November 15

Hey Everyone!!!

Its been good here in Banna, Its been hot, but good.  We had meetings with the Branch this week, and really figured out with the branch what we wanted to do with our branch to help the situation with the less actives.  We have upwards of 200 members here in Banna, but only 50 or so that attend church every week, so we've started to work out a home teaching program that will help the less actives return, because sometimes the missionaries just can't do it on their own.  I hope that it will help out!  Other than that during my studies this week I had some really cool insights, but one was about Lehonti, in Alma.  He was a man, at the head of the armies opposed to attacking the Nephites.  For our purposes we will call them the members of the church.  There were some armies that wanted to force them to fight the Nephites, headed by Ammonihah.  We will call him the adversary, with his armies.  Lehonti had gotten to the top of a mountain and had a lot of weapons with him.  With his armies, he outnumbered Ammonihah.  He was a pretty safe guy, and he knew it.  Ammonihah wanted him to come down from his mountain, presumably just to talk to him.  Lehonti, being smarter than your average joe, refused.  And so Ammonihah, being the persistent fellow his is, asked again.  And again.  And was refused both times.  But far from being frustrated, Ammonihah came up with a plan.  First he went up, almost to the camp of Lehonti, and asked again.  Lehonti thought that this would be ok, and so he went down.  Just a little, to talk to him.  Ammonihah gave him what sounded like a great plan to help him capture his (Ammonihah's) armies, with no blood shed, and so Lehonti agreed to go down, with his guards, to the camp of Ammonihah.  The plan worked and now Lehonti had captured all of Ammonihah's forces with no bloodshed, and all ammonihah had asked was that he was put second in command!  Great right?  Not really.  Ammonihah then came up with a plan to kill Lehonti, and because of that, came out at the head of the forces of Lehonti, with no blood shed.  Hmm that turned around quick.  In our lives, we are sometimes the same way.  We are up in the mountains with our forces.  Doing the things we should, following the commandments, and if Satan asks us to do anything big, we of course say no, so satan only asks us to be a little disobedient.  To do a little wrong, and that leads to a lot of wrong, and eventually our spiritual death.  Moral of the story, don't ever let your guard down!  Always do everything you know you should, without exception, and I promise you that your life will be so much easier, and so much happier, because you will have the lord on your side.  I love you all!

Elder Childs.