8-24-2025 JESUS CHRIST’S INVITATION

Huuuiii aloha mai nō! Another awesome week as a missionary. I am so grateful to be a missionary. To be a part in such a beautiful work. I am eternally grateful for the people I continue to meet, and for the guidance of the spirit. I am thankful especially for my Savior Jesus Christ, and his life. I am thankful for his gospel, and the happiness that pours into people's lives as they choose to accept it. This past week I pondered a commandment of the Savior, in his renoun sermon on the mount. Following sharing about the blessings that comes to those who accept his gospel, he gave a commandment. With thousands of people in his vicinity, a commandment in Matthew 5:48. 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Such a commandment is crazy to think of, and almost impossible to imagine. Being perfect. Being whole. It seems a commandment that is impossible to accept, but as we think of our Father in Heaven, and Jesus Christ, and begin to understand how much they love us, we can begin to understand the basis of such a commandment. My opinion on the biggest difference between our religion and others, is our understanding of God's character and eternal love. Commandments are ways that God gives us, to recieve blessings. We constantly are overwhelmed with questions like can we really do this? Can we really hold on with so much pulling me away? Can I really overcome this addiction, situation, or problem? Can I, being so far, truly have the chance to be perfect? Its difficult! And yet I imagine God's confidence in the commandments he gives. They are bold invitations. Confidence comes from our conviction. When we have those questions, we must change them. Better question, do you think a perfect person is happy? Is Jesus Christ happy? Answer that for yourself. Of course! So he desires for us to feel the same! He died for such confidence. He's so confident that its possible, that he told over 5000 people, and it was written for the world to read until today. Jesus Christ did not simply command us to be perfect, but he is giving his invitation to us through bold commandment, to be happy. For those who've experienced trial, and feel inadequate, we can change our questions, to adjust our focus, empowering ourselves from within. Does God really believe I can do this? What is God trying to teach me with this? If I overcome this, who's life would I be able to influence and heal? Be perfected in him, and become happy through him. This past week on exchanges with Elder Cox, we taught an old couple, inactive members who were found again by a miracle, going through many hardships in their life. We shared from the scriptures promising blessings and answers, as they commit to follow the written teachings. They explained their recent prayers to God, to help them to know what to do, in which we could testify, that the reason we were there, is because of that specific prayer. We were there, because she prayed. Commitments were accepted as they felt our love for them, and as we testified of Gods love for them. In tears, tatay and nanay accepted the invitations, as we closed our message with a song. Power is manifest in ones boldness, infused withand overflow of love. The spirit testifies, and pierces hearts, as we invite it, in which I am grateful to simply be a part of such experiences. I love being a missionary. Jahs trahs ELDER ISHIBASHI