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