Oregon Eugen Mission email from Pres & Sis Russell -June 12, 2017

My Dear Beloved Missionaries, Families, and Friends of the OEM,

This week begins the last interviews and zone conferences for Sister Russell and I.  We so look forward to being with you!  It is the highlight of our work here.  As we visit, we feel of your love for Jesus Christ and see you almost growing right before our eyes.

We will not have any matters of concern this letter inasmuch as this week is zone conference.

Now for the heart of this week’s email:

I would like to share with some of you a reminder and for others of you special teachings from Elder Dallin H. Oaks: “The fundamental purpose of missionary work is to teach the word of God that men and women cannot be saved in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom, without faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  Further we teach that the only way to lay claim to the ultimate merits of His Atonement is to follow His commands: repent and be baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and the ordinances of the temple and endure to the end.  Those who do so can be exalted in the celestial kingdom instead of being damned in a lesser status or kingdom.  No one else can do this.  Other churches cannot do it.  Good Christian living cannot do it.  Good faith, good desires, and good reasoning cannot do it.  Only a man or woman teaching the fullness of the gospel with priesthood authority can teach this, and only a man exercising the priesthood of God can administer a baptism that will satisfy the divine decree: “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5) 

We are so blessed to be able to share the gospel with our fellow brothers and sister here in Oregon.  May we pray to do our best and give our all.  To give our will to the Father and follow the example of our Savior and Redeemer.  Let us all cry out

“Not our will but thine be done”.

BE YE FISHERS OF MEN!

With Profound Love,

President and Sister Russell