"I know that it doesn't matter if the person you try to teach doesn't commit to anything, it just matters if you're doing your best at inviting them to come unto christ."

Monday 16 July 2012

Weekly Update 16 July 2012

Today it was transfers for the mission although I got a new companion a week early, we had an emergency transfer early because my previous companion finished his mission and his Visa expired early. So It's transfers today!

We decided to go to Castle Rushen which is a castle 2 minutes away from our house, it was absolutely beautiful!

First of all, take a look at my stunning scriptures, courtesy of a wonderful Sister in the Douglas ward, it is covered in Manx tartan, a pattern that is homogenous to the Isle of Man.

Secondly, my new companion, Elder Sutton from Centerville, Utah. It's next to Bountiful, Utah. He has been out on his mission for less than 6 months, so it is very exciting to be with a semi- brand new missionary, this is only his second area, it reminds me of how I felt when I lfet Rochdale.


Thirdly, The View from our House, isn't it beautiful? can't you understand why the Isle of Man is the most coveted area of the mission.

A picture of the town we live in...

More of Castle Rushen and Me








Aloha!


This week we had a race around the area where we live called the Southern 100, it affects how we get to places and sometimes we had to take massive detours to get to places where we had planned lessons. So we were racing around races, it's all an adventure here. Well we managed to do a lot of Teaching which we are called to do and life is all Celestial at present.
I've made a lot of friends here and I love the ward here, it is quite an adjustment from coming from a ward where all the members feed you everyday and wash and Iron your shirts as well, although I have a new companion this week who irons my shirts, isn't that sweet?

Elder Sutton he is called, from Centerville, Utah... he tells me it is near Bountiful to which I nod my head and say "oh... yeah, over there, okay" he has been out on his mission less than 6 months and this is his second area, it is exciting to be able to direct the work and be responsible an as accountable as this position/ situation has placed me in, to which I welcome with open arms, my life's motto is: "Whatever you do, do it well!" so even if we are at the present moment trying, we are trying well.

An interesting part of my week was a 7 hour ferry ride, I went to drop off my previous companion Elder Stubbs to England, he finished his mission on Thursday, we had to have an emergency transfer because his Visa expired earlier than the mission was doing transfers which is why I'm e-mailing on a Wednesday, because it is Transfers today. I got my new companion Elder Sutton we had a quick 30 minute lunch at a Carvery, I love Caverys! and we raced off to the Ferry and sailed back.

Right now things are very exciting, we are still preparing one of our investigators for Baptism, she is called Teresa and she is just stunning! Her is a story that really shows how much devotion she has, on Sunday after Church she got a Taxi home, she was crying on the way home for an unknown reason to us, perhaps tears of Joy, but nevertheless she was. Immediately aware of the situation she said to the Taxi driver "I'm not crying because of that Church, I know I'm coming back from Church, but I'm not crying because of anything that Church did, I love that Church" and thus we see, Teresa is amazing!

I'm trying to make my language more scriptural, which is probably a little bit strange to you normal people, but nevertheless, it is something I'm working on. When I ask for directions it really isn't turn left, then go straight then turn right and then you have reached your destination, it becomes, repent to the left, endure straight, then reconcile to the right  and then you have reached your probationary state. Those little Motorbikes that just seem to drive the road with no thought of others are "wow, Elder Sutton we did well dodging those fiery darts of the adversary."

We have been doing alot of finding people to teach, I really love that about the Isle of Man, it seems to be very balanced between Teaching people and Finding people to teach in between, we do a lot of near the Beach street contacting, it really is different being able to see the sea out to Ireland or England or Scotland when we speak to people, it's refreshing. This week we also seem to  be teaching a lt which is just fantastic! We are teaching member of our Chinese Investigator family, I spoke to a Chinese man yesterday in Mandarin Chinese, he was convinced I was Chinese, it was funny trying to explain to him I only knew a little bit.

Well, It would be amiss and plain wrong if I din't spiritually uplift and edify you all, so something I learnt this week is about the power of fasting. Let me share some of my small hic-cups of wisdom, of which I don't have a lot of. What is communication? Communication simply put is any talk/ desires being transmitted to another being. Talking is communication, Praying is a very powerful form of communication, the spirit communicates what God has to say for us, the Prophet communicated equally the same except to a wider audience. Something I have really gained a testimony of is that Fasting is also another form of communication. How I came to that conclusion is this: we all have desires, we want to achieve those desires and if those desires being righteous and our hearts really desire them for a righteous purpose communicated by the medium of fasting really helps our will become swallowed up in the will of the Father. Heavenly Father through a medium of fasting is really able to see what we are willing to sacrifice for this purpose, many think, fasting is selfish, people want things so they go hungry, which view is completely wrong. Fasting is much more than just going without food because God said so. It is a communication between a Child's desire and a Fathers grace. I love fasting for my investigators, especially to overcome the temptations they will face as they have to come in tune to the music of faith.

I do not say this to put myself on a high horse, but I know that God values our sacrifices, we have been given our life. Our life is a gift from God, what we do with that life is our Gift to God.

Are you going to act? or are you going to be acted upon?

Love,

Elder Sapaden

"Quocunque Jeceris Stabit" 


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