Dec. 11, 2018

The view from the house where Elder Trezise is staying

All dressed up for the ward party

 Elder Trezise's email for the week:

Hello! Yes, I have had a good week this week. Christmas is keeping me busy, that's for sure. I eat with members most nights, and don't do much cooking. We have quite the collection of cereal though, haha! I have been praying about Grandpa's operation for a while now, and hope that everything is going okay now. I can't read the version of Evan's talk that you sent, cuz my phone's safeguards won't let me open stuff on an un-approved app. I feel so bad for Max. When I read about him I cry. I have been keeping him in my prayers every day, and praying for this trial to be bearable to him. I feel so useless, not being able to be there for him. I don't know how to help.

I know that we all have to go through what we go through for a reason. I know that everything that happens to us, is for our benefit. Someone during fast and testimony meeting yesterday read something that really got to me. I don't have the exact quote, so I'm going to paraphrase. But it went something like this, "I saw a family the other night, in a long line. There was a young child, maybe 3 years old, and his older brother, who was probably 8 or so. The older brother had a pack of glow-sticks, and was waving them around in the younger brothers face, who wanted one. The mom took the pack, opened it, and handed one to the young child. All was well for a little while. The young child was running around, happy and content. Then the older brother snatched the stick out of his brothers hand. The child began to cry again. The mother turned around, ready to yell.  The older child broke the stick, causing a light to erupt from it, and then handed it back to his crying brother, who looked at it in awe. The mother smiled. The brother said, "I had to break it so you could see the full effect." ... Brother's and sisters, I know God is the same way. Sometimes, like that child, we are happy and content in life. Trials seemingly come out of no where, and ruin our lives. But they don't really ruin our lives. I can see God, the Father looking at us, and saying, "I had to break you, so your light could shine. I had to break you, so your full potential could be reached. I had to break you, so you could learn that my Son can heal you." God gives us trials for a reason. Why are we forced to bury our parents? To bury our best friend? To bury a brother or sister? To bury a wife, and a son? Why are we forced to break? Because we HAVE to break to be healed. We HAVE to break, so our light can shine. We HAVE to break, so we can become who we are meant to be. My family is broken. At times I have felt that thought of, "My trials have ruined my life. My trials have broken me." And they have. My trials have broken me. But the Savior has felt my pain. The Savior has been broken much more than I ever have. And yet, He lives! He is perfect. And because of Him, I can be fixed. I can be healed. I testify that trials are for a divine and eternal purpose! Trials are to help us return to live with our Father again. And there is no trial that the Savior hasn't felt."

I know that our Savior died for us, so that we could be free of our burdens. So that we don't have to bear the load alone. He is there for us. He loves us, and is there to help us. And our Father. Our perfect, all-knowing, loving Heavenly Father knows which trials to give us. Knows that if we are faithful, there is no trial we cannot endure. He gives us what He knows we can handle. I know Max can handle this trial if he turns to the Savior. The Savior had to go through exactly what Max is going through now. Exactly what Grandpa is going through now. He had to feel all the stress, sadness, and misery that we all have to go through on a daily basis. And He did that because He loves us. He suffered for EACH, and EVERY one of us. I know if it was only you, or only I on the Earth, He still would have Atoned. The Atonement wasn't some big mass of sin and misery poured onto the Savior. It was individual, singular pain. He had to know EXACTLY what we are going through. He has felt EXACTLY what we are feeling. He loves us with a perfect love. A love more than a mother has for her child. A love that allows us to be forgiven, and to rise again. A love that took away the sting of death, took away the victory from the grave. A love that ultimately, saved each and every one of us. I know that my Savior, and my Redeemer died for me. I know He knows what I'm going through, and I know I can always, always rely on Him to help me. Please, please turn to Him. He will heal you, the way He has healed me. I love all of you guys, but as much as I love you, I know that Jesus Christ, and our Heavenly Father love you even more.

-Elder Trezise