Struggles with the work. The Lord requires all of our efforts

 So we had a bad week for teaching too, no investigator lessons. It sounds really depressing while I am reading back over this but I am sure that Satan just attacks us relentlessly when we need to do something good. So I just need to make sure I do what the Lord wants me to do... I just wish I knew what that was right this minute. 

So I have been studying repentance, this is my 3rd time reading the Book of Mormon since coming out and it is going awesome. I love the Book of Mormon. I don't think that there is a limit on Gods mercifulness towards us, the children of me. There isn't at all. Its amazing to read of the Lords covenants that he has made with his people and how he is willing to repare them even when we break them if we are willing to repent. That is the key though, we have to choose repentance, and repentance hurts. Not as much as eternal separation from our family hurts though. God loves us, and so he chastises us, to bring us closer in line with what is right. Its amazing. 

That's what I have learned lately. I love you Mum, You are the best, and so is Dad, he is a great example. I miss you all so much. 

Love Elder Tang

Photo: If you mix Elder Allreds jumper and mine, you get Jordans (Jordan is in the middle). And on the left is Mark Veal, I love that man, he is on the stake presidency, great man, great family. 

Ups and downs

The other Elders baptism still kept and Elder Allred and I were both in the program so we got to go and be a part of it which was great. We worked really hard trying to find new investigators through tracting and getting referrals and it hasn't been such a bad week. We didn't get to teach many lessons but we made some progress still. 

We are working hard, and being diligent always, that is most of the battle, the rest is in the Lords hands. 

Love you. 

Elder Tang

ps. It snowed like crazy this week. There was a rock wall in one of the members hallways. Made for an awesome pday. 

I have a couple of photos for you. This was Daniel, the other Elders Taught him. He was baptized this week. 

Baptismal commitments

This week has been good and bad as most missionary weeks are. We had new years eve off and we got to go and spend some time with a lot of families from the wards including the Keoghs, the Williams, the Veals, and even one family called the Campbells who are not members but come to a lot of things (we are working on getting them taught the gospel, its looking good, but its also looking slow) Brother Veal is possibly my favourite member I have met on my mission so far, he is on the Stake Presidency and is just a great man. And he is young at heart which is good too, well I guess he is pretty young in body too, he is only 39. But he is a really great help to us in always supporting us in the work, so is Bishop Keogh. The Europe area Presidency has just launched a big new program to tackle the lack of missionary work being done. More and more we are seeing the Brethren really push to try and help the members understand just how much the Lord is hastening his work. I really think that not many people get it. 

On Monday we taught Cheryl again and committed her to be baptized on the 18th of January. So it looks like we are getting a Baptism! Its weird because I feel like it just fell into our hands. She has a real bad throat infection at the moment though so even though she made church last week she missed it yesterday. And she had to cancel a teaching appointment, so I hope she gets better soon and will keep her date. But other than the little hiccup its looking great here. And the other Elders are baptizing someone on that same day, his name is Daniel and I don't know if anyone has ever been so ready to be baptized, except jack. Jack will never be surpassed. 

Other than that I just had an exchange this week with Elder Hewitson in my district who has been out like 20 months and is having some real struggles, so I was working with him on fixing them and his response has been great. I also went out with his companion Elder Oldham to help him because he has been aspiring to be more than a Junior companion really bad and its really not good for anyone involved, so I had to have a big chat with him about it and I think he is on a better course right now too. Just gotta keep an eye on them both. You have to think so much more as a district leader its crazy. 

That's been about it for this week. I love you all. I have been studying repentance a lot and it has really been helping me to understand more and more why we do missionary work. Its kinda weird though because I feel like the things I am learning Im not yet able to put into words. Ill ponder some more and see if I can explain it any better another time. 

Miss you heaps. Love Ya