Hello!

We had the privilege of having Elder D. Todd Christofferson and his wife, Sister Christofferson speak to us at our Tuesday Devotional this past week!  What a marvelous experience. Their words were exactly what I needed to hear at this time.

-He reminded us that in almost every temple session in every temple of the world, they pray for the missionaries and the leaders of the church.  And I know this is true because when we went to the temple these past two weeks, I heard these prayers myself.  I can feel the strength of these prayers all the time and I'm so grateful for them.  I eyes were just full of tears and I just know that we have the love of so many people.

-"It is greater to be trusted than to be loved." -President David O. McKay

Sometimes, we are loved even when we don't deserve it.  We know that our Heavenly Father's love is infinite, but how many people can He trust?  He trusts us with our call: the apostolic mission and authority to preach to all the world.  It's the same calling Jesus Christ gave his apostles.  What a trust He has placed in me!

-I am indebted to Him before I came on my mission and I'll be even more indebted to Him because of all the blessings he's poured upon me and my family while I'm on the mission.  Serving my mission, I realize, is not a sacrifice.  Every minute of it is a blessing.

-Remember the tragic story of David in the Old Testament.  He who slayed Goliath and was a man of God.  He was so faithful, but then lost his exaltation.  The Lord did trust him, but sadly, He could not trust him to the very end.

-We must all be the sons and daughters that God can trust all our life.  We want to live in a trustworthy way so that when the time comes, the Holy Ghost can testify in our name and we can receive the "Holy Spirit of Promise."  The Holy Spirit can then say that we've kept our covenants and the Lord is bound to let us into His Kingdom.

-D&C 19:18-19.  There was no other way.  Christ plead 3x to take away the bitter cup.  But how did He do it.  Glory be to the Father.  Christ was so intent on pleasing and doing the Father's will, that's what gave Him the strength to do it, to drink the bitter cup.