March 23, 2020

Elder Trezise and Elder Legas

HELLO FAMILY!!! For those of you who don't know, as of Thursday we have been quarantined in our apartments. The whole mission is kind of on lockdown. We can leave to exercise, or to go on a 40 minute walk, but otherwise we are stuck inside. It's kinda the worst. However, I know not to dwell on the negative, so I have been focusing on the good. And some cool things that have been good about this are; I am learning more self-control. I am surrounded by food 24/7. So I'm really learning how to eat healthy, and minimally. Also, I have really learned how to use my time. With so much time to sit inside I often ask myself, "Am I being effective? Am I being productive?" This has helped me to really focus on improving all the time. So that's pretty awesome. I hope by the end of this I'll be able to use technology in a way that is beneficial to the church. Well, I've been using it in beneficial ways already, but I mean beneficial and effective. I can be productive even while inside, but I know I'm not nearly as EFFECTIVE as I was when I could proselyte freely. I'm figuring it out though. 

I also feel very blessed to be in the position I'm in. I get to spend more time with my mission President than any other missionary, and this week it has been a huge benefit. Dinner appointments are all cancelled, however, to quote President Hurley, "You can't eat in a members home, but you can eat in your mission president's home." So we've had multiple dinners over there, and man is Sister Hurley a good cook. So that's been fun.

Throughout this whole experience though, I have learned a lot about faith. What it truly means to believe. I can say, "I believe in Christ" and sit around all day. Or I can say, "I believe in Christ", and go to church, and study my scriptures, and reach out to those around me. Well now is the time when that's put to the test. Church is cancelled, I can't have contact with basically anyone, and the temptation to say I believe and sit around has never been bigger. So how do I exercise my faith? What do I do with my time. My studies have been more in depth than ever. My capability to reach out to others via technology has already grown so much. I firmly believe if the Savior were my companion right now He'd be proud of how much effort I'm putting into this. And I have felt my faith increase because of it. I marvel everyday about the inspiration our Prophets and Apostles receive. I am amazed by the Savior's ability to bring peace in the midst of chaos. And I love seeing how scriptures can apply to EVERY SITUATION we are ever in. It is SO COOL. I feel happy. Life is difficult. I acknowledge that. But I feel happy. Our Prophet, President Russell M. Nelson has said, "The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives, and everything to do with the focus of our lives." I testify that that is true. Where is your focus? What is your perspective? 

I love each of you, and I promise that everything is going to be okay. No matter what is going on around you, you don't need to be stressed, worried, or anxious. All the worry in the world isn't going to fix a thing. Love your life, as difficult as it is. And love your God, and your Savior. Because they are the source of all happiness, of all joy, and of all peace. I promise you can find joy, even now. Especially now. Our trials are MEANT to refine us. C.S Lewis put it beautifully. He talked about his trials by saying something along the lines of, "When things go bad I seem to look around and see all my toys, broken apart. At first I am a little frustrated, worrying about my toys. Then I come to realize that life isn't about the toys, and I start to view things through God's eyes. Well, once the trial passes, slowly but surely my view turns back to my toys. And, like a puppy, taken by it's Master and put in the dreaded bath, I come out washed completely clean, despite how much I hated the experience, only to find myself running towards the nearest mud pile; so excited to dirty myself again."

Right now we are being cleaned. God is testing us to see if we really are looking at things the way He does. Don't hate the bath. Don't run towards the mud. Just enjoy being as close as you are to the Master. 

I love each of you and am so happy to be a part of this church. To be a part of this Gospel. It brings me so much joy! I testify that this is the true Church of Jesus Christ. I testify that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and that "abiding by its precepts brings us nearer to God than any other Book on Earth." In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

-Elder Trezise