Comfort Those That Stand In Need Of Comfort

Hola mi familia,

This week has been an amazing one, I wish that I could write everything that happened this week because it has just been a fantastic one. For my spiritual thought I would like to talk about relying on Jesus Christ today.

Something that I have learned on my mission is that you can tie everything back to Jesus Christ and God. That is something that has been a blessing as I have talked with people from all over the world. Everyone needs Jesus Christ in their life. I was talking with a member about the struggles of daily life and really how Jesus Christ can give us peace. He can help us change, heal our wounds that we have, and take from us our sorrows. He knows us and He knows what we have gone through and what we will go through. That is why we need Him. Jesus Christ truly is our Savior and Redeemer, and as a brother and a friend, He wants to help us. He mourns with those that mourn, and comforts those that stand in need of comfort.

I know that Jesus Christ can help us with anything that we need. I have seen Him turn my weaknesses into strengths, and I know that He will do that for all of you if you let Him. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

This week has been a really good week.

Our district had an activity making pizza and playing games. Here is the meat lover's pizza.

You may wonder why I started my email by greeting you in Spanish. Well here's what happened. Elder Knudsen and I were at church on Sunday and we were waiting for the other companionships to get out of their meetings so that we could be able to go back to the M.T.C since I can't drive and Elder Knudsen isn't certified to drive. So we decided to walk around the church building and as we were walking out of the building Brother Savage came and greeted us. He is one of the Spanish teachers at the M.T.C that I talked with and was in my hall when I was doing my training at the M.T.C. He invited us to dinner which was really awesome. When we were at the dinner Brother Savage asked me to pray in Spanish. I had not prayed in Spanish since I was with Elder Withers and Elder Jacobson back in June of last year. So that was a interesting experience. But overall it was amazing to talk with him again and to have homemade pasta.

Macaroni and cheese pizza with goldfish crackers

On Sunday Gary Crittenden from The Missionary Department (he is the Managing Director) came and spoke for the Sunday Night Devotional. He talked with us a lot about the topic of Sympathy verses Empathy. I knew there was a difference between the two but he really showed us why Empathy was important and that Sympathy does not always come out as sincere love for the other person. Brother Crittenden gave us three ways to be empathetic.

1. Be an observer
2. Ask 3 questions
3. Continue talking with investigators every day

We also had an amazing lesson with Victoria this week. When we started the lesson she told us that she had some news for us and then told Elder Knudsen and I that she had received a baptismal date for May fifth, which is super soon. So I asked her if she had decided this on her own or if the missionaries made this and she said that they came up with it together. Victoria then expressed to us how excited for it she was and how this felt right. We then talked about Service and The Temple. As we talked with her she told us that she was feeling The Spirit really strong. We ended by bearing our testimonies and that brought The Spirit. It just ended up being a really special experience for all three of us.

Chicken bacon ranch pizza with dinosaur nuggets

Yesterday Barbara asked us to call her, which was really amazing because lately she has been canceling lessons because of her health. So we called her and we were also surprised because she is in Norway where it was like Two in the morning for her. but we called her and we had a really good talk. She talked with us about her health and how both her kids and her have been sick and that has been hard. She talked with us about her childhood and how work has been hard and she just didn't feel like she was being treated kindly at work. So what we did is we listened to her and told her that she was doing fantastic despite what others think or said. It was a real touching experience because Barbara and I were able to relate on a lot of things. We have had some of the same trials in our life and so I was able to tell her that I understood what she was feeling and I knew that she could overcome these trials because I have overcome some of the same things that she has been going through. I testified that as we rely on Jesus Christ He truly can help her. Barbara felt a lot better after that and thanked us multiple times. I felt the spirit a lot in that lesson and so did Elder Knudsen and I know that Barbara did as well.

Our district eating the pizza

I love each and every one of you and I know that Jesus Christ loves you as well. I hope that all of you have a great upcoming week.

Love,

Elder Stevenson