Wow! What a great week! Happy holidays! And Yay! They are over for us here!!!! Everyone has left town, which is wonderful for them but not so great for us because no one was home when we went by to see them. But that hasn't stopped us! We have used the time to put together a new finding approach-- which includes Ice blocks(Popsicles), a thought with inspired questions, and a beach ball.... :) Yep! Don't worry, we aren't going to be on the beach eating popsicles, they wonderful people of Paraparaumu will and they will be telling them what makes them happy in life :D Get ready to see miracles!
This week we had to be in the flat at 7pm on ney years eve. It was so much fun because our mission president sent us texts with relay questions and assignments we had to complelete in a given amount of time and text back answers... great way to spend out day in the flat :)
We also have been able to see a less active who we haven't seen for a long time-- not only that we were invited into their home for lunch (neither of which has happened before!) Her husband reminds me of Tony Stark... they are both pretty funny. They are wanting to change their lives around, now might be the time for them! :)
Here is a quote I liked from a talk by Elder David A bednar "Ye ar ethe Temple of God."
"I conclude with the following statement by Elder Melvin J. Ballard (1873–1939), a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
"The body that has been given to us was for the purpose of allowing the spirit to exalt itsself to a nobler condition. The lightning that is seenflashing from cloud to cloud, from mountain top to mountain top, is anelectrical force that may tear down buildings, set fire to property, anddestroy life. Conduct electricity through the dynamo wire, and motor, andbehold its wonderful results working for the service of man,accomplishing something under the control of a physical instrument, itthus becomes a power for good. So with steam, if allowed to evaporatefreely it does little good, but restrain it in the boiler, send it through theengine, and under its power you may travel across the continent or sailfrom shore to shore. And so, too, with this highest, most potent of allspiritual forces, the intelligence that is in man; enshrine it in a spiritualbody, that it may have the experiences of spiritual life; and then give it aphysical body, that it may enter into and obtain the joy and experiences ofphysical life, and you have enlarged its powers immeasurably" (inConference Report, Oct. 1912, 107).
I loved his empahsis on how imporatant it was that we have a body. Our bodies truly are temples, what we do to them affects our spirit, our soul.
As you set goals for this coming new year I invite you to ponder this statement by Presdient Hinkley I really liked it. "I invite you to rise to the great potential with in you. do not ask that you reach beyond your capacity. I hope you will not nag yourselves with thoughts of failure. I hope you will not set goals far beyond your capacity to achieve. I hope you will simply do what you can do in the best way you know. If you do so you will witness miracles come to pass" Presdient Hinckley
From the wise words of a missionary from Utah "Keep pressing forward, things will be good in the end. If things are not good, then it is not the end so press on."
Happy Birthday to Sarah and Kyra! I love you both so much! Know I will be thinking of you on your special day!!!!
Check out this cool video!
https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2014-00-008-you-never-know?lang=eng
Talk given by President Uchtdork in Novemeber 2013 Ensign
"Once there was a man who dreamed that he was in a great hall where allthe religions of the world were gathered. He realized that each religion hadmuch that seemed desirable and worthy.
He met a nice couple who represented The Church of Jesus Christ ofLatter-day Saints and asked, "What do you require of your members?"
"We do not require anything," they replied. "But the Lord asks that weconsecrate all."
The couple went on to explain about Church callings, home and visitingteaching, full-time missions, weekly family home evenings, temple work,welfare and humanitarian service, and assignments to teach.
"Do you pay your people for all the work they do?" the man asked.
"Oh, no," the couple explained. "They offer their time freely."
"Also," the couple continued, "every six months our Church membersspend a weekend attending or watching 10 hours of general conference."
"Ten hours of people giving talks?" the man wondered.
"What about your weekly church services? How long are they?"
"Three hours, every Sunday!"
"Oh, my," the man said. "Do members of your church actually do what youhave said?"
"That and more. We haven't even mentioned family history, youth camps,devotionals, scripture study, leadership training, youth activities, early-morning seminary, maintaining Church buildings, and of course there isthe Lord's law of health, the monthly fast to help the poor, and tithing."
The man said, "Now I'm confused. Why would anyone want to join such achurch?"
The couple smiled and said, "We thought you would never ask.""
I know sometimes we can wonder why we do all the things we do in this Church. Why there is tithing, fasting, service. Surely we give too much? I know that because this CHurch asks us to sacrifcie all we truly become like our Heavenly Father. It isn't the chuch asking us to do all of this. It is our HEavenly Father. He already has given us everything he has-- He gave us His son. Surely we can give our hearts, and in retrun we will gain far more than any sacrifce we could ever make for something of worth. WE do so because the only way to be who we need to be is to give our whole souls and if we do this we will truly find who we are.
Matthew 16:21–28
21From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
22Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
23But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
24Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
27For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
28Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
I know God lives and this is his church. I would encourage you all to keep the Faith. Be faithful to the end. Never forget how much God loves you. If you have strayed remember it is never to late to come back. Come join with us, come return with us to our God.
Love,
Sister Sudweeks
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