Service and Staying

This was a crazy fast week.  I have a concept- time is a man made thing.  So when you are working harder in the Lord’s work, somehow I don’t know how, but somehow he makes the time skip a few hours.  The beginning of this week went sooo fast.

We were able to do a lot of service this week. I love doing service.  We helped lay some hard wood floors.  It was super fun and a good experience.  It was actually pretty easy. We did some more gardening at the member’s house.  And helped another member with some yard clean up.  I got to run a gas powered lawn mower for the first time in a while.  Also sawed up a lot of tree limbs.  It was super fun. One of the people we helped had a dog and I got to play with the dog for awhile as well. I miss playing with dogs. Also I miss the good old fashion physical labor, I can honestly say I can’t wait to dig out a pivot again. Call me crazy, but I can’t wait for it!  I love doing service, it gives me a chance to do what I do best- physical labor. 

   

While teaching one of our investigators this week I used the example of scissors for faith and works.  We were discussing which was more important- faith or works.  So I asked which one is more important on the scissors, the top blade or the bottom blade.   They are both important, just like faith and works. 

Sunday a lot of people were gone from church.  We had planned to do the musical number- “Brightly Beams our Father’s Mercy.”  It went really good.  One of the sister missionaries taught the Sunday School Class.  One of the other elders had a talk that day.  My companion ended up playing the piano. And there had been a miscommunication and the final speaker didn’t know he was supposed to talk, so I volunteered to finish out the meeting. I spoke for fifteen minutes.  I used examples of Job, how he was being sent through trials beyond compare. And I shared experiences where I had felt that I had been through a lot.  How faith was able to help me through those trials and the power of faith in our lives.  Finally I talked about how prayer is how we are able to overcome those trials and push through them. We have to have faith in Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father and their timing.  Then I talked about the need of us to fulfill our things to the best of our ability and it would show that we have true faith and have been truly converted to the Lord. I closed with the work will not reach its full potential until members and missionaries are equally yoked. It was a good experience for me to be called up on the spot and be able to share things that connected and helped people. Before my mission I wouldn’t have been able to take two minutes of the time. But it was good to be there talking for 15 minutes, totally guided by the Spirit, nothing that I had planned at all. 

My Breakfast

                                                                   

My lunch
Just Kidding- some snacks from the local American sweets shop.

In my studies this week, I came across this quote:  “Excuses are easy to find, they spring up as readily and plentiful as weeds by the wayside.”  By James E Talmage

Five of six missionaries in the ward are staying through the next transfer.  One of the sisters was changed.  So I’ll be here with my same companion for another six weeks.  He is going to be a wonderful missionary. 

Thanks for all of the love and support.  Love, Elder Stevenson

[Note: Casey sent home a few video clips of them out on the streets and around the apartment. They are having a good time working together, playing together and learning together.]