Good morning brothers and sisters
Even coming home was a trial when the Salt lake express ended up being my connecting flight home.
Trials in the MTC--(Journal entry)
The beginning of this week was pretty hard. On Sunday night, after praying one of the most sincere prayers I've ever prayed, I lay in bed filled with self doubt. I just felt like there was no way forward and that I would never be able to learn the language or become fluent in the gospel. I had prayed that somehow I would be able to get through this. As I lay there, I felt the Spirit very strongly testify to me that Jesus Christ knew what I was going through. I felt the enabling power of the atonement as I heard the Spirit whisper to me "Stop doubting yourself, you know you can do it. You have faith in Christ don't you? Then why are you worried when you know he will help you through this?" After that, I distinctly felt as if there were angels in the room. I felt as if my Grandpa Gull and Furniss were there. No, I knew they were there. I realized I have had guardian angels around me this whole time, helping me through my struggles, always there with an outstretched hand to get me to where I need to be. I will never be able to express in words how grateful I am for the atonement of my Savior. Without him, I wouldn't be able to make it on my own out here. I am so thankful for Him.
Trials are part of the Plan of Salvation
President Spencer W. Kimball taught: “Before we came [to earth, we] were given certain assignments. … While we do not now remember the particulars, this does not alter the glorious reality of what we once agreed to.”
Remembering my past experiences
I reached a point in my mission where everything seemed to be going smooth, and then everything hit rock bottom. I experienced a very difficult trial. Something that made all my past hardships seem like nothing. I had pretty much had enough of what I was going through and just kept asking “why me?” Am I not doing good enough? Am I not a good enough servant? It was at this point that I realized I had to go somewhere else for help; that I couldn’t get through this trial on my own. I asked my house mates for a blessing after which I felt a lot better and at peace. I continued to do my best and kept a hope that everything would work out. I continued to read my Patriarchal blessing and found immense peace in that. A couple days later I was reading in the New Testament and came across a scripture in 2 corinthians. 2 corinthians 12:
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities,... for when I am weak, then am I strong.
I reflected on the times in the past that I had been tested and tried and had asked “why me?” I then realized that the Lord had been preparing me and strengthening me for much worse trials in which I would have to fan the flame of my faith even harder to overcome.
The role of the Holy Ghost in times of Trial
In chapter 14 of the book of John in the New Testament The Lord promises us that the Father will send the Comforter (John 14: 16, 18, 27). I often hear people say the phrase “the calm before the storm” I view the comfort of the Holy Ghost as “the calm after the storm”. Our Father in heaven desires for us to have peace and joy in this life, in fact that is His work and glory. It is the reason He sent His Son. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28).
Exercising our Faith in Jesus Christ
On my mission plaque is the scripture in Philippians 4:13 which says “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” I didn’t realize how real this scripture would become for me throughout the next two years of my life. We know from the scriptures that we can do anything if our faith is sufficient; for God is a rewarder to those that diligently seek him. Ether 12 has heaps of amazing insights on the power of faith. Verse 12 states: For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith.
We learn that through faith we can see miracles. And that God will make himself known to us through our faith. Verse 4 is one of my most favorite verses in all of scripture. “Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.” Our faith in Jesus Christ will anchor us in the midst of our trials so “that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built.”
Story of Edjohn’s family:
Before the baptism of his wife and grandson, Brother Cejalvo and his family were smacked with trial after trial. Brother Cejalvo almost lost his job and house, and his wife was hit by a motorcycle while crossing the road. Brother Cejalvo and the rest of his family were about to give up. My companion and I prayed hard to know what to teach one morning as we were planning for the day. We couldn't really think of a perfect thing to share so we just decided we'd go throughout the day and hope we would know what to say. When we got there, we opened up the Book of Mormon to 3 Nephi 13: 31-34 and read that with them. Talk about an amazing lesson!
We went to Edjohn and nanay Maria Fe last night for our last appointment and taught them about temples and eternal families. The lesson went great, and we invited them to come to the family history center in the church on Tuesday to start their family history work.
At the end of the lesson, Brother Cejalvo bore a powerful testimony. He said:
"Yesterday I had to work in the fields so I wasn't able to go to church. I asked Edjohn to help me in the fields but his reply was 'pa you know I can't help you, I have to go to church, I'm getting baptized this Saturday.' That right there was a turning point for me. Edjohn gave me strength that day as I went out to the fields, in fact I couldn't stop smiling as I worked throughout the day." He then said, "Do you remember that time that I was about to give up, and lose my house and everything I had? You guys shared those verses with me in the Book of Mormon which gave me hope. You gave us all hope, and because of that we are all here now and you have strengthened and bound this family together. I don't know where we would be without you Elders, because of you I have witnessed that Heavenly Father knows me and has a plan for my family."
These are his exact words.
The change we have seen in this family is incredible. I have truly witnessed the power the Gospel of Jesus Christ has to change lives. My companion and I couldn't hold back our tears as we listened to Tatay Jonathan last night. I love that family with all my heart. Edjohn is getting baptized this Saturday, and I am beyond excited.
The Refiner’s fire
Sister Reyna Aburto said: “Hard times don’t define us—they refine us. My hope is that my sisters and brothers will understand that everyone goes through hard times. Everyone struggles. If we turn to the Lord, He will give us what we need to get through them. If we are humble, the Lord will use these experiences to refine us and help us to become what He wants us to become. In addition, Satan discourages us with feelings of inadequacy. He makes our work appear too difficult or intimidating. However, we can trust God! He loves us. He wants us to succeed.”
I heard a great quote once that said “Faith can move mountains, but don't be surprised if God hands you a shovel.” As we go through life’s ups and downs we need to remember that it is for our benefit as the Lord said to the Prophet Joseph Smith while in Liberty jail “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.”
Have hope through the Atonement of Jesus Christ
“And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning hope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope? And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.” (Moroni 7:41-42)
Gordon B. Hinkley said:
“We have every reason to be optimistic in this world. Tragedy is around, yes. Problems are everywhere, yes. But...you can't, you don't, build out of pessimism or cynicism. You look with optimism, work with faith, and things happen...There is a lot we can learn from this. When life gets tough there is a lot more we can do than just crawl up into a ball and hide. We can "Cultivate an attitude of happiness, and cultivate a spirit of optimism." Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we are able to look forward into the future and have hope, even through the difficult times. I hope you will all remember that when times get hard, the Lord is always there for you, and he desires to help you.”
The virtue of patience
“Life is full of difficulties, some minor and others of a more serious nature. There seems to be an unending supply of challenges for one and all. Our problem is that we often expect instantaneous solutions to such challenges, forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is required.” -Thomas S. Monson
We had been teaching Nanay Gonzales for over two months and everything was going great with her except the fact that we couldn’t get her to church to save our life. All of her kids were baptized but she would always come up with a reason as to why she couldn’t come to church. After dealing with this week after week, my companion and I had had enough. We decided we would visit her one more time and if she didn’t come to church the following Sunday, we would drop her. We went into the lesson with heavy hearts, hoping that the Spirit would guide our words to spark a change in her heart. We were prompted to read 3 Nephi 27. We read verse 21 which states: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do;” Her perspective on as to why we kept coming back to teach her, why we kept inviting her to come unto Christ completely changed after that lesson. She realized why we were there. She opened up to us a few concerns that she had had and we were able to easily resolve them. That experience was a testimony builder to me and her of the power of the Book of Mormon. After reading that chapter, she continued to read the Book of Mormon on her own and hasn’t missed a week of church since. Everything works out in the right time; the Lord’s time.
I am so thankful to know that no matter what trial I have to go through, I can rest assured that it is for my good. I am thankful that “I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.” And most of all I am thankful to know that my Father in Heaven has a plan for me, and that he knows me perfectly. I am thankful for a loving Savior that makes it possible for us to change and come unto him through His infinite Atonement. I am thankful for a family and community that is willing to support me no matter what I have to go through. I know this Gospel is true. I know that the Book of Mormon is true, and that God called a Prophet in these last days; Joseph Smith to restore the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth again. I am thankful to my Father in Heaven for giving me these last two years to serve Him with all my heart might mind and strength. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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