My Final Letter

Dear Friends and Family, 

I cannot put into words my feelings at this time, my heart is full. I feel much like Ammon "my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God." (Alma 26:11) There are many wonderful blessings that come from serving a mission. But one of the most rewarding blessings I have ever experienced is outline perfectly in the Book of Mormon  "And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon [me]"...being an "instrument in the hands of God to bring about this great work" (Alma 26:3) I apologize ahead of time for the length of this letter. 

I have witnessed the Atonement of Jesus Christ change the hearts and countenances of those I have been able to teach. It is a 4th hand experience. I am the instrument, the Holy Ghost the teacher, the Lord Jesus Christ the refiner, and the broken heart and contrite spirit being the recipient of a cleansed soul. I asked one of my dearest friends how he felt about the things we were teaching him. He replied in a rather profound way. "Elder, It is like you are taking a sponge and wiping the dirt away from my dirty and sin stained soul. Jesus Christ and His atonement being the cleaning solution, the Holy Ghost being the hot water" I have visualized that beautiful image in many other lives, including my own.  

These last 2 years have been the hardest thing I have ever loved. The Lord through His tender mercies has stretched me beyond my imagination. Things that I never thought I would be able to do, have been accomplished through His power. As I have learned to come unto the Lord, as i have  humbled my self before Him, as I have exercised faith on His name, I have witnessed Him truly make "weak things become strong unto" me. "Hath redeemed my soul" in ways that I don't even know how to describe. 

Like never before I can truly tell you that I know where i'm supposed to be. Like the disciples of old I say "to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." There is no other place on earth that I would rather be than in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Many will say that we do not need to attend church in order to be saved. But I testify that the Restored church of Jesus Christ has the fullness of the everlasting gospel.  As Dale G. Renlund noted "The church is the Atonement delivery system." We cannot access the redeeming power of the Atonement of Christ without obeying His commandments, attending His Church, and following His ordained prophets. Those prophets will point us to Christ.  Good Christian living will not do it, being "spiritual" will not do it. Only through the Restored church of Jesus Christ can we receive the ordinances necessary for salvation. Only this church has that priesthood authority. "For the edifying of the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:11-14) 

I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ in that sacred grove. It happened exactly the way Joseph said it happened. Upon praying about the first vision, I received a witness from the Holy Ghost that it was true, and because I know it's true, I cannot deny what the prophets have said henceforth. They are all prophets of God, and I have come to know every one of them! I had the wonderful opportunity to meet 3 of them out here. Elder Renlund, Elder Stevenson, and Elder Anderson. As I looked into their eyes, I could tell that they were special witnesses of Christ. I could see it in their countenance. I know that they were sent forth to teach this gospel to all the world. Because I witnessed these men stand and bare testimony of the Savior, I know of a surety that the Priesthood of God is on the earth today. Thomas S. Monson holding those sacred keys. 

The Book of Mormon was indeed written for our day. It is a "record of a fallen people" (D&C 20:9) The Nephite nation fell because of their pride. It "hath proven their destruction" (Moroni 8:27) What is the plague of today? It is indeed the sin of pride. The substance of all enmity toward God and our fellowman is the great sin of pride. It is the substance of all evil. So if pride is the plague of our day, and the Book of Mormon is a "record of a fallen people" and "written for our day".  

Then what must we do to humble ourselves? We must begin "feasting upon the words of Christ" and "liken" those words to our lives. Those words are contained in the Book of Mormon For Nephi testifies of that in this manner "...hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good" (2 Nephi 33:10)

In order to destroy enmity between God and our fellow man we must apply the doctrine contained in the Book of Mormon. For Joseph Smith testified "that a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts than by any other book"  Enmity between God and man can be swallowed up by the precepts taught in the Book of Mormon.  It can be swallowed up between our fellow man as we "are in the service of our fellow beings, we are only in the service of our God" (Mosiah 2:17)

Thus the Book of Mormon teaches us of the fallen Nephite nation, so that we can know that a broken heart and a contrite spirit is required in order to gain salvation in the kingdom of God. By relying wholly upon the merits, mercy and grace of the holy Messiah. This testimony of Christ will refine the wicked. It will tug on our very heart strings. It will make "weak things become strong" unto all those who seek humility and faith on His name. 

The Book of Mormon is true. It is the most correct of any book on the earth. I have personally benefited from abiding by its precepts, and I continually get nearer to God each day I drink from its waters. It is the most Christ soaked book on the earth, every page is covered in the doctrine of Christ. My prayer is that I will always apply this doctrine into my life, and thereby continue to seek humility from its teachings. 

Finally, I would like to make one thing very clear. My work is not finished. I am not departing from my mission to a destination of "RM status". Rather, I am commencing to another field of the same work. "I have desires to serve God" and there for the Lord will continue "to call me to His work." When I signed my call letter, I signed it for eternity. "seek ye first the Kingdom of God" has been burned into the fleshy tables of my heart, along with the Doctrine of Jesus Christ. My progression does not stop when I get off the plane. Indeed it continues, even further than it did here. 

This great work will continue to roll forth until every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ. His influence has penetrated my heart. It has brought me to my knees. It has caused me to ponder who I really am, and who I must become. May Heavenly Father shower you with His richest blessings. 

I'm coming home! 

Elder Jared M. Greenburg 

Missouri Independence Mission 

Mound City Kansas Area