"Now Let Us Rejoice"

Why hello there one and all! And a Happy 4th of July! It was so weird not having any sort of celebrations for the fourth of July, but that is ok. I celebrated with a taco.

Well this week was just another wonderful week. We had the baptism of Juan Carlos this last Tuesday and the confirmation yesterday. Him and his family are just great! This week we were also blessed to be able to find quite a few new investigators. And with the announcement that the Tijuana Temple is going to start construction August 18, the members are all getting really excited to be sharing more with their friends and neighbors about the church and everything.

This week I finally got the package that you guys sent a while ago... thank you sooooo soooo much! Oh how I miss sugar! That is one thing that I have noticed here, there is nothing sweet. It is all just hot. So that was quite the delight to get so many sweets from you! And the popcorn! Oh my.

Well this week there really wasn't anything else too exciting that happened... we went to another Chinese buffet. But yeah, we are really working hard on trying to find new investigators. There is a lot of potential here, but we just need to do some work to find the people.

Well yesterday we watched a video about Joseph Smith that you sent and there was something in there that I had never known before. William W. Phelps, the author of such songs as The Spirit of God, If You Could Hie to Kolob, Redeemer of Israel, and Praise to the Man was an early convert to the church. His story is quite profound and full of his ups and downs just as any other. He was a writer and printer by profession. He was called to be a member of the Quorum of the Seventy before he was even baptized. He was the printer and writer of the churches newspaper and the printer of the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. He was one of the closest friends to the Prophet Joseph Smith. He at on point turned his back and apostatized against the prophet and the church, sending Joseph Smith and others to Liberty Jail. He was received back into full fellowship after all that he had done. As you can tell, he had quite the life story. 

But the point of his life I would like to focus on is his writing of the song "Now Let Us Rejoice". July 1833 was a dark time for the saints in Missouri. With increasing abuse and opposition, the saints were forced to leave. William W. Phelps was beaten and his printing shop destroyed. He wrote to the Prophet Joseph, "We were driven out and the mob said if we came back we shall die... we wait patiently for the work of the Lord." In this time of darkness and fear, William wrote the words of praise and hope, now let us rejoice.

Now let us rejoice in the day of salvation.
No longer as strangers on earth need we roam.
Good tidings are sounding to us and each nation,
And shortly the hour of redemption will come,
When all that was promised the Saints will be given,
And none will molest them from morn until ev'n,
And earth will appear as the Garden of Eden,
And Jesus will say to all Israel, "Come home."


We'll love one another and never dissemble
But cease to do evil and ever be one.
And when the ungodly are fearing and tremble,
We'll watch for the day when the Savior will come,
When all that was promised the Saints will be given,
And none will molest them from morn until ev'n,
And earth will appear as the Garden of Eden,
And Jesus will say to all Israel, "Come home."

In faith we'll rely on the arm of Jehovah
To guide thru these last days of trouble and gloom,
And after the scourges and harvest are over,
We'll rise with the just when the Savior doth come.
Then all that was promised the Saints will be given,
And they will be crown'd with the angels of heav'n,
And earth will appear as the Garden of Eden,
And Christ and his people will ever be one.

Words of hope in a dark time. The teachings from the song are great and powerful. "In faith we'll rely on the arm of Jehovah to guide through these last days of trouble and gloom, and after the scourges and harvest are over, we'll rise with the just when the Savior doth come." In times of trouble and gloom, heartache and tears, forever we shall "rely on the arm of Jehovah." Always have the courage and trust to simply follow and obey.

I hope all is going great and you have a wonderful week!

Elder Tommy Anderson

Pizza!!!