Hope all of my fam and friends are
having a good day today! I miss you guys. Loved reading that last
letter. This week has been good. I have a simple letter today! I just
wanted to tell you all how I feel extremely blessed to have this gospel.
Lately I've been studying the Book of Mormon a lot. Now hold on, don't
tune me out yet!! I know how many times you've heard people talk about
that book. I know at home, when people shared their testimony of it, I
would start to tune them out because I'd heard it so many times. About a
year back, I had a hard time even reading through missionary letters
like this. Their confidence and faith in a book that I didn't have much
faith or confidence in was very intimidating. But folks... I encourage
you to not take my word for it, but read it and find out for yourself.
Even if you've already read it, read it again, or for the first time if
you haven't read it. Test it. I promise you. Your life will change. It's
amazing how much more I'm getting out of it this time than I did last
time I read it. I'm at Alma 38 right now. I love that book more and more
every day.
 |
| June, 2016 with a newly returned missionary from his area! |
Yesterday was fast and testimony
meeting. I had a huge prompting to go up and bear my testimony. Usually I
would choose to brush aside a prompting like that. Talking in front of a
congregation is scary!! Throughout my life, it's always been easier to
just retreat and avoid the prompting so that I wouldn't have to
experience anything out of my comfort zone. But this time, for some
reason it was so easy to do. I felt like the least I could do for my
Savior is testify of my feelings toward the Book of Mormon, and the ways
it's continuing to change my life. I didn't know what I was going to
say, but I followed the prompting and went for it. I shared about how
hard, stressful, and anxiety inducing my life can be at times, and how
challenging a mission becomes when the spirit is gone. But, I went on to
talk about how every single time I ignore my stubborn natural man, and
just open the scriptures and read, the truthfulness of that book rids me
all of my worry, and gives me peace. I got pretty choked up talking
about those times, because all too often I am too stubborn to simply
just look to him, but every single time I do, I immediately feel that
peace that comes from the Savior. I can feel it getting easier to
overcome my natural man the more I do it.
Too
often I'll find myself stressing and getting anxious about all that's
happening in my life. Lately I've been learning how much happier life
becomes when I am in that spirit. My hardest times here, and in life in
general are simply when I'm not in the spirit. That's it. It's the base
of all of my problems. Too often I forget that joy and peace from Christ
I've once felt. Lately I have been recognizing when the Spirit is gone,
and praying and reading the Book of Mormon in hopes to feel at peace
again. Every single time I do that, I immediately feel content again.
It's brought a lot of peace to my life as I've learned to put my trust
in God, realizing he has a plan for me, and knows better than me what I
need. I've just found personally, If I'm always striving to get back to
that spirit of conversion I've felt, I'll end up where I need to be in
life. Period. No need to stress about the future. I'm getting better and
better at that, and I can honestly see the Lord blessing me with
comfort and patience to be able to endure my trials and infirmities as I
am sincerely trying my best to come close to him.
One
of my favorite scriptures is Alma 31: 38. I'm starting to understand
what it truly means when it says, "And the Lord provided for them that
they should hunger not, neither should they thirst; yea, and he also
gave them strength, that they should suffer no manner of afflictions,
save it were swallowed up in the joy of Christ. . ." We have all been
given a specific allotment in this life. Because of that, we are always
going to have trials and afflictions to pass through, that will never
change. There will always be unfair, unexpected opposition in all
things. But the joy of this gospel, and the joy of Jesus Christ have
been mercifully given to us to partake of as freely as we choose to. We
can choose to take advantage of it and become sanctified, or not. That
joy swallows up our afflictions and provides a way to feel peace in any
situation. Life doesn't have to be full of excess anxiety, worry, and
fear. If Christ's atonement wasn't infinite, life would ultimately have
to consist of that, and we would have no other choice but to rely on
ourselves to get through our trials, and continue not feeling content in
our lives. But Christ suffered an infinite atonement, so that we can
experience peace and joy, regardless of the circumstance. I know that's
true. I'm seeing myself being changed by it.
Those are just some thoughts that have been on my mind. This gospel is so magically delicious. Just like #LuckyCharms.
Love you all!
- Elder Townsend
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