Week of August 8, 2016

Hey ya'll I hope that everyone had a great week! We had a really busy week out here in Winner. On a mission busy weeks are the best! Being too busy is way better than being slow. On Monday we had a sweet P-Day we went bowling, had a really good lesson, and got a new investigator, I knew it was going to be a good week after this. Tuesday we got to drive to Rapid City for zone conference which was awesome we were pumped to be able to eat out at Chilies, its funny the things that get you excited on a mission. Wednesday we had our zone conference and got to go up to Mount Rushmore, the best part was just being able to hang out with other missionaries. Were pretty far away from any anyone else so its always a good time to be able to see other missionaries. Friday to Saturday we had exchanges and were able to get a new investigator. Sunday we were able to get another new investigator. We have had a really hard time finding people to teach and haven't really been able to get a solid new investigator so it was awesome to finally find some new people. We have been trying so hard the last few weeks to find someone who will listen to us, it can be very discouraging trying all the time to find someone and just having no success, so this week was just amazing. 

As we have been struggling to find new people to teach, and why the people we do teach have such a hard time overcoming their trial's I have spent a lot of time thinking about why we have to go through trials or hard times. This week while I was studying I came across the scripture Ether 12:6 "And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." It hit me so hard that we have to go through trials to increase our faith. Or really to increase in anything. We have to go through hard things so that we can learn to put our trust in the lord. In the book of Mormon in Helaman the people are very righteous and have complete peace in all of the land. Helman 6:12 "They did raise grain in abundance, both in the north and in the south; and they did flourish exceedingly, both in the north and in the south. And they did multiply and wax exceedingly strong in the land. And they did raise many flocks and herds, yeah, many fatlings. 13 Behold their women did toil and spin, and did make all manner of cloth, of fine twined linen and cloth of every kind, to clothe their nakedness. And thus the sixty and fourth year did pass away in peace." Everyone was happy and doing good. God gave the power to Nephi to be able to do anything. After just a few years of having peace in all the land they started to become greedy and prideful and started to become wicked again. Helman 6:16 And in the commencement of the sixty and seventh-year the people began to grow exceedingly wicked again." Nephi was given the power to do all things because the God knew that Nephi would do nothing to go against his will. Helman 10:5 "And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearying ness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will." All of the people were being so wicked and Nephi wanted them to turn again to the Lord he knew that they would have to go through a major trial before they would put there faith in God again. So he commanded a famine to be upon the land, so it happened. The people began to turn again the God and they returned to peace. Helman 11:7 "And it came to pass that the people saw that they were about to perish by famine, and they began to remember the Lord their God; and they began to remember the words or Nephi.  Moral of the story is that in order to grow and to progress we have to go through hard things, we have to put our faith in God and endure to the end. Going through trial's can be the biggest blessing in our live's if we go about them the right way.

I hope you all have a great week! Love you all!

Love,

Elder Brinkerhoff