Gratitude for unanswered prayers
Letter from Feb 19th:
Why howdy! I hope you’re doing amazing today! As far as things with me go… I’m back in China! Although it was so very sad to leave Woodbridge and all of the amazing people there, I’m happy to be back serving in the Chinese branch! Yesterday was such a special day to see friends I helped teach and baptize up there blessing and passing the sacrament! It was by far the most emotional sacrament meeting I have been to. I couldn’t help but get tears in my eyes. This is true joy!
When I first got the news I was going to be getting transferred, I was pretty bugged. There’s no sugar coating it! I had only been in Woodbridge for a couple short months! Our area and zone was finally in a place I wanted it to be at! Elder Major (my last companion) had become such a great friend and I thought I would be potentially ending my mission with him! So all things considered, I was a little bit bummed! I was so confused why I had been moved right as things had gotten moving! I was actually super excited to be with my new companion, but I just didn’t want to move. And I caught myself questioning God and asking Him, “Woah! Why? Why do I have to move?” Have you ever been there with something in your life? My time in Woodbridge was amazing, but it had a lot of challenges! Never once while I was there did I have friends that were progressing towards baptism. It was hard! I had so much faith but it just wasn’t happening. BUT THEN!!! We finally had our members finding people; we had found a couple people that had expressed interest in learning more about the gospel, and we started getting consistent people to church. Then I was kicked out. Brutal stuff!
Well, I don’t have much time, so I’m going to keep this short and to the point. In one of my favorite movies, “Get Smart,” the main character, Max, is talking with his fellow agent, Agent 99. During the movie, Agent 99 and Max get into a little bit of a fight, and Max recalls what the most famous agent had told him prior: “Trust is a must! That’s what Agent 23 said.” Well, Agent 23 in our case can be God. In the movie, Agent 23 ends up being the villain and trying to blow up a huge building, but we’re going to just put that aside for now haha! God is like a good Hero Version of Agent 23. He tells us that, “Trust is a must!” There will simply be times that we do not understand God’s direction or His decisions. Ya know, that’s okay. In fact, that’s probably good! If you don’t have things that push your faith, then your faith will never grow. We simply have two choices. One, we stay in the boat, where it’s comfortable and where we just ride the waves. Or Two, like our main man Peter, we trust in the Lord, hop out of the boat, and start walking. Yeah… we might stumble and might sink for a second, but like always, Christ will pick us up and help us to walk again.
Elder Boyd K. Packer once said: “Our lives are really not our own. They are governed—and if we live as we should live, then we will be taken care of.” I love this concept! As we realize that our life isn’t necessarily our own, but is a gift given to us from God, the much happier we will be! After the weekend, and even just a couple hours in to the transfer, I realized that I was exactly where I needed to be! I felt a deep love for my new companion and my area! I was blessed to see the branch and all the people I have taught on my mission! I was able to have one of, if not the most, sacred sacrament experiences I have ever had! I am right where I need to be! I wish I could go back and tell my Wednesday night self after looking at transfer news, “You’re going to love it, just hang in there for two seconds. Sunday always comes!” I’m grateful for my unanswered prayers! I’m grateful that God loves me enough to do exactly what I don’t WANT because He knows exactly what I NEED!
Now, I tell myself that when something like this happens again, I won’t freak out. Well… that probably won’t happen, I’ll probably freak out and shortly realize after that once again, God was right;) But that’s okay, because our Heavenly Father loves us enough to put up with our silly little things we do and say haha! As my mom said to me this morning, “It’s almost as if God has a perfect plan for us?!” I know that is true! God has a perfect plan for you and a perfect plan for me! I’m grateful for his guidance in my life. I know that as I bend my will towards His and follow what He’s asked me to do, then truly He will guide my paths. I’m grateful for the courage Heavenly Father gives me to continually hop out of the boat! I’m even more grateful He sent His Son to come and pick me up when I start sinking! I love them both so very very much!
I know that God loves His children and is guiding them, whether they know it or not! I invite you to start noticing all the little things he has done for you! All the stumbling blocks He has helped you turn into stepping stones! As you do, you will be blessed with so much more joy! That is my testimony and promise, in the sacred name of our rescuer and friend, Jesus Christ, Amen.
我爱你们，拜拜！
Elder Steadman (司长老)
Why howdy! I hope you’re doing amazing today! As far as things with me go… I’m back in China! Although it was so very sad to leave Woodbridge and all of the amazing people there, I’m happy to be back serving in the Chinese branch! Yesterday was such a special day to see friends I helped teach and baptize up there blessing and passing the sacrament! It was by far the most emotional sacrament meeting I have been to. I couldn’t help but get tears in my eyes. This is true joy!
When I first got the news I was going to be getting transferred, I was pretty bugged. There’s no sugar coating it! I had only been in Woodbridge for a couple short months! Our area and zone was finally in a place I wanted it to be at! Elder Major (my last companion) had become such a great friend and I thought I would be potentially ending my mission with him! So all things considered, I was a little bit bummed! I was so confused why I had been moved right as things had gotten moving! I was actually super excited to be with my new companion, but I just didn’t want to move. And I caught myself questioning God and asking Him, “Woah! Why? Why do I have to move?” Have you ever been there with something in your life? My time in Woodbridge was amazing, but it had a lot of challenges! Never once while I was there did I have friends that were progressing towards baptism. It was hard! I had so much faith but it just wasn’t happening. BUT THEN!!! We finally had our members finding people; we had found a couple people that had expressed interest in learning more about the gospel, and we started getting consistent people to church. Then I was kicked out. Brutal stuff!
Well, I don’t have much time, so I’m going to keep this short and to the point. In one of my favorite movies, “Get Smart,” the main character, Max, is talking with his fellow agent, Agent 99. During the movie, Agent 99 and Max get into a little bit of a fight, and Max recalls what the most famous agent had told him prior: “Trust is a must! That’s what Agent 23 said.” Well, Agent 23 in our case can be God. In the movie, Agent 23 ends up being the villain and trying to blow up a huge building, but we’re going to just put that aside for now haha! God is like a good Hero Version of Agent 23. He tells us that, “Trust is a must!” There will simply be times that we do not understand God’s direction or His decisions. Ya know, that’s okay. In fact, that’s probably good! If you don’t have things that push your faith, then your faith will never grow. We simply have two choices. One, we stay in the boat, where it’s comfortable and where we just ride the waves. Or Two, like our main man Peter, we trust in the Lord, hop out of the boat, and start walking. Yeah… we might stumble and might sink for a second, but like always, Christ will pick us up and help us to walk again.
Elder Boyd K. Packer once said: “Our lives are really not our own. They are governed—and if we live as we should live, then we will be taken care of.” I love this concept! As we realize that our life isn’t necessarily our own, but is a gift given to us from God, the much happier we will be! After the weekend, and even just a couple hours in to the transfer, I realized that I was exactly where I needed to be! I felt a deep love for my new companion and my area! I was blessed to see the branch and all the people I have taught on my mission! I was able to have one of, if not the most, sacred sacrament experiences I have ever had! I am right where I need to be! I wish I could go back and tell my Wednesday night self after looking at transfer news, “You’re going to love it, just hang in there for two seconds. Sunday always comes!” I’m grateful for my unanswered prayers! I’m grateful that God loves me enough to do exactly what I don’t WANT because He knows exactly what I NEED!
Now, I tell myself that when something like this happens again, I won’t freak out. Well… that probably won’t happen, I’ll probably freak out and shortly realize after that once again, God was right;) But that’s okay, because our Heavenly Father loves us enough to put up with our silly little things we do and say haha! As my mom said to me this morning, “It’s almost as if God has a perfect plan for us?!” I know that is true! God has a perfect plan for you and a perfect plan for me! I’m grateful for his guidance in my life. I know that as I bend my will towards His and follow what He’s asked me to do, then truly He will guide my paths. I’m grateful for the courage Heavenly Father gives me to continually hop out of the boat! I’m even more grateful He sent His Son to come and pick me up when I start sinking! I love them both so very very much!
I know that God loves His children and is guiding them, whether they know it or not! I invite you to start noticing all the little things he has done for you! All the stumbling blocks He has helped you turn into stepping stones! As you do, you will be blessed with so much more joy! That is my testimony and promise, in the sacred name of our rescuer and friend, Jesus Christ, Amen.
我爱你们，拜拜！
Elder Steadman (司长老)
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