Eating McDonalds with his district

19 on 19

Hello Everyone! What a week, busy busy busy. P-day last week was fun, we went shopping, ate Subway and then most importantly got to shop at SAVERS! I didn't even know they had one here but once i enetered the store it felt like home since me and my buddies would always go there bcak home to shop haha. I got an Adelaide Crows jersey and a chicago tee to represent the Gannons's and it was super cheap so that's good. There's a new driver on the Adelaide Roads...:) I got to start driving the next day and now I'm the permanent driver. As you know the wheel is on the right side and we drive on the left side. It was tricky at first but it's nothing to me now, but there is so many round abouts! so annoying! That night we got to see one of our investigators with a baptismal date named Hakupa. He's 16, from new Zealand and has dreads. he's super chill and we got to teach him the whole restoration. He is really interested in learning more and he's gonna come ball with us today at the church. The next day I woke up with a horrible cold which lasted until about Saturday. I would be in the lessons and I would have to constantly blow my nose so it was kind of tough but I just worked through it. Anyways, We got to see a lady named Laura who lives with her kids but doesn't have a husband. She works with kids with mental health and she is a very interesting person. She is SOO ready to accept the gosple thopugh, its wonderful. She told us of an experience she had about 2 months ago that shook her up a little bit. She said she prayed for the first time uin years and she said something dark came over her when she started praying and she said her daughter had a nightmare that night and they both saw the same dark figure. She was hestitant about praying again because ogf that experience. But as soon as she told us that I knew what she had to hear. We shared the story of Joseph Smith's first vision and how he was overcome by a drak force beofre he saw the light. We also shared the scripture where it says that God teaches a man to pray, evil spirits teach man not to pray. Those evil spirits didn't want Laura to pray that night becuase they knew that if she did pray she would get closer to God, they DO NOT want that. This made total sense to Laura and she has the motivation now to try again and to trust in God that he can save her from thopse dark things. The next day we had trade offs again and Elder Tuiluaai got to come to my area so I was in charge of planing and teaching! I was a little nervous the night before but I just prayed that God would guide me and he most definitly did. It was great to lead because I just love being upfront and contributing as much as i can. That sense of responsiblitity leads me to my full potential. I am going to continue to use this through out my mission. that was my week and I'm having a great birthday today! I love you ALL!

Elder Acker

Mandy Whitrod and Abbey Field took care of Joe ONCE AGAIN on his birthday!!!  Cake, presents and a birthday song accompanied by a flute!!

Priceless photos

I had to post these photos of Elder Acker because they are priceless.  Between talking to us and talking to the Whitrod's and Elder Villierme, Joe was all smiles and laughing out loud.  The best Mother's Day gift  I could of received, knowing our Elder is safe, sound, and best of all, happpy.

There he is!!!

 Companions, Elder Villierme-Puputauki and Elder Acker

 Yes, He was laughing out loud with head back

Sister Whitrod was Skyping with her son serving in Japan so we were Skyping from Japan to Australia to Colorado.  Pretty cool. 

Elder Acker with Whitrod's son who was chiming in every so often.  

Stake Conference Week and another Acker family connection!

G'Day!! How's everyone doing!? I love to be able to do this every week to let you all know how things are going and I absolutely love hearing from all of you and I'm glad everyone is doing well! I got to skype my family yesterday and I asked how everyone is doing and I'm just so glad everyone is doing good. It's been yet anohter week and I now have been 6 weeks out on my mission. One thing that I noticed is that my memory is quite horrible so I'm glad I writer in my journal every day so I can remember everything to tell you guys! Oh and i'm excited to hear that Kai Hicken has started his papers! He's going tok do so awesome! So let me go through the week once again! Monday we started off the morning playing sports which is always fun, we play basketball, footie, rugby, and volleyball. Anyways, before I came on my mission I cut my leg on nanny's fence when I was jumping over it and pulled a woodchip out of my leg and that day I was sitting there for a sec during morning sport and I was looking at the scar and while I was looking at it I pulled out yet another small woodchip! I'm good tho haha We had P Day that day and we do shopping every week and i see so many foods that I want to try but we are on a budget so I can't really and Elder Villieime doesn't like it when I eat sweets haha. We had dinner with the Riddle fam,ily that night and they remind me so much of the Wilsons! They have all boys and they acted just like them. Its funny cuz i Keep meeeting people who remind me of people at home. Like Brother Whitrod reminds me of Grandpa Mark. haha The next day we met with a guy named Ben who is a recnt convert and is preparing to be sealed in the temple with his samoian fiance. he plays rugby and he has all kinds of tatoos but he was just a gentle giant. so nice. We also taught out top investigator right now named Seth Parker. he is 17 and really interested in knowing God. The lesson went well and he wants to keep meeting with us! we have a date prepared for him on June 12th. We read a talk that night that really inspired me. It talked about how God never said we can't have experiences like Joseph Smith. We just have to work for it and we can have the testimonies of apostles! So Cool! So be faithful everyone! The next day we talked to man named Andrew Shaw who is old and believes in Maitreya. It's really confusing so if your interested look it up. I've never heard it beofre but the gospel could give him so many answrs! I love it whenever I meet someone and I know exactly what they need, its just that we need to find a way top present that in the best way. I attended my first zone training on wednsday and it went really well. We leanred alot and I bore my testimony. I promis each and every one of you that if you testify to soemeone of the gospel of Jesus Christ you will be filled with the words of the spirit and you will not only be teachuing others but you will also be teaching yourself! I have experinced that so many times so testify as much as you can! Spread the gospel! that night we had dinner at Abby's, Uncle Tom's friend! We talked about the BBQ we had in Colorado five years ago and she says she doesnt remmeber me and I said probably cuz I grew a little ;) trhe next day was probably the least effective day I've had on my mi9ssion. It was rainy cold and gloomy and no one was out and everyone was too busy to talk. I know that wer'e going to have days like that sometimes but I always kniow that something good is coming aroubnd the corner. The next day we had saturdat stake conference and I met a cionselror in the stake presidnecy named elder wilmont. I came up to him and he said "Hey! I had a trainer named Elder Acker when I served in Perth! He was a big guy, played gridrion and he always flexed his pecs individually." That had to be Uncle Tom! I keep making all these connections its crazy! Anyways Conference went really well and the spirit was very strong. One thing I learned is that when we receive revalation, we must act on it! We reaceive revaltion from Hevanly fathetr to help us fine tune ourselves so always act! I hope every nmother out there had a wonderful day and I love you heaps!! have a great week!

Elder Acker

Sister Missionary knows the Wichita Ackers!!

Hello There! It feels like I just emailed you all yesterday, time really goes by fast! My week has been busy so I'll just try to give you the highlights of my week. On Monday, we had dinner at Bishops and after we finished we had some time before we had to go to the flat so we decided to do some street contacting. We were walking for awhile and noo one was outside so I felt promted to say a prayer to allow Heavenly Father to lead people to us. We said the prayer and soon after we saw a man outside. We tried to talk to him but he didn't really have the time because his dad was dying. We told him that our message will help him with whats going on and he agreed to see us again. We taught him and the wife of the man whose dying yesterday and it went great and we plan to see them again. God leads us to people who need the gospel! The next day we met aguy named Nick that doesn't believe in God and tried to tell us all the reasons why the church isn't true. It was tough to hear and after we finished I was pretty discouraged the bike ride home. But once I got home I was reading about the tree of life and I received revelation when Lehi talks about the people holding thge iron rod and the people in the building mocking them. That is exactly what missionaries do. But the scriptures after say they heeded them not. That gave me the motivation to stay strong heed not to people that mock the church. The next day we had tarining with President Carter and one thing that he said that inspired me was the fact that we need to appreciate and be happy through our struggles. Life isn't all up's so we need to enjoy the experience of s=downs because that's life! we HAD DINNER AT THE wATTS  that night and they said I had to try this hot sauce called satans blood to be initiated haha. I didn't think it would be that bad but once brother watts put only a drop on my mouth I almost died! It was like a bomb! I have a video of it that I will show you later. The next day we m,et alot of people and had dinner at the whitrods. Their my favorite family in the ward so far. They help us missionaries out alot and Brother whitrod reminds me of Grandpa Mark! You all need to read Jeremiah 16:16, its a great missionaryu scripture. We must be hunters and go find people to teach. We can't be fishers and just wait for people to come to us. The next day we had trade offs and I was companion with the district leader, Elder Tuiluia. He is the district leader and he is from Samoia. We taught this guy named Darius and he is real interested in the church. I got to lead the lesson for the first time and we taught the restoration and it went really well! He is excited to read the BoM and he came to church yesterday! And then yesterday we had testimony meeting and I bore my testimony. Im goig to get up there alot more thtoughout my mission. That night we were waliing and met this family that was housing two german girls our age who are here serving amission for their church. We went to their houese and talked for like two hours about our missions and it was great. We then taugh a man named andrew mackey and we had the watts come with us. We basically testified the whole time and the spirit was so stroing. Andrew knows the church is trrue, I can see it in his eyes. We just need to figure out what's holding him back. Oh and By the way, I hgave a sister in my district named Sister Watson, and she is from Witchita! WHen I found that out I immediately went up to her and said if she knew any ackers, and she said ya Kris's family! Im pretty sure Kris and Derek told me to look for her before I came and here she is in my district! So Cool! Thats what happened this week! I would advise you all to try tyo be the best member missionaries you can because this is what brings people to the gospel! Were not here to increase the numbers of our church membership. W@e are opening the celestial kingdom doors for people and we are the only people that can do tthat!

I love you all so much!

PS it has been raining And its actually been pretty cold the past week. I thought this whole time that austarila was hot all year round. I was wrong haha

Elder Acker