Dear Family and Friends,
Life here in the mission field is amazing! We enjoy every day, no matter how hard it sometimes seems to be to forget yourself. This week we learned a great lesson about having a balance and taking more care for yourself.

There is a great scripture in the Book of Mormon that explains a little bit, what I mean:

Mosiah 4:27

“And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.”

The Savior expects from us to love others, to serve others, to forgive others and to lay everything on the altar (don’t do something for your own gain). Those two years I serve here in Ukraine are for the Lord and Our Heavenly Father. Sometimes I have the tendency of worrying to much about other peoples problem and how to serve them. It is important that we trust the Lord. Of course, we should do everything in our hand and always strive to do the best we can, but we should not go over limits of our own strengths. When we live a righteous life, the Lord will make the difference. He will strengthen us. The problems, afflictions might not become less, but you will become stronger. This is a wonderful promise from a prophet in the Book of Mormon:

Mosiah 24:14, 15

14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

Often we intend to pray that the Lord will take our burdens away. But how then would we learn, get stronger and learn from our experiences? This verse shows us, that He makes us strong, that we can overcome our afflictions by ourself. My dear friends! How great is our joy, when we trust in the Lord, the source of the most powerful love, light and energy. I want to add my assurance that I know that He really does visit us in our afflictions in the most wonderful ways, when you think it is dark and no one there to rescue you. I know that He lives and that He truly heals our hearts, when we turn to him (3 Nephi 9:13).
Have an awesome week!