Hey All,
I don't have much time. Elder Knudsen and I are now on the early shift which means that we go back to the residence at 8:00 pm and go to bed at 9:30 instead of going back at 9:00 pm and go to bed at 10:30.
Lately I have been thinking about anonymous service. I have been noticing how we do little acts of service each day and it really isn't recognized as such or happens without people knowing. When we serve we become more happy. I watched "Forget Yourself" by President Gordon B. Hinckley. A lot of good things were said in it. He told a lot of stories about why it is important to serve others and unique ways that you can do such.
I feel that we become a little more Christlike when we serve others. I have come to understand why it is important to serve. One big reason is because people need love. Love is one of the most important things in the world. Like Elder Massimo De Feo said in this last conference "Love indeed is the true sign of every true disciple of Jesus Christ."
I know that as we serve others we can all become closer to one another and have more respect for one another because we learn to love. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
I invite you all to read President Hinckley's talk here.
A lot of good things happened this week:
- During Zone Meeting on Tuesday there was a very interesting announcement. President Martino figured out that the Provo temple is closed for the whole month of July so we will not be able to serve at the temple during that time. So there has been a plan made for us to go to the Salt Lake Temple in July and go around temple square.
- We went on a hike today at Stewart Falls. It was super good. Elder Jensen, Elder Curtis, Elder Nelson, Sister Van Dam, and Sister Larson all came. I was on an exchange with Elder Jensen because Elder Knudsen is unable to hike due to his health condition. It was super fun and super beautiful.
- We had a really good meeting with Tiffany yesterday. Without us talking about it she asked what she needed to do for baptism which was amazing because I feel like we haven't talked about that recently. She had this moment of change this week because when she talked with Elder Nelson and Elder Knudsen on Monday she was asking questions that we usually get from argumentative chats, such as where is the evidence for The Book of Mormon, why has The Book of Mormon we have today different from the 1830 version, etc. The next day Elder Knudsen and I woke up to a message about how she prayed to God to find an answer to these questions and she was prompted to go and read The Book of Mormon. She opened to a random page which just so happened to be Jacob 5. It was there that she got her answer.
- This is part of what she said to us, "I prayed to my heavenly father to prove to me that Jesus was the Messiah. The Holy Ghost spoke to me and told me to grab my Book of Mormon. When I opened to a random part, I was on Book of Jacob Chapter 5. The vineyard master and his servant. What the flustered and heartbroken father doesn't understand is why his fruits will not flourish from his gifts of love and life and care. Jesus (the Servant) always tells him to wait a bit longer. We can save them. And the pattern repeated itself and I just remember thinking to myself that this, this is love. Rereading this chapter and even typing out this message for you, I feel the love of the Holy Ghost shining though."
- We talked with Josefine this week which was really good. For those who don't remember Josefine is my recent convert from Denmark who was baptized a year ago when I was with Elder Savoie. Josefine has been struggling with her testimony recently so I said do you want to talk about it? We then set up a time and found out her concerns and did whatever we could to help. We are talking with her tomorrow to follow up on how church goes because she has not been going to church, but she said that she wanted to she just got in a habit of not going. But I am glad that I am talking with her again and am able to help.
Thank you so so much for always emailing. I hope that all of you have a great upcoming week.
Love,
Elder Stevenson
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