June 23, 2014

Another busy week.  We have no idea where it went.  We have written and had approved, 5 articles.   Feeling so much better about all this computer stuff, but we still struggle and go backwards sometimes,   It is fun to get the good word of the Gospel out, however we can.  For us, that happens to be mormonnewsroom.au. We love searching out the stuff to post, it's like being informed about ONLY the Church ALL the time (at least at the office) and we hope it effects us and others here in Australia in a good way.


Saturday we went to Bondi beach, about 60 minutes away from our place.  We went by ourselves and spent a good 2 hours on the sand watching the ocean and reading.  It felt a great deal like a vacation! We sat in our levis and hats and lots of sun screen.  It IS winter here, but we didn't need a jacket. It was a good retreat!


We came back and dressed up and went to a chapel about 1 hour away from us, to attend and inner faith service project, which one of the Public Affairs leaders in that stake had organized.  It was very interesting.  There were people of the Jewish faith, Muslims, and Latter Day Saints. Some Budists had contributed product, but didn't come.  They were doing projects for an orphanage in Cambodia.  They played one game, which we thought was very inspired.  They had people in a circle, and they could each choose 3 colored blocks out of a bin.  All 3 had to be the same color.  Then they went around the circle, one block at a time, putting them on the table to make a big building.  The first one was asked to think about the word FOUNDATION, before she placed it.  She was probably about 7 years old, and put down the tiniest square that anyone had.  No problem, all the other people built to the side of it.  No blocks made the others tumble, and when it was done, it was an amazing tower, of all colors and shapes. Actually a work of art!


Then of course, the moderator made the point that no matter what color or shape, or what our beliefs, we can always make something beautiful together. Makes you really stop and think how true that is.  ALOT of emphasis here is placed on having inter faith gatherings of any kind.  Trying to show people that different faiths CAN work together.  I think maybe that does more to improve the reputation of the Church here than a lot of other things.  It's great to experience it and hear about them..


We had ward conference yesterday and it was really good. The Stake President talked about how only God knows our potential and how important it is to pay attention to HIS opinion of us, and not other peoples.


The Bishop based his talk on the phrase in "I Am a Child Of God" . . . "Lead me guide me, walk beside me, help me find the way." Very powerful.  Talked about how we should make being close to HIM a priority in our lives so he can bless us.


In the combined adult meeting, the Stake counselor talked about caring for our buildings.  A subject that's really needed in our stake. They feel no responsibility to clean or put trash where it goes.  They'll get it.  They are all fairly new to the church and not yet understanding the concept of it being the Lord's House.


 Then the other counselor talked about budgets in a family. One of his points was a little surprising.  He told parents, when YSA's were saving for a mission, not to raid that fund for other needs.  It must be a problem here in this ward.  Not the usual budget talk from back home, but he did such a good job, used a lot of humor. Then they took a ward picture, which we will put up on the blog when it is sent to us.


All in all, it was a very good block time.


We read a talk Sunday in the June Ensign by Elder Holland.  We love especially the part called "Build Zion Where You Are".  There is a quote there that is especially nice. "In these last days, in our dispensation, we have become mature enough to stop running.  We have become mature enough to plant our feet and our families and our foundations in every nation, kindred tongue and people permanently.  Zion is everywhere-- wherever the Church is. And with that change, we no longer think of Zion as where we will live, but how we will live."
The whole article was so fantastic, that's it's silly to try to pull out a phrase, but that was a good one.  Check it out, it's worth the read!
"How we will live".  That is the quest isn't it?  To remember why we're really here, and whose we really are. And then live it!