“Connect,” For the Strength of Youth, Dec. 2023.
Connect
Josué T.
17, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
When I go out with the missionaries, I try to help people with the things that are hardest for them. Where I live, people are not always excited about talking to the missionaries. Some people won’t let you teach them at all. My friends sometimes make fun of me because I tell them about the Church and Jesus Christ. But that doesn’t discourage me. I always continue. It helps me to grow. To me, participating in the Lord’s work is a great opportunity to feel close to Him.
When I got baptized, the elders really supported me. At my baptism, I was so happy. I felt like I was leaving my old life behind and beginning a new life. My baptism helped me to join Jesus Christ’s Church and prepare to receive other ordinances.
I’m doing my best to read the scriptures because they really bring me closer to God. The scriptures help me feel calmer, and when I am calm, I am able to hear the Spirit better.