(From 8/11/15)Hello everyone!!
It's been a crazy week but things are great!
Each day we go from feeling great to feeling tired to feeling anxious to feeling exhausted to feeling great again! WOW. So Sister Morgan and Sister Chaipinit taught a girl just before I came and she got baptized on Sunday!! It was a beautiufl baptism and all four of us sang, "Come Follow Me."
Our investigator, Daniel came to church on Sunday AND he brought his friend, Matthew!!! We also have an investigator, Diana who is unbelievable! We have had one lesson with her and she already wants to be baptized! The blessings are just flowing from heaven right now! We have also spent a TON of time trying to find more peopel to teach. We've spent lots of time outside of the library and at train station trying to spread the word but even when we get lots of potentials, ultimately none of them are interested. Honestly, finding is HARD! I'm really not very comfortable with it and although my attitude is a little bit better about it each time, I still end up tired and extremely frustrated. Sister Morgan always seems so optimistic about it all and makes it look SO easy. I don't know HOW she does it! Anyway, I'm praying really hard for assurance and guidance as we try harder each day to find those that The Lord has prepared for us.
The temple was AMAZING of course. I decided to go in with a very specific question with faith that the Lord would answer that question- and He did. I have such a testimony of the temple. It truly is The Lord's house and I am so honored to have been able to spend time there to feel closer to Him and learn more of His plan for me.
Thank you ALL for your continual love and prayers!
Sister A
P.S. I PROMISE that pictures are coming soon!
P.P.S. Also, I did not get to go to Time Out For Women. We had some appointments that day. BUT something kind of amazing happened! A bunch of other sisters got to go and afterwards, some sisters called us and they said, "Your sister says hi." I had NO idea what they meant because I knew there was no way any of my sisters were in Australia at Time Out For Women. They said "well she said something sister something says hi. she looked like she worked there." FINALLY, I realized it had to have been David Archuleta's manager!!! Ali must have told her that I was here and to say Hi to me!! So that was exciting!
(From 8/16/15)Hello everyone!
It has been a good and productive week. Sister Morgan and I are still working really well together and have several great investigators and less-actives that we are working with. One investigator, Eddie now has a baptismal date! He is 14 and SUCH a great kid. We are still teaching Daniel and his friend, Matthew now would like the lessons! Matthew sat in on the last one and is interested in learning more. I have really gained a testimony that The Lord is preparing His children to hear the gospel. So many of these people are SO ready for the gospel and it is making me SO HAPPY!
As companions, Sister Morgan and I have been reading "Becoming a Consecrated Missionary." EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS TALK. Even if you're nt a missionary yet! WHAT A TALK! Initially, I finished reading the talk thinking, "Boy, I have SO much to work on!" But after further reading and studying my thoughts have changed to "Boy, I get to improve myself!" I am grateful that The Lord allows us the opportunites in this life to learn and grow and reach our full and divine potential. Life is hard but the gospel makes it just that much easier. I know that. I am grateful to know that this gospel helps us in that improvement. It gives us the tools we need to reach that potential.
Thank you all for your continuing love, prayers and support!
Sister A
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| Zone (Missionaries in the area) Picture |
(From 8/30/15)
Hello everyone!
It has been an extremely eventful week this week filled with excitement, tears and tender mercies!
BIG NEWS- I have been emergency transferred to a new area with a new companion! I am in an area called Green Valley and my new companion is Sister Salts. She is 22 and from Hawaii. She is SUPER sweet and an awesome missionary. We are getting along well and the area is good. We also split the ward with a set of Elders. I will miss my Liverpool 1st Ward but I am happy to be here!
And MORE NEWS- I got here Wednesday night and was told that I would be driving! Super nervous but calm, I cautiously drove all day Thursday. Unfortunately, Thursday night we had an accident. WE ARE OKAY. I was at a stop light with my right signal on to turn. The light turned green, I didn't see anything coming and I began to turn. We were hit on the front left corner. The impact turned us around and we hit a pole head on. The driver of the other car was an older man. Maybe 70. When I saw the other driver I for sure thought, "Oh no, I've caused a heart attack and this man is going to go right here, right now." I was in shock and petrified. It was also freezing outside. Apparently, his seatbelt caused him to have difficulty breathing but HE IS OKAY. Again, WE ARE OKAY. Some bruises but it's not too bad. I think I hit my chest on the steering wheel. It's been SUPER sore but other than that I'm feeling fine. The good news is we gave the cops who interviewed us copies of the Book of Mormon! Take advantage of every opportunity, right?!
We did have an investigator, Jack come to church yesterday! We honestly were not sure if he would show! It was extremely exciting for us to see.
Honestly, everything else is great and Australia is getting prettier everyday! We are slowly but surely moving into spring and summer, so warmer weather is just around the corner for us! They've been talking about how people here celebrate Christmas by going to the beach!
I am so grateful to be here as the Lord's instrument. I know that missionary work is about bringing others, and ourselves, closer to Christ. I know that He loves us individually and that He is in charge. I know that His will is far more important than ours. While He loves us and wants good things for us, He knows best. Let's all trust in Him in all that we do. I know that as we place that trust in Him, all will be well.
I love you and miss you all and continually thank you for your prayers, love and support!
Sister A
(From 9/6/15)
Hello Everyone!
This week was . . SOMETHING!
I've been doing fine. My chest is still really bruised. Turning from side to side hurts a TON but everything else is fine. Sister Salts had a huge bruise on her chest from the seatbelt but it's all healed up now. She and I are getting along super well! This week was hard though. We had a bunch of appointments set up but so many cancelled. Sister Salts and I were really down about it, BUT the miracle is always right around the corner. We finally got the chance to meet with a potential investigator, Julius, last night. He is from Sierra Leone, Africa. Sister Salts felt inspired to start the lesson by singing "Joseph Smith's First Prayer." It made SUCH a difference in the lesson! The Spirit was so strong and really testified to me of the power and importance of music and The Spirit in a lesson.
Even though days are difficult, I do know that the miracles of the Lord truly are right around the corner. We just have to make it to that corner! Days are long and tiring but if we truly give our all to the Lord, I know that we will be blessed.
I am grateful to be a missionary at this place and at this time. I am grateful to be in the Green Valley ward and I am grateful to have Sister Salts as my companion.
Thank you all for your continued support, love, prayers and encouragement!
Sister A
(From 9/13/15)
Hello everyone!
So much happened this week, it's not even funny.
Two men on the street asked us out, told us they thought our prophet was a fake and that the Free Mason's were the ones who crashed the planes into the Twin Towers. YEP.
A man in the store asked me if I had a boyfriend. When I said no he responded, in his Serbian accent with, "No boyfriend, no life!"
We had Zone Conference which was great! I was actually asked to sing, which went well and managed to snag a recording. I'll see if I can get it to send. it may be too big. It was a wonderful conference. We learned how to become better teachers and how to better teach by the Spirit. We also learned to become a baptizing mission. Baptism truly is the goal for Heavenly Father's children. Baptism is that beautiful covenant that we all have an opportunity to make with Him
and I am so blessed that I have the opportunity to let people know that as a missionary.
Our investigator, Jack came to Saturday's session of Stake Conference!!!! We'll see him tonightand get a better idea of what he thought about it, but he said he really liked "the vibe."
We also have a couple on date! We met an Iraqi man, Ayad at the bus stop last week and gave him a restoration pamphlet. After calling, we set up an appointment with his family. His wife is Mary and they have three beautiful children. Before going into the lesson, we wanted to put them on date for baptism, but were unsure of what date specifically. After praying, we both felt thatOctober 24th was the day. After extending the invitation, they accepted! We are very excited to work with this family and prepare them to make these sacred covenants with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
We also had Stake Conference on Saturday and Sunday. It was amazing! The theme was missionary work. Two members talked about missionary work. An RM talked about his mission. A mother of 3 current missionaries (bless her whole soul!) gave a beautiful talk on making her home a "mini MTC" and how to raise your children to become missionaries. A recent convert of a few months spoke. President and Sister Back spoke and Elder Cummings of the Area Seventy gave a fantastic talk. He talked about three parables. The parable of the lost sheep, the parable of the woman who losses her silver coin and the prodigal son. He talked about how in all three parables something was lost for whatever reason but the important thing was that they were all found. When he talked about the lost sheep parable, I couldn't help myself from remembering something that I was told before I left. "Missionaries find the lost sheep."
I know that that is true. I know that Heavenly Father wants His children to return to Him. I know that He loves His children. And I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to tell His children, my brothers and sisters, that they have a Savior in Jesus Christ. That they have that opportunity to return to His presence.
Thank you all for your love, prayers and encouragement!
LOVE AND MISS YOU ALL HEAPS! (that's the Australian way of saying "love you lots" or "love you tons")
Sister A
