I could feel for myself that yes, it is indeed true

Our humble supply of copies of "The Book of Mormon"

Me and my new companion, Elder Morris

Howdy y’all!

As y’all might already be able to perceive, I be pickin’ up my new comp’s suthurn accent. Elder Morris be his name, and he be from Woolmarket, Mississippi. He dun assured me that his family ain’t into da market of sellin' wool.

So, it’s tchau, tchau to Elder McCombs (I’m a gonna miss him) and howdy to Elder Morris. As I said last week, he’s super new, just starting his 2nd transfer and upon conversing with him, it turns out that his 1st transfer was beyond dismal. He was only able to make it a few weeks with his trainer (1st companion) before he had to go and stay with a host of other missionaries. The last week of the transfer he went back to stay with his trainer, and by the end of that week, he had marked “The Interview” with President Tavares in order to get his plane ticket to return home. President Tavares told him that he had been praying hard to know who he should put Elder Morris with, and that he knew exactly who that was, and asked him to give it one more shot. And here we are.

Turns out, Elder Morris is just a big misunderstood teddy bear, and all he really needed was one of my healing hugs. Elder Morris is a good guy, just a little lost. My only hope is that I can help him find his way (NOT back to Mississippi), and help him understand that yes, the mission some days may seem impossible, but that we need to realize that we are here for a greater cause (for complete love of the Savior) and we have a greater purpose (to bring His lost sheep back to the fold). We can’t let anything get in the way of fulfilling our purpose. The mission is FULL of trials, but I am reminded of a quote that was above the refrigerator when I was just a lad; it read: “I never said it would be easy; I only said it would be worth it.” And so it is. And if I can help Elder Morris understand this, and stay on his mission, then I will understand why Pres. Tavares felt inspired to send him to me.

Nonetheless, Elder Morris has already been a huge blessing. He has the “Official Missionary Elastic Workout Band,” of which I have yet to acquire. Dude, I’ve been going to town on that puppy . . . miraculous results? Behold the picture! With no other elastic workout band would I be able to obtain such strength – only with the “Official Missionary Elastic Workout Band.” Not sold in stores.

Check out the muscle!

OK. On a more serious note: These past few weeks, I had the opportunity of completing (for the 3rd time), "The Book of Mormon." Contained in the last chapter is a promise that I now hold very dear to my heart, which says that upon reading the book, pondering and praying to our Father in Heaven, we can receive a testimony of it’s truthfulness, by the power of the Holy Ghost (see Moroni 10:3-5, below). Furthermore, in "Preach My Gospel" (the missionary manual) on page 111, you read “You, too, should apply this promise regularly to strengthen and renew your own testimony of "The Book of Mormon." This renewed testimony will help you maintain a firm confidence that anyone who applies this promise will receive the answer.” And so I did. And upon finishing, I knelt and asked God if what I had read was true, if the book really was a testimony of Jesus Christ written by a Christian people that lived on this continent 2000 years ago, brought forth by God, and translated by Joseph Smith, by the power of God. In response, I could feel for myself that yes, it is indeed true. I felt feelings of love and peace that must be experienced by everyone individually.

Last night, we were teaching Augusto about "The Book of Mormon," and at the end of the lesson, I bore my testimony of the truthfulness of it, and upon doing so, I felt so much stronger in that moment than earlier this week, about its divinity. I became emotional for the first time on my mission. I have a testimony of "The Book of Mormon." Before, I think my testimony was based on factual evidence; in other words, I could prove it was true by using Bible scriptures. But now I have received an answer from a loving Father in Heaven; an answer that can never be proven false, for I know that God cannot lie.

I know that anyone who truly and sincerely searches for this answer, as I have, will obtain it. And how good it is to know, for now, no one will ever be able to take away the knowledge that I have.

Until next week,
Elder Titus

Moroni 10:3-5
Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.