Feb. 11, 2019

Elder Woods - Elder Trezise's Zone Leader

Elder Trezise and his new companion who he trained

Elder Trezise and Elder Smith - a missionary also from AZ who quickly became one of Elder Trezise's best friends

Hey mom, I'm emailing early today, because we got up early to go visit the Carvajals. It was awesome to see Sister Carvajal again. Bishop wasn't there, but it was cool to see Elder Nelson too! Man this week has been amazing! We were able to go to church this week, and we got to give talks in one of our wards. I gave a similar talk to the one I sent you, because it was about patience again. This time instead of giving a nervous 8 minute talk, I winged the majority of an 18 minute talk, and could have continued on, but saw I was out of time. I only prepared a 12 minute talk, but Elder Jevne is new and nervous and his talk was short. It was an awesome experience though.  Tuesday night we visited a referral with the Bishop and found 2 new people to teach. Wednesday night Elder Woods and I went and talked to someone he met and found another new person to teach. Thursday night we were tracting at 8:45 pm, and we got rejected 3 times in a row, and then we knocked the 4th door. Her name is Jesse, and she is struggling, and said we were and answer to her prayers and she knew we were men of God, and we bore powerful testimony and found another new person to teach. Then Elder Woods and I went on a full exchange Saturday cuz he wanted to go on an exchange with me, and our companionship talked to a combined 60 people that day, and we found 9 potential people to teach. We also talked to LITERALLY everyone we saw, and met an "old fashioned pagan", a "full on aethiest", an eternagator who refuses to be baptized, and a member who faked being a non member for advice. It was legendary. We also taught a kid with quite the dirty mouth that night. It has just been an amazing week. Seriously. Being a missionary is the best. I am so happy. I wish I could serve longer than 2 years. It's insane that after this transfer it will have been half a year. It's going too fast. It needs to slow down. I'm just so grateful to serve. I have learned so, so much. Especially from Elder Woods. He is one of the best missionaries I've ever met. He talks to everybody. He is just awesome. 

I'm glad you got them to go to baptisms though. The temple is the best. I STILL HAVEN'T SEEN THE NEW VIDEO! I NEED to go again. How can I help Max? I've been praying for him, hoping things would get better, but I don't know what to do. I feel like I could help if I was there. I'm glad you all got to go hear them speak though. The Prophet, and the other Apostles are incredible. They are examples to me on how I want to live and I just am so grateful for them. The Lord gives us prophets for a reason. I know that. And those prophets really do speak from Him, and the words that He personally would speak to us. 

Thank you for sending a package! I hope I get it today!!! And that's crazy about the new football league! Are they as good as players in the NFL? 

I just wanted to write a little more before I have to go. And I wanted to bear testimony. Specifically about the Book of Mormon. I haven't told a lot of people this, but I want you all to know. I shared that experience about the night I prayed to know if JD was okay, and how I didn't get an answer. I obviously was raised in the church, but after that moment I stopped believing. I stopped believing in God, in Christ, and in religion at all. I haven't told that to a lot of people. I made a lot of mistakes. I know you could see the depression I had. I am grateful for your and dads help. I had a girlfriend (eye roll), and lost a belief in God, and just fell deep into depression. But there was a moment in my life, late one night, at around 3 AM, with the Book of Mormon, where I read. It was the darkest point in my life. And that night I was seriously considering killing myself. I saw my Book of Mormon, I laughed to myself, but I felt I should open it one last time anyway. I opened to Helaman Chapter 5. The chapter that changed my life. I read it probably a dozen times, into the early morning. And as I read verse 12 for the first time, and second time, and tenth time, I felt the Spirit. Stronger than I ever had before. More undeniably than I ever had before. "And now my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God that ye must build your foundation. That when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, that it shall have no power over you to drag you down to that gulf of misery and endless woe. Because of the Rock upon which ye are built. Which is a Sure Foundation. A Foundation whereon if men build, they cannot fall." I felt the evils mighty winds that night. I felt all his hail and his mighty storm upon me. And I felt the gulf of misery and endless woe that night. I wasn't build upon Christ. But I learned something that night. I learned a lot actually. I learned that God is real. That He loves us with a perfect, unending love. I learned that Jesus Christ is my Savior. He is all of our Savior. And I learned that it is never, ever, ever too late to build on Christ. It is never, ever, ever too late to turn to Him. He saved me that night. The Book of Mormon saved me that night. His words. A witness of Him. And a Book, that proves the truthfulness of the church. I faked sick the next morning. I think you knew I was faking, but you let me stay home. I slept in late, and played XBox for a while after everyone left. Then I turned off the game and I read. I read the entire Book of Mormon in the upcoming 2 weeks following that experience. And I took the challenge in Moroni 10. I prayed about it. And I received that answer I had wanted for so long. It changed my life. For the first time in my life I considered serving a mission. I never wanted to or thought I would. I pretending for all of you. But I never thought I would. This event was almost 3 years ago. I've only had a testimony of the church for about 2 and a half years. But it is MY testimony. I got it. It isn't somebody else's. And I know anyone, aethiest, catholic, Jehovah witness, or whatever, can receive a testimony. It's as simple as reading the Book with real intention, and praying about it. God made it simple because He isn't providing a 'hard way' back to Him. He is providing the best way back to Him. Just read it with an open mind and a sincere heart. It will heal you. "He gave His life that we may be free of needless burdens. I know He has the power to heal you." Christ really does have the power to heal everyone. No matter what they are going through. God said it best to Joseph Smith when Joseph was wondering why "God had abandoned His servants." He said, "And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he? Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever." 

Christ has descended below everybody. Everybody. Are you better than Him? Are you? No. Therefore hold on thy way. Be patient. Be calm. He is helping, even though you don't have the eternal prospective to see it. There is nothing that He hasn't suffered. Trust Him. I love you all, and I could keep going, but I have to go. 

-Elder Trezise