.... whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day. — Alma 36:3
October 2006 was my first month in Samoa. I was shipped out to the big island, Savai'i, which is the most quiet and less populated island of Western Samoa. Our area was hard. We faced a lot of rejection due to the strong influence of many other churches in the village. I was frustrated trying to get along with the little Samoan that I knew.
I was homesick. I missed my friends and especially my family. My companion only had one month left in his mission, which only added to my homesickness. All these trials brought about feelings of depression. I started to feel like I was unprepared, that I shouldn't be here, and I wasn't ready to be a missionary.
Through all these trials I always found solace in the scriptures. Alma's words to his son Helaman, from Alma 36:3, especially brought comfort to me. He says that if we put our trust in God, we will be supported through any kind of trial, and be lifted up at the last day.
As I am now in the closing months of my mission, I look back at those times and I am so grateful to the Lord for those trials. I am now fluent in the Samoan language, and have served diligently the wonderful Samoan people, as well as my fellow missionaries.
My testimony has become stronger because of these trials, and I have become a better person. I was able to overcome all these trials because I put my trust in God. — Elder Matthew Romney, Samoa Apia Mission