The Best YOU (Weeks 39 -41)

Hello Everyone,

(Week 39)  This week went by really fast! Elder Li and I were able to attend the temple again this week, but this time with three of our recent converts Felix, Max and Jim. It was such a great experience to see them dressed in white in the temple and seeing them help those beyond the grave. Max was able to do ordinance work for a missionary's family in our zone, and it was an amazing experience.  I was able to help out with Confirmations again.  I was able to do it with Felix and Max and Jim, the spirit was so strong . It was just a great experience to see so many people change their lives and grow closer to God and make it to the temple of the Lord.

I also had lots of fun being a bouncer at the Royal Adelaide show this week. I was able to see a dog show which was pretty neat as well as some goats with really big horns and nice beards. ha ha :) I also saw pig racing and pig diving which was super funny to watch! The Royal Adelaide show was good and there were lots and lots of people there!

On Saturday I drove into the city with Elder Li and we saw a man trying to fix his car and so I felt that we should stop and help him.  Elder Li and I did and we were able to get his car started.  He thanked us because he was moving to Adelaide from Sydney.  He also said to feel free to have the missionaries contact him whenever, because we were nice people.   He is now a referral for other Elders in our mission :) Service is a great way to share the gospel.  It is one of the best ways to help others feel Christ's love through acts of charity, which can bring the spirit very strong into people's lives :) Elder Ardern of the South Pacific area presidency is doing a mission tour this week and we will have a special zone conference this week, which will be exciting. I also got a new name badge to go with Mandarin Lessons I am getting 3 times a week, yes I am still in Australia haha :) I will include a picture this week of it it is pretty cool ;) I hope you all have a great week and I Love You all!!!

(Week 40)

This week was very interesting and very busy! It went by very fast and Elder Li and I were working on building up our area. We were also able to hear from Elder Ardern from the Pacific Area presidency.  It was great to hear his insight and he taught a lot about how to make personal study more effective for all of us and it was really good insight. I have been able to apply it and make my studies a lot better for my mission and for my life. It was a multi zone conference and there were a lot of missionaries there.

Multi Zone Conference with Elder Ardern

Today I  went on a quick tour of the Haighs Chocolate factory which was very interesting! We were able to see how the chocolate was made and learn more about it.  They even let us taste some of the chocolate for free, which was really cool! We weren't allowed to take pictures of the tour, so no pictures to share, sorry about that! Although I do have a picture of the chocolate I bought. It's called Speckles and it's their most popular kind.  I'll have to say I think I know why!   We have just been busy getting ready for the final week of the transfers. I feel like it was just the end of the transfers last week, but it has gone super fast for sure. I hope you all have a great week and I love you all!  

(Week 41)I have a short update this week.  We had transfers yesterday and I will be....... staying!!!! Elder Li and I are both staying.  Actually everyone in my district is staying. They created a third district in the city, and  Elder Maddock (my previous companion and trainee) was called as district leader as well! I also went on exchanges this week with Elder Maddock.  It was great being able to work with him again and to see how much of a change he has made as a missionary, he will definitely be a great leader. This week Elder Li and I are just continuing to build up the area. We have two new baptismal dates to work with. Our district had 3 baptisms last week.  It was a great experience to be able to witness those baptisms as Felix our recent convert was able to baptize two of them. I'm glad to see his progression in the gospel and we are all so proud of him.

 Church was also very good this week. The focus was on being the best you. I believe one of the biggest pursuits in life is becoming the best of you. A lot of us tend to forget that becoming the best you is becoming who your Heavenly Father knows you can be. That means that we will all reach a certain point in our lives where we can not continue to progress. Where we can not become the best you, but that is OK. That is why our Loving Heavenly Father sent His son, Jesus Christ to suffer and sacrifice Himself, so that we can continue progressing and reach the best you. Through Jesus Christ we can hope to achieve perfection.  Only through Jesus Christ can we achieve perfection. A scripture that has quickly become my favorite scripture is Alma 7:11-12, I encourage you all to read it and ponder on the words. Ponder on why did Jesus Christ suffer and sacrifice His life for me?  If you do this Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost will testify of the truth, which the prophet Alma had spoken.  Most importantly, He will help you feel the love that comes from Jesus Christ and His Atonement. May we all be able to access this power from Jesus Christ, that we can all together as brothers and sisters become the best we can, become who Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know we can become. I love you all and I hope you all have a great week :)

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Sincerely,

               Elder Ethan Salcedo

Royal Adelaide Show (Week 37 & 38)

Hello Everyone,

(Week 37)

It has been a while since I have last written a letter, but that is because I was able to attend the temple today so my P-day changed this week. I was able to do an endowment session for my great grandfather and it made the experience very memorable and a much greater experience as well! It is very special to be able to do temple work for those in your family. It helps you grow closer to them. We also celebrated President Monson's birthday last week by buying a cake and singing happy birthday ha-ha it was fun.

 Sunday was the baptism of two of the investigators I had the pleasure of teaching Felix and Max. They both had come a long way on their journey to Christ, especially Felix. He was a non believer who only took science as a fact and would not admit the promptings he had for the spirit. It was a big struggle at first because his language was not the greatest (Chinese). As we invited him to more baptisms, church and to write down his feelings in a journal every time he prayed, or when he read and came to church he was able to recognize the spirit touching his heart. He overcame a smoke addiction. He stood up to his group of friends and said no when they offered him to smoke. He is such a testimony to me, that no matter who we meet in this life through Jesus Christ anyone can change and come unto Him! 

 

Felix and Max baptism

On Monday we also spent the whole day tabbing book of Mormons for the Royal Adelaide show tomorrow. We did 250 of them.  It took ages to get them all done even though we had like 22 missionaries helping ha-ha! It will be exciting as people will receive these book of Mormons at the show this week and next.  The book contains questions of the soul, such as what is the purpose of life.  It will be great to see all of the miracles from it as well. It has been a very busy week, but I do have a few pictures. We went out to eat with our recent converts Jim and Felix and we had hot pot and it was very delicious and spicy. I hope you all have a great week and I love you all!!!

Eating Hot Pot with Jim and Felix

(Week 38) 

Hello everyone just a quick update for the week. This week was pretty cool because we were able to go to the Royal Adelaide Show. The elders have to act as bouncers, so if someone was trying to cause trouble at our booth or mess with the sisters, we can be there to stop it.  Elder Li and I have been there a few times already this weekend on our shift and it is a really popular community event. There are heaps of people and lots of food, rides and booths around with different information and products being shared. We are there sharing information about the church, family history and the Book of Mormon as well!  It goes the whole week, so we will be there all week. 

6 Baptisms in one day!

We also had a fireside last night about the Restoration of the church.  Jim our recent convert shared his testimony and experience.  It was really good to be able to witness that last night. The spirit was so strong as many people testified of the truth of the Book of Mormon and how the church has been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. It means so much that we have a prophet that lives today, President Thomas S. Monson. I am grateful that Joseph Smith restored lost eternal truths for us as well as the restoration of the priesthood. The priesthood allows us the privilege to be baptized and participate in many other ordinances and receive the blessings and promises that God gives us. These ordinances can now be performed by someone holding the priesthood authority of God.

Beautiful Australia Rainbow

 
 I encourage everyone to read the Book of Mormon because it is evidence that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and that the church has been restored through him. It is also evidence that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the World and it is also evidence that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is Jesus Christ's church on the earth. I know that these three simple truths are true because I have read the Book of Mormon myself and most importantly I have prayed to know if the message it contains it is true. I have been able to receive a witness through the Holy Ghost that it is true. I encourage you all to read the book if you haven't and ask God if the book is true. I know that God will answer you through the Holy Ghost and for those who have, I encourage you to keep doing it because I promise you that your testimony of it will continue to develop and grow. I Hope you all have a great week and I love you all!!! 

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Sincerely,

               Elder Ethan Salcedo