Nov. 26, 2018

Bowling for P-day

Still not wearing a jacket

Elder Trezise met this missionary and was so inspired by him - he went on his mission with almost no family support

One of the AP's right before he went home.  Elder Trezise loved his talk in zone conference

Here is Elder Trezise's email for the week:

I had a really good week this week, and saw many miracles. On Monday we went bowling and I won, and it was super awesome. (That's not a miracle, it's just cool). But Wednesday we had Zone Conference, and it was really great. The AP's (Assistants to the President) gave a training on leaving our nets behind and focusing on our mission. It was the best training/lesson I have ever heard. Elder Davis, one of the AP's (he's the white guy in one of the pictures with me) is one of the most consecrated missionaries ever. He is super funny, and lighthearted, but EXACTLY obedient, and an incredible missionary. This is his last transfer, and he spoke with so much authority. I have never met anyone who loves their mission more than him. He wants to stay so badly. He cried during his farewell testimony, saying that he would serve another 2 years easily, if it meant he could stay. He told us if any of us take a single second of our mission for granted, that we will regret it. His training was so powerful, and really inspired me to stay focused on my mission. Then President Nelson gave a training on finding new people to teach. As he talked, I thought to myself, "I am teaching a lot of people, and having a lot of success, but there is no way we are finding a new person to teach anytime soon." He told us to find one that night, and to text him at 9 pm if we ended up finding someone. We went home and prayed to find someone, and went out and got to work. One door we were knocking let us in, and there were 2 guys. One of them is a less active member, and the other is not a member. The non member said he was currently homeless, and crashing with his friend. He grew up in a bunch of different religions, and we were able to sit down and teach the Restoration to him. He felt the Spirit and asked us how he can become a member. WE WERE ECSTATIC! We didn't actually expect to find someone! We prayed and gave thanks to God for the opportunity we had to teach him. I am so grateful for prayer, and know that if we pray, and continue to pray, and are doing what we need to be doing, our prayers will be answered. Thursday we had the Turkey Bowl, and I scored 3 touchdowns, and it was a lot of fun. We spent 5 hours doing service, and the rest of the day with families we are teaching. I love teaching the Gospel and seeing it bless others lives.

Elder Nelson says last year he just borrowed a laptop from a chill family to Skype. I am living with members right now that are super awesome, so if I don't get transferred I'll just use their computer. Otherwise I don't know how. Elder Nelson and I get along like 90% of the time, but we are very different people, and sometimes it's hard. I miss my MTC companion, and I got to see him at zone conference, and we had so much fun. I spent Thanksgiving with a nonmember family I am teaching, and it went really well. It was a good opportunity to talk about the church, and the Gospel. They know the church is true. Their child almost certainly had cancer, and he got a blessing, and when they went back to the doctor's again, it turned out to be nothing. They consider themselves members already, and don't see the importance of baptism. We talked a lot about saving ordinances, and it was really cool. I think I've seen that video, but I'm not sure. I have really come to appreciate talks, and the words of the prophets. They can help us through the most difficult times in our lives. Doctrine and Covenants, section 58, verses 2-4 say, "For verily I say unto you, blessed is he that keepeth my commandments, whether in life or in death, and he that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven. Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall comes hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation. For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand." I know as we trust in our Savior, and God through our trials, that blessing will come to us. We cannot understand the blessing we will get for pressing forward with faith. And I know if we endure to the end, then we will be 'crowned with glory.' I know that He is always there for us, even when we feel completely alone. 

We did get the scothcmellows, and they were awesome! Thank you so much. In one of the boxes, if you could send a Guilds of Ravnica fat pack, I want to teach one of the Elders in my district how to play, cuz he used to play and loved it, but forgot how to. Other than that, I don't need anything. I am so, so grateful for the love and support that you guys give me, and I love you all so much. I am so grateful to have been given such an amazing family. I feel so unworthy of you all, and know that I have been so blessed to have grown up in a loving home, with the Gospel in my life. I really struggled with the decision to go on a mission. The way I saw it, I was putting my life on hold for 2 years. I was sacrificing seeing my friends and family, and going to school for 2 years. But since I've been here, I have seen that this is the most important thing I could ever be doing. I know at the end that I won't want to leave. That, similarly to my struggle of coming out here, I will struggle going home. I know as we make sacrifices to serve the Lord, that we will be happier, and more blessed than we have ever been before. Faith is an action word. Faith without works is dead. We have to show God we are willing. We have to show God we love him and are willing to make sacrifices if it is what He wants. As we do, we will find joy, and peace in our lives. I know that this church, and this Gospel is true. I know with an absolute surety that Joseph Smith saw God the Father, and Jesus Christ, and restored the Gospel to the Earth in these latter-days. I know that we have a prophet, President Russell M. Nelson today, who has been called of God to declare His word among His people. And I know that my Savior lives. That He died for me, as well for all the rest of us. That through Him, and because of Him, we will be resurrected, and have the opportunity to dwell in Celestial Glory with God again. I love this Gospel, and I love each of you.

-Elder Trezise