March 25, 2019
No pictures this week. Here is Elder Trezise's letter:
Things are going really, really great. I've been in Shelley for 7 weeks and we have found 16 people to teach and have had 2 baptisms. We had 9 people at sacrament this week, and by next week, we'll have had over 30 people at sacrament this month. Which is more than my entire district in my last area. It's crazy. Shelley is awesome.
"Good
morning Brothers and Sisters, my name is Elder Trezise. I guess I'll
start by introducing myself. I'm from Chandler Arizona, I come from a
family of 3 brothers, and a dog who I love with all my heart. I've been
out a little over 6 months, and I've been in Shelley for a little over 1
month. This is only my second area, but I love it.
I've been asked to speak about preparing your heart to receive the word of God. I was extremely excited when I heard this would be what I was speaking on, because I believe that this talk is perfect for me because it personally took me a while to recieve the word of God.
But first I'd like to start by quoting some scriptures about this topic.
In Alma chapter 5, Alma the Younger is preaching to the people of Zarahemla, and he asks them a few questions. I believe he actually asks 35 total questions to the people of Zarahemla in this chapter. I invite you to go look for them. But, while he's preaching he asks the members of the church,
"And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?"
He's asking the members these questions. The people who have been baptized already. Why do you think he's directing this question at them? They obviously believed in the church if they were baptized right? Well yes. They did when they were baptized. But spirituality is just like any muscle. It needs to be continuously worked. Once we stop, it weakens, and weakens, and weakens. Until eventually, it's as if it was never strong in the first place. Baptism isn't the end. We need to keep working the muscle. Later on in the chapter Alma asks,
"And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?"
He basically is asking, 'do you still feel the Spirit. Are you still converted. Sure, you were once, but have you been staying in spiritual condition? Have you been working to get stronger?'
As missionaries we recite the Gospel of Jesus Christ every single day. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and ENDURING TO THE END.
I am pretty sure all of you, or at least the majority of you have felt the Spirit touch your life. You have recieved some sort of conversion. But can you feel so now? If not, what aren't you doing right? Why aren't you prepared to recieve the word of God?
I want you to know it's never too late to open your heart. It's never too late to soften and listen to the word of God. Never too late to hear the voice of the Spirit.
We are ALL entitled to personal revelation. In a talk by President Nelson, named "Revelation for the Church, Revelation for our Lives," the Prophet says,
"What wisdom do you lack? What do you feel an urgent need to know or understand? Follow the example of the Prophet Joseph. Find a quiet place where you can regularly go. Humble yourself before God. Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and comfort. Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses, - yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen!" Close quote.
Revelation is a step by step process. But it all starts with a desire. We need to desire to learn more about the word of God. We need to desire to understand it better. And then, we need to act on it. Pray. Pour out your soul, and most importantly, listen. Be patient. Answers don't come immediately. They don't. Be patient, and trust in God.
The Lord has promised, "If thou shalt seek, thou shalt recieve, revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things - that which bringeth joy. That which bringeth eternal life."
If you want more happiness in your life, and I'm sure each of us do, then read the scriptures. Read the word of God. Read it with that desire to learn. God has promised that is will bring us joy and eternal life. Seek to understand God's will. And after you think you've understood it as best as you can, keep seeking to know more. Because I promise you, you don't know everything. Keep on reading. I don't care if you've read the Book of Mormon enough times to have the entire thing memorized. As we search diligently, God will reveal line upon line. New insights will come EACH time you read it.
If you want to prepare to receive the word of God, the best way would be to just start recieving it now. I know it seems simple. But the best way to prepare is to invite the Spirit in. Do the things God wants you to do, and the Spirit will attend you. And as you have the Spirit with you, you will recieve guidance. It won't come immediately. It won't.
But never ever give up because you feel you've fallen too far away. Because you feel there's no way back. There's ALWAYS a way back......
Things are going really, really great. I've been in Shelley for 7 weeks and we have found 16 people to teach and have had 2 baptisms. We had 9 people at sacrament this week, and by next week, we'll have had over 30 people at sacrament this month. Which is more than my entire district in my last area. It's crazy. Shelley is awesome.
That chapter with
Adolin and Kaladin was Whitespine Uncaged, which is the best chapter in
that book. It's a good one. It sounds like you guys have had a fun week,
and that's awesome. It was good to talk to you this morning! And better
to see my dog.
Anyway, yesterday was really great, and we
had the chance to give talks again. I love giving talks. I prepared a
long talk, and then got up there, and used maybe half of it. I'll send
you the stuff that I used, but I don't really have the talk I gave.
I've been asked to speak about preparing your heart to receive the word of God. I was extremely excited when I heard this would be what I was speaking on, because I believe that this talk is perfect for me because it personally took me a while to recieve the word of God.
But first I'd like to start by quoting some scriptures about this topic.
In Alma chapter 5, Alma the Younger is preaching to the people of Zarahemla, and he asks them a few questions. I believe he actually asks 35 total questions to the people of Zarahemla in this chapter. I invite you to go look for them. But, while he's preaching he asks the members of the church,
"And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?"
He's asking the members these questions. The people who have been baptized already. Why do you think he's directing this question at them? They obviously believed in the church if they were baptized right? Well yes. They did when they were baptized. But spirituality is just like any muscle. It needs to be continuously worked. Once we stop, it weakens, and weakens, and weakens. Until eventually, it's as if it was never strong in the first place. Baptism isn't the end. We need to keep working the muscle. Later on in the chapter Alma asks,
"And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?"
He basically is asking, 'do you still feel the Spirit. Are you still converted. Sure, you were once, but have you been staying in spiritual condition? Have you been working to get stronger?'
As missionaries we recite the Gospel of Jesus Christ every single day. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and ENDURING TO THE END.
I am pretty sure all of you, or at least the majority of you have felt the Spirit touch your life. You have recieved some sort of conversion. But can you feel so now? If not, what aren't you doing right? Why aren't you prepared to recieve the word of God?
I want you to know it's never too late to open your heart. It's never too late to soften and listen to the word of God. Never too late to hear the voice of the Spirit.
We are ALL entitled to personal revelation. In a talk by President Nelson, named "Revelation for the Church, Revelation for our Lives," the Prophet says,
"What wisdom do you lack? What do you feel an urgent need to know or understand? Follow the example of the Prophet Joseph. Find a quiet place where you can regularly go. Humble yourself before God. Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and comfort. Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses, - yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen!" Close quote.
Revelation is a step by step process. But it all starts with a desire. We need to desire to learn more about the word of God. We need to desire to understand it better. And then, we need to act on it. Pray. Pour out your soul, and most importantly, listen. Be patient. Answers don't come immediately. They don't. Be patient, and trust in God.
The Lord has promised, "If thou shalt seek, thou shalt recieve, revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things - that which bringeth joy. That which bringeth eternal life."
If you want more happiness in your life, and I'm sure each of us do, then read the scriptures. Read the word of God. Read it with that desire to learn. God has promised that is will bring us joy and eternal life. Seek to understand God's will. And after you think you've understood it as best as you can, keep seeking to know more. Because I promise you, you don't know everything. Keep on reading. I don't care if you've read the Book of Mormon enough times to have the entire thing memorized. As we search diligently, God will reveal line upon line. New insights will come EACH time you read it.
If you want to prepare to receive the word of God, the best way would be to just start recieving it now. I know it seems simple. But the best way to prepare is to invite the Spirit in. Do the things God wants you to do, and the Spirit will attend you. And as you have the Spirit with you, you will recieve guidance. It won't come immediately. It won't.
But never ever give up because you feel you've fallen too far away. Because you feel there's no way back. There's ALWAYS a way back......
(Bunch of stuffs added in)
Everyone
has doubts. The prophet Joseph Smith had them. In liberty jail, the
saints were going through trials and troubles. They were being
persecuted unlawfully and killed. And here Joseph was, locked in a
prison cell, feeling completely hopeless and helpless. So he prayed to
know what to do. He cried out,
"O God! Where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?
How long shall thy hand be stayed, and thine eye, yea thy pure eye, behold from the eternal heavens the wrongs of thy people and of thy servants, and thine ear be penetrated with their cries?
Yea, O Lord, how long shall they suffer these wrongs and unlawful oppressions, before thine heart shall be softened toward them, and thy bowels be moved with compassion toward them?"
God answered back,
"My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes."
Even when we feel like God has abandoned us, when we feel alone, He's right there beside us. He knows what's best for us and how to best help us. Trust in Him and continue pressing forward, doing what He has asked you to do. Pray, study the scriptures daily, and attend church. Endure the trials and troubles with faith, and your testimony will grow. Thine afflictions will be but a small moment."
"O God! Where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?
How long shall thy hand be stayed, and thine eye, yea thy pure eye, behold from the eternal heavens the wrongs of thy people and of thy servants, and thine ear be penetrated with their cries?
Yea, O Lord, how long shall they suffer these wrongs and unlawful oppressions, before thine heart shall be softened toward them, and thy bowels be moved with compassion toward them?"
God answered back,
"My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes."
Even when we feel like God has abandoned us, when we feel alone, He's right there beside us. He knows what's best for us and how to best help us. Trust in Him and continue pressing forward, doing what He has asked you to do. Pray, study the scriptures daily, and attend church. Endure the trials and troubles with faith, and your testimony will grow. Thine afflictions will be but a small moment."
Anyway,
I am so grateful for your guys' example to me, and your guys love. I
love being a missionary. It's hard. It's taxing, but I love it. Love you
all! Have a great week!
-Elder Trezise
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