Elder Jeremy Ashton Boyd: THE GONZALES GAZETTE: CHAPTER SIX

Dearest Macedonians,

It is I, Elder Boyd. I come to you in dearest greetings and with the utmost salutations. I bear testimony of the grace of God through Christ our Lord and I know that these things which I share are true. This is the Lord's church and I stand as a living witness that his doctrine has been restored to the Earth. I love my Lord and Savior and I pray that he opens your hearts and minds, that brotherly love continues, and that you resonate with this message-- the dearest message of the Restoration of the Gospel. --- that was my attempt at a Pauline epistle. How did I do? I may not be an epistle-torian, but we did channel the Spirit of Paul by teaching in a Macedonian congregation this past week. We boast not of ourselves but of our God and the hospitality of the Macedonia church. Yes, my friends, it is I, Elder Boyd, in the GONZALES GAZETTE: CHAPTER SIX.

YESSSS... joy is felt in this mission.

It is in witnessing the attendance of four families partaking of the sacrament and feasting on the testimonies of an elect ward.

It is in fellowshipping new missionaries and helping them to feel the love of God and the spirit of the mission.

And it is in... reconvening with best friends and sharing the Gospel. Fake friends have fun together, real friends share the Gospel together.

AND in enjoying exchanges across the mission with some outstanding missionaries who have so much to teach such an excited Elder as I.

So yeah, that was basically our week. Now onto the DETAILS (Just know... that I feel joy being here):

I went on exchanges with one of my beloved foreordained best friends. I have a testimony that companions are divinely appointed ministers. You know, there are very few people if any, that you spend...all day, every day with here in mortality...except maybe for those of us who serve full-time missions. In the Lord's university, this relationship is actually the primary relationship of the service. It is my testimony that God has hand-selected these people in the pre-existence to shape us into the person he needs us to be. He gets TWO years to load us full of the people, experiences, relationships, and characteristics that will set the foundation for the rest of our lives! These people that he has chosen, are very specifically endowed with the characters we need. It may even be the evidence of one characteristic, but whatever it is, they are in our lives for a reason. I love ALL of my companions. I have the best companions-- those who represent the spirit and motivate me to be a better man and missionary; therefore, I have the best mission. It's non-negotiable. Anyways, I was able to spend time with one of those celestial homies this week on exchanges and let me just tell y'all, Elder Spencer is a godsend to this mission. We taught one particular lesson that bore solemn testimony to me that there are those out there who are just so frustrated with false doctrine that they have been desensitized to the truth. This individual initially came to us antagonistic... and left with a resolve to pray about the Book of Mormon. This Gospel changes people and teaching with Elder Spencer felt like teaching with a true representative of Christ.

Following that, we had the rare opportunity to share some messages about Paul in a Baptist congregation. This week in Come Follow Me, the lesson was a discourse on Paul's journeys, teachings, and successes in Macedonia...

Oh, wait...

Did you catch that?

Paul's teachings in Macedonia.

My companion's name is Elder Paul.

And we taught at the MACEDONIA church of deliverance.

Y'all, I can't tell you the spirit I felt as I looked out on the congregation. We invited our Bishop to attend, and he brought with him the young men from the ward. It reminded me of some lyrics from a favorite hymn as I looked out at the congregation and saw the intermingling of faiths:

4. How blessed the day when the lamb and the lion
Shall lie down together without any ire,
And Ephraim be crowned with his blessing in Zion,
As Jesus descends with his chariot of fire!
[Chorus]
We’ll sing and we’ll shout with the armies of heaven,
Hosanna, hosanna to God and the Lamb!
Let glory to them in the highest be given,
Henceforth and forever, Amen and amen!
-The Spirit of God

Amen and amen are right. We witnessed the communion of the lambs and the lions. It was a once-in-a-mission opportunity and I thank the mercies of God that I was able to enjoy that special moment with dear friends.

I also have a testimony that mission presidents and wives are called for a reason. In case you were ever itching for some inspired counsel, let me share a little nugget from the mouth of a man called of God, also known as our dear Mission President, President Varner:

Five things to do at home for the covenant path--
1.) When you put on your shoes say a prayer in your heart that you'll have the spirit.
2.) When you brush your teeth put your toothbrush on your scriptures or it won't happen [reading].
3.) Make the sacrament a priority.
4.) Have a temple recommend.
5.) Go to the temple and do family history work.

When you do family history work and go to the temple, you will resist the darts of the adversary. Those you serve in the afterlife will catch those fiery darts for you. They won't even get to you. The influence of the adversary won't get to you because of your battalion in heaven.

He is an inspired man and one that I have learned so much from. That's probably the best thing about being so close to the mission home- ministering to missionaries and learning from the Varners. I love them and all they do for this mission!

Well y'all, we need to go pick up some new missionaries so I'll have to wrap this up, but just know that God loves you. He is in the details of your life. I testify of His plan for each of us-- though that plan may not always lead us to different congregations and to best friend reunions-- it is beautiful, perfect, and catered to our progression. I love this work. I love being a missionary. And I love ALL OF YOU!! HAVE A GREAT WEEK YALL! ELDER BOYD LOVES YOU!!

Salutations Macedonians,

Still I, Elder Boyd

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