Rumor Has It....

Rumor has it:

1) That there's a temple coming to Thailand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's such AMAZING news! Thailand is our neighbor, and this means that all the members in Singapore and Malaysia will have greater and easier access to the temple! Pretty much everyone will be able to go too, because the Thailand baht isn't as strong as the Malaysian ringgit or the Singaporean dollar! Hooray for the revelations of God! Of all the many things to be happy about, I am SUPER STOKED about this! There's a temple coming to Thailand! Hooray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

B) That was pretty much the only rumor that I've heard lately. :)

So life here is going pretty great. For any that may or may not care, I am finishing up the mish in about 2 weeks. It's a sad thought, but exciting and happy and scary all at the same time. Because of it, I ask my adoring fans to refrain from sending mail, because I probably won't see it...ever. So yeah. Emails can! Handwritten letters (unless they're sent like today) unfortunately cannot anymore. No worries, though--emails still can! :)

Today's email is going to be a wee bit shorter, but no worries. :) This morning as I was reading the 25th chapter of 2 Nephi, I kept coming across the phrase "they that believe in His name [Jesus Christ] will be saved". As I was reading, I couldn't help but think: What does that word "saved" really mean? I compared it to its opposite: damned. When something is damned, it is kept from progressing and or from improving. Therefore, when something is saved, it is enabled to continue progressing and improving and renewing itself. Those that believe in the name of Jesus Christ will be enabled to continue progressing and growing. The only place in the eternities that allows us to be able to continually progress and eventually become like God is the Celestial Kingdom. 

[My mind started blowing up right about this point with all of the kool little trajectories and tangents you can draw from this fact]

So: If we believe in the name of Jesus Christ, we will do the things that He commands us to. He will enable us to enter into the Celestial Kingdom, even the "mansion of my Father". Isn't that exciting?! It certainly says a lot about the power of belief and faith in the name of Christ. If we truly are converted to Christ, we will keep all of the commandments that He has revealed to us through ancient and modern prophets--and then we are assured by God Himself that we will partake of His glory, enter into His rest, and and inherit His kingdom--"joint-heirs with Christ" in the Celestial Kingdom of God. :)

I sure do love you all, and I hope that you have a marvelous week! :)

Sincerely,

Elder Mitchell