Count Your Many Blessings Name them One by One!

Happy 2016 everyone!!!!  Wow that is sort of crazy!!

Alrighty so much happened this week!  I Just want to start off by saying that being in this Gospel is not easy.  it is never easy, but the blessing that come from being in this gospel are so worth it.  This week I have had the opportunity to have trial after trial come, but to be able to see those trials as no longer trials but just as stepping stones to greater things and to be able to see the blessings come from each one of those trials.  I have a new definition for trials, trial:something that can either be looked at hard, terrible, or impossible to get through on your own, or something that can be looked at as beautiful, a lesson, a blessing, and oh so possible to get through with our Savior.  We have to remember that in the scriptures we are taught that the Lord gives us trials not to punish us, but to refine us, to make us better, to bless us.  How wonderful is that!  

So the first trial we faced this week is that we had to push our Investigators baptism date back and re teach him a few things.  At first we were really sad about this, but you know what because of this "trial" there came something beautiful, a lesson learned, a blessing because we have our Savior to help us.  The beautiful thing that came from it is that now he knows after re praying about it that Joseph Smith was a prophet called of God and that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.  The lesson learned that came out of it is that we should probably review the Restoration with our investigators before their baptism interview if it has been a few months since we taught it.  And the blessing that came from it with the help of our Savior and Heavenly father through prayer he was able to gain his own testimony of this Gospel.  Wow it is just wonderful!  He will be getting baptized for sure January 9, 2015 at 5pm.  He is even more so ready and so excited to make this sacred covenant with our Heavenly Father.  I am so thankful for this trial.

The second "trial" we had to face this week is the discovery that we have lice!  This one took me a little while to dig in deep and figure out the beautiful thing that comes from this haha.  Getting lice has been one of my hugest fears all my life, and I honestly never thought i would ever get it haha!  The beautiful thing that has came from having lice is team work in our companionship.  I am thankful to have wonderful companions that we can always be there for one another.  There is nothing like spending hours and hours picking out each others lice in our little quarantine apartment listening to church music.  It really has been a beautiful thing seeing our companionship grow even closer together as we help one another out.  The lesson learned that came from this is caution.  We need to always be cautious where ever we are at.  The blessing that has came from discovering that we have lice is that one day we will not have itchy heads!  "but ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions" Alma 34:41  With the help of the Savior, and lice be gone kits, we can practice our patience and hope that we will one day be free of lice!

Blessing, Blessing, Blessing!  Blessing come to those that live the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I have seen it in myself.  I have seen it in my family back at home.  And i have seen it in the people i serve here in Georgia.  We have been super focusing on Book of Mormon with our investigators and members and less actives.  There is a part in the introduction that i never noticed until this week.  It says "it puts forth the doctrine of the gospel, outlines the plan of salvation, and tells men what they must do to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come."  Why have i never noticed that before?!  That is an amazing blessing that comes from reading and abiding by the doctrine that is in the Book of Mormon.  As we went and followed up with a few less actives about reading the Book of Mormon daily they have seen a huge difference.  Two less actives pretty much said the same thing when we asked them if they have seen a difference in their lives since being in this gospel and reading the Book of Moron and they answered that yes that have seen a difference.  It was amazing to sit through these lessons and hear the power of their testimonies and the peace that they feel and how content they are with their current circumstances because they have this gospel!  Another huge blessing that just hit me so hard this week is seeing a particular family in our branch change over a course of time.  It is the family that we have had all of the lessons in their house for our investigator that is getting baptized on Saturday.  Not only has these lessons been strengthening our investigator and his testimony, but this family relationship and their testimonies have been strengthened so much because of this.  Wow it is incredible to have noticed this huge change take place.  What a blessing because they are living the gospel.

I just want you all to know that i have a testimony of this Gospel.  It really does make ones life happier by living it.  I have a testimony that blessings come from trials.  "When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings; name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.  Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings; ev'ry doubt will fly, And you will be singing as the days go by.  So amid the conflict, whether great or small, Do not be discouraged; God is over all. Count your many blessings; angels will attend, Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.  

Count your blessings; Name them one by one. Count your blessings; See what God hath done. Count your blessings; Name them one by one. Count your many blessings; See what God hath done."  We are so blessing to be part of this wonderful Gospel.  I hope you all have an amazing week!!  I love you all so much!  Count your many blessings name them one by one!

Love,

Hermana Stewart

Getting Lice out!