Weekly Update~ "The Profile of a Prophet"

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was another great week. It's been cool to see one of the reasons why I've been sent here so early in my time here in Nsambya. There have been at least half a dozen Rwandese or Burundese individuals I've been able to refer to the church back in Kigali who are here briefly in Uganda for a visit or have family who stay back there. It always makes me so happy seeing peoples' faces light up when they hear the church is there.

Elder Chifamba and I have been hard at work this week. I don't know if I've mentioned but our zone has only 6 missionaries- our district and a companionship in a neighboring town called Makindye. We have been trying to find ways to become more unified as a small zone so when President adds more next transfer, we can hit the ground running This week, I had to take Elder Chisale and Elder Chifamba in to the dentist on Tuesday, (got to visit the Kololo apartment I began my mission from) then had to take Elder Chisale back on Thursday to get his wisdom teeth out. He was down from Thursday to Sunday so on Thursday, we decided to take turns going out with Elder Randall. It was a great experience. I was around Elder Randall when he first came on mission and he was one of the more quiet people. He has become a powerful teacher who teaches with simplicity. We even got to eat dinner at an investigator's house in the evening and their pastor was there so we watched him cast out a "demon" from a girl in their living room. Dinner and a show...nice. 

Elder Chifamba and I are teaching a guy called Dickson and he is one of the most intelligent people I've met on mission. He is a Seventh Day Adventist and has been reading the BOM, His reading comprehension is incredible, similar to my investigator, Protais back in Rwanda. When we visit him, we just sit and listen to him tell us what he learned. However, because he is intelligent, the spectrum is a bit unbalanced and he feels the need to understand everything intellectually minus the spirit side. We had a great discussion the last time we visited him and I think he gets the importance of prayer now. He is making us do a bit of research on grace for him which we gladly will do. 

Brother George got baptized on Sunday and it was neat to see how supportive the ward was. I walked into the area when George was being taught the commandments and he was already well on his way to preparation for baptism. He is a kind old man in his 60's and it's always a pleasure visiting him.

This week, I wanted to enclose one of my favorite talks/speeches by President Hugh B Brown titled "The Profile of a Prophet".

I should like to dispense with all formality, if I may, and address both faculty and students as my brothers and sisters. I adopt that form of salutation for several reasons: first, practically all who are here are members of the Church that established and maintains this university; second, I believe in the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man; and third, I do not intend to give a lecture, certainly not an oration or even a sermon, but simply wish to bear my testimony to my brothers and sisters.

I should like to be for a few minutes a witness in support of the proposition that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in our day and that this is His Church, organized under His direction through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I should like to give some reasons for the faith I have and for my allegiance to the Church.

Perhaps I can do this more quickly by referring to an interview I had in London, England, in 1939, just before the outbreak of the war. I had met a very prominent English gentleman, a member of the House of Commons, formerly one of the justices of the supreme court of England. In my conversations with this gentleman on various subjects—“vexations of the soul,” he called them—we talked about business, law, politics, international relations, and war, and we frequently discussed religion.

He called me on the phone one day and asked if I would meet him at his office and explain some phases of the gospel. He said, “I think there is going to be a war. If there is, you will have to return to America and we may not meet again.” His statement regarding the imminence of war and the possibility that we would not meet again proved to be prophetic.

When I went to his office he said he was intrigued by some things I had told him. He asked me to prepare a brief on Mormonism.

I may say to you students that a brief is a statement of law and facts that lawyers like President Wilkinson prepare when they are going into court to argue a case.

He asked me to prepare a brief on Mormonism and discuss it with him as I would discuss a legal problem. He said, “You have told me that you believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet. You have said to me that you believe that God the Father and Jesus of Nazareth appeared to Joseph Smith. I cannot understand how a barrister and solicitor from Canada, a man trained in logic and evidence, could accept such absurd statements. What you tell me about Joseph Smith seems fantastic, but I think you should take three days at least to prepare a brief and permit me to examine it and question you on it.”

I suggested that we proceed at once and have an examination for discovery, which is, briefly, a meeting of the opposing sides in a lawsuit where the plaintiff and defendant, with their attorneys, meet to examine each other’s claims and see if they can find some area of agreement, thus saving the time of the court later on.

I said perhaps we could see whether we had some common ground from which we could discuss my “fantastic ideas.” He agreed to that quite readily.

I can only give you, in the few minutes at my disposal, a condensed and abbreviated synopsis of the three-hour conversation that followed. In the interest of time I shall resort to the question-and-answer method, rather than narration.

I began by asking, “May I proceed, sir, on the assumption that you are a Christian?”

“I am.”

“I assume you believe in the Bible—the Old and New Testaments?”

“I do!”

“Do you believe in prayer?”

“I do!”

“You say that my belief that God spoke to a man in this age is fantastic and absurd?”

“To me it is.”

“Do you believe that God ever did speak to anyone?”

“Certainly, all through the Bible we have evidence of that.”

“Did He speak to Adam?”

“Yes.”

“To Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jacob, Joseph, and on through the prophets?”

“I believe He spoke to each of them.”

“Do you believe that contact between God and man ceased when Jesus appeared on the earth?”

“No, such communication reached its climax, its apex, at that time.”

“Do you believe that Jesus was the Son of God?”

“He was.”

“Do you believe, sir, that after Jesus was resurrected, a certain lawyer—who was also a tentmaker by the name of Saul of Tarsus—when on his way to Damascus talked with Jesus of Nazareth, who had been crucified, resurrected, and had ascended into heaven?”

“I do.”

“Whose voice did Saul hear?”

“It was the voice of Jesus Christ, for He so introduced Himself.”

“Then, my Lord—that is the way we address judges in the British Commonwealth—I am submitting to you in all seriousness that it was standard procedure in Bible times for God to talk to man.”

“I think I will admit that, but it stopped shortly after the first century of the Christian era.”

“Why do you think it stopped?”

“I can’t say.”

“You think that God hasn’t spoken since then?”

“I am sure He hasn’t.”

“There must be a reason. Can you give me a reason?”

“I do not know.”

“May I suggest some possible reasons? Perhaps God does not speak to man anymore because He cannot. He has lost the power.”

He said, “Of course that would be blasphemous.”

“Well, then, if you don’t accept that, perhaps He doesn’t speak to men because He doesn’t love us anymore and He is no longer interested in the affairs of men.”

“No,” he said, “God loves all men, and He is no respecter of persons.”

“Well, then, if He could speak, and if He loves us, then the only other possible answer, as I see it, is that we don’t need Him. We have made such rapid strides in science and we are so well educated that we don’t need God anymore.”

And then he said—and his voice trembled as he thought of impending war—“Mr. Brown, there never was a time in the history of the world when the voice of God was needed as it is needed now. Perhaps you can tell me why He doesn’t speak.”

My answer was: “He does speak, He has spoken; but men need faith to hear Him.”

Then we proceeded to prepare what I may call a “profile of a prophet.”

Perhaps you students would like to amplify what I must condense today and draw your own standard or definition of a prophet and see whether Joseph Smith measures up.

We agreed between us that the following characteristics should distinguish a man who claims to be a prophet:

1. He will boldly claim that God had spoken to him.

2. Any man so claiming would be a dignified man with a dignified message—no table jumping, no whisperings from the dead, no clairvoyance, but an intelligent statement of truth.

3. Any man claiming to be a prophet of God would declare his message without any fear and without making any weak concessions to public opinion.

4. If he were speaking for God he could not make concessions, although what he taught would be new and contrary to the accepted teachings of the day. A prophet bears witness to what he has seen and heard and seldom tries to make a case by argument. His message and not himself is important.

5. Such a man would speak in the name of the Lord, saying, “Thus said the Lord,” as did Moses, Joshua, and others.

6. Such a man would predict future events in the name of the Lord, and they would come to pass, as did those predicted by Isaiah and Ezekiel.

7. He would have not only an important message for his time but often a message for all future time, such as Daniel, Jeremiah, and others had.

8. He would have courage and faith enough to endure persecution and to give his life, if need be, for the cause he espoused, such as Peter, James, Paul, and others did.

9. Such a man would denounce wickedness fearlessly. He would generally be rejected or persecuted by the people of his time, but later generations and descendants of his persecutors would build monuments in his honor.

10. He would be able to do superhuman things—things that no man could do without God’s help. The consequence or result of his message and work would be convincing evidence of his prophetic calling: “By their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:20).

11. His teachings would be in strict conformity with scripture, and his words and his writings would become scripture. “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21).

Now I have given but an outline that you can fill in and amplify and then measure and judge the Prophet Joseph Smith by the work and stature of other prophets.

As a student of the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith for more than 50 years, I say to you young men and women: by these standards Joseph Smith qualifies as a prophet of God.

I believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God because he talked like a prophet. He was the first man since the apostles of Jesus Christ were slain to make the claim that prophets have always made—viz., that God had spoken to him. He lived and died like a prophet. I believe he was a prophet of God because he gave to this world some of the greatest of all revelations. I believe that he was a prophet of God because he predicted many things that have come to pass—things that only God could bring to pass.

John, the beloved disciple of Jesus, declared, “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10). If Joseph Smith had the testimony of Jesus, he had the spirit of prophecy. And if he had the spirit of prophecy, he was a prophet.

I submit to you, and I submitted to my friend, that as much as any man who ever lived, he had a testimony of Jesus, for, like the apostles of old, he saw Him and heard Him speak. He gave his life for that testimony. I challenge any man to name one who has given more evidence of the divine calling of Jesus Christ than did the Prophet Joseph Smith.

I believe the Prophet Joseph Smith was a prophet because he did many superhuman things. One was translating the Book of Mormon. Some people will not agree, but I submit to you that the Prophet Joseph Smith in translating the Book of Mormon did a superhuman work. I ask you students to undertake to write a story on the ancient inhabitants of America, to write as he did without any source of material. Include in your story 54 chapters dealing with wars, 21 historical chapters, and 55 chapters on visions and prophecies. And, remember, when you begin to write on visions and prophecies, you must have your record agree meticulously with the Bible. You must write 71 chapters on doctrine and exhortation, and here, too, you must check every statement with the scriptures or you will be proven to be a fraud. You must write 21 chapters on the ministry of Christ, and everything you claim He said and did and every testimony you write in your book about Him must agree absolutely with the New Testament.

I ask you, would you like to undertake such a task? I would suggest to you too that you must employ figures of speech, similes, metaphors, narrations, exposition, description, oratory, epic, lyric, logic, and parables. Undertake that, will you?

I ask you to remember that the man who translated the Book of Mormon was a young man who hadn’t had the opportunity of schooling that you have had, and yet he dictated that book in just a little over two months and made very few, if any, corrections. For over one hundred years some of the best students and scholars of the world have been trying to prove from the Bible that the Book of Mormon is false, but not one of them has been able to prove that anything he wrote was not in strict harmony with the scriptures—with the Bible and with the word of God.

The Book of Mormon not only declares on the title page that its purpose is to convince Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, but this truth is the burden of its message. In 3 Nephi it is recorded that multitudes of people testified, “We saw Him. We felt of His hands and His side. We know He is the Christ” (see 3 Nephi 11:14–15).

Joseph Smith undertook and accomplished other superhuman tasks. Among them I list the following:

He organized the Church. (I call attention to the fact that no constitution effected by human agency has survived 100 years without modification or amendment, even the Constitution of the United States. The basic law or constitution of the Church has never been altered.)

He undertook to carry the gospel message to all nations, which is a superhuman task still in progress.

He undertook, by divine command, to gather thousands of people to Zion.

He instituted vicarious work for the dead and built temples for that purpose.

He promised that certain signs should follow the believers, and there are thousands of witnesses who certify that this promise has been fulfilled.

I said to my friend, “My Lord, I cannot understand your saying to me that my claims are fantastic. Nor can I understand why Christians who claim to believe in Christ would persecute and put to death a man whose whole purpose was to prove the truth of the things they themselves were declaring; namely, that Jesus was the Christ. I could understand their persecuting Joseph if he had said, ‘I am Christ,’ or if he had said, ‘There is no Christ,’ or if he had said someone else is Christ. Then Christians believing in Christ would be justified in opposing him.

“But what he said was, ‘He whom ye claim to serve, declare I unto you,’ paraphrasing what Paul said in Athens: ‘Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you’ (Acts 17:23). Joseph said to the Christians of his day, ‘You claim to believe in Jesus Christ. I testify that I saw Him and I talked with Him. He is the Son of God. Why persecute me for that?’

“When Joseph came out of the woods, he had at least four fundamental truths, and he announced them to the world: first, that the Father and the Son are separate and distinct individuals; second, that the canon of scripture is not complete; third, that man was created in the bodily image of God; and fourth, the channel between earth and heaven is open and revelation is continuous.”

Perhaps some of you are wondering how the judge reacted to our discussion. He listened intently; he asked some very pointed and searching questions; and, at the end of the period, he said, “Mr. Brown, I wonder if your people appreciate the import of your message. Do you?” He said, “If what you have told me is true, it is the greatest message that has come to this earth since the angels announced the birth of Christ.”

This was a judge speaking—a great statesman, an intelligent man. He threw out the challenge: “Do you appreciate the import of what you say?” He added, “I wish it were true. I hope it may be true. God knows it ought to be true. I would to God,” he said, and he wept as he said it, “that some man could appear on earth and authoritatively say, ‘Thus saith the Lord.’”

As I intimated, we did not meet again. I have brought to you very briefly some of the reasons why I believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. But undergirding and overarching all that, I say to you from the very center of my heart that by the revelations of the Holy Ghost I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.

Although these evidences and many others that could be cited may have the effect of giving one an intellectual conviction, only by the whisperings of the Holy Spirit can one come to know the things of God. By those whisperings I say I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. I thank God for that knowledge and pray for His blessings upon all of you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I testify as a servant of Jesus Christ that Joseph Smith is a true prophet and through him, the final dispensation was ushered in. I testify that all of the keys necessary to salvation have been restored through him and because they have been restored, we have living Apostles and a Prophet who receive direction and revelation from Jesus Christ himself. I know this because I have read the Book of Mormon many times and I know that anyone who reads, ponders, and prays about it, can gain the same witness I've received from the Holy Ghost.

Uganda Sites

Have a great week,

Love Elder Hazen

Weekly Update~ "School of the Priestood"

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was another solid week in Nsambya with Elder Chifamba! I'm beginning to ease myself in and got my first Sunday in the new ward under the belt. This week was full of many more meetings, but we took advantage of the time we had. The thing I love most about Elder Chifamba is his anxious desire to have his line in the water no matter what we are doing. 

It seems like I just can't get away from Rwanda! We taught two Rwandese this week, there is a Rwandese member in the ward, and Sister Cecille, the R.S president from K2 was at church yesterday because she is visiting her daughters in Nsambya just down the road. Obviously I welcome any opportunity I have to speak my limited, broken Ikinyrwanda and the people enjoy it just as much as I do. Occasionally I find myself speaking Ikinyarwanda phrases I knew to kids and other people passing on the street and they look back at me with a blank, confused look on their faces...I'll learn eventually.

I came back to Uganda and it seems like nowadays I see President and Sister Collings every day. After Stake Conference and Mission Leader Conference last week, this week we had a worldwide missionary conference where there were some changes made to the daily schedule and key indicators. We also had interviews on Friday and had a good talk with President on how we can continue to progress the work in the Nsambya ward specifically. Then on Sunday evening, we were invited over to the mission home for dinner with one of our recent converts and his family. Last Saturday, President and Sister Collings came to our area and spent the morning proselyting with us and we decided to visit a man by the name of Yves. He and his wife are Burundese refugees and have been living in Uganda for a little over a year. They are both journalists and right now is not the greatest time to be a journalist in Burundi. They told us of a story when they were fleeing the country and were being shot at by individuals on bikes as they were approaching the border. They have had their fair share of struggles but many people have reached out and have helped them as they've struggled to keep their heads above water including the former bishop (now stake president) of the ward. President was able to help us in a wonderful lesson about the importance of paying tithing and we really felt the spirit. Yesterday evening was a wonderful experience because the wife came with us and we haven't had the opportunity of sharing the gospel with her yet but I know this experience planted a strong seed in her heart.

As I've gone through another transfer and am now working with a new companion, I have been contemplating a lot on the thought of how mission is a completely unique experience in learning and understanding life, especially with an eternal perspective. This story from "Learning from the Priesthood" from Pres. Eyring caught my eye in my studies this week: 

Not only should you be eager to learn your priesthood lessons in this life, but you should be optimistic about what is possible. A few of us may limit in our minds our possibilities to learn what the Lord sets before us in His service.

One young man left his little Welsh village in the early 1840s, heard the Apostles of God, and came into the kingdom of God on earth. He sailed with the Saints to America and drove a wagon west across the plains. He was in the next company after Brigham Young coming into this valley. His priesthood service included clearing and breaking ground for a farm.

He sold the farm for pennies on the dollar to go on a mission for the Lord in the deserts of what is now Nevada to take care of sheep. He was called from that to another mission across the ocean in the very village he had left in his poverty to follow the Lord.

Through it all, he found a way to learn with his priesthood brethren. Bold missionary that he was, he walked down the lane in Wales to the summer estate of a man who was four times the prime minister of England to offer him the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The great man let him into his mansion. He was a graduate of Eton College and of Oxford University. The missionary talked with him about the origins of man, the central role of Jesus Christ in the history of the world, and even the fate of nations.

At the end of their discussion, the host declined the offer to accept baptism. But as they parted, that leader of one of the great empires of the world asked the humble missionary, “Where did you get your education?” His answer: “In the priesthood of God.”

You may have thought at one time how much better your life would have been if only you had been admitted to study in some fine school. I pray that you will see the greatness of God’s love for you and of the opportunity He has given you to enter His priesthood school.

I know that I am in a department in this Priesthood school right now learning valuable lessons that will bless both myself and my posterity for the eternities. I have thought deeply and with gratitude how perfect God's plan is in putting us in situations and with people who help you learn particular lessons that can't be learned any other way. Elder Grant once shared a thought with me and referred to the Mosaic Law that required people who went through the temple in Old Testament times to stay in the temple after their endowment for a full week so they could contemplate the covenants they made with their Heavenly Father and understand more fully what they mean. Often times people confuse the reason why we go to the temple before our missions. Sometimes they think we go to the temple to prepare for our missions, but in reality, it's backwards. We go on missions to prepare to live our covenants we made in the temple more fully for the rest of the eternities. Truly our Heavenly Father is merciful in giving us two years to live consecrated lives devoted entirely to him and his work. As young adults living in a world with so much temptation and so much pressure to not live according to the standards we've been raised upon, the timing of doing so is so crucial. I'm grateful for each and every one of my companions, areas, and the people who have been put in my path. I know without a doubt God has a hand in my life and am grateful he cares so much about me as an individual, that he has me enrolled in the school of the Priesthood and has and will continue to put me into the best situation possible for me to succeed and live with him again.

Going Away Party for Missionaries Leaving Rwanda

I love you all,

Elder Hazen

Weekly Update~ "Back to the Motherland!"

Dear family and friends,

Well, after a long 9 and a half months, I'm back to the motherland...UGANDA!   After stepping off the plane and feeling a cool breeze blowing in off Lake Victoria, it felt so good to be home. I am currently serving in the Nsambya ward, which is neighbors to the Kololo ward I began my mission in. I drive by the old area I proselyted in nearly every day and it brings back sweet memories. It hasn't been easy adjusting to driving on the left side of the road, but I'm slowly adjusting. Our area has every restaurant desirable to a missionary including another Mexican food place, the American Embassy, and a gym that I've hit up every morning with my companion. My new companion is Elder Chifamba from Zimbabwe. 

We actually began our missions the same day and went through our new missionary orientation together so, we are stoked to be serving together. He is incredible at finding, I have never met new investigators so easily in such a short span of time. With his skills in finding and the skills I developed in teaching for commitment in Rwanda, I can already tell we are going to have success and have set some pretty ambitious goals for our transfer together. We are serving in a long-established, organized ward. It's been a unique experience for me because I haven't served in a ward since my second transfer.  On Thursday, one of the ward missionaries spent all day working with us and was teaching with us in unity and wasn't missing a beat. I was absolutely astounded and couldn't be more excited moving forward.

I have been overwhelmed at meeting all the missionaries I haven't seen in a year and that I have never met. I had a sweet reunion with the Lugazi district at Mission Leader Conference and Stake Conference. Long story short, things have been wonderful. 

Yesterday, I had the unique experience of being part of another historical step forward in the church here in Uganda, as I witnessed the Uganda Kampala Stake be split in two. Elder S. Mark Palmer of the 70 was the presiding general authority. 

Throughout the day, I was so impressed and amazed at how quickly the church continues to progress and grow in this mission. It has been less than two years since the Jinja stake was organized and there could be additional stakes coming in the future. Though I have not met any of the men who were called by the Lord to serve in the Stake Presidency, after hearing them and their wives bear testimony, I know the Kampala South Stake is built upon a strong foundation of members who understand their covenants and what service really is. There was a particular line from someone's testimony that stuck out to me and clicked in my head, The gentleman said, "The best way to learn the Gospel of Jesus Christ is in the service of others". This made so much sense to me because truly, I haven't seen my testimony grow more than in the time I've spent serving others on my mission, especially in leadership responsibilities. I know the Lord knows each of us personally and gives us the opportunities to serve so we can learn the things we need to to become like our Savior. Truly there is no better way to become like the Savior than do what the Savior dedicated his life to do. Once again, and forevermore, I am grateful to be a missionary. 

I love you all,

Elder Hazen

Weekly Update~ "End of An Era"

Dear Family and Friends,

First of all, thank you so much to all those who have reached out and expressed their condolences to my family in regard to Grandma Melendez. We miss her dearly and the love is appreciated. With all the perspective I've gained on my mission about this gospel, I am completely at peace with everything. Yes, I'm extremely sad I wasn't able to see her again, but I know where she is and I will see her again! I have complete trust and confidence in that gospel truth!

Today marks the end of an era. We received transfer news today and I am finally heading back to Uganda to finish the remainder of my mission. It has been the best 9 1/2 months of my life with greatest companions, districts, members, and memories. I could literally spend all night talking about how wonderful this stretch has been.

In the dedicatory prayer of Rwanda for missionary work, there is a particular part that sticks out to me. In the middle of the prayer, Elder Holland says, "We pray for the missionaries that will yet come, that they will be inspired in their rendezvous with destiny. Truly that destiny and the future is bright."  I know without a doubt that it was determined in the pre-earth life that I would be called to serve in the particular country of Rwanda at this particular time; a time filled with so much excitement, innovation, development, and hope of the future. I have seen so many wonderful miracles and individuals come exponentially closer to our Savior Jesus Christ as they've taken their first steps on their covenant path back to our Father in Heaven. I have done nothing to bring these things to pass, glory be to the Father that I have been able to participate in the conversion process as a tool in his hands. I know that Rwanda truly will be a beacon, an example to the rest of the continent of Africa as prophesied by Elder Holland. 

(Saying His Goodbyes to His Friends in Rwanda)

I am excited to serve in Kampala again, in a stake that will be organized this coming Sunday. I know the Lord has great things in store for me and I am looking to give him my all these remaining months. 

In the mean time before I update you all next week, enjoy these pictures taken at Akagera National Park at our zone last hurrah today. We finally found our elephant. 

I love you all,

Elder Hazen

Weekly Update~ "Families Can Be Together Forever"

Dear Family and Friends,

Guardian Angels

There is not a doubt in my mind that there were two guardian angels helping and inspiring certain people Elder Grant and I taught this week. We had the most success I've ever had in a week on my mission, getting the opportunity to share 30 lessons, and inviting over 10 new individuals to investigate the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Most of all, my testimony of the plan of salvation has increased immensely. But before I talk about that, I'd like to share some neat experiences.

On Friday, President Collings came to do some interviews and reorganize the Branch Presidency in K1. He expressed a desire to spend more time with the missionaries this visit, so he, Elder Grant, and I planned to wake up at 5:30 Saturday morning, pick him and K1 up, and play basketball at the court for an hour. In the afternoon, he called Elder Grant and I up after some interviews and expressed a desire to come work with us all afternoon. We picked him and Sister Collings up and they took us to lunch. After, we went to two new investigator lessons and an interview we were present for. The biggest thing I took away from spending time with President is how in tune with the Spirit he is. It literally radiates from his being and people are certainly attracted to it. He told Elder Grant in his interview that he just loves to minister to people. I saw that in action and it was a beautiful thing to see true charity in action as he talked to people and complimented them, and showed love. Saturday was one of the best days of my mission.

 About two and a half weeks ago, Evangele gave us referrals to one of his friends. We taught them the Restoration and had a few solid discussions, but mostly put Evangele in charge of teaching and reviewing with them to make sure they understood the lessons completely. Last Sunday, Sam, one of their friends came to church after being invited by Job and Eric. We taught him the restoration during second hour and enjoyed church so much. He told us that he's attended many churches, but this was the first time he has felt peace in his heart attending church. The next day at Family Home Evening, Sam brought his friend Ismael and it just so happened that we were watching Joseph Smith: The Prophet of the Restoration. They enjoyed it so much, and Ismael invited us to come to his home so he could introduce us to his family. The next day, Tuesday morning, we began by sharing a lesson with Job and Eric. From there, Evangele and Job came with us to share with Sam. After finishing with them, we all moved to Ismael's home where we were able to introduce ourselves to his siblings. There is so much to be said about this group of young men and I'm excited to see what the future has in store for them because all of them are looking to be baptized the same day.

After sharing the Plan of Salvation with them on Thursday morning, Elder Grant and I were heading to lunch when I got a call from President Collings. Elder Grant answered the phone and talked to him for a few minutes when he told me to pull the car over and that President wanted to talk to me. He told me, "Elder Hazen, I just received an email from your parents, and I'm sorry to say that your Grandmother from your Mother's side passed away yesterday." I was in shock, as I thought back to a conversation with my father in which he told me she would probably be around when I got home from my mission even though she has been facing some health challenges this past week. President gave me permission to call home in the evening and I took the opportunity. 

As a missionary, I teach the Plan of Salvation nearly every day. I have learned of it's truth more fully since I've been serving as a full time missionary. On Friday morning, I wrote down my testimony of it during my personal study and I'd like to share what I wrote~

I know that the Plan of Happiness was divinely created by a loving Father in Heaven who is mindful of our needs. I know that we were together before this world was, and I know that we came to Earth to follow God's plan so we might become like him and enjoy the blessings he enjoys. I know that we were carefully placed in families where we could progress and succeed, and though this life on Earth does not continue, the relationships we build with the people we love continue on into the eternities. Death is part of God's plan that separates us only temporarily. I know that the Spirit World is where our spirits go after they separate with our bodies and it is a place of waiting for the resurrection and missionary work is being performed there. This is where all of our deceased loved ones are, either teaching or learning the gospel of Jesus Christ. I testify without a doubt that this is where Grandma and Grandpa Melendez are, wearing a name tag painted on their hearts reading "Elder and Sister Melendez". They are doing exactly what I am doing right now here in Rwanda and to be part of the same missionary force is humbling and comforting. I know we will all be resurrected regardless of how we lived on Earth because the Savior is champion over the grave and loosed the bands of death. I know our bodies will be perfect, free from any flaw, sickness, disease, or infirmity, just as our Heavenly Fathers' or Jesus Christs'. I know that if we prove faithful and live the gospel of Jesus Christ by living all the associated covenants by enduring to the end, we will be cleansed through the atonement of Jesus Christ. We will be granted a place in the Celestial Kingdom, where God and Jesus Christ live, a place where we can live forever on into the eternities with a complete fullness of happiness with our families. I know this is possible through the Priesthood, the sealing power of God which binds on Earth as well as in heaven. I know the temple, the House of the Lord, is the only place where these ordinances can be performed. I testify this same priesthood was restored to the earth in 1829 to the prophet Joseph Smith and that this church is the ONLY church to claim hold on the blessings through this perfect plan. I testify of a living, loving, Father in Heaven who gave his only begotten son to make this plan possible. I know that he is the Savior and Redeemer of the world and that he lives. I know these things and I believe them. I am grateful for the life Grandma Melendez lived more than words can express and I can't wait to see her again. She held a special place in everyone's heart who knew her as a Mother, Wife, Sister, Aunt, Grandmother, or endearingly as "Tiny Grandma". I know that families can be together forever. 

RJ and Tiny Grandma

Love, 

Elder Hazen

Weekly Update~ "His Grace is Sufficient'

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope your New Year's was everything you hoped it to be and your resolutions are ambitious. This week, our brother Cedric stepped into the waters of baptism to kick off the New Year right. He is another one of Frank's referrals and it was awesome to see him, Leon who was also baptized recently, and him sitting together during the baptism program.

Speaking of Leon, I had the unique opportunity to bless the Sacrament with him yesterday. It was his first time, and he was nervous, so throughout the opening part of sacrament meeting, I was practicing the pronunciations of "thee" and "thy" with him. When it came down to it, he had to repeat a few times, but when he got it, he was relieved and happy. In Rwanda, because the church is so new. along with the priesthood bretheren, there are many meetings with repeated sacrament prayers. However, I love when these occurances happen, because it reminds me of what the Atonement is all about. It is a commandment that we are to be perfect even as the Savior and our Father in Heaven are perfect. They expect nothing short of that. However, they have provided the means to keep this commandment, as they have with all other commandments. The Atonement offers us as many tries as we need when we slip up until one day we become worthy heirs of all the father hath. In seminary, I remember the first time I listened to "His Grace is Sufficent" By Brad Wilcox. To be honest, as an immature high school kid, I don't remember much about that first time listening to it other than I picked out the fact that the Savior's grace covers a lot more than we think. However, I've studied that talk at least half a dozen times on my mission and it adds a few notes to my "singing the song of redeeming love" each time I read it. 

I love the way Brother Wilcox shares his previous view of the final Judgement compared to what it actually is:

In the past I had a picture in my mind of what the final judgment would be like, and it went something like this: Jesus standing there with a clipboard and Brad standing on the other side of the room nervously looking at Jesus.

Jesus checks His clipboard and says, “Oh, shoot, Brad. You missed it by two points.”

Brad begs Jesus, “Please, check the essay question one more time! There have to be two points you can squeeze out of that essay.” That’s how I always saw it.

But the older I get, and the more I understand this wonderful plan of redemption, the more I realize that in the final judgment it will not be the unrepentant sinner begging Jesus, “Let me stay.” No, he will probably be saying, “Get me out of here!” Knowing Christ’s character, I believe that if anyone is going to be begging on that occasion, it would probably be Jesus begging the unrepentant sinner, “Please, choose to stay. Please, use my Atonement—not just to be cleansed but to be changed so that you want to stay.”

The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can go home but that—miraculously—we can feel at home there. If Christ did not require faith and repentance, then there would be no desire to change. Think of your friends and family members who have chosen to live without faith and without repentance. They don’t want to change. They are not trying to abandon sin and become comfortable with God. Rather, they are trying to abandon God and become comfortable with sin. If Jesus did not require covenants and bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost, then there would be no way to change. We would be left forever with only willpower, with no access to His power. If Jesus did not require endurance to the end, then there would be no internalization of those changes over time. They would forever be surface and cosmetic rather than sinking inside us and becoming part of us—part of who we are. Put simply, if Jesus didn’t require practice, then we would never become pianists.

On my mission I have come to an understanding of what Grace is so much more fully. This last week, someone brought to Elder Grant and I's attention that we needed to repent and improve at taking reports from the zone because we had slacked off a bit on those responsibilites. We were able to repent and improve. Grace is what fills the gap when we fall short when we sin, but it is also what fills the gap when we've done all we can and that still isn't quite enough. For example, this week, on Sunday at sacrament meeting, we were remaining with two new investigators to find and were one investigator at church short for the standards of excellence. We were feeling a little disappointed, but then, when greeting people after the meeting had ended, we had discovered two young men, both by the name of Samuel, had come to church for the first time. One was invited by a member, the other attended the Christmas party last week.  We pulled both of them aside and taught them the Restoration in an empty classroom and it was a wonderful lesson. 

So, the next time a nervous, newly ordained priest repeats the sacrament prayer, remember that like the Bishop gives him as many tries he needs to get it right, the Lord gives us as many times to repent and improve until we attain perfection. For that reason, I am forever grateful. This year, make a resolution to become better at repenting daily. It is certainly one of mine. 

I love you all, 

Elder Hazen