Transfers
Good day mates! It has been another two weeks since I have emailed! So here are some updates!
Fun Australian things:
-The Australians have different campfire treats. There is no such thing as graham crackers in Australia so they don't have smores! It makes campfires a lot less fun. However, they have other “campfire goodies.” They get a long big ice cream cone and then they stuff it full of candy and chocolate. They then wrap it in tin foil and go stick it over the fire. It is then all hot and melted together. They then eat it all up! It is so different and funny! Maybe I will have to try it when I go camping back home!
-Damper. (Pronounced dampa) It is another Australian campfire delicacy. It is like a scone in a way. They get a big piece of dough and then put it on the end of a large pole or stick. Then they wrap it in tin foil and stick it over the fire. It enlarges and cooks until it is a massive scone shaped bread thingy! Very fascinating! They then break it open and put butter and jam on it.
-My accent is slowly changing and sometimes people can't tell where I am from haha. Sometimes they ask if I am Canadian.
-Wombats! I saw a real life wombat! I didn't know what a wombat was until I saw one haha. We were driving and we chased one down into the bushes! It was good fun! It looked like a fat mini pig and hamster and a Weiner dog all put together.
-There was a big huntsman spider living in our car mirror! I got a video of me trying to kill it but the spider was a little sneaky….
Weekly Highlights:
-President Nelson's talk was amazing! It gave me goosebumps! Such an exciting time to be alive! I enjoyed general conference so much! What a spiritual upliftment! It is incredible over here in Australia. Some members will stay up all night listening to conference!
- We had transfers and I will be remaining with Elder Mitchell in the same area! There are no missionaries getting their visas to come into Australia, so the mission is slowly shrinking! We need more missionaries to get visas and join us in Australia. Transfers were wild as always!
-We got to take a trip out to Berri with President. It was a stake youth camp and we joined President as he gave a devotional. It was fun to interact with the youth.
-We got to run exchanges with some Elders in Noarlunga and I was able to do a baptismal interview for someone. It was really spiritual and I enjoyed every minute of the exchange!
-The weather is starting to get hot and I am not excited haha. I hope it is a calm Australian summer!
-We are opening an area in the city! So that means I will get to see some of my old friends again and I will start teaching and finding in Rundle mall! It is going to bring back memories!
-We found a Chinese friend named Adam a month ago! He is finally having time to come meet with us! He is so elect! He is very intelligent and asked some great questions during our first lesson! He had no belief in God or anything, but he had a big question that he wanted answered about original sin. Didn't see that one coming from him…but we answered his question and he said it made perfect sense and that he loved the way we believed and would believe the way do about this topic. He then came to church. We had shared all the blessings for coming to church in the lesson earlier in the week. And so he came and experienced all the blessings we had promised! He was amazed and wants to come to church again because of the promised blessings that are available to all who attend church!
Spiritual thought:
What brings the power of Godliness?
D&C 84: 20 Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest. 21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;
First,
Baptism is so important! No matter how old we are, we need the continual reminder of our baptismal covenant and that relationship we entered into with God!
No one can be confirmed, ordained to the priesthood, endowed, or sealed without first being baptized. Baptism is truly the gate to all other ordinances.
Temple Sealing is the gate to exaltation.
If you listen closely to the words of these ordinances there is something that baptism and temple sealings have in common.
Baptism and Sealing both use the phrase "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" These are the only two ordinances that use this phrase.
Ponder what the significance of this is.
I want to talk about the ordinance of the sacrament today!
The sacrament is so special!
The best preparation for friends we teach is the sacrament.
Best preparation for baptism, confirmation, priesthood, endowment, sealing, is the sacrament.
Best preparation for any ordinance is the sacrament!
Best thing to help you endure to the end is the sacrament
What is always the next ordinance? The sacrament! The sacrament is always the next ordinance! It happens before and after every other ordinance that we do! It happens every week!
The covenant path is made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. And the sacrament ordinance is the way that we can stay covenant connected to Christ each and every week!
I love this quote from President Nelson! In the mission leadership seminar in June 2019, after partaking of the sacrament, President Nelson said: "A thought has occurred to me that my making a covenant today is a lot more important than the message that I have prepared. I made a covenant as I partook of the sacrament that I would be willing to take the name of Jesus Christ upon me and that I would be willing to obey His commandments. Often, I hear the expression that we partake of the sacrament to renew covenants made at baptism. While that is true, it's much more than that. I've made a new covenant. You have made new covenants. Now in return for which He makes the statement that we will always have the spirit to be with us. What a blessing!"
The Holy Ghost is what we need!
The Holy Ghost is able to act because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. As we receive Jesus Christ, we are able to receive the spirit!
“In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost” (Russell M. Nelson)
"The Holy Ghost expands and enlarges our abilities. He “inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness, and charity. … In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being.” (Parley P. Pratt)
Are you seeing the connection? We make a new covenant each and every week!! Look at how incredible that is! We make a covenant with Him and then He promises His spirit to be with us once again! And oh how we need the Holy Ghost!
The definition of the word renew is “re-make”. We renew our covenants! We remake our covenants! It is a process!
I believe we take the sacrament for granted! We have become complacent in our Sunday worship! The Sacrament: is a very special and unique ordinance: It is the only ordinance that we do more than once in our life. It is the only covenant we make each and every week! If we really want to strengthen our relationship with the Savior, we do it by making covenants with Him!
Jesus taught us very clearly in the scriptures!
Luke 22: before the Garden of Gethsemane, He administered the sacrament.
3rd Nephi 18- Jesus is preparing the people to run His church and He administers the sacrament.
3rd Nephi 19- Administers the sacrament again.
3rd Nephi 20- He is about to leave and He administers the sacrament again. Second time that day!
Jesus could have taught the people anything! He could have shown them the newest and greatest technological advancement. He could have shown them or taught them anything! And what does He do and show? The sacrament! He knows that is what will help us stay connected with Him and His Father!
President Lund shared what he heard President Nelson does during the sacrament.
“Most people drop into a quiet stupor during the sacrament. Not President Nelson. He is on the edge of his seat intently staring into space. He is concentrated. He said he picks something out of Jesus' life and he concentrates on that situation. He focuses on what Jesus did or said and everything about the situation. He pictures Christ's facial reactions, body language, words, specific actions...and then he compares Jesus' actions to his own. How would he respond compared to the Savior? How is that picture different then the picture of me doing or responding. President Nelson said he then notes the contrast and repents. He asks himself...how do I move or change my behavior to be more like the Savior. And this could be done vice versa. Take a situation you were in and place the Savior there and see how you can change and repent to turn your actions to the Savior.”
I now want to extend an invitation to everyone! Do you want to experience God’s power? Do you want to experience true rest? Well we must truly participate in the ordinances that He has provided! We must make our covenants again! I invite everyone to truly make the sacrament ordinance this week meaningful. Truly be genuine in your worship. Truly make a covenant with God. Don't let your thoughts wander about with what you are going to do later that day, what you have to get done at work, who is coming over for dinner, what you need to text someone…the list goes on and on. When we let our minds wander, we miss the significance and power of the ordinance! Focus on the symbolism of the sacrament! Focus on who the deacons represent, the sacrament table, the bread and the water. Focus on praying and making a covenant with God and truly repenting, recommitting, and refocusing on Jesus Christ! Focus on how you can change your actions to be more like the Saviors. Focus on the love your Father and Savior have for you. Truly partake of the bread and water of Christ meaningfully! Focus on the rest and peace He has to offer YOU! Remember Jesus Christ's atoning sacrifice for YOU! Receive His power. Receive the Holy Ghost!
I promise “as we make our Sabbath activities and our church worship compatible with God’s intent for the day, you will feel joy and peace. You will be spiritually nourished and physically refreshed. You will also feel closer to God and deepen your relationship with your Savior. You will more fully keep yourself “unspotted from the world” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:9). The Sabbath will become “a delight” (Isaiah 58:13; see also verse 14).”
I promise that you will be able to reset and refocus on the things that matter most. You will be miraculously energized and ready for the new week. I promise you will find true rest and peace. I promise you will be able to find the Joy of Jesus!
Have a great week!
Photos: https://photos.app.
Cheers,
Elder Jones
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