A Prophet's Vision

A Prophet's Vision (consejo)
Well it all started with consejo where I learned of the Vision that God has for His work. There is a few ideas that I want to cover and a lot to say. As I put quotes I put them as best as my notes state and my memory tells me. Also now that I remember, I heard most of it in Spanish so now I have to put it into English. As you follow along you will see the Lord's Hand in all of this. I want to start off with the last signed letter of the Prophet Gorden B. Hinckley. He said that "We have the impression from God that we should change the organization to prepare for the future". The time of year is a special time for the Church and Spaniards. Here is Spain they have finished but they took a whole month off for vacation. For the Church, this time of year is when the Twelve Apostles travel the globe to share the message for the next year. This work is going to grow. Many things are taking place. First thing first is that we must have confidence in God. President Thomas S. Monson said the Church is going to grow. We have a promise from a prophet that all will turn out well. The work that I do is an area of Europe that covers forty-four countries with twenty-four major languages. Spain alone has twenty-two dialects. There are four points and goals that were discussed for the area:
Faith in Jesus Christ
Strengthen the family
Establish the Church
Increase convert baptisms
In 1999 the Prophet Gorden B. Hinckley said, "Last year there were approximately 300,000 convert baptisms throughout the Church. This is tremendously significant. This is the equivalent of 120 new stakes of 2,500 members each. Think of that: 120 new stakes in a single year! It is wonderful. But it is not enough. I am not being unrealistic when I say that with concerted effort, with recognition of the duty which falls upon each of us as members of the Church, and with sincere prayer to the Lord for help, we could double that number. The big initial task is first to find interested investigators. So many of us look upon missionary work as simply tracting. Everyone who is familiar with this work knows there is a better way. That way is through the members of the Church. Whenever there is a member who introduces an investigator, there is an immediate support system. The member bears testimony of the truth of the work. He is anxious for the happiness of his investigator friend. He becomes excited as that friend makes progress in learning the gospel."
I know this was a prophecy of a prophet of God. I have stated before that many prophecies that we can read about in the scriptures have already come to pass. I know too that this one will be fulfilled. The bar was raised for those that have a desire to serve the Lord as a full-time missionary. Several things have taken place since the Prophet said that in 1999. We have gone from Missions to Stakes levels to Missions to Wards levels. Elder Perry said, "The wards that work in missionary work, everything else in the ward functions better." Preach My Gospel came out in 2004. For the Europe area 2008 is a significant year. The numbers are climbing. People are being found and taught the truth. They are accepting it and choosing for themselves what is right. Many have already a background of the scriptures and have heard of the Savior of the world. Their knowledge has been increased and truth and light have become part of their being. The Savior said to go and baptize in every nation.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO
ST MATTHEW
CHAPTER 28
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.


Prophets and Apostles have stated that we can baptize in any area. That includes Spain! This interesting thing is that this isn't anything new. Many prophets in the scriptures have testified of the same thing. I know the Lord Jesus Christ wouldn't say to go, teach all nations, and baptize them if it weren't possible.
The work will press forward. We need to cultivate the faith of the missionaries that their are people prepared to receive the Restored Gospel. After we have done this, this truth then needs to pass from our mind to our heart.
There are three parts that we will focus on Planing Finding Teaching
One of the miracles that are taking place is happening before our eyes. If my memory tells me correctly I remember that five hundred new missionaries enter the MTC in Utah each week and that doesn't count the other training center around the world. When I was there there was about two thousand five hundred to three thousand missionaries in Provo. From the statistics I remember from every General Conference is that there are always more or less fifty-five thousand missionaries each year world wide! My mission president told me more or less twenty-five thousand missionaries return home to wards each year. That means that each year there are that many master teachers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They then can work with the full-time missionaries and fulfill a huge part of the vision God has for His work.
I want to speak of two ways that our faith in Jesus Christ grows. First off, our faith is increased when we share our testimony of gospel truths. Second is when we hear true testimonies of others. We have already put into action telling each other stories of success. We shared finding success stories in zone conference. I went to Oviedo and Elder Chavez and I shared stories of success while we walked the streets and talked to people of Christ, the Risen Lord, and had success as we testified of truths people were hearing for the first time or second time and so on.
Each Ward and Branch have a missionary plan. The Spain Bilbao Mission has a missionary plan. We now will plan to plan and work together more closely with the wards and branches. Unity will rise to a new level in this Church and in this World. As the Church moves forward and the world grows older with time people will see the need to unite themselves with what they feel is right. We will see the change sooner than we think.
A meeting took place in Europe with the Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ Elder Tom L. Perry. Also were present were twenty or so Area Seventy and thirty-seven mission presidents that cover forty-four countries. Elder Perry asked the members of the Seventy to stand. He gave them a commitment. It was impressive to me to learn of the commitment an Apostle gave which in turn will affect me greatly as a missionary and as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I will say one thing and that is that I have learned more of the role the Seventy play in the work of the Lord. They are especial witnesses of the Savior Jesus Christ. The Twelve Apostles are special witnesses of the Savior Jesus Christ. The Seventy go throughout the world to testify of the truth given to us by our God.
We will start to have better Sacrament meetings in this Church. We will start to have better uplifting meetings where the everyone can be spiritually fed. It is not to say that we don't have these types of meetings yet but as this Church fills the earth the need to feed all those who believe and wish to worship the one true God will have a place to go. God has a vision and I am glad to be a part of it.
Elder Quentin L. Cook Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said in the September 2008 issue of the Ensign, "I believe that we are on the threshold of the most significant missionary success to date."
The organization of God's Church and that which is to come are reasons that the work of God will grow. This Church is directed by revelation every day. As I heard President DuVall tell me a story my testimony of this truth has increased tremendously. He told of a situation that had come up. President Eyring was in charge and with other leaders came up with two options. It was something that needed special attention. It needed to be resolved in that very moment. Elder Eyring took the matter to the Prophet Gorden B. Hinckley. President Hinckley had already known of the situation. Elder Eyring presented option 'A'. The Prophet said, "I like option 'A'." Elder Erying said Okay and started to present option ' B' when the Prophet stuck his arm out with his hand up stopping Elder Eyring and said, "Elder Eyring, I Like option 'A'." Elder Eyring said, "Oh, I like option 'A' as well." Elder Eyring then took the matter and dealt with it. Within a week or so the grave matter went away. As I heard this story even if it was in Spanish but the way President DuVall added his testimony of the truth that this Church is directed by revelation every day impacted me and still continues to do so. I cannot deny what I know to be true. I have had the Spirit bear witness of the truth to me personally. I have heard the Lord's servants bear their testimony of my Savior. I have had the opportunity to bear my testimony to others and feel the Spirit bear witness to them of the truths I spoke.
A member of the Church approached Elder Perry and told him something I don't think I can ever forget. The member said that he had come to listen to him and all he spoke of was faith and things like that. The member asked Elder Perry why he didn't talk about more profound things or things more interesting. Elder Perry being as wise as he is responded like this, "Faith is all I know." I know the Apostle Elder Tom L. Perry knows a lot about the first principle of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is faith. I know he has read and studied the scriptures. I know he has a testimony of the truth. Maybe he could have talked about more profound doctrine but he focused on faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I know why that member had that question. It is a question that has popped into my head years ago. As I started to go to Utah for General Conference I sat in the conference building listening to the Apostles of God. I wondered why they focused so much on faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. I never really had the chance to ask one of the Apostles themselves my question. I am glad I didn't. I learned years ago and thought a bit more "why"? I realized that if that was what the Apostles decided to testify to the world and to me that that meant that was what God wanted me to know. I am also grateful for that member that asked Elder Perry that question. I have had my testimony of the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ reinforced. I now look forward to General Conference which is the first weekend of October. I will get to hear the words of God spoken through His servants and the messages carried by the Holy Ghost to my heart.
I add my testimony that I know that the Savior lives. He loves me. He is my advocate with the Father. I testify that He did something for every person that has lived on the earth, that lives today, and that will ever live, that we can't do for ourselves. Whether we accept His gift or not doesn't change the fact of what He did for us while on the earth where we stand today. It is up to us to fully accept His gift and show our faith by our actions. This is my testimony of the truth that our God has given me and I bear it in the sacred name of Jesus the Christ, Amen.
Elder Rodriguez