Mission: Kazakhstan: Last Sabbath on mission

Today was our last Sunday in Kazakhstan. We had 19 in attendance and since one of the speakers did not show up - he did let us know yesterday that he had to work - I gave a talk. Giving a talk is not stressful to me. I just have to fill my brain with some ideas and then let the Lord remind me of those that He wants spoken. Today the scriptural text was 2 Nephi 31: 19-20

19 And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow ^apath, I would ask if all is ^bdone? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken ^cfaith in him, ^drelying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to ^esave.

20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a ^asteadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of ^bhope, and a ^clove of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and ^dendure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have ^eeternal life.

and 2 Nephi 32: 3.

3 ^aAngels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, ^bfeast upon the ^cwords of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will ^dtell you all things what ye should do.

I love the encouragement that Nephi gives us and the vividly descriptive words that he uses (do you know what "perfect brightness of hope" means?) ...

unshaken faith in him
relying wholly
press forward
steadfastness in Christ
perfect brightness of hope
feasting upon the word of Christ

In my talk I expounded upon a few of these using metaphors of some tight rope acrobats we had seen here (unshaken, steadfastness, press forward) and the feast I mentioned in the last blog (feasting). I also mixed in the story of Peter trying to walk on water (relying wholly, press forward, steadfastness).

We are going to miss being a part of the Twig! We will also miss having the 2 hour block for meetings!