There and Back Again

Hello My Dear Best Family,

There has been a lot that has gone on this week. Something that I have been thinking about this week is the importance of love and patience. When we really love someone or something, we are willing to do whatever it takes to do what the person wants or needs. I am on this mission because I love Jesus Christ, our Heavenly Father, and His children. I would love to do whatever it takes to help and serve them. I really like Mosiah 2:16-17.

16 Behold, I say unto you that because I said unto you that I had spent my days in your service, I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God.

17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

I like in verse 16 how king Benjamin points out that if we serve one another we will not want to boast. I also think that it is important to remember that when we serve our fellow men we are also serving God. This goes perfectly along with this year's theme of #LightTheWorld. I like how each week has a focus with Light The World, Light your Community, Light Your Family, and Light Your Faith. I invite you all to participate in this year's Light The World activities.

Teewah at her baptism

I Know that as we serve one another that we will be able to feel joy especially in the midst of our afflictions. God is aware of us and our situations and He will do all he can to help us. I know that Jesus Christ lives and that He truly did perform His atonement for us. I know that as we use His atonement, we will be able to return and live with our Father in Heaven again. I know that as we lose ourselves in this work we will be able to find ourselves. I have seen it happen as I have been on my mission. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

So something super cool happened this week. Teewah and Brodie got baptized! I am so happy for them. They have both really come a long way. I am so grateful I was able to help them as they were taught and learned more about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Teewah is from Nigeria and Brodie is from Australia.

Brodie and the missionaries at his baptism

District meeting was really fun on Tuesday. Since it was our last week doing district meeting, President Thomas, Sister Thomas, Elder Arndt, Elder Woodruff, and I all went to Tucanos and we had lunch together. We also talked to Kaitlyn which was super awesome because I haven't talked to her over the phone since I was with Elder Savoie. We had a super good talk about Missionary work and Ministering. She said that she really wants to serve a mission and that she is getting her patriarchal blessing this Sunday. We also saw Weatherford T. Clayton of the Seventy for our last Tuesday Devotional. He talked about Joseph Smith and the restoration which was super awesome.

On Wednesday we had lunch at Brother Glaizer's house. Brother Glaizer is a young single adult in the 18th Stake where we go to church on Sunday. He has worked with us to help the ward mission leaders. He brought us pizza from Costco which was really good. We talked about online missionary work and how we could continue to have it going in Provo since the wards have been doing something called Reconnect. Reconnect is where people reach out to old friends and people they talked to on their missions and try to help them meet with the missionaries or to stay active.

The referral center baptism board for 2018

Our Companionship had our exit interviews on Thursday with President Martino. He first pulled us all in at once and then met with us individually. When we were together he talked to us about Pig Farms. What he said was that when you buy a pig you keep it until it has about 8 piglets then you sell four and then feed the 5 that you still have and then when those four that you didn't sell have piglets you sell half of those. The principle that he was teaching was about making and budgeting our money. I thought it was very interesting to think about. I am definitely going to use that when I have a job.

We talked to Audrey on Friday which was super awesome. She is always excited when it comes to the gospel. We also talked to Bradley who is one of Elder Woodruff's recent converts. She is doing super awesome. She is staying in Washington for now before she goes to BYUI. Bradley moves around a lot because she is a journalist. So almost every time we talk to her she is in a different place. She is doing good though.

Today was my last time serving in the Temple. When I thought about that it really hit me how close I am to finishing. This whole time it hasn't seemed that close until today.

I hope that you all have a good rest of your day. I will see you all on Monday.

Love,

Elder Stevenson