Sister Ann Elgaaen in Houston, Texas South: August 6, 2019 One Week Left in the MTC!

This week my testimony has grown so much. I want to share a piece of what I know to be true:

Heavenly father loves us so much and wants us to become like him. To do that we needed to accomplish four things:

1. Body

2. Have children

3. Eternal life.

4. Agency

I would like to share about the story of Adam and Eve:

Adam and Eve were placed in the garden of Eden and given two laws

1. Multiply and replenish the earth

2. Do not eat of the fruit of the tree of good and evil.

Those laws had to be given for Adam and Eve to have agency, or else they would have just lived in the garden forever without making any choices for themselves. Heavenly father respects our agency, it is part of the plan of salvation and we can choose for ourselves if we are to follow him.

2 Nephi 2: 16 states: "Wherefore, the lord god gave unto man that he should act for himself, wherefore man could not act for himself save it should be that he was entices by the one or the other."

This scripture is talking about how Adam and eve were given the forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden and told not to eat of it. If this had not happened, they would have no agency because they could do anything (except have children.) They would have been stuck in that state of not knowing joy because they knew no sadness and knowing no righteousness because they knew no wickedness.

But, If Adam and Eve partook of the tree of good and evil they would die, they knew that.

Have you ever wondered how long Adam and eve were in the garden of Eden before they partook of the fruit? During that time they were living without life. They knew no joy because they knew no sadness; they knew no love because they knew no hatred. They were without feeling.

By staying in the garden they fulfilled one of God's commands, not partaking of the fruit, but they couldn't fufill the other which is to have children.

Adam and Eve were like their father in three ways, they had a body like our heavenly father's, agency, and they had eternal life, but they couldn't fully become as God without having children.

When Satan came to tempt them he offered them the fruit and explained by partaking of the fruit they would know good from evil becoming as our heavenly father. If they would partake of the fruit however, they would loose eternal life so Satan, by saying they would not die, was lying- as he does best.

Eve knew the consequence of her actions. By eating of the fruit she would die. Eve partaking of the fruit was not an accident, it wasn't betraying our heavenly father, it was a Christ like action. She partook of the fruit and gave up her eternal life so each of us could gain a body. Eve realized that without partaking of the fruit she couldn't fulfill all of God's laws and the plan of salvation was put on hold.

Eve ate of the fruit and offered it to Adam who seeing that it must be this way partook of it also.

Heavenly father and Jesus Christ visited them after they had eaten of the fruit and took away their eternal life. He told them they still could be saved if they do what is right because heavenly father would send Jesus Christ to suffer for our sins.

Because of Jesus Christ eternal life is still in our grasp. We are on the earth and we have a body. We have agench, and We can have families and bring children into this life. Through repentance and obedience we can return to live with God again and gain eternal life.

Without Eve partaking of the fruit we wouldn't be here, we would never have the chance to become as our heavenly father, So if you think that by Eve partaking of the fruit she was betraying heavenly father or condeming us all to a life filled with trials and sicknesses. Think again! Eve gave up so much just so we would have the chance to become as our heavenly father. Eve did what needed to be done.

Our purpose in life is to have joy and return to God's presence. It is only because of what was done in the garden of Eden that we have that chance.

Rejoice because you are closer to becoming like your heavenly father then you ever were before this life.

Happiness is a Choice.

I suggest you choose happiness quickly, because life will be much more pleasing when you do!!

I love you All!!!!

Sister Elgaaen

Hey Family and Friends

I was told you all wanted to hear a little more about what I am doing in the MTC so here is a little more information :)

This week I have had a great experience learning and studying about the restoration and the Plan of salvation. My testimony has grown so much just over the course of a few weeks! I have taught someone each day (except Tuesdays) and it has been a really good learning experience.

I love my companion and I cant believe that I will be leaving to go to Texas MONDAY at 4:15 A.M.! I will board the plane around 9 and arrive hopefully in Texas around 3 or so.

I am so excited to get to work out in Texas!

An amazing talk that was given at the MTC by David A Bednar a few years back called "Character of Christ" was provided for the missionaries to watch. It was mind blowing how applicable the message was to our lives!

It may be the only time that I see one of the twelve apostles act like cookie monster. Haha

He related cookie monster to the natural man where cookie monster is constantly saying "I want cookie now!!" And the natural man is to focus on yourself.

I love the idea that we need to forget yourself in the work.

The prophet has called us to work! We need to gather Israel and do so quickly. Heavenly father is on your side.

We are nothing without him, but everything with him.

I love you all!!!!

-Sister Elgaaen