Men of God and the Word of Wisdom

Hey Everyone! Yet another week to report (crazy week) :) Thank you so much to everyone who is sending me things, its always great to see the love from home and I can feel all the prayers so thank you!

Tuesday Sep 9- What a great day that was :) We had district meeting and President and Sister Carter attended. I don't think I've ever seen a more inspired man than President Carter. It kind of makes me sad to think that him and our "mission mom" Sister Carter are leaving in June. The next Mission President has big shoes to fill ;) It was a great meeting and we were trained on resolving concerns and bearing testimony frequently. Me and Elder Tau have been able to implement that training this week and we see the blessings of it. For all of you that plan on serving a mission, the way to be successful is to apply the trainings! We all had interviews with President after while Sister Carter went to go get us Hungry Jacks (Burger King in AUS) I got to talk to them both about the lovely Balli's. It is so amazing to seem them serving in New Zealand. The respect I have for Mission Presdients is big. They are most definitely MEN OF GOD.

Wednsday Sep 10- I think I've told you about David before but we taught him that day. We walked into his home and he was drinking beer and smoking a cigar. And it was just our luck that we planned to teach him the Word of Wisdom that day.. So I introduced a scripture to him about how our bodies are temples and he just stopped us right in our tracks and said "listen, I can't give up drugs, alchol, or smoke. The drugs help me" So then he started going off on a tangent and the Word of Wisdom lesson turned into a Law of Chastity lesson, and he started asking us all the things "Mormons" can't do. It wasn't an effective lesson. We left at the end of the lesson while he was still chugging beers. So then we went to a members home for dinner and from about 6:30 to 2 AM, David left about 40 voicemails, cussing us out, saying some really nasty things. He was obviously hammered. We didn't call him back, and by the next morning he was still sending through these voicemails, and eventually he sobered up and started apologizing. No wonder we have the Word of Wisdom.

Friday Sep 11- We helped the Idaho family named the Butlers move more stuff in. (They aren't related to the Shaytards by the way) but their seriously the best. Bro Butler is a Tai Kwon Doa teacher, recording artist, and a good chef. He's the man. And Sister Butler is hilarious and their kids are so cute! There a great family! We then had a lesson with an investigator named George and we gave him a Book of Mormon! He said that he has always wanted to read it so hopefully when he reads, he feels the power of it!

Saturday Sep 12- Hottest day of mah life. And guess what it was only 22 Celcius. Its supposed to get 44 during the Summer. Im gonna die. It was an unlucky day. It was hot, nobody wanted to talk to us, and a bird pooped on my head. But we have to have those days sometimes :)

We received instruction from Elder Pierson  this week, the Pacific Area President, and he asked this thought provoking question to us that I want you all to ponder this week. "What level of spirituality am I choosing?" We CHOOSE how spiritual we want to be. We CHOOSE how close we want to become to our Savior and Father in Heaven. Are we doing all that we can do increase our spirituality, or are we just being lazy.. If we want to be more spiritual, the answer is obedience. Are we doing all that we can to be obedient in our lives? And not only obedient, but exactly obedient? Are we doing the things that we need to everyday to keep the spirit with us, or are we too tired, so we decide to watch the game or the new TV show. If you are not personally and as a family reading your scriptures and praying everyday, I invite you to REPENT. CHANGE. You choose how spiritual you want to be. We're all not perfect but through Christs grace we can be. Choose this day to increase your spirituality. Its up to you.

Love you all. GOD BLESS

Elder Acker

ACKER STRONG!

HELLO! Hope everyone is doing well, Happy Australian Fathers Day to all the Dad's out there!

Monday Sep 1- Got the haircut of mah LIFE. We went to this legit barber for P Day to get haircuts and he cut my hair just like in the movies. With just a comb and clippers, he was going crazy on my hair, super fast and it was one of the best haircuts I've ever had. He was from Scotland. Now I can tell the difference between a hairdresser and a barber! Even though I still miss Grandma Jeans haircuts :(

Tuesday Sep 2- We had a lesson with two investigators we have named George and David. Man they were powerful lessons! I was surprised to hear Elder Tau say "That was the best lessons I've had on my missioin" and he's been out 18 months! Crazy. The spirit was there.

Wednsday Sep 3- We did some weeding for a widow in our ward, and then she made us a chicken! I love weeding, something I have done alot on my mission.

Thursday Sep 4- Had a trade off with Elder Briscoe and I was training him. I feel old now :/ He's a great guy from Idaho. He's a plumber but he is really struggling with forgetting about his girlfirend so most of the day we just talked cuz he needed to talk! Talking fixes everything!

Saturday Sep 5- Had trade off with Elder Martinau. The ginger from Utah. He's probably my best freidn in the district at the moment. We boxed each other alot that day cuz they had boxing gloves and now I'm so sore haha but we basically went finding that whole day in his area which was fun. Got KFC for lunch and Fish and Chips for dinner. Everyone should watch Prophet of The Restoration too. An amazing movie!

Sunday Sep 6- We got Andrew and David both to church today! 2 investigators! David thought our church would be weird but after he went home, he texted us and said "SO COOL" :) He's progressing.

Scripture to ponder this week, Mosiah 9:3.

 3 And yet, I being over-zealous to inherit the land of our fathers, collected as many as were desirous to goup to possess the land, and started again on our journey into the wilderness to go up to the land; but wewere smitten with famine and sore afflictions; for we were slow to remember the Lord our God.

Remember God in ALL THINGS! I promise if you look to our Heavenly Father in every decsion you make, you will be guided, and you will be able to reach your full potential as a divine child of God!

Love you ALL']

Elder Acker

ZAAM!!

HELLO EVERYONE. Hope everything is going well back home! It was a pretty busy week as the start of the transfer so I'll give you the run through.

Tuesday Aug 26 was transfer meeting. Me and Elder Tau obviously aren't getting transferred but we attended because Elder Tau is District Leader. Man, was it inspiring. During transfer meeting every missionary that is going home bears their testimonies and then President and Sister Carter speak. The spirit was so strong during that meeting and I just left it feeling so inspired. All of the missionaries spoke about 3 things that have helped them on their missions so I plan to definitely implement those. When President Carter speaks, I truly know he is an inspired man. I have so much respect for him and it makes me feel proud to know that President and Sister Balli have the same authority as them, and it is comforting to know that I have them as family right next door to me doing the Lord's work. President Carter told us that 2 Elders were beat up by 3 guys this past week... Satan truly has his guns out but we're NOT STOPPING. We are stronger on this side because we have that foundation of Christ that can withstand his attacks. ZAAM (Zion Australia Adelaide Mission) is ready to battle.

Thursday Aug 28- We did service for a members friend that morning. Mowed her lawn then cleaned her gutters.Then we came home and Elder Tau made crepes for lunch cuz he's french. Delicious :) At the moment we have 3 investigators. Andrew, David, and George. That day we taught Andrew and David both about baptism and we invited David to be baptized on Oct 4. He said yes and no at the same time. Frustrating. He actually needs mental help. He confides himself in his home all day, in the darkness, just sleeps and watches TV. We need to get him out of his home if he has any chance to progress. We taught ANdrew baptism but we didn't feel impressed yet to invite him. But we will continue to work with him.

Friday Aug 29- We mowed Davids lawn while he just sat their watching us, while somking about a thousand cigarettes. We always teach him inside and while we teach him he's always smoking so the house stinks horribly. But we just try to focus. My bike broke that day too. The chain changer thing just snapped so I had to take it to the bike shop. Now I treat my bike like a baby! I invite everyone to  recommend in their wards to sing "Beautiful Zion" on pg 44. That is the ZAAM anthem and we sing it all the time. I've never heard it before I got on my mission and now its one of my favorite hymns. We met George that night who is a new investigator this week and its tough for me sometimes to be patient and listen to people. Like with him I asked if we could come inside his home, and then he just rambled off about how he has prostate problems for about 30 minutes. I was suffering haha. People like to talk about themselves.

Saturday Aug 30- Was blazing hot! and it was only 23 Celsius. In Summer it gets about 40-45. Can't wait... We had another lesson with David that day about church and he commited to come to church. We were really glad to hear that.

Sunday Aug 31 we get a call from David before church and he says "I'm not coming to church. I feel offended. Elder Tau is always covering his nose in my home whenever I smoke." What a lame excuse. Theres really not much we can do with him but he'll probably end up calling us again in a few days.

Wanted to share a scripture before I go. Mosiah 6:3 "And again, it came to pass that when King Benjamin had made an end of all these things, and had consecrated his son Mosiah to be a king and ruler over his people, and gave him all the charges concerning his kingdom, and also had appointed priests to teach the people, that thereby they may know the commandments of God, and to stir them up in the rememberance of the oath which they had made, and they returned, everyone according to his family, to their own homes."

In this scripture we need to relate ourselves to the priests. We are chosen to teach Gods children the gospel and also to "stir up in them the remembrance of the oath which they have made." This is the part I want to point out. This is all about reactivation. Everytime someone is baptized and receives the ordinace they make a covenant with God, or an oath. Our job as active members of the church is to remind less active memeber the covenant they have made to our Heavenly Father. Brothers and Sisters, It makes me sick and very very very saddened to see people leave the church. Not only is it sad to see someone leave such a beautiful thing, but more importantly they have broken a covenant with God. That is not something to take lightly. We need to bring them back into the fold. Work on the less active in your wards. They need this gospel.

Love you all! GOD BLESS

Elder Acker