Happy Holidays!

        I'm going to say on missions, Holidays aren't that fun.  It really makes it hard to stop by and contact people and so on so forth so I am looking forward to 2014 and the opportunity to start teaching more people and to get to work. I really have been looking forward to a lot of things in the new year, as missionaries we are always looking at ways we can better our self, things to sacrifice of our self's and ways to serve people so as a new year is coming I plan to set a main goal and that is to redouble my efforts. I've always enjoyed knowing that we can repent and change and become better people to work closer and closer to God and my plan is to do all I can do, continually redoubling my efforts until soon or later the day comes and I meet my savior and he tells me as I weep at is feel, Travis.... They sins are forgiven thee.

        So lately I have been in my studies looking for answers of the soul's great question that many people ask that they don't find answers to and hope that in some day I may be able to show and testify of the answers that they are looking for. Lately I've been noticing a question that people often ask and that is"why does God allow my to suffer?" and as I've been reading the Book of Mormon I found one chapter that has really helped me understand the answer to that question and that is 2 Nephi 2:2; 11-13. and to summarize the answer is that the lord blesses us with afflictions for us to gain, struggle, knowledge, experience and ect. the other thing is that we must face opposition in all things, if we did not experience sadness we would know no Joy, if we had no sin we could do no good. I have found great peace in knowing this doctrine and to know God gives us weakness that threw humility we can become strong (ether 12:27) I know our savior loves us and 

I pray I can help others feel of that same love that I feel and that is what I strive for. Clayton Christensen: “Every time you take someone figuratively by the hand and introduce him or her to Jesus Christ, you will feel how deeply our Savior loves you and loves the person whose hand is in yours” (The Power of Everyday Missionaries: The What and How of Sharing the Gospel [2013], 1).

-Elder Herdt