What it means to be tired

sent 2/23/2015

You ever hear about those big gang fights in Denver? Well, apparently, they all tend to happen in Montbello...which is in our area.

We had a good lesson with an investigator this past week to see if she has a true desire to change or not. She's gotten herself into drugs, alcohol, weed...you name it and she does it. When her and her friends "party" they do all 3 at once. Every time she or her friends said, yeah, I drink, or yeah, I smoke pot, they always say, but other than that, I'm a good person. There is something deeper than just what's on the outside. They know they can change and stop doing all of those abusive substances, but they're stuck. They're bound to their addictions and they don't know how to get out of it. .

As we left our lesson with her, there was an argument going on between 4 or 5 hefty men right outside the apartment complex...in the middle of the beginnings of the snowstorm. I wouldn't have been surprised if I heard a gunshot go off or something.

We taught so so so so so so many people this week. I know what it means to be tired. And each and every one of them has a story. I have had so many experiences on my mission with the Atonement of Jesus Christ, but nothing like what I know I'll get out of being in Denver and Aurora. These people here are just torn down to the gulfs of humility.

I've always contemplated, ever since my high school years, why it was that I've lived such a privileged life. And I see people here now and can't even imagine if my life was like that. They go through so much. I wonder sometimes, why did I not go through that? I just wish that I could take their pain away so they could know what it's like to really live life. All we can do is offer them the message that will change their lives.

"Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee." (Acts 3:6).

But we can never be tired enough to stop. Even when the Savior, Himself, thought the journey to be difficult, He never once thought it was too difficult. He continued on. So when He was so tired and continued on, so can I be so tired and continue on.

Endure to the end!

 Sister Wen