THE REMNANT. December VOLUME 9 Number 12 THEME: Jesus Calls Us to be a Meek and Humble People

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1 1 Remnant CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST of Latter Day Saints Marlin Texas Branch 204 Live Oak Street Marlin, Texas THE REMNANT December 2008 VOLUME 9 Number 12 THEME: Jesus Calls Us to be a Meek and Humble People SUNDAY MORNING DEVOTIONALS :45AM SUNDAY SCHOOL :00AM SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE :00AM SUNDAY EVENING SERVICE :30PM (WHEN ANNOUNCED) WEDNESDAY EVENING SERVICE :00PM (WHEN ANNOUNCED) AVAILABLE PRIESTHOOD: 1 HIGH PRIEST, 3 ELDERS, 1 Aaronic Teacher December 7, 2008 IN CHARGE COMMUNION SERVICE HIGH PRIEST ARTHUR ALLEN COMMUNION MESSAGE HIGH PRIEST ARTHUR ALLEN OBLATION REMARKS ELDER RICKEY WELCH December 14, 2008 IN CHARGE ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING HIGH PRIEST ARTHUR ALLEN ELDER RICHARD HOOVER ELDER ROGER SCHUELKE December 21, 2008 IN CHARGE MESSAGE IN CHARGE MESSAGE December 28, 2008 ELDER RICKEY WELCH ELDER RICHARD HOOVER HIGH PRIEST ARTHUR ALLEN ELDER RICHARD HOOVER HIGH PRIEST ARTHUR ALLEN TEACHER WALTER SHELTON

2 2 ATTENDANCE Our attendance for November was very good and we expect attendance to continue to be good. We continue to work on our mission to fill our chapel with new faces. We also continue to encourage others to come and see. TRACT AND TAPE MINISTRY It should be noted that all requests for tracts and tapes must include Name, Mailing Address and E- Mail Address when ordering from our Web Site at Items requested from the web site are sent to the requestor free of any cost. We suggest you review our home page and review a number of changes that have been made in recent months. DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS (Is your name missing?) Arthur Allen Dec 10 Linda Allen Dec 6 OUR WEB SITE Our web site, continues to be updated. Our Web Site has been registered with the Marlin Chamber of Commerce and now appears under Church s on the Marlin Chamber of Commerce Web Site. For those of you that are new to our Web Site, our Web Site is linked to the General Church Web Site, and can be found under church congregations. The Web Site is updated each month to include new information that may be of interest to members of the congregation as well as too many others. A list of available sermons have been added to our web site and your can now listen to these sermons while using your computer in other work. It is suggested that you visit the Web Site regularly. The Branch News Letter is posted each month. A picture of our new church sign has been posted. GENERAL CHURCH WEB SITE Click on to the General Church Web Site for the latest information about activities going on in the general church. Changes are made regularly to the Web Site. You can register with the web site and can receive regular updates by . Please check out all of the information furnished on the Site. FROM THE PRESIDING ELDER November proved to be a very exciting month. Elder Roger Schuelke and his wife spent the entire month in Midland, Texas area assisting family members in various ways and visiting interested individuals and sharing the Gospel message. Elder Fred Van Cleave, a member of the Hearne, Texas Restoration Branch, passed away on November 8, Interment was at Suggs Cemetery, near Black Jack, Texas. His service was conducted by Elder Charles Renfroe, Elder Johnny Mack Mitchell and High Priest Arthur Allen. Fred

3 3 had served the Church in the Houston Area, and the Marlin and Hearne Area for many years. He is survived by his faithful companion, Eddie Ayo Van Cleave of Marlin, as well as a son, a brother, a sister as well as several Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren. Prayers are requested for his wife, Eddie, who has been in ill health for several months. Members of the congregation participated in the Food for Families activity for residence of Falls County. Arthur Allen was the collection site manager located on the HEB parking lot. John Smock and Charles Allen assisted in the running and collection of food at the site. Food collected at the site is divided between the Samaritan House and the Salvation Army distribution centers here in Marlin. About 10,000 pounds of food was collected and about $ in cash was collected during the one day event held on November 21 st. Food will be distributed to the Needy of Falls County. The Food for Families activity is sponsored by Channel 10 Television Station, the Boy Scouts of America and is supported by the Texas Military personnel, church s, schools, and other organizations in the area. The members of the branch supported the activity by making their personal food contributions. The branch also made a monetary contribution to assist in the purchase of food as future needs arise. A big thank you is given to all that gave of their time and money in making this yearly event a success. The congregation was blessed by the attendance of Brother Roger and Sister Mabel Marsh for our November 23d service. These fine folks live in the Independence Area and had been visiting relatives in East Texas. They were scheduled to return home on Thanksgiving Day. The following is a reprint of an article previously published. It is believed it is worthy of looking at again. A MARVELOUS WORK AND A WONDER What is the Marvelous Work and a Wonder? As a member of the Church, and during my life time, this has been one of the motivating factors. This has been one of the questions that has led me in my quest for truth. So here today I am still searching for Truth. I have many questions that still go unanswered; however, I am still searching for understanding. Understanding God and the Marvelous Work and a Wonder that I have and am still proclaiming. So here today I will examine some of the scriptures that I have come to understand in my quest for truth. Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. As I read this scripture I find myself asking the question, what about this angel flying in the mist of heaven. Did he bring the message of the everlasting gospel to the earth? If so, When? If so, Why? If so, to Who? This statement tells me that the gospel was to be preached unto all that dwell on the earth. Has this happened or is it now happening? Is this a part of the Marvelous Work and Wonder? I think so.

4 4 Isaiah, chapter 29, tells us about a period of time of darkness. About a time that men would not be preaching the pure and undefiled gospel. The prophet speaks about a Book that was to come fourth, when it was to come fourth and to who would receive the Book. Time does not permit me to go into great detail; however, the following does give some indication of the conditions that would exist at the time the Lord would bring about the Marvelous Work, Isaiah 29:26 ---Forasmuch as this people draw near unto me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their hearts far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precepts of men, therefore I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people; yea, a marvelous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise and learned shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent shall be hid. In my quest for truth I have found the Gospel spoken of by the angel. How do I know that I have found the truth? The answers to me is simple find the book that Isaiah 29 refers to, study the words of that book, ask God to reveal the truth of that book and seek to understand what God will be revealing to you. The book came forth to the world in the 1830 s and is called the Book of Mormon. Yes, the scripture is very plain and gives us many of the answers that we seek; however, we must understand that this book, the Book of Mormon, is not all of the Marvelous work. So we continue our search. As a Church we believe that God continues to reveal Truth to those that seek for it. In this day, there is a book that is called the Doctrine and Covenants. Within the pages of this book can be found instructions to the church and to those individuals that seek the truth. Following is one example. Doctrine and Covenants 66:1b Verily I say unto you, Blessed are you for receiving mine everlasting covenant, even the fullness of my gospel sent forth unto the children of men, that they might have life, and be made partakers of the glories, which are to be revealed in the last days, as it was written by the prophets and apostles in days of old. Thousands of people accept the principle mention in Revelation 14:6 to mean that the Gospel was taken from the earth during the Dark Ages and that God prepared the way for the Gospel to be returned to the earth. Further, that the Gospel would be restored in its fullness that man might be able to come to a knowledge of the Truth. In view of the above. We ask the question, even as the question found in Psalm 8:4. What is man, that thou are mindful of him? This is an age old question and we continue to ask the questions, why we are here, and what the purpose of life is.

5 5 We are the children of God. Genesis 1:26, 27. God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the foul of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, and in the image of God created he him; male and female created he him. Yes the Great and Marvelous Work is the work of God. We must seek the truth. The truth can be found in the scriptures; however, just having the scriptures available will not insure that we will be apart of the Marvelous Work. If you seek, you will find. You will have the truth and the truth will make you free. The intent of this overview, if it can be called an overview, is to help understand that we must continue our search and our quest for truth. It is true that an understanding of the Gospel of our Lord will bring peace into our lives, not as man gives, but the peace that only God can give. The question that I leave with you here today is Will you make the search for the Great and Marvelous Truths? It is my hope and my desire that each will come to a better understanding of the Great and Marvelous Work that God has and is still bringing forth. Arthur Allen Presiding Elder Marlin Texas Branch Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints August 17, 2003 (Reviewed September 23, 2007) DID YOU KNOW Lunch Partners Ministries Lunch Partners is a free service that feeds and clothes the needy and homeless in Independence, MO. Lunch Partners is a community service that has been in operations since 1991.

6 6 What is our mission? Lunch Partners is a free service that feeds and clothes the needy and homeless in Independence, MO. Lunch Partners is a community service that has been in operations since Onsite Meals: serves hearty and wholesome meals to the disadvantaged for less than $1.00 a meal! We serve about 120 to 150 people daily. Food Pantry: provides a food box meant to help stretch a family s food budget. The pantry supports about fifty families per month. Clothing Partners: provides free clothing and household items for those who are unable to meet these needs. Last year we provided hundreds of families with new socks and underwear, shoes, jeans, coats, and bedding About us Lunch Partners is a faith-based community service operated by the Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Volunteers: Lunch Partners is an all-volunteer operation that receives no compensation for their volunteer time. Sponsors: Lunch Partners does not receive government grants or government assistance of any kind. Lunch Partners receives donations from the private sector. Local restaurants and grocers provide Lunch Partners with produce and bakery items. These contributions are used for onsite meals. The surplus is available to our patrons to stretch their incomes. How can you help? Donations: Those who are homeless are in constant need of apparel made to brave the elements. We never have enough sleeping bags, heavy duty parkas, or boots to keep those who have no home warm. Your donations are appreciated. Volunteer: Lunch Partners needs cooks, cook helpers, dining room help, dish washers, drivers, dining room ministry/counselors and clothes closet volunteers. Financial Contributions: Operation costs are ever present. Your financial gift to Lunch Partners is tax deductible. Contact us Lunch Partner Ministries 709 West Maple Ave. Independence, MO Phone: