Mardi Gras and being Happy

This week we kinda had to abandon the island (super sad) because Mardi Gras was going on and let’s just say that there are a lot of things that we just don’t need to be here for. We will also be leaving next weekend but’s kinda cool because we got to spend the weekend with all the elders that live off the island but come to our branch so it was super fun. I learned a lot from the elders we stayed with. We had the chance to just go around and teach people. They are starting to sit outside again because it’s hot now and so we just walk up to them and are able to teach them. We taught a lot and it was really cool.

I don’t really know how to explain it but today I had a cool thing happen. I was just kinda stressed and not feeling super good and just not liking it at all and wishing to feel better when I said a prayer and just asked God to help me be happy. I asked hoping to be able to change my state of being. I didn’t want to be sad or upset and I had the hope that praying about it would give me a way out of it. So that happened. I said my prayer and I smiled and I went outside. As we walked down the stairs we see this lady pulling up with a car full of furniture. Moving! So you know what we did? We helped her and were able to (the four of us) unload like 3 cars in like 15 minutes and really help her out and they were thanking us for the help and I just felt happy. I think service is my favorite thing to do. It allows me to forget myself and go to work and to help others and I always feel so good after. I know that God answered my prayer by letting me be able to help this lady move in and I’m so grateful for a God who is willing to answer such a simple prayer and to help me remember that He is really listening to me and that He wants to help me.

Well I hope you know the blessing we are to others when we ourselves are happy people. We can be a light to the world if we are willing to shine. So I invite all of you to try and be happy. Not like fake happy, but real people who live the gospel and know that they are children of God and that through your righteousness He is pleased.

I love ya’ll and hope you have a great week.

Love,

Elder Birks