Weekly Update 27 August 2012

I got transferred!

To a wonderful place. More about that soon, but we will have some pictures.

These first few are on Mount Snowdon, and next are me and Elder Sutton

 More of Mt. Snowdon

more pictures...

Me and Elder Peterson met up again! He went home this transfer, and another Isle of Man attraction the Great Laxey Wheel, the biggest water wheel in the world.

some pictures of the Isle of Man whilst I was driving elder Sutton took pictures because we found out I was leaving the Isle of Man.

That's the boat we take, this time it was so intense! It was like a rollercoaster everyone was sick around me, Elder Sutton is training and so am I and on the picture their are the new missionaries we are with.

Well! My time as an islander has unfortunately finished. I'm now in the lovely City of Bolton!

The Isle of Man was great and I did shed some tears when I left, infact I would say it was as hard as leaving home again, but I'm off to pastures green (not literally because the Isle of Man was just pure green) but off to a great new exciting adventure with a new missionary! I'm training.

I'm continuing to be a district leader and we have one of the Biggest, if not the biggest District in the Mission, we have 4 companionships and a Senior Couple. Intense!

Three quarters of my district is training and our senior couple is just known for their amazingness. It is quite a jump from, the Isle of Man district.

We ended on a high note on the Isle of Man, almost literally... Elder Sutton and I did an intense Musical Item which brought many members to tears, people left the chapel in tears (hopefully that was a good thing) and it brought the spirit so strongly into the last sacrament meeting I had on the Isle of Man. Elder Sutton and I were just prepared for greatness, we were the Highest Teaching companionship in the Liverpool Stake, 23 Lessons! Forget bring "transferred to Bolton" I was  "translated" to Bolton. Just joking.

We had so much going for us on the Isle of Man, we got a group of about 7-10 less actives and had family home evening with them on Monday, we were just insanely busy teaching on the Tuesday, we had our last district meeting together. On the wednesday, we saw all our investigators and just prepared them. Thursday, we spent a lot of time focusing on members and saw a lot of less - active members and friday we did service for a few members aswell a mix between active member lessons and investigators, saturday we just dominated in finding people to teach and sunday we brought people to tears at church.

Some members were sleeping in the congregation, a few people just distracted, some children running around making noise, but when Elder Sutton and I started in our musical Item, it just turned to a silent awe, the noise stopped, it was the humble, not arrogant feeling that Elder Sutton and I could go to a recording studio after our missions and make an album together for a lot of money.

Sunday was a mixed bag of emotions for me, it was perhaps in some ways harder than leaving home, because I left me new found family, although there were more members of my family I had to leave, I had fallen in love with the youth, I helped in their stake camp and had made life long friends and it was so hard to leave, I knew it was no longer a "cloak of comfort" that was placed on my shoulders but with inheriting the biggest district in the mission and training a new missionary it became a "robe of responsibility" never will I be able to have a bad moment, I was always dilligent and had nothing to worry about but, with all these new missionaries in my district, brand brand new missionaries to add, 2 of them just came into the mission field yesterday. I will never had a moment where you couldn't say "he is a good missionary", it's a harsh lesson but... Amateurs count how many times they make it; Professionals count how many times they missed it. I'm going to grow a lot, it's not going to be easy but painful, but it's going to be worth it.

Well, in brighter news! My new companion is called Elder Nicassio he is from Urguay and he has lived in Spain for the past 6 years and he speaks great English! We are getting on great, it is a whole new feeling to train a new missionary, you feel so accountable. What is going through my head is "you are the example, you determine in many ways how the rest of his mission is going to be like, you need to be the best, there is no other option" and well, it is exciting and nerve racking at the same time.

Unfortunately I don't have much time to do much, yet... I'm still settling in so hopefully I'll have longer e-mails soon.

Love,

Elder Sapaden

Weekly Update 20 August 2012

Hello Everyone!!

This has been another one of those life changing weeks where you look back, and not in a prideful sense of looking back but you see that you have grown. What a good week! Perhaps rather, as the old saying goes "time flies when you're having fun"

We left the blessed land of Liverpool last Monday night and we arrived in Manchester. When you are on the Isle of Man as missionaries you become a commodity, a trading chip or a bargaining value. Well, it is great because in essence, that's who we should be just mere vessels to carry the spirit wherever, whenever even in whatever we do. So we decided Manchester would be great, you gain a sense of accomplishment when you realise that you are a missionary that "can be put anywhere" some missionaries just aren't meant to be used in some areas, but the best missionary is a missionary that the mission president can say "I can put him/ her anywhere and they will go and do great things"

On Tuesday we climbed/ hiked Mount Snowden, it was so intense, I was sore for three days afterwards, we did it as a mission activity, I have some great pictures but unfortunately I forgot my USB lead between my camera and the computer so, soon I promise! It was tough, I would have been able to do it before my mission with great ease, I would have been able to run all the way up perhaps, but we took the longest and hardest path and sometimes I even stumbled and had to take a break. But it was all worth it, at the top I felt like my legs would just give in and stop working, it was a moment in my life where I faced a physical mountain and I really had to pray, a quote comes to mind "when you can't stand, kneel." When times are tough and we can't see the top, pray, because God knows all and he can help. I'm very happy to say I made it down. It was heartbreaking at times, the top of the Mountain was just clouded over, it was higher than the clouds, we couldn't see it, but we had to believe it was there because any step taken without faith in "the top" would be a step towards insanity. To add to the situation, I didn't have my asthema inhaler, Elder Sutton and I forgot to bring food and because of the Situation I did something I never do, I forgot my wallet.

Prayer is the souls sincere desire, when we hear of the line "enticings of the Holy Spirit" the Holy Ghost is proactively using his influence to try and stir out hearts to rememberance, to remember God, to remember why and ultimately to remember to pray. Prayer I've never before realised was so important, I knew it was important, but how important, I did not know. I can testify of the reality that it really is such a sacred and special bond we have, I would go as far to even say that Prayer is a Privilage, God could have thrown us into the world to try and figure it out on our own, we would have definately had to have learnt the hard way, but he loves us and wants to talk to us, he wants to hear us and so we should pray. Strangely enough, I didn't need my asthema inhaler, food was given to us by random people who had acted on the promptings they received and I didn't even need my wallet! The lord does provide. I'll tell you what made it all the best though, for me it was a type for the Celestial Kingdom in a very different sense, we were litterally and physically above the clouds and when we got there, the view was absolutely amazing, in a very personable way Heavenly Father spoke to my soul, as I looked what I had climbed, what I had trialed through, the walk of affliction in a mortal state, and even though at the Top I was still sore, like Alma says:" Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death. And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more. And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain! Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy."

I'll call it the "I made it" feeling, I love reflecting thinking about what I have achieved, and at a greater height at the top of Mount Snowden what I still will achieve. Forgive me if it sounds cheesy but, Climbing physical mountains gave me a greater understanding of how we need to climb spiritual ones.

I've learnt something recently as a missionary, to pray ALWAYS, before we leave the car, before we leave the flat, before we sleep, when we wake up, even when I my investigators have any questions, I will stop and pause and pray in my heart, before we can do anything we have to pray, if we try and do it any other way, it is our own way and not Gods way, so rely on him for help.

Wednesday was another trek back to the Isle of Man, it was so intense, this time we moved to Manchester to just out of Manchester in Macclesfield (close to Sheffield, ish) Where we got back to the flat at 12 midnight and woke up at 4am, to get places (again) the life of a missionary isn't easy, but I'm telling you, self mastery wasn't easier.

This week we have been so blessed on the Isle of Man, we have taught a grand total of 15 lessons from Wednesday evening - Sunday, we were the second highest in the Zone and perhaps the highest if we were back on the Isle of Man earlier, so life is radiating gratitude right now, because things could not be better!
I love teaching and we are doing a lot of that, this week we even had 4 on the spot lessons! God is guiding this work, because if I said it was all me, I would be telling the biggest lie in the world. We have so many new investigators and next week we are going to be getting a lot of new ones aswell! I've said this before but I'll say it again "I hope Heaven has the internet because at the rate we are going the Isle of Man is going to be translated"

Love You all!

Elder Sapaden

"Quocunque Jeceris Stabit"

Weekly Update 13 August 2012

To set the scene, of where I am right now, it's cold, it's wet, it's dark... It's Liverpool! But I love it!

Hi Everyone!
Since Thursday, I have been in the blessed place of Liverpool, we have Zone - Conference and a missionary activity on Tuesday where we are going to climb Mount Snowden. So as the Manx people say "We are across" It sure is strange to be a missionary not in your assigned proselyting area, I find once you are out of your area, your internal compass gets mixed up, your lifestyle changes and despite how good of a missionary you are, you feel slightly uncomfortable. But it is quite an experience. We even got to go to Liverpool Ward yesterday.

This week has been a great week, over on the Isle of Man we have had the great opportunity to help out at Youth Camp! It was so exciting! I loved it so much, especially seeing all the youth of my previous area St. Helens I love the youth there. I am just so compatible with that ward, I could see myself there, anyhow... it was so great we sacrificed our Preparation Day to help them set up camp, to set up
tents and all that stuff.

We have an investigator Dated for Baptism, it feels different comparing myself to where I was and who I am now, the same joy that perhaps I would have felt during one of the great moments in my life, whether that was lifting a heavier weight at the Gym or my friends just doing something I couldn't stop laughing or smiling about is exceeded now by the Joy that someone is preparing for Baptism.

I called our investigator yesterday (it's quite an event calling the Isle of Man from England because it is international calling rates so we don't call too much) and she told us that she felt like we were her sons, I told her that she could also be my second mother, I love this work and just the attachments and relationships we develop, I wouldn't trade it for anything!

Here is something that has just made my week aswell, we are teaching our Chinese investigator still, his name is Jim and he is just so sacred. He is so ready, we have only been teaching him for a couple of
weeks now, this last lesson we decided to ask him where he is at in the Book of Mormon, I was just expecting in my head, "okay, perhaps a Chapter a day, he would be around 2 Nephi, stuck in the Isiah chapters somewhere" He told us he was in Moroni 7, he pointed out that he liked verses 44-45 which were some of my favourite verses aswell. It was just something I hadn't expected, I don't know if my faith wasn't sufficient enough or if I was just too logical about it all, but we called him earlier that morning to confirm the appointment, and he answered in his broken english "I've been up reading the Book" I had
supposed that had meant he read some of the Book, which was good. In fact, I now think he was telling us he spend all night just not wanting to stop, having a true desire and attitude, he just wanted to "feast" which is Great!

The Phillipino work, is just going great here too! We are still teaching Bryan, our Filipino investigator, he is just still has the desire to change, we are just waiting for him to act.

It's also very different how your opnions change whilst you are on your mission, just like your tastes change over time, my desires really have aswell, a testament of this is my hair, before my mission
I loved having long hair, it was the "thing" I looked so good I was proud and perhaps at some points very lifted up in vanity but now I have a "Four" which, I fully don't know what that means but it's pretty short and neat.

We had so many investigators that went to Youth camp, it was just fantastic! One even bore his testimony and said "I know this Church is true" for a missionary to hear that, it is sweeter and just more
pleasant and greater than any eloquence of the grandest Symphony, or the most "show off" Concerto. It's a feeling you can't descrive until you feel it. It's one of the reasons I love being a missionary... If I
was a normal person (missionaries aren't normal people!) I probably wouldn't have felt that in my lifetime.

My time in Liverpool has just been so good, I love the people here, I love their accent... If I could come home with a scouse accent I would be happy. We have just had so many miracles here. Yesterday, I decided to Phone a member of the Liverpool Ward randomly, and she told us her husband wasn't a member and is not too keen on having missionaries around, she discussed it with her husband again and it just seemed, on the one day, which happened to be the day I called, it was just one of the rare times he was happy to have us over, the miracle continues as he says he loves piano and football, I love piano and my companion loves football, we had a great relationship with him, I met her daughter at the Youth camp on the Isle of Man and I knew her a little bit already and so it was great to see her and get to know her better! I love how Heavenly Father just puts you in the right place at the right time and ultimately that's my favourite part about being a missionary!

Love,

Elder Sapaden

Weekly Update 06 August 2012

Hi Everyone!

Well here is some pictures of quite an adventurous driving experience we had this week, we decided to knock some doors in a place called Cragneash, Cragneash is known for it's ancient-ness it is a village frozen in time to like the 1600s, it was intense, our sat nav was playing up a bit, and decided to take us off- roading, it was quite exciting!

 Especially in a car, that is well, interesting to say the least. We got there safely in the end, included in those pictures is a picture of an island off the Isle of Man, it's called the Calf of Man and it is it's own little island.


Well, I thought this would be an interesting subject line this week, ("Elder Sapaden... gets patted down in the Sea Terminal?") 
 it recalls an experience I had when I first came to the Isle of Man, the Sea terminal is just like an Airport, we check- in our luggage, we get searched, do all the bothersome things like take off our belts, and put all the potentially harming things in a bag, and just anything... to keep the place secure, they have sniffer dogs to catch out the Drug dealers/ users and it's pretty tight. The Missionary badge has a lot of great privilages, people respect you somewhat and well it's great to have on! I've gotten free subway sandwiches and let into certain places without going through the bothersome things that most people would have to go through. Usually the people at the Sea terminal usually don't search through our luggage either, probably because of the power of the missionary Badge. Well this one time going through the Metal dector thing they don't usually ask you to take your shoes off, but I forgot I have steel toecapped shoes. I went through, the alarm went off and I got patted down and searched, it was quite a fun experience, I know it's just part of the fine print and just something that they have to do, but it was fun thinking "really... you don't trust the badge?" Although, I'm sure a criminals best disguise is a Mormon missionary.

Anyhow! My week has been Vastly amazing! Just success after success, this week we did it! We finally did it! 20 lessons a week! we also managed to keep the finding standard by setting up 16 appointments this week aswell... don't worry I'm not a number hungry missionary, where it is all about "winning" and "having more" than a fellow missionary might have. What it is all about is... what those numbers represent, we have been able to strengthen 20 different people, to help them grown close to Jesus Christ and his atonement, we have been able to help 16 more people receive that opportunity to grow , it is all about finding Joy in the Journey!

To show that people still answer their doors, we had a success this monday night, we were just knocking doors, on a road that my preivous companion and I had felt really good about, we  were just working through that road, number 1, number 2, then number 3, I told Elder Sutton "I feel really good about this road" we knocked number 4 and what success came from it, a man just beaming with a great smile opened the door, he received us well, just let us enter after we had only said a few words "Hi, we are sharing a message about Jesus Christ." "Do you want to come in?" was his immediate reply! I love this work, it's all about finding the one, there are people being prepared everywhere, it just takes the faith, dilligence and patience required to endure and to eventually win the fight!

We have a great Chinese investigator (Jim is his english name) at the start we had many problems communicating with him because of the language barrier, but he is progressing, he has been taught about the Restoration, the Plan of Salvation and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he has a desire to get baptised and is read to make that commitment, it's amazing what we gain when we just have the faith to continue what we started. I know a few Chinese words here and their from serving with a Chinese speaking missionary, it is my firm testimony and belief that even then 6 months ago when I was learning my little bit of Chinese, God was preparing me to be able to share the gospel in the Language to our investigator Jim, I know it is such a long way thinking but one of my favourite quotes is this"Coinsidence is when God wishes to remain anonimous" I know that God is a guide to our lives and we just have to rely on him.

A Principle that has just become so strong with my missionary work is "leave an area better than you found it" I love this principle! The Isle of Man is a great area, full of great people and one of the privilages as a missionary is to work with the less- active members in the area, also to strengthen the members in your assigned proselyting area, I love it! I love being able to help those in need, being a member of the Church does not mean that you are entitled to missionary help, everyone is, perhaps even especially those who struggle to continue after they have made their covenants at baptism. We have been able to do a lot of member- missionary work recently, and it is showing! I love members, here's an experience we had yesterday which highlighted this principle. It was fast and testimony sunday. Sometimes their can be awkward periods of silence, there are times where it is just good to feel the spirit and soak it all in, but there was an awkwardly long gap. A few minutes, then a sister who will always be one of my heroes got up, she struggles to walk, but with a slow and steady pace she got up and bore, her testimony.

I loved it, I felt the spirit so much, we often include things we are grateful for, things that hav built our faith in our testimonies, but some people include too much, such as what they had for lunch this week, but she just said what she knew to be true, it was a testimony. As she made her slow course back to her seat, she passed me and patted my shoulder with a little bit of a command, or perhaps I just felt that way, certain women behind me made a noise which suggested that this was a challenge for me to bear my testimony, I usually don't like sharing my testimony early on in a testimony meeting because I wait till the spirit builds up just enough till it pulls me out of my seat, but I accepted. I got up as soon as I felt the touch, I shared my testimony, the women behind me made some more noise to suggest that I had accepted the challenge and they were surprised. It became known as a game of "testimony tag" of course we didn't play it, it would be taking away from the sacredness of the experience and also take away, or perhaps diminish a persons agency, but it was Gods way of telling me "it is time." I am grateful for the Douglas ward because from that point on, testimonies just flowed, most of them with a little hint of missionary work, it was just what we needed, it was a great testimony meeting. I'm not a proud person, lifted up in vanity or on a high horse, at all but it is a strong belief of mine that missionaries need to be "legends" in the wards they serve in, who will be remembers decades from when they had served there, each sunday (gladly) God blesses us missionaries with that opportunity we just need to utilise it.

Well I think, I'm waffling on slightly, but... onward.  Something I have loved doing on my mission is service! I love service (the physical kind, because as missionaries, I suppose we are constantly serving) I love gardening in particular, we did a great job with one of our members who also happens to be our land- lady, it was so fun!

Well, I think this e-mail is long enough... I love you all!

Elder Sapaden
"Quocunque Jeceris Stabit"

Weekly Update 30 July 2012

Let's start off with some pictures.

This Morning for excercise we went to the Beach (30 seconds away from where we live) and I did an activity called Crabbing, which includes turning over Rocks to find Crabs because they get caught in all the Rock pools, anyway take a look at where our flat is situated and be jealous.

It was 6:30- 7:00 in the morning, I think we are going to start going out for morning excerise more often.

Today before we e-mailed we also went to another Museum,it's called the house of Mannanan, it was fun! Here are just some more random pictures.

Well, some more pictures from that Museum.

And a picture in that area, it's the West of the Isle of Man and it's and area called Peel, to get there driving was so intense, we were on these little roads which can only fit one car in but are supposed to be for two cars, it's like driving between two hedges which can only fit one car in but are supposed to fit two cars, and the scariest thing was, there was no speed limit! So I'm glad to be alive.

A picture of my companion (Elder Sutton) he was just walking up and down the rocks whilst I did some Crabbing.

I got a Fillipino badge, well actually a couple, I have a magnetic Fillipino one and a Pocket one too!

Hello!

Well, another exciting week has passed, really only the first week of the new transfer and great things continue to happen, I hope they have internet in Heaven because at this rate the Isle of Man will be translated.

At the Beginning of the week we were still in St. Helens and we got back to the Isle of man Thursday afternoon, so it sure is a lot of fun being on the Isle of Man, just so exclusive. The Weather has been great, as a missionary you really only have two things to go by in terms of weather, or at least in the Northwest of England and the Isle of Man, the two catagories are: Short-sleeved weather and Suit Jacket/ Coat weather. It sure is fun! It was so great to be back in St. Helens it was such a high for me, to go visit the ward, to see how your investigators have progressed and to see how the less- active members you worked with progress through the Gospel, It's a real joy to see them bounce to re-activation to the Temple.

Knowing that the Keys of Salvation have been turned we progress to Exaltation, think about that one!
We had a Tea appointment every night we were there, love them so much!
Zone conference on Tuesday was pretty fun too! Elder Sutton on are are just on a high aswell as a companionship, it is so fun!

When we got back to the Isle of Man it was like a different Time- Zone the Manx time zone, everything just becomes much more easy- going and relaxed and people drive slower, it reminded me of when I first came here, it was a real culture shock, but now I think that the Manx are just the most Amazingest people in the World. So, we taught a good amount, our investigator Teresa is still taking steps toward Baptism and we are just so excited for her.

A great success we were able to see is just the Balance and the effectiveness of how it was when we came back, we taught A LOT! I love teaching so... no complaints here! Our mission standard is about 20 lessons a week, we were only able to have 3.5 days back on the Isle of Man and during that time we were able to teach 14 lessons! and a lot of finding and setting up appointments! Life is good right now, I can't complain.

We are still teaching our Chinese investigator, and success this week comes from teaching a Phillipino man called Bryan, he is so great! he knows he needs to get Baptised and change, it will be exciting to teach him, I still have a vision of a Phillipino speaking ward on the North of the Island. Life is so good! I had a Phillipino dish this week aswell, it's nice to have some home food, we had a Mung bean stew type thing. Well, Church was good I was able to serve the members and play some Piano for them.

This Morning for excercise we went to the Beach (30 seconds away from where we live) and I did an activity called Crabbing, which includes turning over Rocks to find Crabs because they get caught in all the Rock pools (I'm sure my parents can attatch some Photos from the view from our Flat)

Anyhow, God be with you till we meet again.

Love,

Elder Sapaden

Weekly Update 23 July 2012

Hello!

Another week has just come and gone, it has flown by so quickly that it just seems I had e-mailed you all last wednesday, and then I closed my eyes to find myself at a computer again. This week has been a marvellous week, Teresa is still dated for baptism and we taught a whopping 18 lessons in 5 days. Something that I've come to understand on my mission is this important principle: Success is a gift, Success is a lifestyle. During the early days of my mission I would often think, there was an almost perfect correlation between: amount of baptisms = success of a missionary.

It really isn't the case, I've seen great missionaries, who haven't baptised on there mission, I've seen not so great missionaries baptise many on their missionaries, I've seen the most obedient missionaries baptise a few, and the perhaps not so faithful missionaries baptise by the tens. Success is a gift, Success comes from looking for what you can do more, it comes from a divine hand carrying you to the right people at the right times at the right places. Success is the spirit. I would say for myself I've had a successful mission so far, the baptisms aren't falling off of the trees but God has granted unto me so much success. 18 lessons in 5 days is so great!

We are teaching a Young chinese man aswell and he is just so excited to come to Church, we are teaching a town drunk who wants to change and obviously Teresa and many others.

There was a Concert at Liverpool celebrating the arrival of missionaries to the British Isles 175 years ago which we were able to attend on Saturday, the ironic and very symbolic thing was that we had caught a Ferry to those same docks where the early missionaries had landed earlier in the day from the Isle of Man, we are staying till Thursday, the original plan was to keep us in Liverpool, but St. Helens being close enough and not far at all I told them I needed to go to St. Helens so that is where I am at right now, the best ward in the World! I love the St. Helens members they really are a rare class of members who would do anything for you. I love them and they are just so great! We had the opportunity to go to Church with them yesterday and they all remembered me and it was just like catching up with old friends, I love them so much! Infact it very much felt like I was catching up with friends I had met before my mission. I was almost lulled into a sense that I wasn't a missionary and I was just visiting the ward, in my mind I was going to hug them all, but once I remembered that I had a companion I returned to missionary mode.

I had met some St. Helens members at the Concert I had met Sister Marshall the Liverpool Stake Presidents wife and as soon as she met me she invited us for dinner on the Sunday, I love St. Helens all of them arranged Dinner appointments different to the St. Helens missionaries for me and my companion and we have one for everyday that we are here! Best ward ever!

Heres a funny experience that was had after Church yesterday, Elder Kerr of the Seventy came to the St. Helens ward, I had remembered him coming to a Staines Stake youth convention and talking to us, here's how the conversation went:
"Hi Elder Kerr, do you remember when you went to a staines stake youth convention?"
"I do, we talked about the Law of Chastity that night"
"do you remember how we got onto that topic?"
"I can't remember"
"you asked us what we wanted to learn about that night and all of the youth were very shy and didn't utter a word, I whisphered to my friends "girls" to make them laugh, you asked "who said that? and I stood up and we talked about the Law of Chastity"
"I remember that, well, well, now you're on a mission and just doing great!"

It was a funny experience that I'll never forget, a immature young man who just wanted to talk about girls, just happened to clean up a little bit, study his scriptures harder and became a missionary had talked to the same seventy about 3 years later and he remembered that great experience we had together.


Well, it would be amiss if I didn't share something of spiritual worth and so this weeks little thought is just a small one. Joshua 24:15: "Choose you this day whom ye will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua instructing the Children of Israel commanded them to act, to choose for themselves, just to do. He knew as we did, in Matthew "No man can serve two masters" and he knew that they needed to choose, the ability to choose the the greatest gift that God has given to us except for life itself. However, the deeper meaning and the higher law comes from the words "this day" Joshua was wise, in Alma we learn that this life is the time to prepare to meet God, and consequently we shouldn't procrastinate the day of our repentance. Think of how it would change is Joshua said "Choose tommorow, it's not that important" or "Perhaps, maybe next week go Choose so one to follow" or "try serving both, that might work" he said effectively "today" choose today. So my invitation for this week is exactly that "Choose today", who will you serve? what will you do to serve him?


I love you all!

Elder Sapaden

"Quocunque Jeceris Stabit" 

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"