Risky parking!!

Hiya!

On Tuesday we had interviews with President Stevens in Ipswich! President Stevens said something kind about me and Elder Marzahn being right for our area to regain the trust of the members. 

Later that day we had a lesson with Mark and Julia! We taught part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and re-invited them to be baptised on 21-Feb. They both accepted. Julia requested Sunday off from her manager (sshe prayed quickly before asking) and her manager have her Sunday off. They were confirmed for church on Sunday, and the Bridges were planning to give them a lift, but sadly Mark was ill yesterday.  

Julie Batts is progressing towards her baptismal date as well. We watched the 19 minute "Restoration" video with her on Tuesday. She feels the church is true! She was at church yesterday. 

On Sunday 3 Jan, after church, I gave a blessing to Janet Matthams (she had a surgery coming up). In the blessing, I said something about her healing, but not as quickly as she'd like. I'd forgotten about this, and on Sunday 10 January, she told me this, and said she was thinking about it, and that the reason for the longer healing was because of radiotherapy. So for whatever reason, the radiotherapy would make the healing take longer. How neat that I was able to be guided by the Spirit in that way. 

On Thursday, Elder Marzahn and I were finding and Elder Marzahn stoppped this woman, asking her something about where he could get shoes. She said to go to town. We found out that she was from Spain, and I spoke some Spanish to her! Her whole demeanor changed, and the conversation was warmer and flowed better. She was born in Ghana, lived most of her life in Spain, and then moved to England 5 years ago. I think she has 2 kids. We were on the footpath next to the Parkway (not far from the chapel) so we walked to the chapel and chowed her around a bit. She liked what we said and she liked the church.

On Friday we had another great lesson with Mark and Julia. We taught them with Sam Wheeler (Who's amazing by the way. He's the Elder's Quorum President. He's the one that popped in briefly into my Facetime home at Christmas!) Mark and Julia really love Elder Marzahn and I. They feel the SPirit when they read the Book of Mormon, and when we teach them. I just love them so much, and want them so desperately to come to church! This Sunday they should be there... :) 

On Saturday we had a dinner appointment with a woman named Averall (a nonmember carer) and Julia (a member that's being cared for). Averall has been to church off and on for 12 years. The dinner with Averall was (for the most part) amazing. It was super long though... That woman can talk... :')

Here's what we had: Prawns (Easily the NASTIEST FOOD I'VE HAD ON MY MISSION) with lettuce, juice, crackers, oxtail and tomato soup, bread, lasagne, beef, and ice cream and peaches. Everything except for the Prawns was great. Ironically, this was one of the best meals of my mission, yet it contained the nastiest thing I've had on my mission. Imagine that.  

After the lesson, we went to Tim Boon (a wonderful, but currently Less Active member) to give him a blessing because of his injured back. After the blessing, we were going to our car. We were outside and Tim asked if we'd be around in the week. It was tempting to just set up the appointment at another time, but I was prompted to set a time up right then. I asked about 7:00 on Monday, and he asked if we could do 7:30. We have an 8:00 appointment with a new investigator that we found last week. We decided to meet with tim at 7:30, and then to teach with him at 8! Tim told us that he taught with the sisters in the library in the past. I'm excited to have Tim teach with us.

On Sunday, Elder MArzahn and I taught Priests quorum about the Godhead. I really felt the Spirit as I identified the difference between the Godhead and the trinity. I first read something about the Trinity.  

"Abstract, absolute, transcendent, immanent, consubstantial, coeternal, and unknowable, without body, parts, or passions and dwelling outside space and time. In such creeds all three members are separate persons, but they are a single being, the oft-noted “mystery of the trinity.” They are three distinct persons, yet not three Gods but one. All three persons are incomprehensible, yet it is one God who is incomprehensible."

To me, as I read that, I didn't feel the Spirit. In contrast, I then gave a description of the Godhead in my own words, and I felt the Spirit powerfully. This was a wonderful experience for me, and it confirmed the beautiful truth of the Godhead and that our church is the Lord's true and only church!

There's a scripture that I really liked that I read in my personal study recently. It's in 1 Nephi 15. In this chapter, Nephi returned to Lehi's tent after receiving amazing revelation from God, to find, his brothers "disputing one with another concerning the things which my father had spoken unto them" (verse 2). They had failed to understand what Lehi had said to them because they hardened their hearts and didn't "inquire of the Lord" (verse 3). Nephi explains to them about the olive tree and its meaning. He also quotes Isaiah to them and his brothers were finally "were pacified and did humble themselves before the Lord" (verse 20). 

Nephi's brothers then ask him questions about the meaning of Lehi's dream. Nephi's brothers asked him what the rod of iron meant. Verse 24 answers that question and is the verse that stands out most to me. It says, "And I said unto them that it was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction."

There is such a real power that comes through scripture study, especially through the Book of Mormon. Church, prayer, and reading the scriptures are emphasized so much, and they're so fundamental! But I feel we don't really grasp the reasons for these fundamental things until we fully do each of them! My studies have been better recently, and I feel that there's a difference in my life because of it!  

The Gospel is Great!  

Have a wonderful week.

Love,

Elder Withers