ANOTHER DAY IN THE LIFE!

HELLO BEAUTIFUL FAMILY!

I love you so!

Are you getting my letters and postcards? Uhumm … I would love to get a note or a card!

Happy Chinese New Year! Gong Xi Fa Cai! (sp?)

  

OK, hectic week! Here we go!

Transfers are next week. Pray that I stay here with SB!!! :)

Exchanges with the Hornsby area Sisters were wonderful [Hornsby is about 16 miles northwest of Sydney]. It was such an honor to work with Sister L. I don’t think that she stopped smiling or laughing or singing the entire time that we were together! She knows the scriptures so well and bore testimony at every door we knocked on and in every lesson we taught. I can’t believe that she is only 5 weeks old in the field! Their goal was to find 4 new investigators and we did it in a single afternoon! I love the miracles that we see on exchanges and I love these Sisters so much and feel privileged to learn from and serve them.

I also wanted to share something that I learned while studying the talk from last conference about the enabling power of the Atonement. (Personal Strength Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ by E. Scott- please read! http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/personal-strength-through-the-atonement-of-jesus-christ?lang=eng) It prompted me to study the chapters in Alma about the Army of Helaman. We all know the story, but I would ask you to read these verses and follow along in Alma 56:45-48. Let’s pretend we’re reading it together out loud and having a discussion:

Those young men-- aren’t they amazing? The faith and valiance they had? Then, in 47 and 48… “we do not doubt, our mothers knew it.”

This caused me to reflect on why I am the way I am today. Because of the faithfulness of my mum and dad and what they’ve taught me, I was able to go to “battle” and have the courage to stand for truth because of the example and influence of my parents. My family set an expectation and standard that God is our number 1 priority, establishing a legacy. I didn’t doubt the gospel and didn’t turn away or look back because my parents and family were faithful.  


Reading Helaman caused me to consider the patient, valiant and compassionate parents who have children, or entire families, who are wandering. While reading this chapter, I liken Nephi to these parents. At the top of the page I wrote in huge letters “compassion”
 because: 1) Nephi pled with the Lord for these wicked people- that he would not destroy them, but just to send a famine to humble them. And 2) that the Lord immediately listened and gave these people another chance. Something that I know about the Lord and the mistakes we make, is that He is never pleased, but He is also never surprised.  I liken these cries to those parents who have struggling children and I have only reverence and awe for how much compassion they and the Lord show. And it is all because of LOVE.

Teaching as Jesus taught came from an experience with one of our investigators. It’s a long story, but he was with friends and when I met one, I got a funny feeling. I asked him a few conversational questions and his friend very sharply said that he thought we were rude and wanted to spray the hose on us! Well, we left and walked the long road back to our car. 
In that moment, I learned 2 things: 1. That when his friend was so rude, it didn’t even bother me! In fact, we laughed about it later! Our member was so upset, but we explained to him that this was just another day in the life of missionary work! My reaction also showed me too that my nature has changed. That even though the man was explicit and mean, I could still keep smiling and carry on, knowing that he too is a child of God. I also learned 2. The blessings of being diligent and doing all we can.  In DC 127:4, it reads, 

“and all the words which I have appointed unto you, be continued on and not cease; and let your diligence and your perseverance and patience and your works be doubled, and you shall in no wise lose your reward, saith the Lord of Hosts. And if they persecute you, so persecuted they the prophets and righteous men that were before you.”


The next day, we saw our investigator in town.  He came up to us and apologized for what happened.  


My core experience with God this week came from a very spiritual and beautiful day at church. I was reflecting on why I decided to serve a mission, and the feelings I had before I entered the MTC. I remember that when I decided to serve, I didn’t have a dream, or a sign, or anything out of the ordinary that prompted me.  Thinking back, one of my greatest motivations to serve was to try and give back as much as I could in some small return for all of the talents, gifts, beautiful family and life I had been blessed with. I couldn’t just stay at home and be satisfied in such a small sphere and doing nothing but selfish things, however worthwhile they were. I wanted to share with everyone the blessings of the gospel and the knowledge that we have of a loving Heavenly Father, a Savior, and a plan of happiness! When I was in LA, although we didn’t have any baptisms, I remember thinking, if no one is baptized while I am here, I know that I was successful in the Lord’s eyes because of the change of hearts, including my own, and the rescuing that occurred in the ward. 

That is what make missionary work exciting and makes all the bad/hard times melt away. Because of those people in which you witness a change, including yourself, it makes everything worth it. “Faith on the Lord and unto repentance, which faith and repentance bringeth a change of heart.” (HEL 15:7)

Love you to the moon and back!

Sister Lloyd

Ogre Ears - they grow everywhere!

"Oh Connor" - Llama's Door Knocker!