Sunday, February 1, 2015

A House

GOOD MORNING (insert your last name here) FAMILY!!!!!!!!
I just thought of that home renovation show.. Extreme Makeover! That's it! ha. And how they would yell that at whoevers house they were going to renovate.. then I thought of Nick petty yelling it at his pet mice in 7th grade! ha. Good times... It is still good times here as well! Had a great week, Had zone training meeting. Our Zone leader, Elder Watts, made us all take a picture out in the rain! ha. It was funny. Cheerful attitudes everywhere! SO many umbrellas! If I get  picture I'll send it to ya! ha. was good. Went on exchanges and saw some miracles. that was good! Enjoyed that! OH! So this lonely older man we visit didn't answer his door on Friday for our appointment which he never misses. In fact he calls us if we are 5 minutes late to check if were are still coming. He wouldn't answer his phones, no one knew were he was. We were the last ones to see him and that was on Wednesday. It got to Saturday and no one had heard from him still. His phone was dead at this point and we were beginning to get a bit scared. Our Elders quorum president called the police and they broke in. Nothing. Everything seemed to be in order. the only thing gone was him. All of his cigarettes 9we are working with him for that..) his phone all there.. But not him! We were baffled! Looking around for a crazy old man! the hospital had no record of him we called several times to a few different hospitals on Saturday. Nothing. WHERE DID HE GO? He could be dead in the ally-way nest to the R.S.L. for all we know!! haha we got a call from our Elders quorum President Sunday morning saying he called the hospital one more time and got connected to someone with his name but no one answered... so we went up to have a look. Well what do ya know. he had been in there since Thursday evening when he was in a struggle for breathe at the shopping center! my goodness.... relief! Found him with a big desire to quit smoking... the Lord finds ways to humble those that need it...he is safe though. We are visiting him again tonight! phew.. funny story for ya!  In other news I got my watch fixed this morning! Got a new battery and it works better than when I first got it! ha. pretty cool! Excited about that. My wrist felt naked! I was able to go on exchanges for the last time with Elder Spicer! From Queens land. he was my zone leader in Coffs and is now my district member. I have learned heaps from him and he goes home in a week! Also, me and Elder Nathan made a home made camera mount out of blue-tak in the car! So we can take pictures and record funny videos while driving. Do not worry.. the driver is always alert and focused on the road. Here is a picture for you laugh at! ha.
      My core experience this week came again from Studying "Preach My Gospel!" I was in the effective study chapter and in the course of my hour I was lead to read a lot about knowledge and its importance. I enjoyed reading much from the Book of Proverbs. (1:20-33; 3:13-26; 4:1-13; 8:1-36; 15:14;) The bit that stood out most to me most, however, was Proverbs 24:3-4, which reads:" 3 Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: 4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches." I do not claim the exact intents of the author but my thoughts were interesting. I pictured a house. It is established by the parents, Meaning they set the rules. This probably comes from my imagination of having a future family and intending to create a sacred environment as D&C 88:119 says:"Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God." Anyway... that is how it is established, by the Children understanding (as proverbs says) and applying the principles they are being taught. Learning and living the basic principles of the Gospel: Faith, Repentance, Prayer, Sacrifice, Baptism, ETC. That is when the house is established and the knowledge is obtained, thus furnishing our lives with precious and pleasant riches (the joy that comes from true gospel living). Now, "what does this have to do with you Elder Ford?" You may, rightly so, be asking. I understood a bit after reading that the parent of the House is our Heavenly Father and we are obviously the small children striving to understand the BASIC principles given us by our maker. That is how we will establish the house of God, or Bethel we will raise as I have been saying recently. By continuing to learn and apply what we have been taught. By improving and progressing until we reach the point where we can become Like the our creator, like our Savior. We cannot selfishly take in all we can and not help our brothers and Sisters to improve and progress eternally, or we are not raising our Fathers house, we are trying to raise our own. Thus, we must teach, we must Invite others to com unto Christ and be perfected in him.
   We have been teaching using stories and poems a bit. We try to use resources we have and almost teach in parables. The savior often taught in this symbolic way with great power. We are trying to teach similarly to our members. the result is good. The spirit is strong, the confusing doctrines of the kingdom become just a little bit more clear. I am happy about it. I feel the ward members are gaining a bit more respect and trust for us. Which is essential do bringing to pass the Lords great work in Normanhurst as you well know. It has been successful.. funny what happens when you follow the example of Jesus Christ.
   We have been rehitting the survey while tracting this week. It is great! It defuses that fear people have when they see missionaries at the door. It can instantly get you right into a gospel conversation with them feeling comfortable and willing to learn more. It has been worth while. This is the only area where I  have had success with the survey.. and it has been great success! ha. It is, I would say, my best way to find, using the survey that is. it works on the street and it makes tracting a bit better. We have enjoyed it.
I LOVE you ALL!...HEAPS!    Please don't forget that! I wish I had time to write you all individually but the time does not permit. Whether friend or family, I Do love YOU! Thank you for your support.
       Love,
           Elder Ford

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