From March 31, 2014: "I Will Not Fail Thee Nor Forsake Thee"

Dorogaya Semya!

As a mission we had 45 baptisms this month! We're finding more and more investigators every week as well. Crystal is going through quite a bit. 

We're doing well together as a tri-panionship. We're saddened to see Elder Ballard go home because of depression issues, but we're moving forward in our sweet 2014 Chevy Cruze.

Crystal had a miracle, her landlord is now going to let her stay despite her conversion to the Church, which really was miraculous, since she kicked her own sister out because of the same decision. I've attached a photo from Crystal's baptism, her friend came with her.

Kevin is experiencing a lot of opposition from his family right now, which is disappointing, but we will have a dinner this Sunday with his family and the Fry's and Steele's.

Vladimir is still super interested in the Church and should have time to meet this week with us and his general contractor Bro Givens.

Aaron M. is a protestant minister in the 5th ward that dropped us yesterday, but I wrote him a letter that will exhort him to simply pray about it (Proverbs 3:5). 

I consider myself one of the luckiest men to be serving here in the Idaho Boise Mission, we truly have an incredible Mission President and mission leaders. Please pray for Crystal and Kevin, I have such a strong testimony of prayer. Thank you for all your prayers in my behalf, I've felt buoyed through the stormy trials that have come and gone. The Gospel has been restored! We know much more about the God's Plan of Salvation because of the Restoration and our brothers and sisters need to know these truths. I'm so thankful for my Savior Jesus Christ, that He took upon not only our sins, transgressions and their awful consequences, but also our pains and our trials. He has done so much for us, and we truly owe him all of our thanks and devotion,

I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another— 21 I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.

From President Monson's last conference talk, "Only the Master knows the depths of our trials, our pain, and our suffering. He alone offers us eternal peace in times of adversity. He alone touches our tortured souls with His comforting words: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30) Whether it is the best of times or the worst of times, He is with us. He has promised that this will never change." 

It is my testimony that all of our burdens will work out for our good, from the pioneers, it is a privilege to pay the price to come to know God. He will not forsake us! He knows the end from the beginning and designs to grant us His richest blessings in His own time and way, leading to a fullness of joy in this life, and immortality and eternal life in His Eternal Presence with our families.

"May we ever strive to be close to our Heavenly Father. To do so, we must pray to Him and listen to Him every day. We truly need Him every hour, whether they be hours of sunshine or of rain. May His promise ever be our watchword: “I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” (President Thomas S. Monson, "I Will Not Fail Thee, nor Forsake Thee", GC October 2013)

Much much love!

Elder Szendre