So this week was probably one of the slowest weeks this far... Sorry sending this email pretty late, but really nothing too... yeah nothing went too well for us this week. My companion struggles with some pretty frequent migraines and is having his own personal struggles. To be honest, spirits are pretty low here for us, because we're running out of ideas on how to spend an extra 6 weeks in Port Stephens. Work really isn't progressing and yeah... Hate to send this email, but yeah we're struggling in this area. I've gone through heaps of old records and this area has just been worked heaps by many missionaries. Members have given many referrals, and have assisted the missionaries with visits and lessons so many times. This area just seems pretty burned out and worked. We struggle to find things to do, people to visit, etc... Kind of the same vibe throughout our district, especially these northern parts of the mission outside of the Sydney...
Drove by some Koreans! However, they were just tourists in the beach town part of our area...
I came across this really great quote talking about the importance of seeking revelation during our personal study of the scriptures in correspondence with 1 Nephi 15:2-11...
"If we harden our hearts, reject continuing revelation, and limit our learning to what we can obtain by study and reason on the precise language of the present canon of scripture, our understanding will be limited to what Alma called 'the lesser portion of the word'.
"If we seek and accept revelation and inspiration to enlarge our understanding of scripture, we will realize a fulfillment of Nephi's inspired promise that those who diligently seek will have 'the mysteries of God... unfolded unto them by the power of the Holy Ghost" - Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles.
Additionally, "God hath not revealed anything to Joseph, but what He will make known unto the Twelve, and even the least Saint may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them."
The state of Nephi before his vision also provides further insight (1 Nephi 11:1): "... after I had DESIRED to know the things that my father had seen, and BELIEVING that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat PONDERing in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord..."
Spiritual Questions must require Spiritual Answers.
Elder Escamilla
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Australia Sydney Mission
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Pic 1 - Tried to have some fun with a new idea - Flower Finding! Mostly a joke, but tried a couple doors with them on our ears and the people either almost laughed, or were a little more comfortable (seeing that we're normal... mostly).