Week #83

Howdy everyone! This week has been super hectic and interesting! We had a lot of cool experiences and some unplanned things come up, but all in all, it was a stellar week!

We had an awesome Stake Conference this week with Elder Torres of the Seventy presiding at the meetings! We were out proselyting with some members and we received a call from a Stake High Councilor telling us that Elder Torres requested us to attend the Priesthood Leadership meeting that started at 4.... it was 3:55 when we received the call! So we booked it home (7 minute drive) and put on suits then jammed over to the church (another 7 minute drive) to attend the meeting. Afterwards, we talked to Elder Torres and he asked us if we were attending the adult session that night. Before we could answer, he said “Elders, I need missionaries at every one of my meetings”. So basically this General Authority told us to attend the adult session as well! I was glad we did though, I learned so much from Elder Torres. He is a very inspired man and speaks with conviction, and I loved it! 

Yesterday we were just about to eat lunch when we received another call from some Elders asking if we could help some people move. We agreed, and went to help this lady move. Elder Olsen and I lifted 2 washing machines, 2 driers, 1 freezer, 2 stoves,  and 2 refrigerators all by ourselves. It was super crazy, I’m so sore! That took about 2 hours, and then after we went and helped pain some outdoor stairs with our district, which took another 2 hours. So that took up most of our day. BUT our district combined did 16 hours of community service that day, so bonus!

My spiritual thought this week comes from a talk by Elder David A. Bednar titled “Converted Unto Thee”. He shares a passage from the Book of Mormon, and then breaks it down, talking about the relationship between a testimony and personal conversion. The verses read;

“As many as were brought to the knowledge of the truth, through the preaching of Ammon and his brethren, according to the spirit of revelation and of prophecy, and the power of God working miracles in them--yea, … as the Lord liveth, as many of the Lamanites as believed in their preaching, and were converted unto the Lord, never did fall away.

“For they became a righteous people; they did lay down the weapons of their rebellion, that they did not fight against God any more. …

“Now, these are they who were converted unto the Lord” - (Alma 23:6–8)

He then goes on to say that there are “two major elements described in these verses: (1) the knowledge of truth, which may be interpreted as a testimony, and (2) converted unto the Lord, which I understand to be conversion to the Savior and His gospel. Thus, the powerful combination of both testimony and conversion unto the Lord produced firmness and steadfastness and provided spiritual protection.” I know that as we build and strengthen our testimony, we become more and more converted unto the Savior and His gospel. We strengthen our testimony by doing the simple things: read and study the scriptures, praying fervently and often, and attending church weekly to partake of the sacrament, and to teach and learn from one another. We will grow spiritually, strengthen our ability to feel and heed the promptings of the Spirit, and truly become converted. Conversion is not a one time thing, it is a life long process, and the more we develop the habits of doing the simple things, the more constant and powerful our conversion process will be. I know that our Savior lives. He loves us and He wants the best for us. He truly suffered and died for us. We cannot sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines. I know families can be together forever, and I’m so grateful for the blessing it is to have my family forever. I know that the gospel is true, and I know the Book of Mormon, coupled with the Bible, can bring us the most joy and happiness in this life and the life to come. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I love y’all and I hope y’all have an amazing week! Until next week, God speed!

Elder Houssian

‘63 Corvette we saw today 😍