Happy Easter!

The Reason for the Season

Happy Easter everybody I hope you all had a great one because I sure had a terrific Easter week. :) I am so grateful for the Easter season to help remind us of what it all represents.  I know that we all know why we celebrate Easter but do we know what Easter really does for us.  The reason that we celebrate Easter is because it was when Christ was crucified and then 3 days later when He was resurrected and He walked the earth again but what does that all mean to us?  First when Christ was crucified on the cross that finished the Atonement.  The main part of the Atonement was when Christ was in the Garden of Gethsemane but when Christ was up on the cross and He prayed to God and He said JST Matt. 27:54 "...Father, it is finished, thy will is done,..." So when Christ was crucified that finished the Atonement and we all know what an amazing blessing the Atonement is to all of us.  That is the first part of why we celebrate Easter is what it really meant when Christ was crucified.  The second reason why we celebrate Easter is because of the Resurrection.  Because Christ was resurrected and His body and spirit became as one again the same will happen to all of us.  Every single person that has ever lived and that will ever live WILL be resurrected no matter how they live there life.  President Back told us all once that resurrection is a free gift that He has given all of us.  We will all be resurrected once again and our bodies will be perfect it is amazing that, that is a FREE gift that shows how much God really does love all of His children.  I have been so grateful for this opportunity that we all had to celebrate Easter but celebrating these holidays just like CHRISTmas as a missionary makes me focus more on the REAL reason we celebrate these holidays not why the world celebrates them.  Haha don't get me wrong I still love all the chocolate but I am just so grateful for why we really celebrate the holidays.  Haha so Aussies LOVE chocolate and for Easter all they have is Chocolate just chocolate eggs wrapped in foil everywhere!!!! :) Haha and don't worry we got our fair share.  One of the members in our ward bought each one of us missionaries a big chocolate bunny so that was nice.:) 

Time is Going Fast

 
Sorry I am emailing a day late I forgot to tell you guys last week but yesterday (Monday) is a public holiday here in Australia and so every time there is a public holiday on a P-day they bump the P-day back a day so we can be out working on the holiday.  So sorry I forgot to tell you guys last week.  This past week has been great!!!  President Back tells us always that if it is going by fast then you are doing a good job and haha just like all the other weeks of my mission this week has flown!  So I guess that means I am doing a good job which makes me happy.:)  This past week has been very fun.  I always like when there are holidays because there is always fun things to do with the ward or something.  Yesterday we had our ward activity and it was awesome!!  We had a big breakfast and had some fun games for the kids and an Easter egg hunt and played some sport.  Haha the breakfast was really good but it was a total Islander breakfast.  It was bread rolls with eggs, bacon, sausages, onions, and spaghetti.:)  Haha you guys are probably Spaghetti!!!  For breakfast but haha that's islanders for you.:) There diets are very funny.:) The spaghetti though is not homemade cooked spaghetti but spaghetti from a can.  And it's nasty stuff imagine spaghetti O's but 10 times worst. Haha but it was a good breakfast you just have to dodge the spaghetti. :)  We had a very fun time we played basketball after with the members and haha it got pretty competitive but it was way fun!!  Haha it was really good exercise.:)  We also had another ward activity on Saturday this was another wards but we were able to go to it and invite the people we are working with there.  

The Work

 

So this one family that we have been working with the S______'s I don't think I have talked about them before but they are amazing!!!  They are a less active family and we found them when I first got here in MacArthur.  They are an older couple B____ and V_____ they aren't married they are just a partnership but they are awesome.  They are in there early 70's and have been together for about 30 years.  They have a grandson who is 5 that lives with them because his parents can't have custody of him.  There grandson is very smart and has a very high IQ for his age.  B_____ and V____ are both members but they haven't been to church for a very long time.  It's been about 5 years for B_____ and I think even longer for V_____.  We have been seeing them weekly for quiet a while now and just trying to build that trust.  This past week we invited them to both of the ward activities and they came to both!!! :)  They loved it so much and had the time of there lives!!  V____ was so happy because their grandson had so much fun with all the activities and all the kids and B_____ had a good time because there was good food :) and people to talk to.  Haha B_____ is the type of guy that LOVES to talk haha he was in the navy when he was younger and so he has LOT'S of stories to tell.:)  It was so awesome to see them come and after the activity they were asking about when church is and so we are hoping that we can get them to come to church real soon.  It is very hard with them though because it has been such a long time since they have come to church but we are working with them and hopefully reigniting that spark.  The J_______'s also came to church on Sunday and we had a great FHE with them last night!!  A______ is doing good she was out of town all week this past week for Easter and a wedding and we hope to meet with her this week.  C_____ is still doing good he was out of town this for Easter as well but we saw him and he is doing good.  He is still reading in the Book of Mormon and he just needs time until he knows it is true. :)  We also had a great Sunday at church and we actually got to bless the sacrament which was awesome because I hadn't done that for a little while and it was a blessing and a privilege to be able to do that.  

The 10 Week Transfer

   

Everything is going good I can't believe this transfer is almost over!  This 10 week transfer has been kind of different just because it has been 10 weeks but 2 1/2 more weeks.  I am so grateful for my flat mates and companion that I have had for this transfer.  I love all of them and we get along great and we are having so much fun and I am making friendships that will last far longer then my mission.  Elder Plata and I had a really good talk on Saturday and I continually pray for patience and love all the time and I know that it will all work out.  If we trust God in whatever is happening it will all work out. 
What are your guy's thought's on transfers?  What do you guys think is going to happen? Am I going to stay or go? 

We Asked, He Answered

What's the weather like now that's is Fall?

  Yes the weather has been cooling off lately which is so nice!!!  It's still hot during the middle of the day but the mornings and nights and cooler which is way nice.  

How do you do your laundry?

  For laundry we are so blessed because every flat in the mission has a washer and dryer so we are able to do our laundry whenever which makes it really nice.   

What's a funny experience?

  Haha a funny experience man we are always seeming to have a good time and a good laugh but yesterday Elder Delahunty told us this joke. "What do you call your knees when they have an argument? A Nephite."  :) Haha are jokes are pretty lame but we think they are funny.:)  

What's a spiritual experience?

  A spiritual experience.  On Thursday as a flat we listened to a John Bytheway talk after a service project and it was AMAZING after the talk I took a shower and was getting dressed and I felt prompted to converse with the Lord to just talk with Him and what I thought about the talk and about life and stuff and after I was on such a spiritual high it was AMAZING!!!!  I was edified and felt the spirit so strong it really helped me because at times I still feel like I'm not the best but when that happened and it was just me and the Lord no one else there no one else bringing the spirit there it was all me and the Lord and I am so thankful for that.  That me just a normal young man trying his best in this life can have super spiritual moments and conversations with his best friend my Savior Jesus Christ.   

Crazy food?

  Crazy food we ate well we ate a ton of fish this past week haha it seemed like all the members wanted to give us fish this week so I'm kind of sick of that for a little while but crazy food probably just the islander spaghetti.:)  

Are you keeping your shoes shined?

  Yes I am keeping my shoes shined I actually gave one of my pair of shoes the black tie ones to another elder (insert gasp by mom ;-) because his shoes were destroyed and his family doesn't really have a whole lot of money and I had three pairs so I gave them to him (insert but my other two pairs I keep them nice and shined especially my brown ones because I wear those ones to church and conferences and stuff.:)  

    

Hey also guess what?!?! 

  I'm starting to grow quiet a bit of hair underneath my lip on my chin.:)  Haha I have to shave it about every 2-3 days :) haha and the other elders tell me the more you shave the quicker and more grows back so hopefully when I get home I'll be able to grow a little soul patch.:)  

Wise Words From the Elder

Is conference this week for you guys?  I know for us it's 2 weeks away if it is this week for you guys remember the hymn "follow the prophet" listen to all there words and if we follow them we will be blessed.

Until Next Week

 

Anyways I love all you guys have a great week.   Love you guys!!  Thanks Dani for the pictures and Mom Patrick is a studmuffin :) Thanks mom for letting me know about Nyals he was an amazing person but he is now up in heaven and we will see him again. :) 

Love your Elder Stott :)