Elder Ryan Phillip Lawter

Hola Familia,
Sounds like everyones been kept on their toes this past week with all the crazy weather!!! A lot of people were telling me here and some even called to see if "my family" was ok. So I hope nothin too bad happened but man I saw some of the pictures and it looks bad.... I guess its all proving that the scriptures are really true! and I think some people are starting to realize that now...This past weekend Ramona had its annual rodeo!!! YEE HAW!!!!! So we took advantage of it and set up a booth haha Ill attach a picture to this email to show you all cuz im pretty proud of it...it looks way legit doesnt it!? (There's actually a funny story to the picture with my hand on my face which ill tell one of these days cuz its kinda hard to explain typing it) But there was a big rumor around here in San Diego I dont know about anywheres else but that the world was gonna end last Saturday at 6....haha oh maybe he ment next year haha...someone told me that the same guy came around like 20 years ago and said the same thing and told his congregation this and then his prediction passed I bet he was like "Crap not again! I thought I had it this time for sure!" ha but we had a lot of people actually really scared about it and a lot of people came up and asked us about it at the rodeo and usually everyday we hear about it. Quite frankly I dont know how people believe these clowns. If they would read the scriptures..they would know...there would be no confusion as to rumors like that. Just like that if they would actually read the word they would know that "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." (Matthew 24:36) Christ talking about when He will come again in His glory. There is safety in the scriptures. Especially for a world that it filled with false rumors, turmoil, wars, rumors of wars, disease, violence, families being torn apart, drugs, just nasty stuff like that. I gave a talk in Sacrament meeting in church this past Sunday and spoke about the importance of the family and how we can strengthen it and its only through our preparation can we truly be ready for the storms of like. Preparation being; reading the scriptures everyday, praying in our families everyday, listening to those men authorized from God to lead the world, and just doing all that we can to strive towards to goodly in the world just as the 13th Article of Faith states: "We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." It the goodness of the Gospel that will give us peace. It the sacrifices to be better that will protect us from the evils of the world. And its the diligence on His word and His church that we can be guided and know the purpose of it all. I'm sittin by a kid right now here at the library with his headphones BLASTIN some heavy metal junk, I bet if I were to yell at the top of my lungs at him...he wouldn't hear me. God is not the same way...He still speaks to us and gives us all the tools that we need to succeed but He's not going to yell at us so that we can hear if we got all the static of the world jammed in our ears that we can't hear the quiet whisperings of the Lord's spirit. Just block it all out. That's why the world is what it is and that's why the people are confused and wondering purposelessly because they're channel is plugged into the world (and the volume is at max
) and not into the channel of God. What a pity to have this free important channel that everyone can have a subscription to...and not use it....it's sad but the saddest part is that it's all too common. So in your lives..dont make it common. Block out all the static generated from the world and listen to that still small voice. I've seen the blessings from the fruits of the Gospel and they really are life changing! So the choice is up to us...Follow God or follow the deceiver...there's no other direction. It's my hope that we truly do follow God in all things not just when it's comfortable or when weve got no other hope but "in all times, in all things, and in all places." And its the eternal blessings that come from this sacrifice that are far better and more rewarding than anything we could ever dream of.
Have a good week and truly put these words to thought because of a representative of Jesus Christ I know that they are true with all my heart.
With all the love,
Elder Lawter