75 Degrees and Sunny= Christmas in San Angelo Tx.
It’s weird, it’s Dec., like the 15th of December and I am
wearing a short sleeve shirt and I want to wear shorts but I can’t. And I don't
think anyone else wants to see me in shorts either, due to the fact that I have
been on a mission for 17 months now and my legs have not seen sunlight for more
like 10 minutes at a time, if that. Which is sweet.
So in case you didn't know already, I am staying here in San Angelo
for another 6 weeks so I get to be here for Christmas and New Year’s, it’s
going to be legendary.
So this week was the Ward Christmas Party which was way rad, we
totally got pictures with Santa. And had the coolest nativity play by the Primary
I have ever seen. There was everything from sheep, crying on stage, to throwing
their cotton fur at each other, to Mary dropping the baby, and a pine tree in
the middle of the Middle East falling on all of the donkeys and cows.... it was
beautiful to say the least. Also Elder Sevey and I decided we are going to make
a Christian album so be ready for that in a few weeks :).
This week we had some pretty powerful lessons as well. One of
our investigator couples has been going through a lot of hard hard times
lately. They feel as though it has been one trial after another. Which it truly
has been for them. And they brought up the question why do bad things keep
happening? Why does it not ease up, is God punishing us for something we did in
our past? This couple is incredible, they recently in May found out they were
going to have a child. And ever since then life has been in the dumps. I was
pondering this a lot. Christ will not punish us continually for one action. He’s our Father. If you were a parent and your child did
something wrong obviously you would help show them what the right thing to do
is. You wouldn't punish them, then after they learn and don't do it again,
punish them again two weeks later for that same thing. God does not work like
that. The truth is there are many reasons why we have trials in this life, but
for this couple’s case this is what we have come to the conclusion of.
The refiner’s fire. That is the fire that gold has to go through
to get all of the imperfections and all of the impurities out of it. Until it is
eventually made perfect.
As we see in the past, we see this a lot. In Joseph Smith’s
case, he was cast into Liberty Jail for months. In the winter. And because of
that time where he thought all was lost, he was able to write sections 121, and
122, and 123 of Doctrines and Covenants. They say Joseph Smith was not the same man who went into Liberty
Jail when he came out. He was transformed into the prophet he needed to be.
Even Jesus Christ himself went through the refiner’s fire. After
Christ had fasted for forty days…suffering fatigue and thirst. At the end of it
all, Satan came to tempt him. When Christ was in his weakest physical state, is
when Satan chose to attack. That must have been incredibly difficult. But after
Christ endured, he began his earthy ministry and completed the greatest act,
the Atonement. So if you feel like your life is the hardest it has ever been,
maybe it is because God is preparing you for something great that you can’t even comprehend like this young couple with their new
child. I believe God is preparing them to be earthy parents.
If you are down in the dumps if you feel all is lost. Look how
far you've come. And ask yourself are you a better person now then you were before
these trials? I promise with the Lord’s help you can get through anything...
Truly Anything. It’s incredible.
I love you all so much, have a great week right before Christmas
and celebrate my 17 month mark with me on the 17th this week :).
Be safe
Love Keegan
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