We were able to Skype with Jed on Mother's Day. Mom, Dad, and each of his siblings all there talking with Jed. He looked good, needed a haircut but looked good.
He told us that like some Elders in different parts of the world they were given IPad's to use. I understand in England that these stay in the mission for the Elders/Sisters serving. We were also told that there are a select few apps that are on the IPad, the Scriptures, calendar, a few missionary tools, etc. One of the missionary tools - or apps on the IPad is what (when I served as a full-time missionary) I called the Area Book. Given that the worth of souls is great in the sight of God (see this link:
https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/18.10?lang=eng ) and given that the full time missionaries (Elders or Sisters) are often transferred it is important to keep a 'journal' of sorts. That way if someone was being taught the gospel and there were transfers, the new Elders/Sisters could look in the area book and the transition would be seamless. Also as we have different experiences, trials, etc. in our lives at different times we may become more able to feel the influence of the Holy Ghost (the member of the Godhead that testifies to us of truth). So a Missionary could look at the area book and visit someone that was taught previously by different missionaries to see if they might be interested in again learning more. Anyway, I bring this up because according to Jed, there is a law in England that does not allow them to enter personal info into an IPad app like this (not as missionaries anyway). So they still keep the area book manually (like I did).
I told Jed about one of his cousins who has recently moved. He is in High School (a tough time to move) and I think has wished it wasn't this way. I told Jed because when we moved from the city to the country he wasn't too keen on it either... but he does not feel like it turned out badly. He said, "I felt like [him]. Tell him that things get better. I promise."
He was telling us in a recent letter some of the things that he experienced ... "Another thing that happened to me this week that helped me grow was we were walking down a street one day, and I felt prompted to walk down it, which was great in and of itself. It's always so amazing when you feel like you have to walk somewhere! Before we walked down that street though, we were getting told no. Literally every single person told us no, and a lot of them were pretty rude about it as well, and when that happens for an extended period of time, it gets rather disheartening. So we walked down this street, and started talking to people, and everyone kept saying no. Well done. Everyone. Then, we saw a kid at a bus stop across the street, so we walked across and had a conversation with him about the Gospel. We talked to him, set up a return appointment, said a prayer, and taught him today. He's on date to be baptised on the 14th of June now. Miracles happen every day. I was thinking about it, and I thought that perhaps the reason that all of those people said no to us was so that we could find him. ... He was worth all of those "no's". Even more than that! The worth of souls is SO great in the eyes of God. I saw that...I love missionary work. I love it out here! I'm so grateful to be here. I know that this Gospel is good, and it is true. It fills me with such hope."
Elder Murri will have a visitor in June - he says, "Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the 12 will be coming to speak to us in June. Which is super cool. He served here, in this zone!". Elder Jeffrey R. Holland is one of the 12 Apostles to Jesus Christ on the earth today (just as in the time of Jesus).
One of the questions we did ask Jed about when talking to him on Mother's Day was about pictures and writing home. He said that he has about 45 min or so to write everyone that writes to him (using a computer at the ward building). He can now (with the IPad read any email when it arrives, but the sending is still relegated to P day). He said this in his email just before Mother's Day, "...My camera is still working, I'm sorry that I haven't sent any pictures to you guys! It's so hard to do, because it takes the computers FOREVER to download them. We haven't had a lot of time on pdays to do anything either, so that's made it rather difficult. But I'll try to send them soon!...".
I was impressed with this insight, specifically the piece where he mentions 'will'. He says, "Thank you for your prayers! I feel them, all the way over here. I'm learning to work harder and smarter. It all comes down to making Heavenly Father's will your will. That's when miracles start. I've seen that this past week. I know that you are happier, more content, and have the Spirit with you and all of the direction and help that it
brings when that is the case. I know that that's true."
He told us that like some Elders in different parts of the world they were given IPad's to use. I understand in England that these stay in the mission for the Elders/Sisters serving. We were also told that there are a select few apps that are on the IPad, the Scriptures, calendar, a few missionary tools, etc. One of the missionary tools - or apps on the IPad is what (when I served as a full-time missionary) I called the Area Book. Given that the worth of souls is great in the sight of God (see this link:
https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/18.10?lang=eng ) and given that the full time missionaries (Elders or Sisters) are often transferred it is important to keep a 'journal' of sorts. That way if someone was being taught the gospel and there were transfers, the new Elders/Sisters could look in the area book and the transition would be seamless. Also as we have different experiences, trials, etc. in our lives at different times we may become more able to feel the influence of the Holy Ghost (the member of the Godhead that testifies to us of truth). So a Missionary could look at the area book and visit someone that was taught previously by different missionaries to see if they might be interested in again learning more. Anyway, I bring this up because according to Jed, there is a law in England that does not allow them to enter personal info into an IPad app like this (not as missionaries anyway). So they still keep the area book manually (like I did).
I told Jed about one of his cousins who has recently moved. He is in High School (a tough time to move) and I think has wished it wasn't this way. I told Jed because when we moved from the city to the country he wasn't too keen on it either... but he does not feel like it turned out badly. He said, "I felt like [him]. Tell him that things get better. I promise."
He was telling us in a recent letter some of the things that he experienced ... "Another thing that happened to me this week that helped me grow was we were walking down a street one day, and I felt prompted to walk down it, which was great in and of itself. It's always so amazing when you feel like you have to walk somewhere! Before we walked down that street though, we were getting told no. Literally every single person told us no, and a lot of them were pretty rude about it as well, and when that happens for an extended period of time, it gets rather disheartening. So we walked down this street, and started talking to people, and everyone kept saying no. Well done. Everyone. Then, we saw a kid at a bus stop across the street, so we walked across and had a conversation with him about the Gospel. We talked to him, set up a return appointment, said a prayer, and taught him today. He's on date to be baptised on the 14th of June now. Miracles happen every day. I was thinking about it, and I thought that perhaps the reason that all of those people said no to us was so that we could find him. ... He was worth all of those "no's". Even more than that! The worth of souls is SO great in the eyes of God. I saw that...I love missionary work. I love it out here! I'm so grateful to be here. I know that this Gospel is good, and it is true. It fills me with such hope."
Elder Murri will have a visitor in June - he says, "Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the 12 will be coming to speak to us in June. Which is super cool. He served here, in this zone!". Elder Jeffrey R. Holland is one of the 12 Apostles to Jesus Christ on the earth today (just as in the time of Jesus).
One of the questions we did ask Jed about when talking to him on Mother's Day was about pictures and writing home. He said that he has about 45 min or so to write everyone that writes to him (using a computer at the ward building). He can now (with the IPad read any email when it arrives, but the sending is still relegated to P day). He said this in his email just before Mother's Day, "...My camera is still working, I'm sorry that I haven't sent any pictures to you guys! It's so hard to do, because it takes the computers FOREVER to download them. We haven't had a lot of time on pdays to do anything either, so that's made it rather difficult. But I'll try to send them soon!...".
I was impressed with this insight, specifically the piece where he mentions 'will'. He says, "Thank you for your prayers! I feel them, all the way over here. I'm learning to work harder and smarter. It all comes down to making Heavenly Father's will your will. That's when miracles start. I've seen that this past week. I know that you are happier, more content, and have the Spirit with you and all of the direction and help that it
brings when that is the case. I know that that's true."