No Worries

There was a priesthood lesson about forgiveness that has always stuck with me. In this lesson a story was told about a woman that was a holocaust survivor. After the war she became a missionary and spoke in many places. She gave the following account.

“It was in a church in Munich that I saw him, a balding heavy-set man in a gray overcoat, a brown felt hat clutched between his hands. People were filing out of the basement room where I had just spoken. It was 1947 and I had come from Holland to defeated Germany with the message that God forgives. ...

And that's when I saw him, working his way forward against the others. One moment I saw the overcoat and the brown hat; the next, a blue uniform and a visored cap with its skull and crossbones. It came back with a rush: the huge room with its harsh overhead lights, the pathetic pile of dresses and shoes in the center of the floor, the shame of walking naked past this man. I could see my sister's frail form ahead of me, ribs sharp beneath the parchment skin. Betsie, how thin you were!

Betsie and I had been arrested for concealing Jews in our home during the Nazi occupation of Holland; this man had been a guard at Ravensbruck concentration camp where we were sent. ...

"You mentioned Ravensbruck in your talk," he was saying. "I was a guard in there." No, he did not remember me.

"But since that time," he went on, "I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fraulein, ..." his hand came out, ... "will you forgive me?"

And I stood there — I whose sins had every day to be forgiven — and could not. Betsie had died in that place — could he erase her slow terrible death simply for the asking?

It could not have been many seconds that he stood there, hand held out, but to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do.

For I had to do it — I knew that. The message that God forgives has a prior condition: that we forgive those who have injured us. "If you do not forgive men their trespasses," Jesus says, "neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses." ...

And still I stood there with the coldness clutching my heart. But forgiveness is not an emotion — I knew that too. Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart. "Jesus, help me!" I prayed silently. "I can lift my hand, I can do that much. You supply the feeling."

And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes.

"I forgive you, brother!" I cried. "With all my heart!"

For a long moment we grasped each other's hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God's love so intensely as I did then.”

I have always loved Corrie ten Boom’s response to do that which the other party needed, the act of forgiving in all her actions and her plea for help in to forgive in her heart. I try to do the same. If I have been offended I do my best not to enact offended actions. I pray that the lord can help me forgive in my heart as I forgive in my actions.

This is why I love the aussie saying “No worries, mate.” This phrase is in essence forgiveness, frank forgiveness just as Nephi forgave his brothers that tied him up and plan on leaving him for dead. If Nephi could forgive frankly that, then why shouldn’t I forgive quickly?

Revelatory

There were a number of buzz words that around during my time as a missionary. The one that was around most of my time in Australia was “revelatory”. Revelatory planning, study, in our thoughts regarding those we taught, ect… We were challenged to be revelatory missionaries. A.A.M. missionaries constantly seek revelation for the words they know God has for them to speak.

Then I returned from my mission. I had just come from a good habit of seeking revelation to help others. I expected help and direction because I was a representative of Jesus Christ. But suddenly I was left to myself, or I felt. As most returned missionaries are I was a little disoriented and still am at times. I wasn’t receiving revelation as frequently as I had been. And then the Matthew 7:7 verse came to mind and I realized I must seek revelation to receive it. To be revelatory forever one must seek revelation, seek Gods will.

I also realized I need to still trust in God, that he still will answer my prayers. Still trust in his promises. Understand that he is still anxious to help me, to direct me. To help me develop worthy goals and start down the path of reaching those goals.

Latest Pics from Mt. Gambier

South Australia border Michael


Fair Dinkum sign with Michael.



Yvonne and John
Kangaroos

Bridge water Coast


Michael and Elder Metekingi


Chinese Tower by Blue Lake with Michael looking on.

View from the Tower at Blue Lake


Michael in helping hands

Michael in a Akubra hat


Michael in a Akabra hat with Brother Blackwell.


Yvonne and Johns baptism with Michael and Elder Metekingi and Bro Maxwell

Michael on Mt Shank

Michael with a possum

Michael and Kapollo

Michael on Elders street

Blue Lake
Michael at Blue Lake
Elder Rea, Elder Metekingi, Michael, and Elder Murphy


Michael in Kingston

Faith In Jesus Christ

*posted by Michael's sister via an email.





Faith is confidence in something or someone. Faith that leads to Salvation and Eternal Life needs to be centered on Jesus Christ.

Faith in your friends, your family, or even the Prophet will not bring you Salvation...

That being said, faith in others is not a bad thing, but your full confidence should be in Jesus Christ.



Reflect for a moment on your relationship with your Savior. What part in your life does he play?

How close are you currently to Him? Are you striving to grow closer to Him?

 

May I suggest an exercise? I would invite you to read 3 Nephi 11:14-15 and reflect upon your

relationship with Jesus Christ.



14 Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side,

and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet,

that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth,

and have been slain for the sins of the world.



  15 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their

hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and

in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had

all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands,

and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it

was written by the prophets, that should come.

 

Love ya

Michael Kelm

 
  
 






































Faith is confidence in something or someone. Faith that leads to Salvation and Eternal Life needs to be centred on Jesus Christ. Faith in your friends, your family, or even the Prophet will not bring you Salvation... That being said, faith in others is not a bad thing, but your full confidence should be in Jesus Christ.

 

Reflect for a moment on your relationship with your savoir. What part in your life does he play? How close are you currently to Him? Are you striving to grow closer to Him?

 

May I suggest an exercise? I would invite you to read 3 Nephi 11:14-15 and reflect upon your relationship with Jesus Christ.

 

14 Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

 

  15 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.

 

Love ya

Michael Kelm

 
  
 
































Faith is confidence in something or someone. Faith that leads to Salvation and Eternal Life needs to be centred on Jesus Christ. Faith in your friends, your family, or even the Prophet will not bring you Salvation... That being said, faith in others is not a bad thing, but your full confidence should be in Jesus Christ.

 

Reflect for a moment on your relationship with your savoir. What part in your life does he play? How close are you currently to Him? Are you striving to grow closer to Him?

 

May I suggest an exercise? I would invite you to read 3 Nephi 11:14-15 and reflect upon your relationship with Jesus Christ.

 

14 Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

 

  15 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.

 

Love ya

Michael Kelm

 
  
 






























 
  
 
   

Covenants

A covenant is a sacred promise man makes with God and in which God makes promises of Blessings. The difference between a promise between a man and a man, and a promise between man and God is that God sets the terms. He chooses what we promise him and he chooses what he promises us. Just like a good parent sets the terms for reward with a child, so does God set the terms for us.

Covenants are not there for God to control us for the sake of His own ego, God is not self-centered. God gives us covenants to safeguard us from what can really damage us. Covenants are the way by which we can return to live with Him.

How do we enter into a covenant with God? In order to make a covenant with God you must preform a sacred ordinance by one that holds authority from God. An ordinance is a symbolic act in which you make those covenants with God.

Why does one have to hold authority from God? Let us reflect on the way God organized the worship in the tabernacle during the times of Moses. There are twelve tribes of Israel. The tribe of Levi had the authority from God to preform all the sacrifical rites that symbolized the Atonement of Jesus Christ. This authority is called the Priesthood, the Authority to act in Gods name.

This authority is not taken upon men of their own accord. It says in Hebrews 5: 4 "And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron". Even when Jesus ordained his apostles he made it clear in John 15: 16 "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you".

To get into the Kingdom of Heaven we must all first believe in Jesus Christ. Have Faith in him and desire to follow him. When we desire to follow him we will repent of our sins, our breaking of God's commandments. Once we do that we will be willing are ready to be Baptized by someone with Authority from God, which is a sacred ordinance in which we make covenants to follow Jesus Christ and leave our old life of sin.

That is not all, we must the receive the Holy Ghost from one that has authority from God. The Holy Ghost is a gift from God that will guide us as we are righteous... Then we endure to the end of our life, continuing to grow.

God restored his Authority, his Priesthood, on the earth again. It was lost after the twelve apostles where killed and has been restored by the prophet Joseph Smith. Today Jesus Christ's true church is on the earth again. The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints..

Promises

Message brought to you from Down Under, posted by his sister...



My friend once wrote that "righteous men uphold their promises". Back in a time when the world was more civilized men use to make deals not with paper, but with a simple handshake. There was a sense of honor back then that does not exist today.

Far to often in our day people do not commit to anything, any Idea, or anyone. Instead of men giving their whole heart and means to the woman they cherish, and to God through Marriage, men will far to often leave a cowardly back door with which they can easily run away. This backdoor is found in partnerships. Animals have partners, we are not Animals, we are Sons and Daughters of God. These men and women in these relationships have no true loyalty, no true respect, and are filled with selfishness.

I feel like Nephi when he cried, "if my days could have been in those days, then would my soul, then would my soul have joy in the righteousness of my brethern" (Helaman 7:8). But like Nephi I do not like in days of honor and commitment. Still I can be like Nephi and be in the world, but not of the world. I will do my best to keep my promises and commitments.

I hope we can all be serious in our promises.

Love you all,
Elder Kelm.

What Gods Do

*emailed to Michael's sister from Australia to post online*

What Gods Do

Moses 1:39 “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”

What is God’s work and his glory?
His work is focused on allowing man to live forever with him. He wants to bring us from our low and fallen state to His high estate.

Now, after Jesus was crucified he dwelt among His sheep in Jerusalem. Then he left them to go and teach His sheep in the Americas (John 10:16). There is an account during that time that has always made me wonder. Jesus teaches the Nephites the manner they should pray and then commands them to pray. The people do so and are filled with the Holy Ghost. Then Jesus does the following in 3 Nephi 19: 19-21.

19 And it came to pass that Jesus departed out of the midst of them, and went a little way off from them and bowed himself to the earth, and he said:
20 Father, I thank thee that thou hast given the Holy Ghost unto these whom I have chosen; and it is because of their belief in me that I have chosen them out of the world.
21 Father, I pray thee that thou wilt give the Holy Ghost unto all them that shall believe in their words.

I am always touched by this account. I use to be confused as to why our Savior would have to bow down and pray to His Heavenly Father. I could understand why Jesus would pray before he was crucified, because he did not know everything, he was still learning about Himself and his mission. This is shown when he was in the Garden of Gethsemane. In Matthew 26: 39 he prays for the cup to be taken from him if it was God’s will. He did so, because he did not know the weight of our pains and sins till he actually did it.

What I’m trying to say is that I can see why he’d need to pray to God before completing the atonement, because he had not experience everything and needed the Father. But why would he need to pray after the Atonement was complete?

Moses 1:39 helped me understand what Gods do. By praying Jesus was giving glory to God. He was lifting God up even high. Jesus was also praying for the welfare of the people. He prayed for them to be uplifted to a point that they can receive the Holy Ghost.

What do Gods do? They lift up everyone around them higher and higher. They add joy and glory to others through their love.