May 4, 2020

I spoke with Elder Trezise on Thursday (May 7) after his letter was written and he got a new companion - Elder Moore.  He seemed excited about the change although he loved Elder Slade.  Their mission got 10 new missionaries on Thursday which meant they could open up some areas they had previously closed due to missionaries being sent home for health reasons etc. Elder Trezise is serving in Sugar City (near Rexburg) and his area is being split.  Elder Slade is training a new missionary.  They should get new missionaries every week for the next few weeks.  Yay!  Here is his letter from Monday, the 4th:

Hello family! 

This past week was a fun one! We did a lot of service and had a few different meetings, so it went really fast. This week is actually transfer week, and Elder Slade and I just found out we are sort of staying together and we are sort of getting split up. We're both getting new companions. Mine is Elder Moore, and his is one of the foreign missionaries that came home. But we are staying in the same area, meaning the area is getting split. It stinks cuz I feel like I'm just getting to know the people. Kind of sad. But we might still get to live together, and that would be pretty cool. 

I don't have too much time to write today, so I apologize if this isn't super long. 

 

I wanted to talk a little bit about having integrity this week. Not sure why. I listened to a talk by Elder Callister called, "Men and Women of Integrity" and that really got me thinking about what it is to have integrity. During this talk Elder Callister tells the story of a man who buys a soda from a gas station for a dime. The soda comes out, and the dime comes out. The man shrugs and drives off. But after traveling a short distance he hears a voice in his head that says, "are you really going to be a thief for a dime?" He answers the voice by saying out loud, "Of course not. That's much too small of a price." He returned to the gas station and gave back the dime. 

 

Of course this is just a fun little story. But the principle behind it is what I'd like to discuss. Does our integrity have a price? Is there anyone that can say that can't be bought? Does your word have a price tag? Whether that price is $1,000, or the praise of your peers, or some form of worldly gain, it doesn't matter. Integrity is keeping our word no matter what. It is rising above the praise of the world to the things of Heaven. It is viewing things with an eternal perspective. When temptation comes, it's asking what sort of eternal effect it will have on you. A person with integrity doesn't lie, doesn't cheat, doesn't steal. A person with integrity stands up for what is right, even when it is hard. In a play called "A Man for All Seasons" the main character, Thomas Moore, is a very wealthy and well respected friend of King Henry the 8th. Well, King Henry the 8th wants to divorce his wife, but can't because it is against the Catholic church. So, as a solution he has all of his servants swear to an oath that would allow him to divorce her. Sir Thomas Moore will not swear or sign. He was unwilling to submit. His friends applied their personal charm and pressure, but he would not yield. He was stripped of his wealth, his position, and even his family. But he would not sign. Finally, he was falsely tried for his life, but he still would not succumb. They had taken from him his money, political power, his friends, his family, and they would yet take his life. But they could not take his integrity. He is falsely tried for treason, and Sir Richard Rich commits the final acts to convict him. Sir Thomas approaches sir Rich and says, "That is a chain of office you are wearing. What is it?" The judge replies that Sir Rich is Attorney General for Wales. Sir Moore looks into Sir Rich's eyes and says, "For Wales? It profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world. But for Wales?"

 

In our life to come there is no doubt that many will look back and cry and whine, "Why did I trade my soul for Wales? Or for temporary physical pleasure, or for fame, or a name, or for the approval of my friends?" 

 

Don't trade your integrity. Don't break your word. You'll look back in the end regretting the choice, wishing you could go back. 

I love each of you and plead with you to emulate the Savior's attribute of integrity. Be keepers of your word. Be men and women of eternity, and not of the world. I know that you each have the potential to be those amazing men and women. I love you and pray for you each every day. Have a great week! 

-Elded Trezise