Hola a todos,

I am celebrating having hit 1 year in the Mission! I thought my one year mark would never come, and the realization that now has come and gone is freaking me out!!  Missionary life is honestly the best life! You get to go around and teach and talk to people on the street, and in their homes. The best of all is you get to help them to see new ways to change their lives. One of the scriptures that inspired me to come on my mission is found in Joshua 24:15:

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

As it states in Preach My Gospel Study Guide on page 116: “you can help people by reading the Book of Mormon with them”. I believe this is totally true. This idea got me thinking about How we should use the Book of Mormon in our daily lives. Many people I have met out here don’t have a desire to read the Book of Mormon because they don’t understand it. If we take time to help our friends understand the Book Of Mormon they will come to the realization that what the Book Of Mormon teaches is true, and in turn, they will be able to apply its teachings to their own lives. Through my service in the mission and The Book of Mormon I have learned that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and that through him all things are possible.

I want everyone to experience this feeling. I am inspired by The Book of Mormon scripture found in Mosiah 2:17:

“And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.”

I am very impressed with the counsel found in the study guide.  Let me share some ways we can use to help our friends understand The Book Of Mormon so they can grow their personal testimony.

1. Set up a time to read the Book Of Mormon

2. While reading it with them, stop every few verses and explain what those verses mean to you.

3. Pray sincerely and ask help from God so those you teach will be able to understand The Book Of Mormon.

4. Act on the answer you receive from God to help your friends.

If we apply these suggestions into our life, then we will be able to understand more about how The Book Of Mormon can answer the questions we have. For example, I have often wondered why the Lord uses young missionaries like me to accomplish His purposes. I found the answer in Alma 37:7:

“And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.“

Thank you for the love and support you have shown me this past year. I couldn’t have made it this far without any of you.

Send me emails! I would love to answer them and see how you are all doing.

My email is Joshua.baldwin@missionary.org

I love you all and have a safe awsome week!

Buena Suerte and HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

See y’all in less than a YEAR!!! 🥳 🎉 🪅