"Faly mirahaba anareo androany ny tenako. Eldera Sorôdera ny anarako ary androany, te hiresaka aminareo mikasika ny Famerenana amin'ny Laoniny ny Fahafenoan'ny Filazantsara."
That was how i started my talk this past week. Yes, i was asked (more like told) to give another talk this past week. Its ok, i loved it! I spoke on the Restoration of the Fullness of the Gospel and thats pretty much gonna be my group email today.
Before i get into my talk ill just give you a recap of the week. we worked everyday. im healthy now dont worry. we spent time with members all of friday cause it was the day of madagascars independence! which is great. so we chillled and visited members thursday and friday. the work was pretty slow this week cause of preparations and people leaving town and stuff and what not. Mahajanga is still the best area of the mission and the best area youve ever been to and i love it! life is the mission and mahajanga.
So back to the talk, when church was supposed to start at 9 i was asked to give a talk haha but it was about the Restoration and thats like in every lesson of my teaching sooooo it was not a problem at all. I stood up and talked. started like what has been said above, and began.
The Reason/The Why: First off its important to note that we need authority to do the things we do. You wont pull over if a random car tells you that you forgot to put your blinker on or you wont necessarily quiet down in class unless the teacher or a principle tells ya to be quiet. We need authority in what we do! Without that authority our works are meaningless.
When Jesus was on the earth he had that authority! He was set apart from the rest of us because he is God's Only Begotten Son. he had the authority. John baptized because he was ordained of God, not some school he went to to preach the gospel. Jesus wasnt baptized of John the Shoemaker, or the Bike fixer but John the Baptist! authority. we need it. The authority is like a key! (read Matthew 16:18-19) "Ianao no Petera, ary ambonin'ity vatolampy ity no haoriko ny fiangonako...Omeko anao ny fanalahidin'ny fanjakan'ny lanitra." ("You are Peter and upon this rock i build my church...i give unto you the KEYS of the kingdom of Heaven.") boom. authority. mazava ho azy, Jesus died and later the apostles died and there was no successors. no one to continue writing the Bible. no more authority! lasa. so the authority is gone but God already knew it would happen! lets look at Amos 8:11-12 - The people are searching for spiritual safety but cant find it! theres a famine in the land. or in other words no authority. Ephesians 1:10 there will be a restitution of all things in the fullness of times. We can talk about experiences during Jesus' life. Matthew 7:21-23 (summarizing) Not everyone who calls "Lord, Lord." will enter into my kingdom. But the people have done great things in the name of Christ (casting out devils, healings, etc.) but in the end Jesus says to them "Miala amiko ny mpanao-meloka" (get away from me ye doers of iniquity) what the flip? explain that one to me? no authority. its simple. Jesus set up a church here on earth (go back to Matthew 16 or see Ephesians 4:11-15 or Ephesians 2:19-20) and its called the Church of Christ. not the church of Luther (the Lutheran Church). not the church of Rome (the beginning of the Catholics - a few name changes here and there), not the Evangelists, etc. ya get it? if i set up a church it would be the Church of Elder Schroedter, right? its my church. but if its Christs let it be called Christ's chruch! "Render that of which is Caesers to Caeser and that which is God's to God." (John 7? sorry i dont remember where that one is exactly) We need the authority! we need Jesus Christ! and we need the same structure as before! (Ephesians 4:11-15). I know that when a church has the authority, when it is structered on Christs previous structure and when it is based on Christ and his teaching then it is the true church! "Toko telo mahamasa-nahandro" people! without all three bricks we cant cook our food! we need that foundation! i know it. i know it exists in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
That wasnt exactly my talk cause i still talked about Joseph Smith, but i'll get to him next week! have a great week! i love you all! send me an email. stay sweet.
love,
Eldera Sorôdera
