Hello my loved ones!! How great you all are! Thank you for caring!
Good week so far. good week. We have some new people in the
district! Elder Bjornberg is new and been trained by Elder Spicer, and
Sister Aldan from Micronesia has come to work with Sister Vereivalu! The
zone leaders came to District Meeting this week! Elder Watts from
Kaysville, who I served around up in Coffs, and Elder Guthrie from
Bountiful. Was good. Also, weird side note. The sisters I came out with
Died! they are back home.. weird! ha Weird to think...3/4's served! To
celebrate me and Elder Nathan went out and got some Fish 'n Chips! The
Coast and Port have much better Fish n' Chips than Hornsby.. ha. but
nonetheless! all is well! We h ad our Normanhurst ward Christmas party!
Here is me and Elder Nathan with a good and funny group of guys!
Summertime is winding up and the sunsets are too! This was a cool one
the other day as we were walking around in Hornsby! Shout out to the
Schwendiman family! Welcoming a new member to family! Congrats! What a
special spirit she must be... Good on ya!
My core thoughts and experience this week is a sad one. I
noticed my work had become a bit stagnant. I looked at what I was doing
and noticed I had spiritual digressed. I was lower than I had been
months back! I was sad when I realized I had be come complacent in the
work. We all know when we are not Improving and progressing (as I have
written about before) we are spiritually declining and digressing. Elder
Nathan and I took a look at what we had done so far, found where I went
wrong. Together we have reasoned with the Lord and come to find how we
many accomplish all we seek to do in this area. We have now started our
"40-day-fasts." We are excited to fast from all the things that poke at
our spirit for the next 40 days in order to purify our motives. We
really hope to stay focused on our Purpose. After an exchange with our
Zone Leaders, Elder Guthrie and Elder Watts, we felt rejuvenated and
revitalized in spirit! I wouldn't say our hearts were in a bad place,
but we have had an increase of spirit that has led to a change of heart.
We are excited to see miracle here in Normanhurst this CHRISTmas! It is
no coincidence that we received a member referral right after making
the list for our forty day fasts...
To improve my teaching I am trying to be more like the Master
teacher himself! I am seeking to be more humble. Another trait I
recognized that creeped back into my soul, or perhaps never left...
Pride is a ridiculous thing... and SO hard to rid your self of. I am
striving though. I am a firm believer that as you take one step towards
Christ he takes two steps back at you! I am grateful more and more
everyday for what the Savior of the world did, and was, for us. Not only
do we have the magnificent gift of the Atonement, but his example alone
we could spend entire lifetimes learning from and striving to follow
and internalize in ourselves.
I cannot quite remember any particular dramatic experience where
the Holy Ghost protected me from danger or saved me. I am sure there
are many, I'm even more sure my mother could tell you all of the
instances in my childhood, ha. But I do know and am very aware that he
leads and guides us into the harbor of spiritual protection and safety
each day. He always guides and prompts. Always. Spiritual destruction
and danger and ever more present than physical obstacles. It is all
around us. Thus the need to purify ourselves and truly live in the world
but not of it! A statement made by many church members quite often.
Yet, I fear we do not fully realize how difficult that is and how much
we are sucked into the world and Satans firm grip on it. The only way we
can be led to that protected harbor I mentioned is to humble ourselves
and follow, oh, so carefully the the gentle guidance of the "still small
voice." As we do we will truly realize how great a gift the Savior was
and how really special this CHRISTmas season really is!
I LOVE you all! thaks for all you do! Remember to have a CHRIST centered CHRISTmas! Here is a short video that should help!
Love,
Elder Ford
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