Recently I have posted about Chile and how so many people were willing or desirous and consequently followed through with becoming members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by being baptized; although many never followed up in commitment and attendance. This has been a problem across the world for the LDS faith, but particularly in Chile, where the numbers of baptized have been at times spectacular.
I wrote a couple of posts regarding that, , ; but I forgot, or somewhat omitted an important factor. That would be Jesus Himself.
But as many do when discussing LDS Church matters, or things "Mormon", I left one person or thing out of the equation: Jesus Christ.
Is that particularly relevant? I think so, and let me explain...
Some, or reasonably a lot, of the Christian faith resides in the power, faith, belief, hope and leadership or example of what we Christians consider the Savior of the World, the Promised Messiah and Son of God of John 3:16 fame, Jesus of Nazareth, the Lamb of God.
Despite, or perhaps along with, the friendly encounters between Latter-day Saint missionaries and their respective investigators and newly converted membership in the Republic of Chile (although some go back decades to the 1950s, 60s, and 70s), the very notion of Jesus Himself and possibly being part of His Cause is not to be ignored or slighted. This is a powerful prospect.
It has been perhaps the primary reason why millions of people over the years have become Christian. Whether Catholic or Orthodox, Baptist or Presbyterian, Armenian or Syrian, millions have taken the plunge over the past almost 2,000 years since Jesus was crucified and maybe more significantly, resurrected. He left many scriptures by the hands of his apostles and disciples, and these followers carried on to many others, including the amazingly successful Paul. And all the others over the millenia. Many have been Catholics and made saints, others were reformers like Martin Luther et al, and more recently we have the likes of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. And Evangelicals and other denominations can point to their great missionaries/evangelists, even the well known American Billy Graham and a slew of others.
Christianity rolls on in the 21st century.
And there are quite a few Mormons dedicated to it, many of them full time set apart elders and sisters, more than at any time, around 87,000 at present (Sept '14).
But the thousands who passed through Chile since the late 1950s have left a legacy of many Chileans who were baptized by immersion and confirmed as official members; some have clung on in continued attendance, while others go their ways, like one I knew of who died not long after his conversion, Carlos Villalobos, in the small town of Mulchen. Bio-Bio Province, Region VIII. He and his wife, who may survive him to this day, were once baptized my first fall down south.
As my mother of 73 has moved on this past March, I pray and hope that Carlos is above in the destined heavens with the Son of God, on His side.
At the end of our last breathes and beyond, that is what most of us Christians hope for: the Heavens with the Master Himself.
We are part of the cause and flock of the Master, the Great Shepherd: Jesus Himself.
Sometimes a key reason to be baptized and receive His sacraments.
Not just because of human or social pressures, but for Him. The Hope and Promise of Eternal Life.
Blog on. EMC.
I wrote a couple of posts regarding that, , ; but I forgot, or somewhat omitted an important factor. That would be Jesus Himself.
But as many do when discussing LDS Church matters, or things "Mormon", I left one person or thing out of the equation: Jesus Christ.
Is that particularly relevant? I think so, and let me explain...
Some, or reasonably a lot, of the Christian faith resides in the power, faith, belief, hope and leadership or example of what we Christians consider the Savior of the World, the Promised Messiah and Son of God of John 3:16 fame, Jesus of Nazareth, the Lamb of God.
Despite, or perhaps along with, the friendly encounters between Latter-day Saint missionaries and their respective investigators and newly converted membership in the Republic of Chile (although some go back decades to the 1950s, 60s, and 70s), the very notion of Jesus Himself and possibly being part of His Cause is not to be ignored or slighted. This is a powerful prospect.
It has been perhaps the primary reason why millions of people over the years have become Christian. Whether Catholic or Orthodox, Baptist or Presbyterian, Armenian or Syrian, millions have taken the plunge over the past almost 2,000 years since Jesus was crucified and maybe more significantly, resurrected. He left many scriptures by the hands of his apostles and disciples, and these followers carried on to many others, including the amazingly successful Paul. And all the others over the millenia. Many have been Catholics and made saints, others were reformers like Martin Luther et al, and more recently we have the likes of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. And Evangelicals and other denominations can point to their great missionaries/evangelists, even the well known American Billy Graham and a slew of others.
Christianity rolls on in the 21st century.
And there are quite a few Mormons dedicated to it, many of them full time set apart elders and sisters, more than at any time, around 87,000 at present (Sept '14).
But the thousands who passed through Chile since the late 1950s have left a legacy of many Chileans who were baptized by immersion and confirmed as official members; some have clung on in continued attendance, while others go their ways, like one I knew of who died not long after his conversion, Carlos Villalobos, in the small town of Mulchen. Bio-Bio Province, Region VIII. He and his wife, who may survive him to this day, were once baptized my first fall down south.
As my mother of 73 has moved on this past March, I pray and hope that Carlos is above in the destined heavens with the Son of God, on His side.
At the end of our last breathes and beyond, that is what most of us Christians hope for: the Heavens with the Master Himself.
We are part of the cause and flock of the Master, the Great Shepherd: Jesus Himself.
Sometimes a key reason to be baptized and receive His sacraments.
Not just because of human or social pressures, but for Him. The Hope and Promise of Eternal Life.
Blog on. EMC.
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