Feast on the word

As many of you may know to day is New Years Eve, and this is a time for new year's resolution. One of mine is to try out a promise in the Book of Mormon, more fully the promise that I am talking about comes out of 2 Nephi 32:3;

3 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.

That is probably one of the coolest things in the Book of Mormon, I know, through the power of the Holy Ghost we can know the truth of all things all we need to do is feast on the words of Christ. But what does it mean to feast on the words of Christ? Well what do you do in a normal feast? With me I eat and eat and eat and I enjoy it. I think that it is the same way when we feast on the words of Christ we don't need to read 40 captures to feast on the words of Christ. We just need to take a lot in. I have learned that if you want you can spend a whole hour on one verse of scripture.

So the next time you have any question what so ever try asking your scriptures by feasting on them.
Elder Matthews

Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful

Christmas is now over Jesus Christ has been born, but it is never to late to, come and adore him.

Oh, come, all ye faithful,

Joyful and triumphant!
Oh, come ye, oh, come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold him
Born the king of angels:
Oh, come, let us adore him,
Oh, come, let us adore him,
Oh, come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God
Glory in the highest:
Oh, come, let us adore him,
Oh, come, let us adore him,
Oh, come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.

Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
Born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be all glory given!
Son of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing!
Oh, come, let us adore him,
Oh, come, let us adore him,
Oh, come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.

Elder Matthews

JESUS CHRIST IS BORN!!!

In sunday school a week or two ago we were talking about what the angles did when Jesus Christ was born. They were so happy that they came out of Heaven to tell people. So my question to you is who are we more excited for: Santa Clause or Jesus Christ? Santa does give us toys and fun things like that but Jesus has given us more than anybody else can, the ability to repent and return to live with our Father in Heaven. I can tell you who I am more excited for. I am going to go do what the angels did and tell everybody, "that unto us a child is born!"

Luke 2
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Jesus Christ is Born!

Elder Matthews

Courtesy of Elder Holbrook

As the companion to a District Leader, I've had the opportunity to sit back and twiddle my thumbs while they did good work on Facebook and wrote inspiring blogs. I've been very impressed with their ability to resist the urge and temptation to talk to their friends and families, and to come up with thought provoking blogs. It has shown me that this idea of online proselyting, which I questioned at first, actually is a good idea, and can be beneficial. I have heard many stories, and witnessed for myself, the effectiveness of online proselyting. People open up more through online chat or comments than they would face-to-face, and it allows us to say things that we might not say face-to-face either (don't worry, nothing bad... just being a little bolder than we're comfortable with). At first I questioned, and was even against the idea, saying that if I get that opportunity, I'll pass (at least on Facebook), but now I have changed my attitude about it. It is a wonderful tool, and I am glad we have this opportunity. I've been hearing this quote ever since we first started this online deal, and that is "The adversary has had control of the internet too long. Let's take it back." So, with all of your support and efforts, we can take it back. We can't do it alone, we need all of you to help us. Share these blogs with your friends. There are dozens of missionaries making blogs; peruse them, follow them, pick your favorites, and refer your friends to them. You can make a difference, and it's quite simple. You just point your friends where to go, and we'll take care of the rest.

With that being said, I'd like to move on to a spiritual thought. As missionaries, that's kinda what we do. We won't leave a house, member or non-member, without something. So, technically you have let me into your house, so I'll give you a spiritual thought:
As a full-time missionary, I have the great opportunity each morning to set aside an hour to study the scriptures, and whatever else may benefit myself as a missionary. I love it, and hope to continue this process after my mission. There's always something new to be gleaned each time you read the scriptures, and no matter how many times you read it, you can always take something away that you had never noticed before (I've noticed this when people tell us "they're very familiar with the Bible", and we bring up something to which they respond "huh, I never noticed that before"). So, this morning, I was reading in Alma chapter 32. To members of the church, this should sound pretty familiar. In verses 38 and 39, it says:

38But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out.
 39Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is because your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof.

However, I'd like to think that people who aren't members of our church may also recognize a familiar ring to it. My mind was instantly taken to Matthew 13, and the Parable of the Sower:

3And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

4And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

5Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

6And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.     UAdd a Note 

7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:     UAdd a Note 

8But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

If we have faith, that faith is like a seed: it's small, but if you nourish it and take good care of it, it will grow, and bring forth fruit. And what is that fruit? The fruits of our labor. If we nourish that tree and let it grow, we will want to good do things, to follow the commandments, and follow the counsel and example of Jesus Christ. I'm reminded of another scripture, Matthew 17:16:

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Think about this: someone gives you a puppy. New born, adorable little puppy, cutest little thing in the world. Are you going to take good care of it, feed it the necessary food, take it for walks, teach it not to piddle on the carpet, and train it? Or are you just going to ignore it and let it fend for itself? Of course not (at least I really, really hope not). You would take care of it and help it to grow from an adorable little puppy to a regal dog. Our faith is that little puppy. It needs care and nourishment. We can feed it by feasting on the scriptures (2 Nephi 32:3), we can exercise it by praying (Luke 18:1), and teaching it to be obedient and follow the commandments (Jarom 1:9).
The more you do these things, the more the seed (or puppy) will grow, and the stronger or more fruitful it will be. I am reminded of yet another scripture. Matthew (again) 17:20 says:

20And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Now, why a mustard seed? There are lots of seeds that he could have said. He could have said a sunflower seed, or an olive pit, or a tulip bulb. Why did he choose a mustard seed? That seems obscure. Well, it wasn't the first time he did that. We turn back a few chapters, where in Matthew 13:31,32 it says:

31Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field.
32Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

So there ya have it. A mustard seed (which, if you've ever seen one, is indeed tiny. Easily mistaken for a grain of sand) can grow into a large bush, or tree. Our faith is the same as that mustard seed. If we plant it, and nourish it, fertilize it, water it, and keep the weeds away, then our faith can sprout forth from a tiny little mustard seed to a large mustard plant.
So, my question to you is: Do you have a green thumb?
Love, Elder Holbrook

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N     UAdd a Note

Look to the Light

Sun Burn

A few weeks ago in Sunday School, the lesson was on testimonies, and the teacher was talking about how there are two kinds of testimonies. The first one is a candle. The candle is good, it gives light and for a very long time that's how people would light up there houses. A candle burns hot and it can help start something bigger, but it can also, with a small gust of air, be blown out. He compared that to somebody's testimony of Jesus Christ. Is that something that is a candle? Is that something that somebody can blow out?

The next thing that he talked about was the Sun.

The Sun is very big and very bright. It lights up the earth, gives us energy, can burn us really bad, and is so bright it can blind us. I do not know how to put out the Sun. I don't know if anything can put it out. Then he asked "is this how your testimony of Jesus Christ is? Can somebody put it out? Or is it strong enough to stand up to anything?" Then he turned to me and said, "Elder Matthews, what is your testimony of Jesus Christ like? Is it a candle or is it a sun? Have you been spiritually sun burned?" So I stopped and thought for a second, and right then it clicked: I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and there is nothing that can change that. No matter what anybody says or what anybody does, I will always know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer of the world.
In 3 Nephi, there is a story about when Jesus Christ was born and what happened on the Americas during that time. 3 Nephi 1:19 says:
And it came to pass that there was no darkness in all that night, but it was as light as though it was mid-day. And it came to pass that the sun did rise in the morning again, according to its proper order; and they knew that it was the day that the Lord should be born, because of the sign which had been given.
Have you been Spiritually Sunburned?
Elder Matthews

My Father

When I turned 5 years old, my dad and I started to do something on the fourth Wednesday of every month: we would drive 30 minutes to Sandy, Utah, go to Led Robster (Red Lobster) for dinner, then get our hairs cut. Then when I was 7 years old my Father got called into the Bishopric of a BYU singles ward. He was also a banker so he was gone a lot, but that never stopped him from spending time with me. I remember when I was very young he would get home at 2 or 3 in the morning and I would wake up while he was making himself dinner. I would come out and he would make both of us some food. Then when I turned 12 years old and got the Aaronic Priesthood and was able to pass the sacrament for the first time he made it so the he was the very first person that I would ever pass the sacrament to, and even though I have never told him, I thought that was one of the coolest things that I have ever done. Then on the day of my 16th birthday, something happened. The barber that we went to retired, so we had no place to get our hairs cut so we started to look for a new place. We tried lots of different places and got some good hair cuts and some bad, but I could not care less what my hair looked like. All I cared about is that I got time to spend with my dad. I don't know what I would do without him and I don't know where I would be if I did not have him. He has played a big role in my life. Even though we yell at each other a lot and often argue, if you ever need a light switch changed, or a new toilet or kitchen sink put in, my father and I can turn it in to an all day job.
I love you, dad.
Elder Matthews

Christmas Spirit

Last year was the first time that I saw this video and it helped me remember what Christmas is really about. all you need to do is drop the last 3 letters to remember Christ in Christmas.

A Great Debt Paid

This is a story that I found while I was walking around. I thought it was good, and helps us know what Jesus Christ did for us.
Czar Nicholas of Russia would sometimes walk about his military camps and barracks dressed as an ordinary officer, in order that he might anonymously know first hand what was going on. Late one night, Nicholas was making one of these tours of inspection and noticed a light under the paymaster's door. He opened the door quietly and stepped inside. There, a young officer, a son of an old friend of Nicholas, was seated at the table, his head resting on his arms, sound asleep. Nicholas thought to awaken him but changed his mind when he noticed a gun on the table along with some money, a sheet of paper, and a pen which had fallen from the hand of the sleeping man.
    Nicholas looked at the paper which contained a long list of gambling and other debts accumulated over a period of time, totaling thousands of rubles. The paymaster had realized how impossible it was for him to pay the debt he owed. His only way out, so he thought, was suicide, as he could not face the disgrace which awaited him for having used army funds to cover his debts. Weary with sorrow and remorse, he had written below the terrible total:  "WHO CAN PAY SO GREAT A DEBT?"
    Nicholas' first thought was to have him arrested. The nature of the crime was such that it could not be ignored. But as he pondered the matter he thought of his long friendship with the officer's father. A feeling of compassion gripped him. He took up the pen and wrote, "NICHOLAS."
    The young officer awoke soon after Nicholas had gone, intending to end his life, but noticed the name "Nicholas" below his question. He was astonished and could not believe what he saw. He compared Nicholas' signature with that on other papers on his possession, and there was no doubt about its genuineness. Joy and shame filled his heart as he thought of the fact that Nicholas knew all bout his dishonesty and recklessness and yet was willing to pay his debt. True to his word, the following morning money arrived from Nicholas just enough to pay "so great a debt."
     I thought that this story was a very good one. We have done something that we can not make up for, we have all sinned. But Jesus Christ a friend, a brother was willing to come to this earth and die for us so that we can be forgiven of our sins. That is something that I am eternally grateful for, and that is something that I know that he did for us.
Elder Matthews

Snow and Sin.

Today as I was trying to think of something to blog about when Samantha (from the Montana State University Ward) started to chat with me, so I told her my problem and she gave me a good idea and this is what it is.
     The past couple weeks have been very cold and snowy, and if you know Bozeman at all, Bozeman gets a lot of snow. The snow has piled up and up in front of people's houses who don't use a snow shovel. As missionaries, we use sidewalks a lot and we know when people don't use snow shovels because it makes things a lot harder for us. We have to walk around, and then when we do walk through it we get snow in our shoes and it makes our feet cold.
     You might be asking yourself what does this have to do with Atonement? I'll tell you. As Sam brought up, the snow is like sin. If you are in Bozeman it is going to snow, and if you are on this Earth you are going to sin. You cannot get away from that. As I said before, when you don't shovel the snow off your sidewalk you hurt more than just yourself, just like when you sin. It hurts the people around you, also. Nobody is perfect and we all get the snow on our sidewalk, but we all have snow shovels and can get rid of that snow. We all have Jesus Christ's Atonement. We can all get rid of our sins, the question is: will we use the "shovel"? Do we know how to use the "shovel"? Are we going to make our "sidewalk" clean? We all have the tools to do so, all we need to do is pick up that "shovel" and get to work.
Elder Matthews

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

Atonement

This month my mission President has asked all the missionaries in the mission to take 30min out of every Personal study and study about Jesus Christ, so that is what I have been doing. The topic that I have been studying for a couple of days now is the death of Jesus Christ and I know that it is more of an Easter thing, but it is something that I am very thankful for that Jesus Christ loved us enough to come down here and die for us. "Only He had the power to lay down His life and take it up again. From His mortal mother, Mary, He inherited the ability to die. From His immortal Father, He inherited the power to overcome death. He declared, 'As the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself' (John 5:26)". He was the only person that could do that for us. "The only way for us to be saved is for someone else to rescue us. We need someone who can satisfy the demands of justice—standing in our place to assume the burden of the Fall and to pay the price for our sins. Jesus Christ has always been the only one capable of making such a sacrifice.

"From before the Creation of the earth, the Savior has been our only hope for peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come."
That is something that I am very thankful for and that is something that I know He did for us.
Elder Matthews

Testimony of the Book of Mormon

There is more than one person who knows that The Book of Mormon is true and I am one of those People.
Elder Matthews

Testimonies

There are lots of things that I love, my dog, my Family, my Friends, my car and my mission. There is one thing that I have leaned to love a lot more on my mission, and that is the Book of Mormon. This is something that I seem to talk about a lot is how I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I just started to read The Book of Mormon over again, and came across a scripture in the first chapter in it that has never stood out to me until now its in 1Nephi 1:3 this is Nephi talking and just telling how he is making the record and he says

3 And I know that the record which I make is true;

and I thought that was way awesome the first Testimony of The Book of Mormon was recorded and I can back that up with mine that I know that The Book of Mormon is true and I know that Joseph Smith is The Prophet of the Restoration and I know that Thomas S. Monson is the Living Prophet today and I know that anybody who reads can know as I know that the Book of Mormon is a true book.
Elder Matthews

My Buddy Elder Myrer

When I moved to Provo (when I was 2) I got a friend His name is Joseph, he is 6 months older than I am and he is my best friend. Joe and I have been through a lot together for the first 4 years of school he was home schooled then when he got to 5th grade he went to the same school that I was in but he was a year a head of me in school but we still hung out all that we could when we got to middle school he showed me how much fun it was to skip class and go to the Public Library or got to Salt lake and go to the Planetarium (we only did that 2 or 3 times) then we get to high school are still doing the same things skipping class to go learn about things and getting into trouble doing some dumb things with cars. When we turned 15 we got into drivers ED together and if it was not for him I would of never Passed that class. I was way to busy making fun of the movies to do my home work and class work. Then we turn 16 and we can drive and we did a lot of that during school. Then he showed me how important it is to pass school I don't know if I would of done it if it was not for him. One summer he went out to Pennsylvania and installed security systems and at the end I flew out and drove back with him that was a long fun drive he drove a lot and I slept a lot. Then we turned 19 and started to think about going on a mission and during that time I could see something start to change about him I could tell that he has been reading the Book of Mormon, I could tell that he was trying to find out if the church is true and if he wants to go out on a mission and that made ask myself do I know the church is true? do I want to go on a mission? then the day came when he got his call to the Argentina Resistencia Mission. and the day he went into the MTC him and I stayed up until 1 playing Video games then I send in my papers and get called to the Montana Billings Mission. I send him a letter telling him and he sends this Scripture back

  Alma 17:2

2 Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.

I cant wait to see my Buddy Joe again, we have been with each other for almost 20 years now and when I see him he will still be my Brother in the Lord and we both have grown a lot in the scriptures and we both are working diligently to serve the Lord. If it was not for him I have no Idea where I would be right now.
Thanks Man
Love you
Elder Matthews

My Mother

    I have been talking to a lot of people about Woman and it has got me thinking about the greatest one out there My Mother Ann Matthews. Growing up my mother was always there for me when I was super young I would go to work with her and she would always give me money to go get a bred stick. Then when I got a little older she started working at my middle school (Probably just to try to keep me in line) then when I got to high school we started going out to lunch at least once a week. I have very found memories of my mother and I wish everybody who reads this could meet her and see what a great lady she is.
    As I have been talking to the people it has made me think of a story in The Book of Mormon about the 2,000 stripling warriors. The 2,000 young warriors that go to battle with the Lamanites and non of them Die.

Alma 56
  47 Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.

  48 And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it. 

    I am out here on a mission in Montana I have never done anything like this before. I have never been to Montana before, but my mother has taught me that with God anything is possible and I don't need to worry about anything, and I know that my Mother knows that.

I Love you Mom

Elder Matthews

Why we are out

There are lots of reasons people go on missions, and there are lots of reasons The Church sends us out. One of the reasons is to help people come unto Christ, but what if somebody already has Christ as a big part in their lives? Why do they send out missionaries to these people?
I got asked this question yesterday "why are you here I have the bible I follow the word of God. what are you doing here?" this was not the first time I got asked this question. I told this man we have something that nobody else has. We have the Priesthood authority of God, that is something that nobody else has. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only Church on this Earth that has that. It is the only Authority that can Baptize it is the same Authority that Jesus Christ gave to his 12 Apostles, and it is what makes this Church so different from all the other Churches on the earth. and that is something that I know to be true, and I know that with all that I am. The Priesthood Authority is something that I have felt in my life and it is something that is very real. I am Extremely Grateful for the Aaronic and the Melchizedek Priesthood and the role it has played in my life.
Elder Matthews

Faith, What is it?

How would you describe Faith?
That is a Question that I ask a lot and I get lots of different answers, but the most common one is, "when you have faith you Believe in something." That is very true when you have Faith in Jesus Christ you Believe that he was on this Earth, you Believe that He is the Son of God, you Believe that he preformed the Atonement. Faith is also much, much more than just a belief in something, Faith is an action word. When you have Faith you act on that Faith. there is a story that I like to tell that talks about Faith.

There was this guy named Joe who wanted to be remembered so he was thinking, "how can I do that? I know!" he said out loud, "I can walk on a tight rope really well I'll do that across the Grand Canyon!" So Joe was very excited so he got on his computer and looked to see if any body has ever done that before, "Darn it!" Joe said when he saw that somebody has already done it. "What else can I do really well?" Joe sat and thought to him self. "well I can walk on a barrel on a tight rope, I could do that across the Grand Canyon. I wonder if anybody has ever done that before?" so Joe looked it up and it turns out that nobody has ever done that before. so Joe sets it up and gets a good amount of people to come to see if he was going to make it or not. So Joe jumps on the Barrel and then he gets on the tight rope and he starts walking and he gets about half way and everything is going good and he keeps on going and he makes it. and once he makes it this young reporter comes running up and says "that was amazing! Do you think you can do that again?" so Joe looks at him and says "do you think that I can do that again?" The young reporter stops and thinks and says, "well ya you just did it once I think you can do it again." then Joe asks "Do you have Faith that I can do it again?" and the young reporter, a little surprised by the question, says "ya I have Faith that you can do it again. then Joe tells him "if you have Faith Get in the Barrel."

When you have Faith in Jesus Christ you show that you have Faith in Jesus Christ by Praying, by reading the scriptures, by going to church. by keeping the commandments and by trying to be like Jesus Christ. A big part why I am in Montana is because I have Faith in Jesus Christ and I am trying my best to be like him.

Elder Matthews

I know

I started the book of Mormon over again a little bit a go and there was a Scripture that stood out to me that I have never  noticed before it comes out of 1 Nephi chapter 1 verse 3 and it says
3 And I know that the record which I make is true;
I think that is really cool that with in the first 3 verses some body is bearing testimony of the book of Mormon and I can back that up with mine I know that the record that Nephi made is true I know that the Book of Mormon is True I know it with all that I am. and I know that anybody can know just as I know that it is true. I know that anybody can know just as Nephi knows and I want every body to fined out if it is true or not just as I have.

Elder Matthews

Jesus Christ

Today I have been thinking a lot a bout Jesus Christ, and all the things that he has done for us and all the things that he is doing for us and all the things that he will do for us. Because of him we can return to live with our Heavenly Father. He did something for us that I don't under stand how He did it but I do know why He did it. He did it because He loves us He did it because he wants to be with us again He did it because He is our Brother. Now the Question is what did he do. There is a scripture in the Book of Mormon that answers that a lot better than I can and it says

  11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

  12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities. 

He took upon Him self my suffering. He took upon Him self my pains. He took upon Him self my afflictions. He took upon Him self my temptations. He took upon Him self my infirmities, just so He would know how to succor (run to in aid) ME! But He did not just do this for me He did this for everybody who has lived who is living and who will live all we need to do is to turn to Him and ask for His help and He will run to us. 

Elder Matthews

God Answers Prayers, but how?

I really wish I could under stand God a lot better, so when He dose answer my prayers I know why he chose that way to answer them. I don't think I am the first person to ever think this. I can think of one person who became a Prophet who prayed for something very specific and he did not get his prayers answered in the way he wanted them to. His name is Nephi and he wrote the first book of Nephi. Nephi and his family traveled 3 days out of Jerusalem and then their father asked Nephi, Sam, Laman and Lemuel to travel 3 days Back to Jerusalem to go get the Family of Ishmael, so with Laman and Lemuel fighting the whole way they went and they got them and on their way back this is what happened.

  16 And it came to pass that when I, Nephi, had spoken these words unto my brethren, they were angry with me. And it came to pass that they did lay their hands upon me, for behold, they were exceedingly wroth, and they did bind me with cords, for they sought to take away my life, that they might leave me in the wilderness to be devoured by wild beasts.

  17 But it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound.

  18 And it came to pass that when I had said these words, behold, the bands were loosed from off my hands and feet, and I stood before my brethren, and I spake unto them again.

  19 And it came to pass that they were angry with me again, and sought to lay hands upon me; but behold, one of the daughters of Ishmael, yea, and also her mother, and one of the sons of Ishmael, did plead with my brethren, insomuch that they did soften their hearts; and they did cease striving to take away my life.

so Nephi asked for the Strength to burst the bands, but did he get the Strength? no they just fell off. Why did he not get the Strength? I don't know, all I know is that God has a reason for everything and he dose always answer prayers but not always in the way we ask.

Elder Matthews

My P - Study

Well I never know what to wright so I am going to wright what I study Every day. do day I was reading in Matthew (the New Testament) and in Helaman (the Book of Mormon) and I came across a scrip in Matthew that I really like and it says
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

  25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

so its simple if we follow the teaching of Jesus Christ we Build our house on a good Rock and we and withstand anything. then the other scrip that I want to share is in Helaman

12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

so this one is saying if we build on a Good Rock we wont fall we can take on anything. and a nother thing that I thing is awesome about these is that they come from 2 parts of the world and they are talking about the same things. Just showing to me that Jesus is really the Christ.

Elder Matthews

My Personal Study on Oct 13, 2010

Today I was reading in Alma 17 and I have a lot of scriptures that I like in that Chapter like this one, 
  2 Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.
but that's not the one I would like to talk about today the one I would like to talk about is Verses 34-35 and they say
34 Therefore, they did as Ammon commanded them, and he went forth and stood to contend with those who stood by the waters of Sebus; and they were in number not a few.

  35 Therefore they did not fear Ammon, for they supposed that one of their men could slay him according to their pleasure, for they knew not that the Lord had promised Mosiah that he would deliver his sons out of their hands; neither did they know anything concerning the Lord; therefore they delighted in the destruction of their brethren; and for this cause they stood to scatter the flocks of the king.

what is going on in this Chapter is Ammon just came to teach the Lamanites and they took him to the king and the King asked him some questions and Ammon asked if he could be his servant and the king told him that he could and he was in charge of watching the sheep but some other Lamanites would go chase the sheep and Ammon wanted to protect the sheep and that's where the scriptures they came to scatter the sheep again and there was a lot of them and they thought they could take him out no prob but what they did not know is that the lord was on his side and as long as he was doing what the Lord wanted him to do nothing could hurt him.

That is true with every body we can have the lord in our lives and if the lord tells us to do something and He tells us to do something if we follow him we will be blessed no matter what.

Elder Matthews

My Mission

Right Now I am serving a 2 year mission for God's Church and I have been called to the Great Montana Billings Mission.  I am living in the city of Bozeman, MT. I have been here over 5 months now and I love it! I have been on a mission for over 13 months now.
you might be thinking what do you do on a mission in Montana. and what I am doing is Inviting people to come unto Christ By Helping them Receive the Restored Gospel through Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost and Enduring to the End. All I am doing out here is talking to people and letting them know What I have found and What is true and then Asking them to pray about it and ask if what we have told them is true or just some random stuff that two 20year olds' is going around telling people or if what we are saying is the truth. I can tell you that I know that the Church of Jesus Christ is the True Church I know it with all that I am. I KNOW that Joseph Smith is a Prophet that because of him the Church is back on the Earth today and I know that anybody can know just as I know all you need to do is ask God and be willing to act on what you feel Then God will tell you if this is the true Church or if it is some crazy Church that send out 19-26 year olds' to tell people about what they believe. I KNOW that the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day Saints is the True Church!

Elder Matthews