Elder Porritt in Ghana: Elder Bednar Conference

Well this week was SWEET!!! We had really two main things that stuck out, the first was our Mission Leadership Council (MLC) that was on Thursday which is where the Zone Leaders, the Assistants, and the Sister Training Leaders all come together and have a big meeting with each other and see how each one can individually improve their Zones and its just a great meeting. The other one was the best meeting of my life.

Saturday we met at our apartment and our Zone drove down to Kumasi (about 2-2.5 hours) and we ate lunch with the whole mission, then at about 1:30, In pulls a nice big caravan full of the Spirit. Led by David A Bednar, then we had Terence M Vinson and Vern P Stanfill and all of their wives, so we had 3 general authorities in a meeting with about 170 missionaries. We were UP CLOSE. And i will tell you that i learned more in that meeting than in any meeting in my life. Unfortunately i have only a few (literally 5) minutes here to share with you,

just think about these small things that i will share.

first from Sister Bednar, the thing i really learned from her is that the decisions that you make in your life dont just affect you, they affect your posterity for generations, and those posterity also affect hundreds, thousands, and millions of people if the influence is for good.

And from Elder Bednar, I learned a few things, first of all, if you study the scriptures without a question in mind, what is your purpose? You really dont have one and therefore you are wasting precious time. You need to go into studying, and also prayer, with a question in mind that you are searching for an answer, he said that is the key to revelation.

He also helped us to realize the power and definition of agency. We literally can not force anyone to gain a testimony, we cant make them come to church, we cant make anyone do anything, but what he helped me to know is that we as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, if we are living worthy of the Holy Ghost in our lives, we can bring the Spirit UNTO the hearts of people around us, by setting a good example for them, by being their friend, by sharing the Gospel with them, and then after that, it is up to that person to let the Spirit INTO their hearts, we cannot just jam it in there, although we would like to haha:) But all of Heavenly Father's children have been given the great gift of agency and we have to respect that.

The big thing i learned from him is when someone asked him the million dollar question( what do you know now you wish you would have known then?) and his reply was powerful. He said that he wanted us to know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ doesnt just cleanse us from sin. It certainly does do that, but it also gives us the divine strength to do good, and to live the Gospel. He said that it is not enough to be cleansed from sin, we have to 'go about doing good' and the Atonement gives us that strength only if we pray with faith to attain that power from our Savior. If we pray with faith, and then act on that prayer, that is when we will receive divine help and divine power from our Savior Jesus Christ.

I know that the things that i learned from Elder Bednar were so great for me in my life and I know that the Church is true. I have had such strong impressions on my heart and mind that i cannot deny the fact that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. I know that Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ and They restored Their Gospel through him. I testify to you that Heavenly Father speaks and reveals truth to His Chosen servants and they are among us today and they lead and guide the Church. We are led by a Living prophet and he is our light to look to in these last days.

I love you all and im thankful for you all in my life. Have a great week!!

Love Elder Porritt

Waiting for the Caravan of "THE SPIRIT" to Arrive!