The Week Flew By

Good day mates! I hope everyone has had a splendid week! This week flew by for me! It was crazy how fast it went by! We accomplished a lot and it was a great week! It was supposed to be fall time in Adelaide, but the last couple days were in the 100’s of degrees…ughhh…

Fun Australian things:

This week it will be about the Australian school system haha.

-They have a pretty terrible school system. 

-School starts at 9am and ends at 2:30pm.

-Classes are a little under an hour long.

-4 classes a day. 

-There are a couple 30 minute breaks between classes.

-They would go play basketball between classes!

-1 hour lunch!

-Chill school….no assigned homework. You got to choose if you wanted to do homework or not. 

-A whole grade would on a camping trip during the school year.

-Theme parks would be the end of year celebration….

-The Australian said that he would gladly go back to high school in a heartbeat!

Weekly Highlights:

-Had an awesome lesson with Dean! He brings food every week for us and this week he brought nachos from like the only Mexican food restaurant in South Australia.  We got to eat together before the lesson and all the other missionaries walked by with jealousy in their eyes haha. We had Dean read 3rd Nephi 27 before he came to the lesson and he showed up with his notes like usual. We asked him what he had learned and he mentioned that the gospel of Jesus Christ was the good news. Elder Beard and I looked at each other because we knew that it never talks about the gospel being the good news in 3rd Nephi 27. Dean was literally taught by the spirit! It was crazy. He read all about the gospel in that chapter and came to the conclusion and the spirit taught him that the gospel was the good news! 

Dean also told us his middle name….it is Joseph! So that means his name is Dean Joseph Smith. And his fathers name is Joseph Smith! Isn't that crazy?! We were shocked! 

-We then had a lesson with James W. This lesson was crazy. He came in with the concern about the trinity…I thought I knew what the trinity was and understood it before this lesson….but oh no…..I did not haha. It took him about an hour to explain it to us and for Elder Beard and I to understand what he was trying to say.  Finally we understood and we are meeting again next week to discuss more, now that we understand each other's viewpoints…

We have spent the last couple nights looking up scriptures, BYU devotionals and everything to help us teach him in the next lesson….should be a fun lesson next week haha.

-We then taught a friend from Kenya named Wisdom and he was super accepting of the restoration which was a pleasant change from the constant push back we usually get. I just hope he will come back again to learn more. 

-We had a friend from Nepal come in. He had approached us on the streets a couple weeks ago. He is really old and wears some cool traditional clothing. He came in and he smelled like curry haha. He was super fascinated and intrigued by the come follow me book. He just wanted to take that book and study it. For some reason he couldn't understand that he needed the Book of Mormon if he wanted to use the come follow me book haha. It was funny. K N Sapkota was his name. 

-We had zone conference on Thursday! It was pretty awesome! I am glad it is over with though haha. It is a lot of work on our part to prepare a training, get everything set up, make sure all the missionaries are there, and all the random things that goes on before and after…but thankfully it went well and it was a successful zone conference! My mission president only has 4 months left…I am going to miss him so much. I asked him in our interview if he had any advice for me. All he said was, “Oh be wise, what can I say more.” (Jacob 6:12)

-Friday we ran exchanges and I was with Elder Sun! It was a fun day! We got a lot accomplished! We were finding in Rundle mall and some random guy walked up to us and gave us 50 dollars for dinner! Isn't that awesome?! We were shocked! 

-Saturday I taught English class, we texted over 500 people inviting them to church, and we had a fun games night. We were in the mall again and some members from another ward saw us and bought us ice cream from a street vendor stand. It was pretty awesome. It was 102 degrees so the cold ice cream tasted really good!

-The bible bashers always find me….this time they are targeting me on facebook. One guy directly messaged me and at first I thought he was interested in learning more and I got excited but then he has just turned into someone who wants to argue :( 

-Today is Adelaide cup day….all the stores are closed….so no food until tomorrow. And I have no idea what this holiday is celebrating….cups?!? Jk it is a big horse race and they have found a reason to make it a public holiday! Australians will find any reason to make a public holiday haha.  

- Adelaide’s weather and climate is probably the best in the world. It is pretty close to perfect! 

-Transfers!!!! I am staying in the city!!!! Yayy! Everyone was saying I was going to leave, but instead it was my companion who is leaving! And I am going to get a new companion. And he is coming from serving out in the bush. So I am excited to hear some fun stories from the outback! 

Spiritual thought:

Ether 12:4 

Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.

What a wonderful scripture that brings so much peace and joy. 

Alma 26:15–16. “Who Can Glory Too Much in the Lord?”    

Just as Ammon felt to glory in the Lord and to sing His praises, so should we.

Sister Sheri L. Dew, taught us concerning the role Jesus Christ plays in our daily lives: 

“Is it possible to be happy when life is hard? To feel peace amid uncertainty and hope in the midst of cynicism? Is it possible to change, to shake off old habits and become new again? Is it possible to live with integrity and purity in a world that no longer values the virtues that distinguish the followers of Christ? “Yes. The answer is yes because of Jesus Christ, whose Atonement ensures that we need not bear the burdens of mortality alone. … 

“Through the years I, like you, have experienced pressures and disappointments that would have crushed me had I not been able to draw upon a source of wisdom and strength far greater than my own. He has never forgotten or forsaken me, and I have come to know for myself that Jesus is the Christ and that this is His Church. 

With Ammon I say, ‘[For] who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy … ? Behold, … I cannot say the smallest part which I feel’ (Alma 26:16). 

I testify that in this, the twilight of the dispensation of the fulness of times, when Lucifer is working overtime to jeopardize our journey home and to separate us from the Savior’s atoning power, the only answer for any of us is Jesus Christ” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1999, 85–86; or Ensign, May 1999, 67).

I hope you take the time to read and ponder that quote! Jesus is our everything. He is our why! He is our aim and hope! 

Alma 9:28 

28 Therefore, prepare ye the way of the Lord, for the time is at hand that all men shall reap a reward of their works, according to that which they have been—if they have been righteous they shall reap the salvation of their souls, according to the power and deliverance of Jesus Christ; and if they have been evil they shall reap the damnation of their souls, according to the power and captivation of the devil. 

Alma 3:26 

And in one year were thousands and tens of thousands of souls sent to the eternal world, that they might reap their rewards according to their works, whether they were good or whether they were bad, to reap eternal happiness or eternal misery, according to the spirit which they listed to obey, whether it be a good spirit or a bad one. 27 For every man receiveth wages of him whom he listeth to obey, and this according to the words of the spirit of prophecy; therefore let it be according to the truth. 

Let us please choose Jesus! Agency is so crucial! The world is believing less in God. It is our responsibility and choice to choose what we know is right. 

The world believes in the god of individualism. Please don't get caught up in moral relativism. 

As we faithfully choose Jesus Christ, we will find the peace, joy, and happiness that we are all striving for! We will face opposition as we use our God given gift of agency to choose Jesus Christ and the restored gospel. As we come against opposition let us stand firm! There will be people who will want to destroy our faith….

Let us take some advice from the scriptures 

Alma 1:25

25 Now this was a great trial to those that did stand fast in the faith; nevertheless, they were steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God, and they bore with patience the persecution which was heaped upon them.

And finally let us read one last scripture about the burdens that we feel or that are laid upon our shoulders…

14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions. 15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma (your name) and his brethren (your family/friends) were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord. 16 And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage.

I promise that as you come unto the Lord, He will strengthen you and uplift you! Let us be patient in our afflictions and find joy in Christ! Like it says in 2 Nephi 6:17 “the Mighty God shall deliver his covenant people. For thus saith the Lord: I will contend with them that contendeth with thee”

The Lord is on our side! That is something we should all be smiling about! When I ponder that I have a covenant connection with God it makes me so happy! I hope you can find that happiness also!

I am ready for another week down under! The weeks are marching by quickly! Thank you for all your prayers! It means so much to me! 

I love you all! Until next week!

Cheers,

-Elder Jones (zhang zhanglao)