Temple blessings!

     My dear friends and family! Hello! I hope that all is well and that you had a great and spiritual week. This past week was filled with rich blessings. I am excited at the work that is going forth! There were many wonderful and great experiences over the past week. I time of learning and reflecting on the Lord's plan and path for each of us.

     Friday I had the marvelous experience of going through the temple with Natalie, a convert from last year. There are few experiences that I will ever cherish as much as I did when I walked in the room and saw her begin to cry. To see her excitement and joy was overwhelming. As I sat in the temple pondering this experience, I couldn’t help but come do a deep understanding of the temple, and its significance in our lives. In the temple we make special covenants with God that prepare us to return in His presence. There we understand what we need to do in this life, to be with our families forever. In this ever tumultuous world there is no greater place to go and receive comfort and guidance from the Lord. As we walked into the Celestial Room in the temple, I asked her how it was. She said “I don’t know, it just feels like I have been here before!” Oh how sweet the spirit that is in the House of the Lord. A place where we can seek refuge and truly feel like we have come “home”. It's hard to find time in our busy lives to attend the temple often, but a priority it must become. I know that the blessings that come from temple attendance effect each of us personally, but our whole families. I know that when my family attends the temple, I can feel of its blessings. 

     This weekend I have pondered my friend's journey to the temple. Tears filled my eyes on Sunday as I recalled in the chapel, the night that we found Natalie. We had parked the car on the side of a busy road because the area we had planned to tract just didn’t feel right. As we bowed our heads, a burning in my heart came over me that I had never felt before, and a voice as from Heaven came unto me saying, “Clark St.” I was new to the area, and hadn’t heard of it before. I looked to my companion and checked for reassurance that the street existed. He affirmed that it did, and we ran off to the street. Soon after we knocked on her door. She realized in her life that she needed more! She needed a foundation for her and her family. It’s a powerful thing, just that simple statement. That she “felt that she needed more in her life.” God in His wisdom has given each of us from birth the Light of Christ. The spirit that teaches us right from wrong. Each and everyday that spirit will guide us to things that we need to change in our own lives. The hardest thing for us to do, is accept those promptings. Natalie followed those promptings that day, and the blessings of Heaven have since flown into her life! She was just called to serve in the Primary Presidency! Her son will be receiving the Priesthood in October, and I plan to ordain him to the office of a Deacon on my way home. 

     My dear Brothers and Sisters, following the promptings of the spirit is of great importance in our lives. This life is about being taught through earthly experiences how to refine ourselves in to the gem that God would have us be. He has a plan and knows what we need to change to be all that we can be! I testify that through Christ we can all make the changes necessary to be “closer to God” and have “more of a foundation in our lives” as Natalie was searching for. Great things happen when we follow those promptings. All God wants is for us to be happy and to enjoy this life! Through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and living by its teaching, happiness flows! Lives change. Generations are changed forever. The impact of its blessings flow to all, as we just simply follow, and believe. Just believe.

     This past week has been simply miraculous! The work is rolling forward. This week we met a woman named Kaylee! She has truly been through some of life's greatest challenges. She didn’t grow up in a religious home or a home that you ever felt loved in. In her 20's she met a man that she thought was the man of her dreams, but soon after their baby was just a few months old, he began to abuse her. Years later she began to date another man, and when he found out she was pregnant, he ran away from the situation! Now, home alone, with a two week old baby we knocked on her door. Tears filled our eyes as she shared her life's experience and how she now was fighting to feed the family. This Sunday she came with us to church! Last night members of the congregation had them over for dinner! To see the smiles on her face and her young daughter was just amazing! The Atonement of Jesus Christ is real. We are never alone in God's plan. He hears us, and watches over us! Kaylee explained that she has always been in search for the truth, and in search of a church that didn’t have a man preach from the Bible, twisted scriptures that came from his own knowledge. I sense and feel strongly that the world, although they may be afraid to question, are truly searching for the truth! How blessed we are to have the knowledge that God has again restored the fullness of the truth to the earth.

     I am humbled this week and amazed at God's goodness and mercy! As we strive to know Him and learn of Him, God's spirit will strive to be with us! It will guide us, and help us change the little things in our lives, to bring our homes more joy! I love you all! HAVE A GREAT AND HAPPY WEEK!

Love,

Elder Aiken

May 21, 2012

     Gooood Morning Everyone! I hope that all is well and that you have had a fabulous week.  

     My dear brothers and sisters! This week has been truly powerful and uplifting! I have come to know with deep assurance the plan that God has for us is perfect and reassuring. This week was covered with miracles, miracles from a Father in Heaven who loves his children and dearly wishes for their return into His spiritual presence. 

     A few weeks ago we received a referral from the Spanish sister missionaries. We had been trying for many days to come in contact with this woman but never had any luck. Friday evening as we were running around the complex we were in, there was a woman sitting on the stairs. She introduced herself as Diane. My heart yearned for her happiness as I spoke with her. Her faced showed worry and shared a sense of longing for something more. She said, “I just moved in, I have been in addiction programs and need to change my life. I actually have two children that were baptized into your church, I really like what they have shared.” Quickly I realized this was the woman we had been looking for during the past few weeks. She talked about how sad and alone she was and how horrible she felt with the mistakes she had made.  We had a powerful discussion with Diane, and she said how dearly she desired to come to church! We can't wait for her to come to church in the coming weeks. How amazing it is to know, that GOD  can heal her! That she can be free from her past and that He turned us down a different path to see her that day! 

     Soon after, we walked up a stairwell to talk to a young man that was smoking on the stairs above. The door to the apartment he was sitting away from was full of people, seemingly lost looking for so much more. As each one would walk down the stairs with beer in their hands, they would hide it behind their backs and walk shamefully past.  Cigarettes were snuffed out. Corrupt language ceased. It saddened me to realize that each of these people were about my age. Living rioutous lives and deep down they wanted to change. As we talked to Shane on the stairs he said, “I need to change my life, I know what I am doing is wrong.” For days I have pondered about these two experiences. I couldn’t blame those young people for the ways they were acting, we knew some of the homes that they came from and probably didn’t know different. The powerful observation? Each of them knew the way they were living was wrong, whether they were taught it or not. I reflect on a hymn titled “O My Father”. It goes like this:

“O my Father thou that dwellest in the high and glorious place, When shall I regain thy presence and again behold thy face? In thy holy habitation, did my spirit once reside? In my first primeval childhood was I nurtured by thy side? For a wise and glorious purpose Thou has placed me here on earth and withheld the recollection of my former friends and birth; Yet oftimes a secret something whispered, ‘You’re a stranger here,’ and I felt that I had wondered from a more exalted sphere.”

     Although many individuals we meet each day, have wondered far from the true path to happiness, they know that God lives! We have that devine knowledge in each of us. I testify to you that God truly does love us. I have felt His love often when I didn’t deserve it myself! God is our loving Father in Heaven! He is looking out for each of us! As we strive to gain greater faith and hope, we can each feel greater of His guidance in our lives. For God yearns to be with us. I love you all! Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Aiken

Happy Mother's Day!

Hello my dear friends and family!  I am truly humbled and in awe of this week. My heart and soul burn with a desire to share and spread this great gospel! This was another week of seeing and experiencing the Lords hand of miracles! I testify that He is ever present in our lives. As we live pure and holy lives, we can draw nearer to God each and everyday!

Yesterday was Mothers Day and it was a rich blessing to speak to the family, and my brother Tanner for the last time before he heads out on his mission in July! I am so excited for him, he will change the world.

 I hope all of you mothers had a great Mothers Day, it was a powerful day for me! It's amazing to see families from all walks of life, those we teach and those we meet, and the impact of a loving mother in their lives! 

Yesterday in Sacrament Meeting I felt that I was going to bear my testimony. It wasn't testimony meeting so I thought it was quite odd. Sure enough I got a text from a member of the Bishopric off the stand, “You will bear your testimony in five minutes.” I was asked to share my love for my mother, and my testimony of the gospel. As I sat in that meeting an experience came to mind that I wish to share. It was in the middle of winter last year and I was serving in the Tiger Mountain Ward. My companion and I had biked up a steep mountain hill for a few miles, to reach a few homes that stood at the crest of a mountain, overlooking the valley. On the way down, my bikes brakes had worn completely through. By the time I noticed I was headed down the mountain at full speed. I hit a big turn, I was leaning as far to the side as I could, but to no avail, I was headed straight for a cliff. I pleaded with God that he would spare my life, or just spare me from missing a few of the trees on the way down. As I headed toward the edge, all of the sudden I felt a force carry me to the center of that road, slow me down, and guide me to the bottom. The following Monday my mother shared with me the following account. “Elder Aiken, I had the oddest experience. I was home from work on Wednesday, and was resting on the couch. I heard a voice yell "Mom!" I got up and looked around and couldn’t see any of the boys, thinking one of the boys might have come home early from school. I again sat down, and again heard a little louder "Mom!" But there was no one there. I then felt impressed to kneel and pray for you and your safety.” My dear Brothers and Sisters, that time I know my life was spared, there could have been no way to survive such a fall. Mothers seem to have an extra sensitivity to the spirit, and for that I am eternally grateful. Grateful for a righteous mother listening to the spirit. There is a power in a mother's prayer. This morning we received a call that a woman needed a blessing in the local hospital. We rushed over and gave this woman a blessing, while she was in labor! You woman are wonderful, and will forever pray for you and the pain you endure! Mothers are great.

        Two weeks ago we were running from person to person in one of our apartment complexes, and ran to talk to a man taking out the garbage. He said “I am busy. We are just moving in, but stop by later if you want.” This week we showed up for our appointment, and we took him on a church tour. Greg said, “Let me tell you why I have showed up here at the church today. I am here to investigate your church. I have heard great things about this church. I was in a different religion for many years but no longer find that to be true. I want to be a Christian. I want to be the example for my family, my wife, my kids ,and my grandkids. I am struggling right now and want to find the truth.” We had such a powerful lesson with this man, I will never forget the feeling in that chapel. As he entered he said, “I feel clean, I want to feel clean in my life!” 

         Is there a greater blessing our dear Father has given us? Our brothers and sisters are perishing in unbelief and pain all around us. Are we not all from the same Father? Might we once have befriended these souls prior to entering this earthly existence? Do we not owe all to that God who gave us life? We can lend a helping hand to that Shepherd who is looking for the “ninety and nine” who cries over them and yearns for their joy. Each of us, prior coming to the earth, were spirits with God! We learned and grew. In that place we were only able to grow to a certain extent and had to leave our Fathers presence, to be able to gain experience. After the fall of Adam and Eve, we became an “enemy to God” and “we will be forever and ever, unless we yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord…” 

         We are here to put off “the natural man”!! We are here to follow the whisperings of the spirit and change our lives so that we might be purified through the Atonement of Christ. In that true happiness lies. In that will we be prepared to meet God and receive the rich blessings he has in store for the righteous. Greg is the example of this! He has realized in his life that he needs to change and that he wants to change. A few days later we went back to teach Greg.  As we entered I asked how he was and if he had been busy. He replied, “yes I have been pretty busy! I have been recruiting people for you to teach. You have an appointment with my neighbor on Monday at 7:30, here is the address.” Everytime we go by he seems to have more souls for us to teach.

         This leads me to the topic I wish to end on today. The importance of spreading this glad gospel. Here in my new area there are MANY people from the Islands. Such faithful people. I have yet to meet one of them that is Atheist. They are a people filled with love and void of doubts. I have pondered for the past few weeks of these people and their willingness to share the gospel. My eyes water as I look at how inept I am, how weak I am. These people love without end and will serve to no end. 

         My dear friends and family the world needs us to rise up. God needs us to rise up! We need to rise up and fight off the natural man! For in this time of turmoil and grief we must not falter, rather be pillars of righteousness and truth. All morals are decaying! Satan and his challenges are rampant. How we must help our Brothers and Sisters come to know God's plan for them! The worlds “path” looks enticing and fun! But it will fail them, and they will “wander, hungry, and helpless, and cold..”! We must be like Moroni during a similar time in his day, in which he raised this title of liberty, “In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, our peace, our wives, and our children.” Which he then fastened to a pole and waved to all the world. It's easy for our mouths to proclaim that we love this Gospel, and that we love God. But do our hearts turn to our Father, and yearn to answer his call to rescue His sheep? I know that we can all make a great change in this decaying world. We can bring joy and happiness to these souls! We have nothing to fear! God is with us and before us. This is the truth. I testify to each of you that God's love for us is ever reaching. It knows no bounds! He lives and has sent His Son Jesus Christ to redeem us when we fall short. This is the Lord's work, for He watches us by night and cries for us to come home. I love you all! HAVE A GREAT WEEK!      

Love,

Elder Aiken      

So Busy!

     Hello Everyone!!! Today we are preparing for Elder Golden of the Seventy and his mission tour! I don't have much time to write today, as we still have a lot to do before the day is out. I have never been this busy in all my life!!! I will have a lot to report on next week! 
     I humbly testify that Jesus Christ lives. The Church of Jesus Christ is alive and well! A newspaper in Tacoma reported this past week, in the State of Washington from the year 2000 until now, ecclesiastical churches have not grown in any dimension. However, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints has grown 50% over the same time period! This is a remarkable work. The work is rolling forward! 
     Elder Golden stated last night at a fireside, "The Church has reached a point of no return!" He stated, "The church is not just growing in numbers but in righteousness." Brothers and Sisters the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored on this very earth today. It is here to bring us joy and to enrich our lives. Oh how blessed we are. I know that the message we declare is true! I know it from the very depths of my soul! I pray the Lord be with you. I love you all. I will talk to you soon!

Love,

Elder Aiken

Charity Never Faileth!

Back with Elder Lindeman!

     My dear friends and family! It’s a pleasure to write to you today. My heart is full and my feelings are tender today, as I have been transferred.  I never thought I could have such a capacity to love the people of Issaquah. They are eternal friends. That city captured my heart, and I can't wait to return. My life was changed forever there, and I will never be the same man. The Lord blessed me deeply by allowing me to stay there for so long. I will truly miss those people, a part of my heart will forever remain there. I am SO excited for the upcoming transfer! I have been transferred to the Federal Way Stake, the only other place I've been. I guess it’s the Lords plan for me to return over and over again! Elder Lindeman is again my companion, we will be serving as the Zone Leaders here. I guess it’s the Lords plan for me to return to old companions over again as well! It's great and I love it. This will be a truly wonderful adventure.

     Yesterday as I said goodbye to some of those who were recently baptized, my heart was filled with joy! It's absolutely amazing to see the mountains they have climbed and been able to overcome. We taught Vickie on Friday and to feel of her spirit was just overwhelming. Vickie is the essence of giving, and giving all. As we showed up to her house, she had containers of food all over the counters. I asked what they were all for, and she replied, “I talked to Deanna today, she fell down and can't cook for herself (Deanna is an investigator we are teaching), so made a bunch of food she can heat up in the microwave, she has no one to cook for her!” She had probably ten meals lining the counter tops all ready to take to a woman in need. She then brought out some pajama pants and asked our opinon she said, “I met a man at the foodbank (she volunteers there a few times a week) and a man came in with diseased legs that make them swell immensely, so I got him these pajamas so he has clothes to wear that will fit, do you think these would fit?” I stood in awe as she shared her plans for the coming week, and the people she planned on helping. Vickie, a widow with very little income, spends every waking moment in the service of others. I will never forget her baptism. We asked her on Friday what baptism did for her. She said, “I have never been happier in all my life. As I came out of the water it was like this big weight lifted off of me. I used to be a grouchy old grandma, but now I am as happy as I could be.” She calls us MULTIPLE times a week with friends she wants us to teach and people she wants to bring to church. She is a pioneer to me, paving the way to bring happiness to every soul she meets. These people forever have a place in my heart. I will miss that great place of Issaquah. It’s the best!

     Vickie shared a few things with us that have inspired me ever since. I realized the deeply powerful influence that the Holy Ghost can have apon us. This life is personally tailored to us, with its many valleys and hills. Each meant to refine us in their own way. Those trials come whether we like them or not, but we can choose how we fair them. As we live our lives to be directed and comforted by the spirit, we can be lead through each trial. Coming through the other side a little more “polished”. 

     God, because He is truly is our loving Father in Heaven, has given us a special gift to help us through this “refining process” here on earth. The gift of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is the rope that we can hold steadfastly to along this journey, with Christ at the lead. As long as we stay true to the path, and allow the spirit to be with us, all will be well! God's spirit will be with us to guide us and direct us along the way. I am touched and amazed at God's plan for us. All He wants is our happiness. All he asks is for us to follow Him, and He will lead us home. I testify today that God lives. We must all live our lives to receive the rich blessings of the Holy Ghost. God will never leave us alone, no not ever. I testify that the trials in life do end! Just hold strong and stay true. Remember that there are people all around us struggling just the same. It's our choice whether we lend a helping hand, or let them travel alone. Joy flows in our lives by serving others, just as Vickie has shown me. 

     I love you all! Be safe, make a change in the life of your neighbors this week!

Love,

Elder Aiken