Nov. 16th Email

Hey Everyone,
What a week!? Well, I survived another one! This week was a great week. We had Elder Dixon, a member of the 70 (I think he is an area authority for West Africa) come and talk with us all. That was really neat. He is a great guy and his wife is just a sweetheart. I also had to go to the dentist because the farthest back, bottom, molar on my right chipped or something...and I thought that african hospitals were scary, try the dentist! But I survived that also. Please tell Uncle Allen that I really missed him. But it was a great week. Im really excited for this coming week because we have a big baptism this Saturday. But starting the 20th we have to be in the apartment even earlier.. I'll tell you what, the political
problems here cause a lot of problems for the church. I dont know if you all have heard but the president postponned the elections, which should only cause more problems. The opposing side is getting antsy. Also its getting a little shaky with violence, but dont worry I'll be okay. I have more people watching over me than even I can see. I'm doing fine.
I wanted you all to know how grateful I am for the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ. While being on my mission my perspective of the atonement has changed and grown so much. I know that thanks to the saving power of the atonement we can be saved. But one thing I've noticed while serving here is many people believe that the "grace" of the Lord will save them, which is completely true!(2 Nephi 10:24) Only through Christ's can we be saved. And thanks to the love, mercy, and grace of our Savior we will all one day conquer death as He did and be resurrected, or saved from the bonds of death. But what they don't realize is if they want eternal life,
they can only recieve it 'after all they can do' (2 Nephi 25:23). It is amazing the difference of the two sentences: 'Through Christs' grace, we will be saved' and 'through Christs grace, we can be saved'. It depends on our will and how badly we desire eternal life. I love what 'True to the Faith' says about the desire to gamble and I believe we can apply it to this topic as well. It states: "Gambling is motivated by a desire to get something for nothing. This desire(note: not the desire to gamble but 'to get something for nothing')is spiritually destructive. It leads participants away from the Saviors' teachings of love and service and towards the selfishness of the adversary". When I read that phrase I think of the 1/3 part of heaven who were cast out, who wanted salvation to come automatically without proving themselves worthy of such a blessing. While serving for the time I have I've seen many people who want the blessings of baptism and marriage without the effort to change their lives to prepare for or be worthy of the blessings. I've taught many people who want to be "saved" but lack the faith to sincerely repent and allow the loving mercy of the atonement heal their spiritual wounds. How powerful and far reaching is the atonement! May we all follow the counsel of Peter and "grow in grace (or in other words, His atonement), and in the knowledge of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). I know that the more our knowledge of the Saviors grace, or sacrifice grows, the more willing we will be to change and accept it. I know Jesus is the Christ and there is no other whereby we can be saved. May we all accept His invitation (in 3 Nephi 9:22) to repent "and come unto Him as a little child" and "be saved", is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Elder Legere