Week 25 - Introducing Elder Stephens

Since Elder Wong has completed his service as a full time missionary, I have a new companion. Elder Stephens from New Zealand. He's got a lot of desire to serve, and I'm really looking forward to serving with him.

This week, the zone leaders had a baptism, and we were able to bring one of our investigators, Winston. As is always the case at an event such as a baptism, the spirit was felt by everyone present. After the baptism, we were walking Winston to the bus stop so he could return home and we asked him what he thought. He said that he felt amazing and that he wanted to follow God. I'm looking forward to seeing what becomes of this. M. Russell Ballard was right when he said that "When the Spirit touches the heart, hearts are changed. When individuals . . . feel the Spirit working with them, or when they see the evidence of the Lord’s love and mercy in their lives, they are edified and strengthened spiritually and their faith in Him increases. These experiences with the Spirit follow naturally when a person is willing to experiment upon the word. This is how we come to feel the gospel is true."

With exams going on at the University, the students are working hard to finish up assignments, projects and reviews. One such student was one of the recent converts at UNSW (University of New South Wales). She has been studying architecture, so she's been working on a big project for the end of the semester. We spent some time last week helping her out, and it has been a great service experience. At first, I was a nervous about spending a few hours just working on a little project like this one (it was literally "small scale"). However, I began to realize that service isn't just yard work or home renovation or some other big thing, it's doing something to improve the life of the person or cause served. Regardless of the size of the project, if done with love, it can have just as much of an effect for good as any other project.

Last week's reading in the Book of Mormon was a pretty short section, but one that has taught me a lot since I've come to Australia. When I first came here, I was feeling pretty overwhelmed, but as I read those chapters , I just felt peace in knowing how much the Lord is involved in "gathering Israel".

This week, we'll be starting 2 Nephi with chapters 1-5. Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Clark

Best meal so far....mexican food - Montezuma Restaurant, North Sydney - YUM!

My 3rd companion, Elder Stephens from New Zealand
Notice they are in jeans and t-shirts.  Serving on the UNSW, that is the required attire.

Elder Clark and investigator Andy

Balut ....

a developing duck embryo that is boiled alive and eaten in the shell