As the famous scripture goes, ''There must needs be an opposition in all things''. I am aware that you all know the reason to that. No opposition equals no growth. No struggle for rebuffed muscles equals no good looking muscles. No tears equals no laughter. No homework equals no passing grade. The top of the mountain would be nothing without the frigid depths of the ocean. The law would pass away without opposition, and all things would vanish away. I recently have been listening to a talk by James B. Faust about irony being the crust on the bread of adversity, and He very eloquently explains how adversity works. For me personally, one of the hardest things to do is to ignore the mocking voices of the great and spacious building. Madagascar has been relentless with derogatory slurs, name calling, pride brandishing, and so forth. You would think even though people here don't have a lot of money they would still be nice! Nevertheless, people can still be vicious. But, what have I learned after these things? I have learned to love them! And when they show no mercy, I stand tall and press forward. A Malagasy favorite word to use is Vazaha which can be irritating to hear every day. They like to use other words with that, too, that I won't mention. But, Jesus would never fight back. Being the real champion, He keeps his hope and love laser focused on positivity and love for his fellow men...yes, even those roman soldiers who nailed him to a wooden cross.
We all must have asked this one question: Why does God allow bad things to happen? Why did our eternal protector allow men to ruthlessly gun innocent people? Why does He allow any of those things to happen? Why doesn't He just strike the wicked with lightning and blow their ashes to and fro? We can receive our answer though the knowledge that we, one day, agreed to follow Jesus Christ and, because of that, receive the hardships that accompany it.
God knows what He is doing. He knows each of you personally, in and out, up and down, better than you could ever know yourself now. He knows your wants and your needs. He wants the very best for you, but you have to do all of your parts. Jesus Christ is not far. He is in all things, through all things, around all things. He is the God that created all things from beginning to end, from the first to the last! You best know that if He can be in more than 1 place at a time, He would never choose a greater side to be on than on yours. Draw near unto him, and He will draw near unto you, and when you get close to him, stay close. When you knock, keep knocking. When you ask, ask more.
Zanahary anie hitahy anareo mandrakizay (may God bless you forever),
Elder Johnson
All of those little peices of paper were vocab words in malagasy I was memorizing
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