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| Elder Meson |
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Elder Leneham |
I have been Transferred to
Tuggerah! My new Companion is Elder Orr from Idaho! It is on the
central coast and only an hour away from Sydney. It was weird driving
here. The exit we took to get here was one of the rest stops on our way
up to port! ha The nearest missionaries are now in our flat with us
instead of an hour south in Taree. ha. We are going on a temple trip
this weekend, and actually have to dress up and physically go to a
district meeting! Wierd...
At transfer meeting a missionary I really look up to and learned a
lot from (that served in Taree) "Died" yesterday. Or for those of you
that have not served missions, went home! ha. Back to Wyoming. I got to
see Elder Leneham also, another missionary I have learned great things
from. He goes back to Brisbane in 12 weeks! I took a picture of the
Newcastle sunrise before transfers s well for you. We had to travel
there the night before so we could leave at a reasonable time Monday morning to get to the meeting in Sydney. Again with the driving...
My core experience with god this week, I think, has to do with
the spirit. At times it feels like I am spiritually apathetic. As I have
been in this country however, I am starting to feel it and understand
it a bit more! Hence the promptings I have been receiving lately. I am
truly learning to follow promptings, we had a miracle in port last week
that came from following the spirit! We tracked out a street by a less
active sister home 6 weeks ago. I wanted to go get rid off all the pamphlets and 2 copies of the Book of Mormon I was carrying. I didn't
know why, but I left random things on random doors. Last week as we
were leaving this same less active sisters porch we saw an older man
sitting on his porch at one of the houses we knocked on and didn't get
an answer. We left and as we turned off the street I felt... we need to
go back. My mind said no, he's just an old drug addict and won't listen.
We got 5 K's away and over a bridge even, when low and behold, again,
another prompting. Go back! I had to or It would have haunted my dreams.
We went back and guess what... He read the Plan of Salvation pamphlet
we left on his porch twice and got a hold of the Book of Mormon we left
on his neighbors porch and has read the whole introduction and is well
into 1st Nephi. I was stunned. I had never received a prompting like
this before. It was no coincidence that we had an incredible personal
and companionship study that morning. We talked to him and found that he
deeply needs to understand the atonement and that god loves him. We set
a return appointment and found our 1st investigator of the transfer (in
week 6 of 6). What a Miracle! I feel that the lord is starting to guide
me more. As I, hopefully, am starting to listen more.
I am starting to improve my teaching be not being so over-bearing
at first. Not just straight business from the get-go, but by easing my
way into it. I have seen how it works. You are much more able to find
out what part of the gospel they need to hear. It makes it more
interesting to them as well! they don't feel that I am pressing them to
force my beliefs on them, as people seem to think of us. I have found
the inspired questions flow MUCH easier as well. It is incredible what
happens when you align your will with that of God.
If someone was losing interest in preparing for a mission... I
would tell them I respect their agency, but they should fully consider
what it is they are going to do and not do. I would bare testimony about
how much I LOVE my mission. The ups and the downs. I have learned and
grown more in just a few months out here than I had in my whole 19 years
growing up i the church. I find more purpose in EVERYTHING. I understand life now, I am happier with the small things. I in a sense am
finding myself. Which reminds me of a quote in the movie we watched a Christmas, Ephraims Rescue one of the things the mother said to her son
when they HAD to leave home and "leave behind all other personal
affairs" as well was something to the effect of this: "You have to lose
your life to find it." She was not meaning you have to die to find your
purpose but that you have to leave behind old things and "lose" what you
do in your life, to find out who you TRULY are and what your purpose
is. A mission is the greatest thing you could ever do with these years
of your life. I am totally convinced of that!
I love you all so much and am grateful for your love and
support! You are living in the great Dispensation of the Fullness of
times! You are fighting the adversary in great strides. I pray we can
all fight evermore effectively to prevail and retain our liberty!
Love ,
Elder Ford
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