Email February 17, 2014

Hello Utah! In all the honesty of my soul, I would say that apart from the weeks when I first tore my ab, this week was the hardest of my mission! But it was very beneficial for me and today I am a better person for it. To put it simple, it's been difficult because of the people I live with, the ward members, and the schedule. But things are improving. The walking situation isn't so bad anymore. I'm used to the walking and the sun now. The other elders are finally getting along better--I hope. And we'll see if the ward leaders make the effort to make changes. The tough part began Thursday: we'd been out working all week, having found no one new to teach, and we were asked to go to ward council. In ward council we started talking about the trainings that we want to do. Everyone in the council agreed with the idea. Our ward mission leader asked for a date to set the training for and the bishop said he needs to wait a couple more weeks for their next priesthood executive meeting--blah, blah, blah--to set the date. We were frustrated about that. That was Thursday night. Friday morning brought the next challenge. One of the elders here really dislikes his companion and just has a hard time dealing with other people. There was a lot of tension Friday morning, and it got me really angry. I had to go out of the house so I wouldn't say anything that I would regret. I chillled out for like twenty minutes and then got changed. After that, Elder De Oleo and I went out to work. The sun was really hot and I was frustrated and discouraged because of everything that had happened. Elder De Oleo wanted to use the bathroom in the church, so we went there and while he was in the bathroom I went into another room and felt an overwhelming desire to call President Smartt and tell him I was done, that I couldn't be the district leader here anymore and that I wanted to go home. So I prayed and asked Heavenly Father to bless me and to bless the other elders with whatever He could bless us with. Then I got up, and when Elder De Oleo left we started out on the streets again, and I felt strength in my legs that I'd never felt before: I felt what only Isaiah can describe: "But they that waith upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31. I felt like my legs were not my legs. I don't know how to describe it. My legs were moving faster than the rest of me, and the strength that was in them was not my own. That scripture in Isaiah came to my mind, and I felt full of gratitude, and I went on to try to do the work. And in the next two hours we'd found four people who asked us to go back and teach them. I know that the Lord knows us and is aware of our trials. Things have gotten better since Friday, and I feel much better about myself as a person and much better about my mission as a result. I've been feeling a little trunky, but I know that the Lord will help me through that :). I love you so much, and I am so happy to be a part of your lives. Elder Cevering