A different type of Mission

Our missionary experience is very different in Australia. We said we wanted a different opportunity than our wonderful California San Francisco Mission and we are having it.  Our work is mainly behind the scenes in doing digital imaging 7-8 hrs. 5days a week. Friday we sent 17,000 images to Salt Lake City to be prepared to go on line so the work can move forward. Families can gather information on their ancestors, do Temple ordinances and seal their families together forever. We are able to be more of a support to our ward and to help the Missionaries in our area with their investigators and less active or part member families.  We were asked to bare our testimony in Sacrament meeting our first week and on our third week we were the Sacrament meeting speakers.Our topic of discussion was “How Gentle God’s Commands”, from the hymn book, page 125. I, Linda, focused on free agency and how the Lord uses love, patience, long suffering, and peace, gentleness in inviting us to come unto him and to follow the commandments. I reminded the members that it was Satan who wanted to force us to obey and to follow him and was rejected and so he rebelled and left angry. He is still angry and when we get angry and try to force our children to obey we are following Satan. As Joseph Smith taught, we are to teach correct principles and let them govern themselves. Of course there are consequences when they choose wrong and there are blessings when they choose right. Michael focused on the Lord gently lifting our burdens if we will follow Him. He doesn’t say that he wills always removing them many times we are given strength and understanding to endure them. As with the Nephites the Lord didn’t take them immediately out of bondage but he did make their burdens light. It was a good meeting and I learned a lot.