Hello! My name is Elder Andrus, and I am a full time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, serving in the Utah Ogden Mission. As a missionary, I have dedicated two years of my life to "inviting others to come unto Christ". To fulfill that purpose, I have decided to start this blog to share the things that I believe, why I believe them, and how those beliefs have taken form in my life, both before and during my mission. I hope that my experiences will help you in some way, or at least bring a portion of the Savior's love into your life.
For this first post, I would like to explain the title of this blog. It comes from a scripture in the Book of Mormon, a book I hold dear. The verse is Mosiah 2:41, which reads:
"And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."
To me, this scripture means that when we do our best to follow Heavenly Father's commandments, we are blessed for it. It doesn't mean that life will always be easy, or that we won't still have challenges. It does mean, though, that we can be confident that our life has purpose, and that God will be watching over us. No matter how much we don't understand, we can rest assured that if we strive to follow Jesus Christ, we will be blessed.
I chose the name "The Blessed and Happy State", because I hope that this blog will help others see the blessings that come from living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I do not mean to imply that I don't have personal struggles, or that my life is perfect by any means. But, with God's help, I strive, just as everyone does, to have a "Blessed and Happy" life.
I'd like to end with my testimony that I know that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, that He came to this earth to suffer for our sins, and that through His sacrifice we can overcome our weaknesses. I know that the church that Christ established during His life has been restored through the prophet Joseph Smith, and that we have once again on the earth the authority to baptize, to run Christ's church, and to perform miracles. I know that God has a purpose for each of us, and that life does not end once we leave this world. And most of all, I know that God loves us more than we can imagine! I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
