Monday, August 18, 2014


Dear people,

I really don't know how to address yous, and I'm running out of ideas. Elder Balenaveikau is great and unfortunately has been sick since the day after we spent a full day back in our area after transfer. Thursday to Saturday were stay at home study days. That was the first time that I was bored in the mission. Studying is great and all, but whew, for three days in a row, challenge. I did learn a lot and I received some great insights to my patriarchal blessing and questions in regards to scriptures, which was an answer to my prayers. 

Sunday we had seven adults and around ten kids at church. Lots of sick people. I'm a survivor though. We were able to visit Ben Daniel after church which was great, and we have him planned for Thursday with helping him with service. That pretty much sums up the week, but I truly learned how wonderful the scriptures are and the truthfulness of the church with the heaps of extra time I was able to have.
 
Elder Cederlof

Friday, August 15, 2014


Dear Associates,
 
This past Thursday we headed up to Canberra because of zone training the next day. It's about a three hour drive, and we are pretty cautious considering the incident with the now rotting-on-the-side-of-the-road-with-us-seeing-it-a-couple-times-a-week-because-they-leave-carcasses-to-rot-if they-are-just-on-the-side wombat.
 
The amazing part of the week happened on Friday. On Friday, after zone training meeting, Elder Withers and I went on trade-offs together for the day. Two things happened this day that showed the hand of the Lord in my day. The first came about just after Elder Withers and I got out of the car to head towards an investigator’s house named Bruce. Behind us we noticed a man in his garage sitting at a table doing some sort of mechanics. We headed toward him, and Elder Withers didn't have any hesitation - what a great missionary. We had conversation with the man and brought up that we were missionaries. He told us of his experience with prayer and how he's received undeniable answers to them. With that, we taught of the restoration and how Joseph Smith prayed to know what church to join. We then showed him the Book of Mormon and had him read Moroni 10, verses 4 and 5. We testified of how by prayer we can come to know that the Book of Mormon is true and that by prayer we can know of the truthfulness of the things we had taught. We gave him both the restoration pamphlet and a Book of Mormon, invited him to read and pray about it, and we got his number to contact him and we gave him Elder Wither's number (since we were in Elder Wither's area). Miracle!!!
 
The nesx miracle was a wonderful lesson with Elder Withers again on the same day, in fact this was the investigator that we were walking over to meet when we saw the man in the garage - whose name is Tony by the way. Both the investigator and the partner were home. It was a great lesson as we taught of the restoration. We didn't feel that we should commit him to be baptized during the lesson, but we were able to help him understand how the gospel is for him. He's super humble and cheery.
 
Saturday was amazing. This fantastic day I was on splits with Elder Paterson, my district leader. The highlight of the day came about ten forty in the morning at a little after ten thirty, which was a lesson with a potential named Darcy. We stopped by and he was there and let us in. We started with the Restoration of the gospel. We had the pamphlet of it, and Darcy had read through it plus he did the "Additional Study" found in the back - super diligent! We started with God is our loving Heavenly Father and continued into Christ's personal ministry and the Atonement. I shared a story about the boy who took the stick whacking for the other boy who had taken the first boy's lunch. I related that to Jesus Christ and how He atoned for us - taking the beating - because He loves us, and that I love Him.
 
We continued on with the lesson and the spirit was there ever strong. It was amazing. At the conclusion, we both bore testimony and we invited him to be baptized when he came to know that these things were true. Yes was his reply. We then testified that through diligence he could be ready to be baptized by the 6th of September and invited him to prepare for that day. Yes was his reply. The spirit bore witness at those moments. I felt the need to give him caution about the devil not wanting this for him, and how he'd have trials and inconveniences as he prepared for that day, but through relying on the Lord and being diligent, he'd overcome. We then asked Darcy if he had any questions or concerns, and he spoke up of how he didn't think he could get an answer because he hadn't that faith like it spoke of as a requirement in Moroni 10: 4. Elder Peterson and I had Alma 32 come to mind, and so we invited him to read that and we shared a verse or two from it and testified that he could receive that faith. We concluded with prayer and he was willing to offer it, and we knelt as we did so! He is so prepared and willing, and the spirit made the lesson. The church is true.
 
On this last Monday evening, Elder Pederson and I had the opportunity to have dinner with the Landeryous. Brother Landeryou is the one who became active after inactivity for what I recall to be twenty years. He's awesome, and his wife isn't a member. Dinner was a 300g (or about 2/3 of a pound) of meat burger. Not just any burger, but a burger with jalapenos and chilies and spicy sauces of sorts. And when we put the burgers together, he had some more really spicy sauces to put on. I could only eat one and a half, but Elder Pederson had two. I actually got some sauce onto my finger and then put it on my tongue and my taste buds went crazy- I'd never before had the sensation of super spicy with super sour before. T'was pretty awesome. The best part was the lesson we had after. Kari, Brother Landeryou's wife, is an investigator but isn't keeping her commitments. The lesson we had, involved that new Mormon message of the guy who's going to commit suicide until he learn of fasting by prayer. The spirit was really there and we found out that she's actually had past experiences with the spirit. And we know that she felt it too. We gave her verses to read and boy that was an amazing lesson because I felt the spirit, and most importantly, I relied on it. When I don't, I teach to complicatedly and it doesn't work too well, but this was an amazing lesson. The spirit is amazing and should always be the senior companion in missionary work.
 
I know that the church is true and that when we truly rely on the Spirit and Jesus Christ, we are happy and guided. We feel contentment and we feel loved. Why seek for things that will be gone once we die and move on, when we can enjoy the love of God forever when we walk in the path of His Beloved Son. That is the way, and no other way will do, for by none other will come joy, and the joy of Him is everlasting. Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
 
p.s. We had transfers this Monday and I have received a new companion who is referred to as Elder B. due his very long name. He's awesome and has been out 16 months. I am excited to work with him down in Merimbula.  
 


New Companion - Elder B
 






 

Sunday, August 3, 2014


Dear People,

This week wasn't as productive as other weeks, but there were great things from it. I definitely need to start bringing my journal to the family history center because I honestly can't remember much, which is really inconvenient when emailing home. 

We were able to make some visits. We saw Brandon with a returned missionary of a couple of weeks - Brother Jared, son of the Branch President. We invited him to pray about what we taught and commited him to be baptized - no date yet. That was a great lesson. Also we talked to an investigator who is having the idea that the Book of Mormon is just man made, but we are going to visit him again and invite him to pray about it. 

Eve is sick and Diane just got sick. Ben Daniel we haven't been able to see, but hopefully this upcoming week. The work is wonderful down here though and I love each and every day. The longer I learn and want others to learn, the more I know that this is the true gospel and that Jesus Christ loves these people and that He loves me. The spirit is real and is a sign, maybe the ultimate sign, that He truly loves us and wants our progression. I know these things to be true, and I unashamedly declare them in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 


Service - Helping to build a Chicken Coop
 
Elders Cederlof & Ee with Sister Beryl Parker