Email March 17, 2014

Hello! Green! St Patrick's Day! Woot. Well this email is going to be shorter, sorry! But there will be some good stuff. Quick title story so I can get to the better stuff: So I told, briefly, about the less active member who isn't quite all there who loves Elvis. Well, he has costumes and jumpsuits that look like some of Elvis's and whenever new missionaries (his "BUDDIES!!!!" Haha he yells that at us all of the time, and he yells about Elvis all of the time, and he yells about giving Jesus a thug all of the time. Literally yells. He's a funny/interesting guy haha) come over, he puts on a "show" for them. He dresses up in his Elvis costumes and sings some of Elvis's songs for him/them. I was able to be graced by one of his shows the first time I went to his apartment, and the next time we went over we went with missionaries from the other ward where he can go because his work doesn't interfere. So this second time, these two missionaries are laughing so hard and trying to hold it in and it is not working and it is hilarious!!! Haha I don't think the guy (his real name is David) noticed, but it was awesome and hilarious. I'll have pictures to show soon. Not by a computer today. Anyway, so we met with an investigator, Rick Richards, his week and he has been meeting with investigators for a while. A few years, I think. We got on the topic of baptism and we asked why he hasn't been baptized yet. He said, basically, because he wants to know a little more about the church before he joins. So we said he could ask any question, he asked a couple, and we ended up leaving him with the commitment to pray about being baptized and he said he would. He basically believes everything he has been taught about the church so hopefully he decides to be baptized. We gave him the promise that if he prayed with real intent, he would receive an answer. We fasted for him yesterday and so when we go over this week, we are going to follow up with him. It was an amazing lesson, I hope like crazy that he feels that he should be baptized. Final information/story. This week was a really tough week for me. Not for missionary work because we saw a lot of good work happen this week. But emotional, mental, and spiritual struggles. I had questions come to mind that I didn't know answers to and couldn't find answers to and was kind of missing home and whatnot. So Thursday through Saturday it progressively built and built and built until Saturday night I cried to The Lord for help. I prayed that He would help me to find answers or to have peace or some help because I hadn't felt any help the previous times I had prayed for help. So each time those things weren't helped, I got more angry and frustrated because "The Lord always helps other people right after they ask," I thought. And we know the stories about how people received comfort so quickly, "why isn't it working for me??" I thought more and more. I actually said that in my prayer Saturday night. I felt a little chastened as the thought, "why aren't you this earnest in giving thanks for the blessings in the moment you receive those?" came to my head. But I prayed on, asking for help. I've listened to S. Michael Wilcox's talk on prayer, "The Fourth Watch" which talks a little bit about how prayers are answered, etc. and figured I'd find my answers in the future, but this didn't satisfy me this time. I also opened my fast yesterday for our investigator, Rick, and also added in the fast asking for help for these struggles. I finished the prayer and crawled in bed to sleep. Woke up the next morning and went to church that day. Each talk, lesson, thought shared was an answer to a prayer. It was a help for me, something that helped me feel The Lord's love for me and feel comfort and peace. It put my soul's worries to rest and told me that everything was going to be okay. And I was okay with that. And it was amazing. Friends, family. I know The Lord loves us. He lets struggles happen to help us understand His perfect love for us. He lets us feel the hard times so that we can come out stronger than before. It's like the process of purifying gold and making steel harder: put it under intense heat and pressure and it will do those things. The same is with us: as we undergo trials and struggles in our lives, we are becoming more like Heavenly Father. We are learning what He wants us to learn. We are becoming more heavenly. This church is true, I know it is. I love you guys!!! All of you! Have a fantastic week! Remember, be grateful for the hard times for they are a way The Lord shows his trust in us and truly shows His love for us. After all, it makes us better, and that's what we want and also what He wants. He wants to live with us again. Yes, we want to live with Him again, but think about His love and what He feels if a child doesn't/can't return? These experiences help us along the way. He loves you! Love, Elder Cevering :) P.S. Five months out...WHAAAT?! That was quick... P.P.S. It is so hot! It was only in he high 70's and I was sweating like a pig! Yeah, disgusting I know, but I thought I'd let you all in on that little fun fact. :) Sent from my iPad