Dear Family and Friends,
This last week we got transfer calls and
Elder Neus is leaving Massena and I am staying and going to be Training a new
missionary for my very first time. Last time I did what is called second
transfer training and that was easy cause he already knew what to do I just
kinda smoothed the edges I guess. haha I am super excited to train and what will
happen this next transfer.
Nothing exciting has happened this last
week really. I have had the feeling of crying this last week or so randomly
with no reason to cry at all. I thought it was just me being just weird and my
companion told me I was on my period -.- lol but I got onto my email today after
emailing president and looked at all the people that had emailed me. As I was
looking through the emails, I usually look at/email the person I haven't emailed
in a while first or who ever I feel like I should write first. I felt super
strongly to read my mom's email first. She has sent me 2 emails, on wednesday
and one last night (sunday) I felt super prompted to read the one from wednesday
first and then the one from last night. As I read I tried really hard to not cry
while sitting here in the Library, and then when I read her other one, I had to
try even harder. I don't want to go into detail about anything cause it is
personal to me and my family. I will only say that Satan is doing his absolute
best to try and stop me and others from doing what we are supposed to do as a
missionary and as a member of his church.
As I sat there pondering
in my mind what I was going to say to my mom in response to these emails, words
started coming into my mind and with out taking a second thought, I just started
typing. As I re read what I had typed, hope peace and comfort came into my
heart. I felt really strong that I should share in this email to all of you what
was written, I do not know why but maybe it will help some of you who are going
through a hard time or it may help you for a future incident that may occur.
Here is what I wrote:
Trials do not come from the Lord, they come because of our fallen state and
because of Satan and his followers. The Lord uses these opportunities to help us
strengthen our faith and trust in him and his son Jesus Christ. That does not
mean these trials will be easy to deal with, it just means that in the end,
there is light in the midst of this dark tunnel which we have entered into. The
Light will always be there weather we see it or not. But it is up to us whether
we work towards the light and push through the darkness, or if we stay and give
up or even worse turn around and go back the way we came instead of pushing
forward.
These are the last days and it was for told by prophets
of old that in the last days trials and hardships would come before the Lord
shall come again. They did say it was a sign that the Lord is coming, which is
the most amazing news we can share with the world. I knew coming on a mission
and doing the Lords work was not only going to be physically hard, but was going
to be mentally and emotionally hard as well. I have been blessed to over come
most of the physical hardships that come with being a 19 almost 20 year old
missionary but the mental and emotional stress, and hardships are still there,
and are stronger than ever before. I knew that things would happen not only to
me but to family and friends back home. I knew it was a risk and I continually
know it is still a risk. But it truly is not a risk, it is an act upon our faith
that the Lord will bless us for doing his work, helping others come closer to
him as we also grow closer to him as we endure these hard trials which have come
upon us and will continually come upon us until the Savior comes again in these
last days. As I read in a talk entitled "The Fourth Missionary" It says,
"
Life is hard, but the Gospel is not." Through the gospel and the
Atonement of Jesus Christ we all can endure anything that the world and Satan
can and will throw at us. But is our choice on what we do when those kinds of
trials enter our lives. You can either stand there and be continually attacked
and not do anything, or you can put your faith and trust in the Lord, and do all
you can to fight knowing that you are not fighting alone. Knowing that the Lord
is standing by you fighting with you and has previously fought for you with all
his might so. These things I know and have to constantly remind myself of every
single day since the day I got my mission call and accepted the call to do the
Lords work. Trust in Him, rely on Him, have faith in Him, and then Act on that
faith and you will see Miracles happen both big and small. This I know and can
testify of in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
