A change of View

Hello Friends and family! All is well down unda! I am just getting over a bit of a cough. Feeling better. Yes transfers were this week and we did not e-mail on Monday.... so what is your guess???    nope! I am still in the beautiful Tuggerah and with not so beautiful Elder Orr! haha jk. He is beautiful.. just spiritually. ha. Jk again. Love him! I did get a call on Saturday night from president Howes though. He asked me if I would be willing to be the new District Leader in the area since Elder Balmes was being transferred. "Come What may & Love It!" "Yes sir I would love to!" So I have to prepare hour long trainings for the missionaries every week now. I am excited for this chance to serve even more in the lords vineyard! The new missionary in the apart... flat. in the flat is Elder Evans. From South Jordan'layton Utah. There are 4 Americans in Tuggerah. crazy, hey? It is fun though! he is a great missionary and will keep me and Elder Orr on our toes! I am excited to see how it goes. I didn't take many pictures this week. There is one of one of my Zone Leaders, Elder Kiwa (Maori-New Zealander). We were expecting them at any minute to go on exchanges. So we heard this knock on our front window. Elder Orr lifts up the blinds and we die laughing seeing this! ha. It was great! We had to take pictures, obviously! ha. the next one is the only one I took with me in it. That is a sister that got transferred out of toukly (in the district) and some random member. haha. so yea.. that was my Sunday best this week! That is all the big news of the week... yep!

   My core experience with God this week came from a few differant experiences. I began to notice and look at a change of Attitude I was having. In highschool I often felt like the one on the outside trying to fit in with what was "Cool." I alays got into the trends as soon as they seemed to be dying. I always felt a bit like the odd duckling. I could never seem to fit in just how I wanted to. Everyone wants to be "That cool kid," even if it means acting stupid. Anyway, I have painted that picture adequately enough. I NOW see what I thought was a burden of unpopularity and "just not being with the times" is actually a TREMENDOUS blessing. I am less attached to the world and can break the ties to sin much easier, or so I feel. A change of context shifts viewpoint draramatically! I am now greatful I could never find that social position I thoguht I wanted. A true testament that Gods ways TRULY are higher than our ways! He has a Plan for me that gets clearer and more seamlingly tailor-made everyday! I know who I am, I know gods plan!
    Going along with last week where we were improving our teaching by teaching to their needs, Me and Elder Orr realized we need to check our inventory and resources. There have been so many times in my mission were I (or other missionaries) have said "Wow! I wish I knew that when I came into the mission! It would have saved so much time!" I see that happening again... So we are evaluating our resource pool so we can evermore effectively Teach to their needs.
    A time I felt spiritually fulfilled this week was... Honestly.. Taking the sacrament! I really tried to focus on what it meant that day, to be cleansed again! Everytime I think about it.. it amazes me! We have the chance to be forgiven of all our sins everyweek! Is that not impressive? I focussed on it and tried to think abour and contemplate the atonement. I have realized I need to keep studying it. I need to more fully understand it! Like has been told me before, I could awrite an eassay and cover all the points but I have not yet learned to appy it propperly or fully in my life. Sorry this has turned more into a revelatory experiemce thana time I was spirtiually fulfilled.

   Thank you all for the love you show me! I can feel your prayers! Thank you all so much!

 

Love,

    Elder Ford