I hope you're all doing well still. It's been rainy here the last few days, but
luckily we have the car right now. We're going to try to go fishing again this
P-Day, and I guess we'll see what happens with the weather. Fish seem to be so
unpredictable. We went fishing last Monday, and three of the Cassidy kids came
with us. Apparently the fish were only biting in one spot in that whole area we
were fishing in. One of the three Cassidy kids caught a fish, and I caught one,
and Elder Porter found the one spot where the fish were, so he caught about 20.
We ended up with about 13 or 14 sunfish that we took home, along with a couple
crayfish that the Cassidys caught. The sunfish have a little bit of meat on
them, so we're going to eat those. The crayfish we ended up giving to the
Cassidys, because Trinity wanted to keep them as pets. Crayfish are kind of
cool, they just look like mini lobsters really. They're fun to play with.
The Cassidy family was the family that was baptized when I first got here. The
Dad was already a member, and his wife and three of his kids were the ones who
were baptized. Their kids are Shyla (15 or so), Charles (13), Brandon (12), and
Trinity (11 or so). They also have an older daughter, but she's already moved
out and we've never met her before. They're a pretty fun family, and we've seen
them a lot lately. We usually go over there Monday nights, and we've also been
coming over once or twice a week lately to help them with a couple projects
that they're working on at their house. We helped them destroy a brick chimney
with hammers a few weeks ago, which was fun. Right now we're helping them build
a dog pen outside. We're also working with Shyla too, since she was the one who
wasn't baptized and hasn't been too interested yet. We're hoping to be able to
teach her so that she can be baptized too and join her family when they go to
the temple to be sealed next June. Still, we're trying not to pressure her
though, it has to be her own choice.
I don't have a ton of time today on the computer, but here is something I was
thinking about as I typed out my weekly email to President Hess-
Some days are tougher than others. Sometimes it almost seems like I'm on a roller coaster as I go throughout the week. Some days I feel like I'm being taxed to my very limits. I don't think that is all my fault. I feel like the Lord knows exactly where to put me where I'll be stretched to my limits mentally, spiritually, and physically, so that I can grow. I suppose it's like physically stretching, you have to go to your limits in order to become more flexible. Somewhere in all the confusion on some of those crazy days, there's a divine pattern at work.
As I prepared to go on a mission, I realized that the trials that I went through before my mission had made me stronger and prepared me for my mission. I knew that my mission wouldn't be easy, but I thought that the preparation I had gone though would have been sufficient to help me get through my mission. Now as I've been on my mission, the future isn't quite as breezy as I had thought it might be. With my mission has come its own set of trials and stretching, which are sometimes pretty strenuous. Though it would be nice to think that the future after I return home on my mission will be easy compared to the experiences I had on and before my mission, I have learned that that will not be the case. President Eyring's words in the last few General Conferences have really helped me understand that, as he has talked about preparation in the priesthood, spiritual staying power, and enduring trials in life. I have learned that I cannot endure well, without the Lords help, the trials that He wants to give me for my growth. I believe that the experiences I go through on my mission will help prepare me for the blessings and trials that will come ahead in my life. These experiences in my life, will, in turn, prepare me for after this life, and for the eternities. After all, exalted perfection is a long process. Again, there is a divine pattern in all of this in which I can see the hand of the Lord. If this life is to go through experiences that will help us to become more like Him, than He must not want me to waste any of my time here! I don't think I would want Him to let me waste it either.
Well, since I'm short on time I'll also just quote what I wrote about Sister
Winters and David Broniman too, in case anyone was wondering-
Here in Harrison, we are continuing to work with our two investigators with a baptismal date. Sister Winters was interviewed this last week, and everything went well, but because of the complications with Brother Winter's priesthood we all discussed it and ended up moving the baptism back to April 28th. She should be all set for that date, and she is looking forward to it. Brother Winters (his records of priesthood ordination were lost) was re-ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood, and we're hoping that he might be able to be re-ordained to the Melchizedek by the 29th, but we're not sure if that will be possible. If he is, then he will confirm Sister Winters. Elder Poulsen will be coming down from Traverse City to perform the baptism on the 28th.
David is doing okay too. We talked with him and decided to move his baptismal date back to May 5th, since it's been difficult to meet with him and he has a lot going on in his life right now. We have a few commandments left to teach him about.
Keep them in your prayers!
Have a great week everyone.
Love,
Elder Trevor Casper
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