Man summers are brutal. Not many people stick around during the summer. The wards are super small every Sunday haha. The weather has been super nice too. I don't know why so many people decide to run while the weather is good. It's super dry here though. Yesterday we had a pretty good downpour during dinner. It only lasted for a few minutes but it came down pretty hard. Then about an hour later the streets were dry and it was almost like it never happened. They wind blows a lot here and it's always dry so things dry out pretty quick. It works out well when you're on bikes though.
We've been trying to stop by a ton of potential people who might be interested but we never catch them home. We've been tracting quite a bit too. That's always fun! Most people are respectful though. Occasionally we run into some crazies. Hahaha those are the fun ones. This week in church we had a guy just show up. He had this insane story about how his car is all the way down by the border and he has been hitchhiking back and forth to try to get it but he can't find his keys when he gets there so he had to come all the way back up to Calgary, then he found them. Oh man it's crazy haha. He's been through a lot. We gave him our number and got his. Then invited him out to church again next week. He said he'll come. We'll have to see what ends up happening to him. We run into people like that every now and again. It keeps us on our toes haha. Well not much else is new this week. Here's a cool little spiritual message though.
In the book of Mosiah, the Nephites are in a rough position. They are imprisoned by the Lamanites and they are not being treated well. You could call this a trial. Well the Lord, as always, comes in to help them. Here's what he says in Mosiah Chapter 24 Verses 14-15:
"14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.
15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord."
I think it's interesting that the Lord said he would make the burdens of the people light. But instead of lessening the trial or obstacle, he strengthened the people so they could more easily bear their burdens. Sometimes when we pray, we pray for our trial or burden to be taken away. But that's not always the Lord's will. Maybe the whole reason we have the trial is so we can be strengthened. If he were to just take it away, then we wouldn't be able to become stronger. If you lift weights, but don't make it heavy for yourself, then you will never get stronger. Next time you come to a bump in the road, don't wait for it to be removed. Hunker down and overcome it. "Gird up your loins, swift courage take. Our God will never us forsake."
I hope this email finds you all healthy and strong. I will continue to pray for you. Take care and don't forget to smile every now and again.
Elder Anderson
