Octopus for Dinner!

Dear All,

This week was a special week. We did well comparatively with numbers, but there was a theme to the week which I have figured out today, being topped off with a bible video of Christ on the homepage of lds.org speaking on faith. I have been reading this week in Mormon and Ether, both of which are sacred records containing great things. I love how in the last chapter, hinting that that which lies within is of great worth since they are the last words of the book  - therefore, I really wanted to see what it was that would conclude it. I love the twenty-seventh verse: "O then despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need. Doubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him." I love that it speaks of us not despising and wondering, but needing to just ask the Father in Christ's name, and then does our understanding come about. Ask and ye shall receive. I love that it speaks of coming to the Lord with all your heart, for in our heart is who we are. Do we truly serve Him with our all? Do we fear and tremble before Him, truly honoring Him with our choices? I love this last chapter. Also I enjoyed studying the book of Ether, and the story of the Brother of Jared. His story is a great lesson of faith, even faith of a mustard seed which can move mountains. The veil could not hold him, for so great was his faith. Chapter four is great for it speaks also of faith, even faith unto our eyes being opened and our minds enlightened. "Come unto me, O ye Gentiles, and I will show unto you the greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of unbelief." It is amazing what faith truly is and what it truly brings. How great it is that God does grant such unto us.

Jesus is the Christ, and the evermore that we come unto Him and learn of Him, evermore do the blessed heavens open and pour out revelations unto us, and evermore does our faith grow, until the day the veil cannot hold us from beholding Christ's glorified face. May we in the deepest reverence and humility strive to develop that faith of which the Father doth wish to give unto us. And I speak of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.  

 

An excerpt from his letter to mom:

 

This week was a good week. On Tuesday we had a zone conference where the assistants to the mission president and the mission president and his wife speak to us as a zone. President Back spoke on the light of Christ and how everyone has it. We choose whether or not to let it grow and help us or to have it "seared with a hot iron" as people in the scriptures do, making it not work and us not being able to discern good and bad. It was really good. Sister Back spoke on the need to plan effectively along with the assistants to the president. It was great.
 

We were able to see both Tim and Hariri this week, and Tim has a baptismal date for the 7th of December, and he loves the church and comes to church every week. He's great. Hariri we are trying to help him see the need for the church and to have that desire to become a part of it. He's christian but doesn't belong to any church. We also have a new investigator named Vanessa, who was found by other missionaries but in our area so we will teach her. Elder Carter, a missionary in another area, and I went and taught the Restoration lesson, and she loved it and has a baptismal date for the 20th of December. It was an awesome lesson because you could feel the spirit and by the end she was really happy. We were also able to visit Harley, an investigator who had dropped us over a text, but we visited back and studied with the bible with him. He had seen some anti-mormon stuff so that really has hurt his desire to join the church, for before I came, he had had the desire to be baptised. Truly the devil does try to hinder the work.
 

Church was great though I still need to get to know the members, and there are a lot of them, and a lot of them that aren't in the area that Elder Hixson and I cover, for there are three companionships in the ward. We are the only Elders and the only one that lacks a car. It is getting in the 100 F too. Yesterday was over 100 F. We are surviving though, and yes I put on sun screen.
 

That was my week and it was a good one. Hopefully these people will continue on their way toward Christ and will see the happiness that comes from it.

Overlooking Campbelltown
 

 

Dear Mom,

This past week was good. We are still trying to meet up with people on our ward list because Elder Hixson has only been here a transfer more than I, and we've a big ward, so lots of people to figure out who they are and if they are active or less-active.  We were able to see Tim, an investigator who has been coming to church. He has a baptismal date of the sixth of December, and he loves the church. We just need him to develop a deeper testimony of the restoration and Joseph Smith and the prophet. We are now teaching the commandments in Preach My Gospel. New responsibilities are going well, just trying to get it all together and it will be good. I do have to reprove, but more just like reminding them of rules.

That is definitely sad that Jim is passing. That made me cry. Even though we didn't see him too often, he's still such a part of the family that it is tragic. Send my love to Heather. What is her email by the way.  Man, I cannot think of anything to report but all is well and I am sending pics so enjoy those.

Love you so much, Mother, and be especially safe on those hikes and be ever heedful to the whisperings of the spirit.

Love,

Elder Justin Cederlof

 

Note from mom:  Computer uploading was too slow - no pics this week...Bummer!

 

Lots has changed since a couple weeks ago. I am sixish hours from Merimbula, and have gone to Campbelltown near Sydney. I am with a great companion and am in a flat of four, far more interesting than just two.

This'll have to be short because I am out of time, but love you all, the church is true, and I love being a district leader.

 

Ofa atu,

Elder J. Cederlof

p.s. I told my mother more so she can explain my week.

 

 

 

Dear Mom,

 

My new area is actually just below Macarthur, in fact, we are in the same stake. I saw some of those members from Macarthur since this past week was stake conference. Since I am a district leader, I will be doing splits with Elder Gardner and we'll go to one of the members from Macarthur for dinner because they are within the Tongan missionaries area, and Elder Gardner is now learning Tongan and in the Tongan ward. He's a great missionary, and this will be a great opportunity for him to be able to learn and grow. My companion, Elder Hixson, knows Chinese, so I think I need to figure out something here. I am still wanting to learn Spanish so I'll definitely take a class in college if I can. As for the college that I want to attend, I am going for Utah State University. I feel that that is the best choice and peace comes to my mind when I chose that (just barely, which came being quite helpful). And so yeah with that one.

So I am currently enjoying the area. We are on foot so we won't be able to do as much as much, but our days have been effective and I love it here already. We have some investigators and less actives, so we aren't starting from scratch, and we had a cool opportunity to get a potential investigator when we were walking and a man was doing some gardening. I remembered how I need to be bold, and so I walked up and said hello, asked if he needed anything, and we got talking. He served in Vietnam and talked about how awful that experience was. We were in the end able to give him a pamphlet on the restoration and he said that we could stop by when he's home and not sleeping (when he has night shift). So that was pretty cool.

In regards to my new responsibilities as a district leader, I take record of the numbers of the results in the areas under me, which is ours and three others. I am suppose to have the ideal area and qualities, so yeah there'll be growth in that. I am enjoying it so far and had my first meeting with the missionaries I serve on Friday. I talked about the missionaries needing to have a conversion experience alongside their investigators, so they can testify with power and authority with the spirit because they have learned by experience, and are deepening their testimonies. I fasted before and it worked and it was great. I enjoy it. The hard part will be when I need to boldly chastise or reprove, but it must be done. I want to make sure that the missionaries know that I love them so the reprove will be out of love and they will see that. There are great examples of missionaries that emanate that quality, and it's cool to think that I could have that too. It would really help other missionaries.

Besides that there's not much. But yes I feel that I am meant to go to Utah State University according to the whisperings of the spirit, and of course if that is to change, I will let you know. Thanks for being an awesome mother, which I know you are. It even says so in my patriarchal blessing so the Lord thinks so too (it spoke of how I have the wonderful example of a righteous home due to you two). It is my deepest wishes and desires to make the two of you happy, and thanks for putting up with me for eighteen years of multiples flaws and weaknesses. I love you so much.

 

Love you always,

Elder Justin Cederlof

 

p.s. behold, the typing mood 

 

 

Transfer to Campbelltown

Dear Mom,

Yes I got transferred out of Merimbula after six months there. Now I am in Campbelltown, which is actually right next to Macarthur, so I am pretty close to where I've served already. I am with Elder Hixson, and you've the picture, and I am a district leader. I am in a flat with one other companionship, and they are Elder Gardner - from those six months in Tuggeranong as flatmates - and Elder Katoa, an awesome Tongan elder. I am looking exceptionally forward to this upcoming transfer. As for the lesson with our investigators, it was good, for we were able to share the video of the restoration, but T had been drinking heaps and so he didn't feel the spirit and we didn't feel like inviting them to baptism. It was great though that we shared it and they'll just need to have lessons at the member's place so that T won't be drinking.

I can't think of much more, but I am happy. Lots of driving the last couple of days because of transfers, but now I can relax. We don't have a car, so I don't have to drive,and the walking will be a good workout and I'll lose some of my fat weight, which will be awesome.

Love you, Mom, and it's great getting your emails.

Love,

Elder Justin Cederlof

 

Playing Cricket with the Shoobridges

 

Elder Hixon

 

 

Dear people,

 

Not much happened this week, but one marvelous thing was the branch activity where we did sports and had a barbecue. We are doing it fortnightly and a potential investigator, Lisa, came along. She loved it and will be coming along with her husband. This activity allows the members to bring friends, who we get to see and talk to, and get to know them so they feel more comfortable with us inviting them to learn, and also it's far better than just knocking doors.

 

I had the opportunity to speak in sacrament meeting. I spoke on the talk by Elder Allen F. Packer called "The Book". I actually learned quite a lot from it. It is about the vitality of members doing family history work and temple work. I will definitely be doing those things when I get home. I highly, highly recommend, exhort, whatever, that you read it. It is amazing what it teaches. 

 

I come to know over and over that our Savior loves us. He watches out for us, even when we seem to be alone. Our ancestors love us and need our help. The gospel of Jesus Christ is all about proxy, with the atonement being the greatest example.

 

I love you all,

Elder J. Cederlof

 

 

Dear People,

 

Not much happened in the area this week. I was actually back in my first area, Tuggeranong, Canberra watching general conference and doing splits with the missionaries there. I and my District leader also went up to Sydney which was interesting. Lots of driving though and that just tires me. 

 

This weekend though, we have been able to see a potential named Peter, who was busy cleaning his house, which is a semi-annual deal that's heavy duty because the house is so old, and we are planning on stopping by this weekend. We saw a less active who lives too far away to see unless we are going to or from Canberra. It was good, though she has big anxiety in crowds, but she still has a testimony and loves having us over. She'll come to church one day. Lastly, this Sunday we were able to catch Diane, an investigator in Bega. She opened up a lot actually and even agreed to having us close with a prayer, which before she hadn't felt comfortable doing. She's improving and it's great.

 

Well that sums up my week, but it was a good week nonetheless.

Love,

Elder Cederlof 

Dear kindred,

 

This past week did not have much, but those things within were significant. One family who is less active doesn't go to church because they feel hypocritical since they drink and smoke. They have given up hope of changing it. We didn't have much time to teach them since there house was way farther than we were anticipating, but we were able to learn more about them and will schedule another time with them in the near future. I learned a lesson this past week: We are saved by what is in our hearts. We are weak and imperfect, so we stand condemned to the justice and wrath of God, and yet the mercy of the atonement of Christ can heal us. The thing that makes the mercy come is the intent of the heart. If we have challenges and we desire with all our hearts to fight them and overcome the sin, then God's hand will help us along with mercy, but when we come to the point of accepting sin and embracing, thinking that God will overlook such with any allowance, we are wrong, and by our evil desires to embrace sin in our hearts, do we stand condemned before God, fully exposed to justice. The heart makes the difference. I am not perfect, and far from, yet with the desire of my heart to change and forsake can I come unto Christ, the healer, the shepherd, and advocate. We are going to ask them in our next appointment where there heart and lies and if they still are fighting the temptations and doing their best, with faith in Almighty God that He can intervene. We must not accept sin, but accept that we are weak and not perfect, and that through the beloved grace of God are we made whole.

 

This week we were able also to head up to the Australian Capital territory for a zone meeting, consisting of missionaries serving in a large area of the mission. Great things were taught, including the need of good planning, and not necessarily good plans. It all goes to the effort and intent, having a vision, and planning a way to put forward that vision. That is the essence of missionary work and our growth. General Conference was a great, inspired, wonderful opportunity to hear the words of Christ through His appointed servants, and yet it is vain unless we plan to act on those things taught, and how can we do so unless plans are established. Behold, was not the plan of salvation and the creation of the world and its purposes planned "before the foundation of this world" as stated in the scriptures? What great planning must have been done, and that plan is working perfectly. If God plans out such, should not we, mere mortals, plan out our very actions and ways to achieve that which is ever so important. God gives us the vision through a patriarchal blessing and the plan of salvation. I love the words of Carlos A. Godoy: “If we continue to live as we are living, will the promised blessings be fulfilled?” Now we must live with those goals in mind, and by doing so we destroy the power of the adversary by putting the results in the long run as priority instead of momentary satisfaction, pleasure, and even temporal peace. Effective planning, and not just plans, is what brings us in line with who we can and ought to become.

 

Also discussed in the zone training meeting was the importance of working with members and how we can improve the relationship between the members and the missionaries, telling them about investigators and their progress. I loved how the zone leaders words were sustained by the talk by Elder Chi Hong Wong called "Rescue in Unity", for we must all work in unity and harmony, putting our faith together and our cause together. The scriptures declare:

 

 11And he gave‍ some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors‍ and teachers;
12 For the perfecting‍ of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying‍ of the body of Christ;
13 Till we all come in the unity‍ of the faith, and of the knowledge‍ of the Son of God, unto a perfect‍ man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

Surely, we as saints of the church of God must come in unity, and that unity is not just "Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and this church is the true church", but rather, that we become unified in our actions, thoughts, and labors for Almighty God, unified together even as we are to be unified with Jesus Christ. Missionary work needs the members and missionaries to be unified, for how can a divided house stand, even, a divided missionary effort?

And lastly, evident with the quotations, we had General Conference this weekend, a truly inspired message. I loved the speakers and the topics chosen; they truly prayerfully planned that which they have spoken unto us. It was amazing, and it was interesting how a theme of this conference was to look upon the scriptures of old AND the words of the modern prophets - even an invitation to really focus on the words of Christ spoken in general conference and other published words by them.
I loved the words that showed ways for our personal improvement. I definitely have room for improvement, and to think for a moment otherwise would be a sad day, for such a day is a day of a lie, for the end is still yet to come. I will continually ponder their words and I know that through the spirit great things are made manifest, and that is because God understands all things, and wants us to know it too. I have learned so much as a missionary and I am grateful to have this humbling opportunity to serve the Lord, and to see that man is nothing compared to God, and yet we are everything to Him. Of these things I testify of in the name of our Lord and Savior, even Jesus Christ. Amen.