History Geek

Hello Family and friends!

 I am e-mailing a bit late in case you didn't notice. That is because the libraries were closed yesterday due to yet again! A public Holiday. The queens birthday... But they will swear till the moon is green that they are not British. ENGLAND doesn't even celebrate this Holiday. Pretty funny, huh? Well, all is well. I am doing good. Tuggerah is fun. Transfers are in a week. Could have a new companion next time I e-mail, but ya never know! I hope we both stay. Love Tuggerah and Love Elder Orr. It is good. We have a good relationship with the members here. We were at a dinner appointment last night, sitting on the couch. And their little 3 year old just comes and sits between us and hangs out with us. ha. It was funny. We took a picture we thought it was so funny. I was looking at the picture afterwards and boy, I am FAT! Ha, at least you know I am being well fed! We were driving to a members house the other day and the sky was orange-as! It was crazy. So we stopped by Tuggerah lake and tooka photo or two. It was pretty cool-looking! So there are some pictures of that!

  My core experience this week came from my calendar. I am somewhat of a WW2 nerd, as you may well know. I saw June 6th and realized it was the 70th anniversary of D-day. The infamous allied sea invasion of Nazi controlled France. It has been something that has fascinated me my whole life. I was thinking about A large scale military invasion and the bombings prior, how it would have been very difficult for families to stay safe and how frightening it likely was. I then thought of one of my favorite hymns. No. 248 "Up, Awake, Ye Defenders of Zion." It is not a very popular hymn, likely because it is a bit different. However, one of the lines says "The foe is at the doors of your homes." The analogy of war and the spiritual war we face everyday is nothing new, but it made me think a bit deeper about it. In a sense we jumping out of a plane into a foreign land and fighting, fighting for what we know to be most important, "...Our god, Our Religion, Our Freedom." I hope to be the best soldier (and medic for fallen comrades if you will) in gods army that I can be.
   We are trying to improve our teaching by widening our investigators pool of fellowship. We are trying to get more and more people involved so they really feel welcomed to the ward and loved. I see this being good so that when the missionaries leave they have better friends than just one part member family in the church. Their true conversion process will flow a lot faster and more naturally.
   The way I move forward with faith when potentially discouraging circumstances arise is to live my "6 word Vision." Come What May & Love It! Unfavorable situations can and will happen at any time, usually when very inconvenient. I love that talk by Elder Wirthlin. If everyone just lived that in their lives they would laugh a lot more and face challenges with increased faith. I have noticed it usually makes the outcome of whatever circumstance better. I have found that facing difficult senarios with the attitude of "Come What May & Love It" usually makes me, those I am around, and the spirit much more comfortable and willing to face said senario with faith.
   Thank you all for your love and support! I greatly appreciate it! you are all wonderful!

   Love,

      Elder Ford