, she came over and we had a long visit. The following Sunday our Sunday School lesson was keeping the Sabbath day holy. The question was asked why don't we shop on Sunday. Bobbi raised her hand and rehearsed everything we had talked about. We love the Cliett family and were honored to be invited to their grandson's birthday party.



Elders Lee and Cahoon waiting for the Birthday Party to begin.

1 year old Flynn

Failli  turned 8 shortly after her Dad was baptized but waited until he could baptize her



Sister Berry, Cliett children, and the Elders


                              

This has been a week of celibrations. Celebrating our country's freedom, little Flynn's birthday and growth in membership in the church. Our week wasn't all play and no work. We found great joy as we visited members of the ward and assisted the Elders. It was later than usual Saturday when we visited Indiana, our sister that lives in a nursing home. It was after 6PM and she had been waiting all day. When we walked in the room and spotted her she seemed so sad but came to life when she saw us. Last week we took her some little books and a small picture of Jesus. She had her books in her lap and the picture so we talked about what she had been reading. Last week before we left we asked what she would like for us to bring. She quickly responded that she would love some green grapes. Before leaving this week we asked what she would like for us to bring and she quickly responded that she would love to have a larger picture of Jesus Christ that she could hang on the wall in her bedroom. Elder Berry and I are probably the only visitors that Indiana has. It makes us sad that she anxiously waited for us all day and finally had almost given up on us. Indiana learned that if she prayed hard enough and waited long enough then we would come. We love Indiana because she brings such joy into our lives. She loves Jesus Christ, she misses church and struggles with her leg being in a cast but she is always so happy. She has such faith in Jesus Christ and has shared many spiritual experiences with us. This week we will return to visit Indiana earlier in the day and take her a picture of Jesus Christ. We love this mission and the people and we know if we endure to the end then we will be blessed along with our family.

Love, Elder and Sister Berry

P.S.
Congratulations Tom and Nita (my sister and her husband) on your mission call to Edmonton Alberta Canada. They report to the MTC Oct 1.