September 29. 2014

 

Hello Everyone, 

It's been pouring rain for the past two days and we love it! It's really needed here and we're so grateful for it.

We are in for another interesting week of celebration by the Turks! According to Turkish tradition, the Feast of the Sacrifice commemorates Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael to show his faithfulness to Allah. You can find essentially the same story in the Old Testament where Abraham was willing to kill his son Isaac, until an angels stops him. Cattle, sheep and goats are sold by farmers to communities as people gear themselves up for this four day festival called Kurban Bayram.  

Animals are to be sacrificed according to Islamic rules and traditions. Literally these animals are sacrificed in the streets (mostly in the older sections of town), and the meat is cooked and taken to the poor and needy. I'm glad the sacrificed animal's meat serves a good purpose in the end, to feed the hungry, and I am also grateful we do not practice animal sacrifice any more. Our sacrifice is the sacrifice of our wills, as we give them over to the Savior while we partake of the sacrament each Sunday. We turn our lives and our wills over to Him who can shape our earthly/worldly ways and trade them for Christ-like ways.  

Missionary work is simply incredible! It is so great to see someone realize for the first time that there is a better way to live if we choose to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I believe that when an investigator really wants to know the truth, the Spirit helps guide their questions. It's as though the Spirit is leading them to understand what they've wanted to know all their lives, and they now finally have a chance to hear the answer. One of the missionaries said, "one woman's series of questions were so inspired. They helped her understand the power of God, and if He is the one that created all, then He has the power to change our nature as well. It was such a "light bulb" moment". The shaping and molding of our lives feels like major renovation at times, but with Heavenly Father as the architect we are assured the end result will be a glorious creation!

 

We are aware of the political problems going on around us and our hearts go out to all those involved. We pray that the hearts of our enemies will be softened and that they will have the courage to step away from the old traditions of their fathers and choose to live in peace. We bring a message of peace and hope to the world and wish everyone could hear it and feel it. It would be such a tragedy to destroy the beauty of this country because people can’t love one another. This is a picture from the Ferry on the Bosphorus Straights, taken on our way to our Branch President’s home for Family Home Evening a couple of weeks ago,…(not his home)J  

There is so much needless suffering on this beautiful earth and it has been since the beginning of time, and apparently will be so as long as humans live on this earth, until the Savior comes again. I'm so incredibly grateful for the peace of mind that the knowledge of the Savior and his Atonement offers. The Savior's love is real and the Atonement is real,...they are the real and true means by which we can repent and live our lives in a better, more humble and loving way each day.

 We had another Zone Conference with our fellow Senior Couples and younger Elders, with President and Sister Wilstead,...we love these people!We love hearing from you and so grateful for your love and support. You are in our prayers and we hope you know of our love for each of you.

Sister and Elder Ercanbrack