I'm moving from a Branch to a Ward and from French to English. I'm not sure which will be the bigger shock to me. We've had a great week though with service and visits. It was really cool because on Tuesday we were doing service at a food bank and there were young adult guys there helping also.
They were young men who had dropped out of high school and their service was related somehow to them getting their GED's. We got to talk to them a bit about life and religion and stuff like that. It was really cool because they talked to us as normal human beings. I know it sounds weird, but some much of the time when people we don't know talk to us they speak to us and treat us like we are aliens, or sometimes like Jehovah's Witnesses which isn't much better from their vantage point. But these guys talked with us like friends. It was a tender mercy for me because as a missionary I sometimes feel isolated and like everyone is treating me like I'm not a real person. I frequently look back on letters and cards that have been sent to me since I've been on my mission and there is one in particular that has advice in it that I've tried to incorporate into my life.
My friend who wrote me this letter is currently serving a mission right now and she said that when trials have come her way one line of scripture has continuously popped into her head, "Be still and know that I am God." It is relieving and comforting when unexpected situations and trials come our way to remember that God has a plan for everyone. He has a plan for us right now in our lives. He has a plan for us to overcome the things that we struggle with. Remembering that He is aware of us and cares about us, the Almighty God knows us individually, has brought me comfort and strength. D&C 121:7-8 "7 My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; 8 And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes."
He will never abandon us even when we feel lonely and abandoned by everyone. We are never strangers to Him but sometimes He can be a stranger to us if we make it that way. We need to continuously reach out to Him in gratitude and love asking for His divine help and grace to surround us.
I love you all and wish you all the best for this week! Stay safe! Stay faithful!
Love,
Elder DiReda
Photos:
1. The best juice ever!
2. Our healthy Sunday lunch
3. Salomé, Caleb, Elder Perkes and I on a mini hike
4. Mustaches with the Worner's
No comments:
Post a Comment