A Week Of Miracles

My Dear Family,

I am so happy to write to you again. This was quite an eventful week. I want to do my spiritual though on something I have been studying. My thought this week is all about friendship.

Friendship is one of the most important things that you can develop because it builds trust. Elder Marlin K. Jensen even said, "Friendship is the first cousin to charity." I never thought of being a friend in this way. Charity is the best Christlike attribute that can be received. So that just shows how being kind can make a big difference for you and for them. You might ask, "Well, what can I do to become a better friend?" Marvin J. Ashton has said, "Acts of a friend should result in self-improvement, better attitudes, self-reliance, comfort, consolation, self-respect, and better welfare." In His talk "What is a friend" Elder Ashton told us that, "A friend is someone who takes you as you are, but leaves you better than they found you." Something as simple as a wave or a smile can help you become a better friend because you are lifting someone else up. We should all follow the example of Jesus Christ and be a friend to everyone. I invite you all to read these talks about friendship here and here.

I know that Jesus Christ suffered in the garden, died on the cross, and was resurrected so that we can return and live with Him and Heavenly Father again. Jesus Christ can be our best friend and I know that God and Jesus Christ have been there for me exactly when I needed it. I know that Jesus Christ lives and that He loves me. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I would also like to say thank you for the package that you gave me. The pumpkin bread and caramel apple were both delicious. Elder Heller says thank you for the apple and Elder Jensen says thank you for the pumpkin bread. The majority of us enjoyed it. Thank you for everything you do.

Sunday 10/22/2017

The lesson with Josefine went super well. We followed up on church and she said that she really liked it, and that she got a calling. Josefine is now the Family History Consultant, which is awesome because she loves family history and is really good at it. Elder Woodruff and I were also told that this Thursday she is taking a temple trip to the Preston England Temple. For the lesson we went over the ten commandments. Josefine knew the commandments pretty well except for the last two: thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor, and thou shalt not covet. So we went over those. We ended by giving her the "Obeying the Ten Commandments" Mormon Message.

Monday 10/23/2017

I went on exchanges with Elder Jensen today and it was pretty amazing. We spent most of the day finding, but it was good because we found someone. I got my package and we ate pumpkin bread while we found and it just made it ten times better. We also ate some of the candy which was also delicious.

Tuesday 10/24/2017

Our companionship talked with Bradley again. We talked with her about her family because she is in a island off of Madagascar. So she doesn't know that much about what is going on. We talked with her about keeping the Sabbath day holy. We also talked about The Book of Mormon and she bore her testimony of the Book of Mormon and it was just amazing. We ended by asking her to read chapter 6 in Preach My Gospel and study the Christlike attributes.

Elder Gary E. Stevenson spoke at the devotional tonight so there was quite a few jokes going on. Elder Duran asked who was speaking and we told him that it was Elder Stevenson and he pointed to me. So Elder Duran thought I was speaking at the devotional. But there was a lot of good things said. He said, "Virtue is one of the prerequisites to receiving the spirit's guidance." Elder Stevenson also said, "Diligence through missionary work is how we show our love for the Lord."

Also we found out that the name of our mission as it was being changed was told not to change, so we are still the referral center mission.

Wednesday 10/25/2017

The referral center has started giving assigned times so that there is always someone proselyting. It is interesting. This week we were assigned the 5:00 time.

Thursday 10/26/2017

We talked with Amy today. The last time we talked with her we asked her to pray, and she did. She told us that she got an answer to her prayers and she knows that this is the path that God wants for her. So Elder Woodruff and I are really excited for her.

Friday 10/27/2017

I had a really good personal study today. I read about accountability in Preach My Gospel. Accountability is amazing. It is taking responsibility for your own actions and being honest. I read a really good scripture that went along with it.

The scripture is Ezekiel 33:3-6

3 If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;

4 Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.

5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.

6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.

I hope you all have a good rest of your week.

Love,

Elder Stevenson