Hello friends and family!
After an awesome 6 months the Celestial
Kingdom has moved from Tuggerah NSW to Normanhurst NSW! I was up in
Coffs, up on the Central Coast, and now I have just barely come through
the fog and canyons into the Sydney zones! Literally, it was so foggy
coming to transfer meeting! haha. I was very sad to leave Tuggerah... It
truly became my home. Seemed as if I was part of the family and living
there! Maybe that is why I got transferred, hey? All is well though.
Change is necessary, as I have said before. The chapel we meet at for
transfers is my new transfers, so I am reminded of Maryland Heights MO.
My "Birth" area. Normanhurst is in the Baulkham Hills Zone. I call it
the mother zone because it is HUGE! One of the biggest Sydney zones in
size and THE biggest in numbers! I am 1 of 3 District Leaders in the
zone. I am pretty sure all the other zones just have 2. It is weird
being here... But I will adjust. My new companion is Elder Simeavao,
from Samoa. If you have a good memory you will remember that I served
with him in Coffs Harbour zone. SO that is fun. He has a reputaion of
being crazy! ha. He is a good time.
I will miss Tuggerah. I
really loved the Elders I was with when I left. My Companion Elder
Chin-Ah-You, from Tahiti. The french military boy! I was mad to be
leaving him... And Elder Saga... I love Elder Saga! He is so humble and
funny! He is quiet around members... but when he speaks it is
pricelessly funny! ha. I will miss them! To one of our Dinner
appointments this week they said it was a pajama party, so they planned
on making fun of us for not being in PJs... So what do we do? We were
onsies and Pj's over our proselyting clothes! haha. Funny thing is...
they all "forgot" it was pajama party night... Really they "couldn't be
bothered" which is aussie for we are too lazy. haha Just kidding they
are funny... ha
Last P-day we went to Somersby falls. It
was a sweet little hike! So fun! I have so many pictures this week but
can only send three(there is a limit on how much info I can send, like
memory I can attach.). it was way fun! A good end of transfer zone
p-day! A good one! I talked the other disrict leader into getting wet if
I did.. he agreed thinking I wouldn't so I go right into the water
fall! haha. He had to take up his end of the bargain! So I will try to
send more pictures of that!
My core experience this week
has to do with change. I was in an apartment I had been living in for 6
months. No one around me was the same as when I arrived, nor in my
district, and the zone was in a similar state. Then, I came down to
Sydney for the meeting on Monday. All these people some I know, some I
did not. I see people who are now leaders that I knew well before they
were given added responsibility. I Don't see mission leaders that were
here when I arrived. I kept having flash backs of my new arrivals
meeting. I went to my new zone leaders flat, I had stayed there once
before. Again, all was different, but the same. I was feeling.. not let
down or disappointed... but for some reason surprised. I knew all these
people had "died" in the mission and I know others have progressed
spiritually, but for some odd reason it shocked me a bit. After feeling a
bit... feelings are often so difficult to describe. Anyway, later I
thought. It is much similar to life and history and the church. The
doctrine and the scriptures have stayed the same (for the most part) but
the faces have changed. (prophets, apostles, etc.) The gospel is
eternal... we are merely tools in the lords work to bring to pass
ETERNAL changes in a temporary state. I do not know if I have adequately
described my experience... but I hope you were able to get something
out of it!
Teaching as Jesus taught. I now have a lot of
people to get to know. I hope to be able to get to them on a personal
level. SO I, like the savior, can teach to their needs. SO they can
improve and progress eternally! I know it is through the spirit that I
will be able to do so, and do so quickly. The spirit is key in all
things. Through it we can know all things. Even the Truth of all things!
I would tell any 17 year old who is preparing to leave on his mission
to study Preach My Gospel and read the Book Of Mormon Everyday. I would
have been so much more prepared If I had spent the time to prepare.
Instead of just saying "oh, yea I'm going on a mission soon." And slowly
reading through the Book of Mormon. It is essential in this work. It
is absolutely needed. You would have so much the advantage if you
studied those 2 books everyday. I would recommend not only preparing
missionaries, but all members to do the same!
Thank you all
for the love that you all have for me! I am appreciative of it! ( I nee
dot work on my spelling!) I love you all!
Love,
Elder Ford
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