England London Mission

England London Mission

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Super Quick Week

Well this week was a super fast week, that got over with before you knew what happened.


“The greatest test in life is not to endure the storms but to choose the right while they rage.- Henry B Erying”

Been here for 6 months and have not gone through the phone log and called all of the numbers.  My companion suggested that we should do that one morning.  So we make a lot of calls to potential or former investigators.  We didn’t finish it in one morning, so whenever we got spare time we would try to call them throughout the week.

Like all weeks, we had some lessons cancel on us, were able to teach a few lessons,  and had a lot of good ol’ finding. 

One night heading home from visiting a less active I wasn’t sure how to get back to the flat. I had only come from the flat to this area- never from this area back to the flat.  So on the way back, I knew how to get so far… so what we did is we went to where we knew, then it was enlightened in my mind where to go next. Then we went there, and then it was enlightened once again about where to go again. So it was a good learning thing to me that is relatable to the gospel. We may not know why we are doing a certain thing in our life, or why this is happening.  Or what we are going to do in life. But if we go to where we know and just keep going. Like how we are to learn line upon line. If I were to just sit down and say I have no idea where to go, then we would get nowhere. But I went where I knew, and I trusted in it, then when that was done, we went a little more knowing where to do. So once we do what we are commanded then God can give us more.

It’s related to another story. One evening we were walking towards an area, and we felt that we should go to another place. So we did.  We went there tracted and nothing happened. Not one even "maybe."  It was not successful. And for a long time I was like why was there a feeling prompting us to go there. And this week I realized it. I felt that the reason we were to do it, is a test in a sense. To see if we would follow promptings. So God would know if we were trusted to get more promptings in our lives. Really learned a lot from that “unsuccessful tracting experience.”

Another day we had a meeting in London. We thought it was to get our iPads, but not.  It was a member of the area presidency who spoke to us. He was really good. One thing he said is “Everyone has a hard time on their mission.”  And another thing he said, “You live a minute for a minute, but you reflect on it for a life time.” He talked about how we are here on earth to prepare our heavenly homes.  He shared a story about how a son was asked to build a house for his dad. The son was like my dad doesn’t need a house he has plenty of houses. But he went ahead and did a little shortcut here and a little shortcut there.  To make it faster and cheaper.  Long story short, he got the house done. It was an ok house, not the best- it had cheaper carpets, cheaper walls, cheaper everything.  The son said to his dad, it’s done. And the father said here are your keys. Congratulations, I had you build a house for yourself...   And how we are here to build our own houses that we shouldn’t make shortcuts in it. When we make shortcuts here all, we are doing is shorting ourselves of some amazing things we will learn or prepare…

The evening of the meeting, I met an elder who was like – hey Elder Stevenson, I followed your blog. I am from another country and followed your blog for a few months before my mission. It was good, got me knowing what to expect.  Then his companion was like- wait, what? That’s you. My mom follows that every week and tells me what goes on with things.  I was like wow! That’s crazy!



This is my last fall in England- crazy to think that. On an exchange this week we were talking about how fast time has gone. And the memories that we have had since the beginning of our missions.  So I got some fun fall photos. 

Another evening we had an appointment with a less active. I was committed I was not  going to accept a “no” to coming to church this week.  We had a lesson about “come join with us” by President Uchtdorf and it was really good.   At the end of the lesson, she was like – alright we will think about it. But they didn’t come. We will be seeing them again though. Not giving up.

Sunday was the Primary Sacrament Meeting program.  It was super good! The kids are amazing at their testimonies of things. My new favorite song is “The Family is of God.”  God gave us families to help us become what he wants us to be.  Amazing song! ! They really did good.

Here's a link to a video of the song.  
 https://www.lds.org/friend/online-activities/videos/music?lang=eng#the-family-is-of-god

The other day President came to town to interview our two potential baptisms.  They both passed. One of them also asked me to do the confirmation.  We ended up making another quick trip to London as well.  What a good day!


This week while studying I learned about the gospel of Jesus Christ.  After we are baptized we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. The question was asked in a book I was reading-why it is given after we are baptized.  So Hummm… The reason is this. No unclean thing can be in the presence of God. And the Holy Ghost is a member of the Godhead.  No unclean thing can dwell in His presence. So we must be baptized, to have our sins washed away so we are clean to have the Spirit of God with us. That is also why when we sin the spirit leaves, because no unclean things can dwell in God’s presence. So once we repent it may come back. But only after we become clean again. Something that was very interesting to learn about, and ponder about and receive insight about such things from the Spirit.

I am studying the New Testament and will probably get done with that about December time. Right when we start reading the Book of Mormon as a mission. Then after we get done with that I will have about 2 months left in this mission, so I plan to read the Doctrine and Covenants again.  Just a fresh read through it from the beginning of my mission till the end.  My scriptures have been getting really marked up. It’s actually quite fun to go back and see the things that have been marked in them. 

Thanks for all of the emails, letters and love.

  Love, Elder Stevenson

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