Dec. 3, 2018

Here is Elder Trezise's email for the week:

Okay... First off, don't be one of those weird people who puts sweaters on dogs. No. I'm sorry this Christmas season has been really busy. I hope it gets better soon. I have never seen one of those Light the World vending machines, but they sound awesome. I still haven't had the chance to watch the devotional, because we could only watch it if an investigator was watching it. But hopefully I'll find time to see it.

We have stake conference this week. I don't know if I've mentioned him in an email yet, but our stake president, President Baczuk is seriously amazing. He's like less than 40 years old, and has been a stake president, and bishop, and he is amazing. His talk was about trials and the atonement. He talked about a young family with a son and daughter. He said the son was an amazing man, and everyone loved him, including President Baczuk. This kid was so kind and loving and smart, and everyone loved him. He was in a car with his friends one night when they hit a pole. They all died. This family had to go through so much heartache. So much pain. They have a daughter, who has so much potential. She got in with the wrong crowd and became addicted to drugs and alcohol and left behind what she knows to be true. So much heartache. So much pain. The parents grew older, the wife suffered dementia, and forgot who her husband even is. He had to put her in a home. So much heartache. So much pain. Why does God put us through these trials? Why do we suffer the way we do? Why do amazing kids like these suffer? Why does this faithful husband have to go through this? It is ALL part of the plan. The Plan was for us to come here, gain a body, and make choices, ultimately to live with, or not live with God again. We must go sorrow to know joy. We must make choices, and choose God. Sometimes others choices affect us. Sometimes it's not our fault, but others faults. But it is ALL part of the plan. Think of the heartache, and the pain that God had to suffer. He sent His perfect son to Earth, and watched Him suffer everything we have ever gone through. He watched His Only Begotten bleed from every pore, crying out, "Father! Take this cup from me!" We all have some sort portion of understanding of what Christ had to suffer. But do we realize what God had to suffer? Do you think God wants us to go through our trials? Do you think He wanted to watch His Son suffer, and ultimately die on the cross? No. He gives us trials so we can become like Him. Because like every father, He wants the best for us. We HAVE to suffer. I know that our suffering is a part of God's plan. Life has never been horrible for me. But I have had to go through trials of my own. I struggled hard with JD's death, and I struggled hard with high school in general. I felt so depressed. So alone. I felt so much heartache. So much pain. There were times I didn't want to live. In fact, not only did I not want to live, but I WANTED to die. I thought it would be better than life. And now I see that so, so many people had it much much worse than I do. There's an Elder in my mission who I've grown to love. I think I sent a picture where I'm with him last week. His name is Elder Vaivela, and he's from Hawaii, and he is the happiest and nicest person I have ever met. His dad beat him growing up. He was secretly baptized by his aunt at 10 years old, and didn't know until he was 14. When he and his family found out, they hated him for it. His mom hasn't talked to him since that day, his dad got worse. He drank and did drugs, and did all sorts of things in high school to escape his pain. He had a friend who tried so hard to bring him to church and activities. He rejected this friend, but overtime, almost on accident, ended up reading the Book of Mormon. He hadn't gotten a single email from his family up until 2 weeks ago, his whole mission. And he has been out 23 months. He goes home in January. He is so kind, and so amazing, and told me he sees his mission as 2 years to prepare to teach his family. I wonder how he did it. How he was able to go through so much, more than I ever will, and still be who he is now. And he told me, and I know, it's because of the Atonement. He knows, and I know that none of us are alone. Christ suffered all and more that we have gone through. I know as we rely on our Savior, we can, and we will be healed, fixed, and strengthened. No matter how broken we think we are. No matter how far we think our soul has strayed. He is there for us. He is willing to fix that, that we cannot fix. I know my Savior lives. I know He died for me, and He rose for me. And I will always stand witness of Him. I will always bear testimony of what I know to be true. I love this Gospel. I love my Lord, and I love my God. I love my trials, and my enemies. Thank you so much for your influence in my life. All of you. I have learned from each and every member of our family. And I wouldn't be who I am, or where I am now without my trials, and without my struggles. They all happen for a reason. I love you guys. Have a good week!

-Elder Trezise

The Elder he is talking about is the Hawaiian man in last weeks pictures.