Unifying Families

 This week was such a busy one!!! I've had like no time to even think about anything other than missionary work.

We've done service for the last two or three weeks almost everyday and we do it for at least one or two as well. Hahaha so many experiences! I've learned that bamboo is one of the hardest things to cut and that the honey from honey comb is so much tastier than the bee larva. Hahaha

You'll have to check out all the videos and pictures for my details on all of that stuff because today I want to focus on what we taught and learned in Zone Conference.

I'm in an area that is called Battambang and it's doing really well! It's technically like a region because I"m still like a 45 minute drive away from Battambang but anyway, there are three branches and one of them has like 180 members coming to church pretty consistently and the other two I'm pretty sure are over 100 as well. We, here in Thma Koul, are sitting around 75 people pretty consistently but this whole district is still not a stake. And why? There is a major lack of priesthood holders. Out of the 180 people at that one branch I think 140 are women, which is super amazing but our focus is being shifted to the men because without the priesthood we cannot have a stake, and that's the next thing that Battambang needs.

So, in Zone Conference we taught about how us Elders need to lock in like crazy and be as perfect examples of priesthood holders as we can and then all of us missionaries are adding a huge focus on FAMILIES because all those women have husbands and kids so we are really trying to help them unite their families in the Gospel and strengthen the roots of our branches out here. Part member families are our big focus! I really think that the most happiest times on my mission have been when the remaining members in a family get baptized and are able to have a sense of unity in the home and with their kids.

I've been so lucky to be a part of so many baptisms where we take more and more steps closer to having complete and unified families in the church.

The AP's also talked about having our weekly planning focused and a revelatory experience which was super amazing cause we've definitely been slacking a little on that one. Then President talked about how we need to be having more Family Home Evenings and how all missionaries in one area don't need to be involved in just one FHE, we can divide and conquer so that more families are having their FHE weekly!!!

Families are at the heart of the Gospel of Jesus Christ so. . .make sure you are praying and reading the Word of God with your families daily so that your relationships with each other can be divine!!!

Anyway, I'm so grateful for my family! I've been quite spoiled because they all are on the covenant path striving to be better each day and lots here in Cambodia don't even have both parents around and if they do the dad is drinking all the time. So thank you mom, dad, and all my siblings for having a heart centered on Christ.

I love all of you and hope you can feel the love of Christ everyday!!!

Love Elder Acton

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