"Gordon B Hinkley often alluded to the turning point in his life.

"This week has been mine.

"Training has been the biggest responsibility and greatest blessing I have received. The trial of my faith pushed me to the edge.

"This transfer I have been privilaged to focus on the Atonement. The Atonement is so deep and powerful, so loving and sincere that I will never fully comprehend its true nature. However the blessings of the Atonement are clear.

"I know that my Redeemer lives. I know that this is His work and that it goes forward, not because of me, but in spite of me. Every action, thought, word that proceeds out or into my being is focused on the Savior and what he has done for me and my eternal debt. These two years are often described as tithing for my first 20 but I know that they can and never will repay my debt. This is my strength and motivation. My faith and hope.

"New Missionary Training was this week in Sydney. Elder Yip and I made our usual trip to Canberra and were blessed to take the train from Canberra to Sydney. I love the train.

"I learned so much more about myself and who I really am at the training. I have a renewed sense of duty and love that I pray will never leave me. It makes me relish the rules, the guidelines and the agency. I know that when applied to myself the word 'sacrifice' does not exist; only the opportunity to seek blessings.

"I have given up all things that could inhibit my focus on my purpose and the Savior. I no longer write to any but my family. I have seen the blessings. I know they are real.

"It is such a comfort to do the Lord's work His way. I know that if I do it my way I will fail. I have had the comment from other missionaries 'you have great faith' or 'you follow the spirit so closely.' In fact I know that I am so far away from where I can be in my spirituality I laugh. I know that if I ever disregard the spirit I will fail. You cannot do a spiritual work a worldly way. What comfort it brings me to rely on the Lord.

"This week I made doughnuts for seventeen families of both less active members and investigators with a spiritual thought on the sweetness of hearing the word of the Lord (Ps. 104:34) to invite them to church. I love to cook, but only for others.

"For today and tomarrow the zone leaders will be in Merimbula conducting trade-offs. I am very excited as I have never been on a legitimate trade-off. Normally you have them at least once a transfer however Merimbula is 4 hours away from the closest missionaries. It is such a blessing to have the responsibility of being the Lords representatives for such a large area and for so many people.

"We missed our train back to Canberra Tuesday morning. No worries, I found another hours later. In that time we thought we'd go experiance downtown Sydney. I love it. It is so fast paced and exciting. It truely is sister-cities with New York. We walked by the AMP Tower and down to the Opera House. I was excited, not only for my surroundings but for the beautiful spirit of the people. Sydney is thriving. We had several people street contact us, asking us who we were and what we stood for.

"I love you all. I am so deeply grateful for the Christlike influence you have had on me. Although I often exercised my agency at times that atrophied my spiritual development, I always knew that my family was a stronghold. It is very easy and delightful to share how the Gospel can bless the most basic unit of the church and society. I see the problems families today have and know that true happiness comes when the family is predicated on the gospel. I know this because of you. Thank you.

"I feel as though I stutter when I write these emails because I have had so many experiances and miracles mingled with the epiphanies of faith.

"Thank you and rejoice."

-Elder Madson