The Natural Man

7/30/2018

Hello everybody! This week was a pretty good week. The biggest highlight was probably zone conference. Hard to believe that it was my last one. It was a good conference, and I gave my departing testimony. Here is a paraphrasing of what I said:

Elders and sisters, I've thought long and hard about what I could share that would be meaningful to each and every one of you. What I want to share with you is a testimony I'm borrowing from my father... Well, actually I'm not borrowing it any more, it's mine now. It's one he gave me before I even came on my mission, and it's one he reiterates to me in virtually every letter I receive from him. It is this: the key to success in life, and in this work, is to learn how to make yourself do things that you don't want to do. And I'm here to tell you that the only way that is possible is through Jesus Christ. Because the natural man in you won't let you do it, so perhaps a better way of phrasing it would be to learn how to do things that the natural man doesn't want you to do. 

That's what consecrated obedience is. That's what meekness is. We see that even Jesus Christ Himself had to learn to do things that even He didn't want to do. We see as He was in the garden of Gethsemane, that He didn't want to do it. He asked Father, isn't there some other way? I don't want to do this right now. Nevertheless, Thy will, not mine, be done. He was about His Father's business. And we are about His business. I testify to each of you that as we learn to do things that the natural man doesn't want us to do, that is when the power of God is manifest in our lives, and that is how we will find success in this work. I testify that Jesus Christ lives, and that He restored His church through the prophet Joseph Smith. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

This week we found a lot of new friends, which was awesome. We had a couple of the friends we've been working with come to church, which was also awesome. We're working with a lot of cool people, but for one reason or another it's been hard to get them to progress. Coming to church is still hard, not as hard as it was in Immokalee, but rides are still not an option so it limits who we work with. We're focusing on people that are able to get themselves to church, which is harder but it'll be worth it in the long run.

We did a little "blitz" in cape coral, and it was very rich haha. Not many people opened their doors. I feel for those sisters.

Friday was a very busy day, we left our house at 11 and had straight appointments until 6. It was good though, I like being busy like that, at least as a missionary haha. That's honestly like a missionary's dream day haha, I appreciated it.

That was pretty much it for this week. Today officially marks 1 month until I depart. That's the real countdown. It's crazy, it hasn't really hit me I don't think. All these things I have to think about and plan for, and I hardly believe it. I'm excited for it like it's a trip, a onetime event, not a new phase of life haha. Anyways have a great week!

 Lanmou,
Eldè Stevenson