Fellowship of the unashamed

Dear Whanua,

   I hope you all had a pleasant week! Things have been pretty busy here and going forward with haste! We had the opportunity to clean the chapel and put the furniture in in preparation for our first time meeting there this coming Sunday. How fitting that we are meeting there on the first Sunday of the month to begin able to meet again in a Church building. I loved my time meeting in the Ohoka School, but I am excited to meet in a chapel again.

     So, a while ago I asked you all to find one person to invite them to church/ to hear the message the missionaries have to share with people, via the extension made from Elder Ballard. How did it go? What happened when you made the invitation? I can't wait to hear all about it! :)

     Our District Leader Elder Dunbar's 1st councilor (I am going to name him Jim) in the Bishopric shared this really neat story with Elder Dunbar who shared it with us. Jim was serving his mission and received a call from President Ezra Taft  Benson, the Prophet at that time. Jim didn't believe it was the prophet at first but after his Mission President called and asked if he had hung up on the prophet, he quickly called him back and listened to what he had called about. He had asked Jim to reactivate 600 inactive members in 6 weeks by letting them feel of their love for them, God's love for them, and how much God, their Heavenly Father and the ward, needed them. In not 6 weeks, but 8 weeks they accomplished this Goal. This shows how important it is that we show others that we love them. Truly Love is the motive to change, and Love is the one thing that can help people in ways we probably will never realize.

    It is truly through our love-- that we can show our Heavenly Father we love him-- by doing what he has asked us to do. I know that as we do this we can truly show our love to our Heavenly Father. WE can show Heavenly Father our love for him as we are willing to go out and serve his children to "feed his sheep" "feed his lambs". Truly it is our works that show our love. We love our parents and to show them that we follow their council. Likewise when we want God, our Heavenly Father to know our love, we show it by doing as he has counseled us to do. To love everyone one as he has loved us.

      Our pianist was gone this week, so I was asked to pay the piano in Sacrement and in Primary. It was a lot of fun to play the primary songs. It brought a lot of good memories of my own time in primary and the things i learned while I was there as a young one.

I hope you are all have a great week!

Much Love,
Sister Sudweeks

The Fellowship of the Unashamed

I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back , let up, slow down, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense,a nd my future is secure. I'm finished and done with love living, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need per-eminence, positions, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, am uplifted by prayer, and labor with power. My face is set, my gait is fast my goal is Heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my guide is reliable, mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I  won't give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up and paid for the cause of Christ. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. and when He returns for His won, He will have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear

--Author Unknown