Finding Strength During Times of Weakness

Hello Everyone,

This week has been so good, and the next one is going to be even better! Conference is next week which is the perfect time for more missionary work! But on the same note, because it is General Conference, preparation day will be on Friday. So send your emails to me on Friday.

Last week you will remember that I had a time of weakness. I got really sick, and was having trouble walking. I want to bring this up because my spiritual thought today is about adversity. Adversity is something that we experience in this life, and it is not something that is only experienced once, but many times. Adversity is something that helps us become who we are. I read a talk called "Your Happily Ever After" by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf. Something that Elder Utchdorf says is this, "It is your reaction to adversity, not the adversity itself, that determines how your life’s story will develop."

Although adversity is something that everyone experiences it is ultimately up to us to choose who we will become. This is why I brought up my sickness again. It wasn't until this week that I went to Clinical services to meet with Brother Henderson. He pointed out to me that my score was lower than it ever has been. They have you take a test about your mood and your thoughts that you had throughout the week every time before you meet. So the lower your score is the more emotionally and mentally healthy you are. He pointed out that this experience although very hard was something brought me a lot of joy after it was over. I pondered on this and I realized that it was true. Even though I wasn't in a good state, God healed me through the gifts that He has given us during this time. He knew that as one of His servants I could help His lost sheep. I am so grateful God put His trust in me so that I could grow my testimony, my faith, and my trust in Him. God knows our potential and He is willing to help us, if we open ourselves up to Him.

Elder Stevenson, Elder Curtis, and Elder Fleming at the Provo Temple today

Something that has helped me to stay positive is living up to certain sayings and parables. A parable that has been on my mind this week was one given by Marvin J. Ashton in his talk "Strengthen the Feeble Knees." I will tell it from my memory so it may not be 100% accurate. The parable is this. Three men were once asked if they could have anything that they wanted, what would they have? One man said a rose, another said a branch, and the third said a lily. So the man gathered a beautiful rose that he had chosen from a garden, a smooth branch from a tree of his, and a beautiful Lily. He then gave them to the three men. The first said, "There is a thorn on this rose!" The second, "This branch has a leaf on it!" And the third, "This lily has a clump of dirt!" The person that had given it took the gifts back and said, "I gave you a beautiful rose, but you saw only the thorn. A branch that I had chosen myself that was smooth, but you couldn't see past the leaf, and to the third, you had a wonderful lily, but saw only the clump of dirt on it."

I ask myself often if I am seeing the potential in others and in the things around me, or am I like the three men? Am I looking at the roses in my life but only pointing out the thorns? We can all become better through Christ who strengthens us.

A poster the Sisters made for my birthday

I know that we all can see the roses in our lives, and can help others to as well. I know that Christ can turn our weaknesses into strengths and that God has a plan for each and every one of us even if that means going through tough times. We can all be refined if we look to God and become as sparkling silver through the Atonement that Jesus Christ suffered so that we could become like Him. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I invite you all to watch the talks I mentioned and see how you can apply them into your own lives.

I will give you the links here:

Read Elder Uchtdorf's talk here.

Read Elder Ashton's talk here.

Since I don't have much time I thought I would just list some fun facts about this week. rather than give you the usual rundown. Unfortunately I was not able to do it this week. I heard a new phrase this week.

• Elder Curtis, Elder Fleming and I were taking a chat and the chat was talking about Light The World, our Christmas Initiative. They said that they enjoyed it so much and that it was just Celestial fabulous.
• Vai Sikahema came on Sunday to speak and he said something that really stuck out to me. He said, "Be at your best, and be where you are supposed to be, and when you are there, be courageous."
• Elder and Sister Renlund came and spoke to us on Tuesday. Sister Renlund talked about faith and works. She talked about how you really can't have one or the other, because if you do things will not be as effective. She demonstrated this by having a plate with gumdrops and cup. She had two chopsticks and said one was faith and the other represented works. She started poking at the plate and trying to pick the gumdrops. she said, "You can already see that this way is not effective at all." She then used both and was able to put the gumdrops in with much more ease.
• Elder Renlund said, "We look to Jesus Christ because He suffered for us on the cross." This made me have the thought that as we go through our trials it is always easier to talk with someone who has experienced the same trials as us. Jesus Christ suffered for each of us individually. Should we not be looking to Him always?
• The scriptures say, "The Son of man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than He?" Jesus Christ is my advocate with the Father. He is my brother and my friend. I trust in Him because He has experienced what I have experienced, and He knows how to help me.

I hope that you will all have a great rest of your day, and a good upcoming week. I love you with all of my heart.

Love,

Elder Stevenson