My Testimony (Sacrament meeting is your's)

 Fellow Saints,

I've let you down this week! My goal is actually to send these out on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, feel free to hold me accountable to that ;) 

On the other hand, you have all lifted me up. I pray that I can convey this message clearly to you. I'm writing this message to YOU. I imagine that your assumption is that this is a letter to the ward. However, I've been praying that I can reach YOU. I promise that each sentence in this message is for one of you. I've earnestly prayed for the Spirit to deliver it to your heart and I have faith that it will. If there is fault, please forgive me and if you are inspired, please glorify our God, love our Lord, and share His Gospel.

I learned this week with greater surety that the Lord knows you and loves you, He sees you. You are not alone. I know you're tired - I promise that the Lord can strengthen you in your weakness.  I know that you wonder if you're adequate, I promise that you are qualified for the work. I saw you forgive your neighbor and I witnessed the Lord forgive you. You are concerned about your children, the Lord is concerned for them too - I promise, with so much surety that He has a plan for them.  You are worthy of the greatest promises that heaven has to offer. You have wondered if you should return to the Temple - the answer is He is begging you to return and I promise that we will find a way to get you there. You will find the Lord in the temple. You have sought your family's support, your family is here, we are your family too. You have been frustrated with those few that don't recognize your dedication - I have seen the Lord recognize you, I recognize you. Your covenants matter. If you seek peace, please forgive. If you seek peace, please ask the Lord to soften your heart. If you seek security, come to the temple. You are seeking perfect righteousness, practice patience and just remember that the Lord doesn't expect perfect righteousness, He seeks only a broken heart and contrite spirit. If you wonder if you're welcome, YOU ARE WELCOMED. If you wonder if there is love for you here, I love you.

This week, I wondered if I could be enough. In the temple, I learned that I am not. I also was powerfully reassured that the Lord absolutely is. I doubted if I was worthy enough to be around such powerful saints. I was reassured that the Lord qualifies each of us and that His atonement makes each of us worthy. I learned that He is the miracle we are seeking. I learned that if we sacrifice desires and consecrate our gifts to the Lord, He will unify us. I learned that our ward is becoming mighty and strong, great and beautiful.

Brothers and sisters, come to church. If you have a calling, will you magnify it? If you don't have a calling, will you seek one? Please, come to the temple with me. Zion is awaiting us.

Lastly, thank you so much for restoring my faith in miracles. Thank you for igniting my passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is His Church. I was lost and I truly am found. I have had ups and downs and, my friends, I have never felt so up as I do now. Thank you for your patience with me and for molding me into a true disciple of Jesus Christ. I have hope that we are molding each other. I am going to extend a little prophesy that Zion will be built in our testimony meeting today. Jesus is the Christ, He is our Redeemer and Prince of Peace. He died that we can live. Joseph Smith was the prophet through which Priesthood Authority and Sealing Power was restored to the Earth. President Nelson is absolutely 100% the Prophet of all the Earth today. The Book of Mormon IS another testament of Jesus Christ, it is perfect and was translated by the power of God. The way to everlasting joy is through Christ the Lord.

With love and admiration,

Bishop Kienzle

PS I'm soooooooooo excited for the Christmas season!!!

Stake Conference Broadcast Plus

 Friends,

I'm sorry you haven't heard from me this week! Last night was a fabulous evening in the temple. I attended with the youth in the baptistry. However, we had members doing initiatory sessions, endowments, and sealings. I believe that our ward was richly blessed. There are miracles happening in our ward, it is so very true. I hope you're seeing them, if not, please let me know ;). I want EVERYBODY to experience them. 

I'm really trying to think of how to bring the miracles to everybody.  I am putting a LOT of hope and faith in the outreach activity, the Missionary Blitz activity on Nov 23. That activity is for EVERYBODY so we can minister, meet our neighbors, and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Please help us to make cookies :). Ask the missionaries for details. It is going to be awesome. One of the main opportunities for this activity is to invite people to the Arlington Nativity Festival - we'll have a ton of cookies and nativity invites to provide to the people we minister to, our neighbors, and anybody else. 

I recently listened to President Uchtdorf's talk, "Nourish the Roots, and the Branches will Grow". In the talk, he briefly talked about how he had "the great privilege of assisting in this important task." He says that he pumped with all [his] strength so the organ would not run out of wind. As I read those comments, I thought about how each of you are pumping with all of your strength to keep the music going. I thought of how beautiful the allegorical music of our ward is as we pump that fuel of testimony into our congregation. You are FABULOUS.

Also, if you aren't able to attend stake conference due to some impairment, please attend with us online. I'm attaching the link to the broadcast below. The Saturday adult session today at 7pm and Sunday General Session at 10am will be broadcast online. Please, please join us. Of course, if you can come in person, please attend with us. There is nothing that brings me more joy than seeing your BEAUTIFUL faces :) 

https://zoom.us/j/99079536364?pwd=M2xGdHdwWnJacm5XWDNVSmFyVUx2QT09 

With so much love and adoratin,

Bishop Kienzle

Now is the time (still)

 Fantastic friends, breathtaking brothers, and spectacular sisters,

I'm late this week but better late than never! :)  I am SOOOO excited for the upcoming weeks! There is just so much. Also, it's embarrassing to say but, I'm already getting excited for Christmas! As I look forward to the upcoming activities and hear of your excitement and energy, I just know that our community is going to be so full of faith, hope, love and the Christmas spirit. That's because of you!

Here are some of the things getting me so excited;
- Primary Program this Sunday! 
- 10/29: Trunk or Treat plus Chili Cook-off
- 11/01: Youth/Ward/Stake/Everyone Temple Night!  Baptistry is reserved at 6pm. Come as you are, ALL visitors welcome :) 
- 11/02 - 11/03: Stake Conference
- 11/23: Missionary Blitz Activity
- 12/13 - 12/15: Arlington Nativity Festival

Do you see how exciting it is!?

In General Conference, President Nelson said, "now is the time for us to make our discipleship our highest priority". As I've studied 'Come, Follow Me' this week, I've been reflecting on a specific verse. Nephi said, "they had all things common among them". I've wondered, 'what exactly was common among them?' and 'can we be similar?'  The same verse says that they were all partakers of the heavenly gift. I've wondered how to bring that commonness to our ward. How can we stand united with each other? How can we make sure that we are all equally committed to Christ?

I just really, truly believe that we too can have mighty miracles among us and be free of envy, strife, and lies. We can be as the Nephites were - we really can be. I'd like to suggest that at least part of the answer is found in 4 Nephi 1:15. "There was no contention in the land because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people."

As we come in to this marvelous season, let's replace our anger with love, our bitterness with meekness, our pride with humility. Let go of your hurt.  If there is something in you that is keeping us apart, come to church this Sunday and be healed by Christ. Come and wrestle with the Lord. I promise that there will be angels in Sacrament Meeting this Sunday that will heal your wounds. I invite you to come and let them minister to you. I will be there with you, asking for my own weaknesses and frustrations to be eased and lightened. Let's look to the Lord together and receive His Heavenly Gift.

With unimaginable amount of love and adoration,

Bishop Kienzle

PS. Don't forget, we have the Linger Longer after church (bring your favorite comfort foods!). We also have a special Bishop's Youth Discussion. We'll be watching the worldwide youth devotional at 7pm at Brother Wiggins' home.