So Legit!

Hahaha yeah so it was crazy! At church we were in Elders Quorum and it just finished and I met Brother Brown... So I was like koo, koo, nice name. And he said he was from NZ and I was like, Awh I lived in NZ for a bit!... He was like where?... Wellington.... Where in Wellington?.... Paraparaumu.... :o.... You know my brother!!! Hahaha, so yeah it's Albies brother! And I was like, I even stayed at your house and met your sister, Lizzy! He was just like?... Lizzy?... Cmon.. we just call her "girl".. its much simpler hahaha. He's crack up as just like Albie. But yeah I got transferred to Gosford... But it's in the Newcastle Zone... So yeah they are 2 different places!...

But yeah I shallst tell you about my area... we're basically starting from scratch. But it's a good challenge... and we already saw blessings of working hard in just 1 week! I'll share with you some experiences:

Tuesday: So Elder U (from Hamilton, NZ) and I were going to Newcastle to go on trade-offs with the ZL's and we missed the train by like 1 min! So the next one wasn't for an hour... so I was bored as... It's completely different from the City... hundreds of people to talk to down to none hahaha. So I saw this 1 guy in the whole station so I was like SWEET! Let's talk to him! And it turns out.. he actually slept in and missed his stop so he was there for an hour too... During that time we got our scriptures and full out taught him a lesson right there on the train platform! It was so legit! Then we grabbed his number and jumped on our train... then the next day

Wednesday: Me and my ZL were trying to get to our appointment (only like 3 min walk away) and it took us 20mins! We were always stopped by people talking to us! The first girl stopped us and she was like "Missionaries!!" And we talked to her, she was from Chile and her parents were Mormons...but she wasn't baptized... we were like "we can help you with that" :) And she even knew a Less Active family in their ward in Newcastle so she said she could invite them to come and go with her! Re-activate a family and baptize someone = WIN! Then on the way back from our trade-off we were on the train back and my companion was on the phone... then a phone rung in my pocket... and I looked at it.... looked at my companion on our phone... then was like... ah heck... this is the Zone Leaders phone.... So we lived like 1hour 30mins away from them and didn't know how to organize it... but after thinking, we were gonna get off at the next stop and have them drive to this stop to pick it up.... As we were waiting to get off... I was reading my scriptures and I heard this posh as English acccent "What book are you reading?"... And I looked up and I was like.... The Bible..... And he was like.. "No duh... I know the Bible.. what scripture?"... Hahaha I told him it was Corinthians and he was like "My favorite is proverbs" hahaha, so I told him about missionaries and right before we got off, I got his number so he can meet with us! Then as we were waiting in this town called "Cockles Creek" this punk teenager came and he said he ran away from his boys home hahaha, so we just helped him and make sure he didn't get killed and gave him a pass along card lolz. But on the way home this Canadian girl got on and she was going to the city and I gave her the address to the church in the city and she said she would go! Yayyy!!! so I was just surprised that in the bush there's still so many people that are interested... so it was really cool!

So one cool miracle we had Thursday: We were walking home in the rain about an hour and a half away... and our dinner appointment was in 45mins... so we stopped in the middle of the road and said a prayer that we would get there in time! And just as we said amen... we walked for about 30secs. and this guy was like "Elders!!! Get in I'll give you a ride!" We were like YUSSSS!!! And it turns out he's Seventh Day Adventist but he grew up with Mormons and he gave us his number to come and speak to all the youth at this program he does! WOO! ... but yeah this area is legit! We even went tracting in the rain for 4 hours with no umbrella, WIN!

No Regrets

The last week of transfers everything right happened.... We were able to take an absolute dead area and build it up with people to teach, miracles and baptisms.... We were able to teach Y's Father and his girlfriend! We got to work with this member who had been struggling recently and seriously out of nowhere told us she decided to serve a mission and put in her papers! And everything was just going great.... On the morning of transfer calls... I read Alma 5.... And I personalized it to myself.... in verses 14-20 alone.. he asks 11 questions... all in which I personalized.... it asks like could you lie before God saying your works were righteous?... And I changed it... Can I lie before God saying I gave my all in this part of His vineyard? etc... And at the end of finishing it.... I knew I was leaving.... I had had no regrets... I gave everything I could and served the best to my ability..... And so had my fellow Zone Leader, ... and my Trainer, Elder A....At the time, I was on Trade-Offs with my ZL... and he told me about transfers before anyone else.... and we just cried.... not tears of pure sadness... it was mixed emotions... but because we had given our all in this area... In Mosiah 4:24 or 25.. I forget, it says... "I give cause I don't have... but if I had, I would give.."... And everything we had to give.... the Harbour City YSA branch has..... it's hard to explain... but at the same time... I knew it was time to move on... Because the week before in interviews with president... I asked him like "I feel like I'm not living up to my full potential president.... How do I fully lose myself?"... And he smiled.... and now the Lord has his hand in it. And so with that question I asked president... and even the Lord countless times... He has answered my question.... He's giving me challenges so I can live up to my potential.... leaving the City absolutely killed me... I have so much love for all the members there... every single one... but everything was inspired.... And the answer to my question came by being shotgunned into Gosford in Newcastle. It's got the most beautiful scenery!! But yeah I'm excited for this new area... IT SHOULD BE REALLY EXCITING! I get to work with families and stuff now! One of the reasons why I wanted to come on a mission, so yayyy!! I'll definitely have some stories next week.... I EVEN GET TO GO TRACTING!.... It's been 7&1/2 months and I've never knocked on a single door... I'ma go tracting like 8 hours a day to make up the time hahaha.

Seek Guidance From The Lord

Holaaaaa! I'm emailing a little early because we're going to see kangaroos today!!!! Transfers are actually this week and we went to the temple last week!! We had interviews with President this past week.... I could just tell he was vibing me out and receiving revelation to where I'm going..... I think I'm amen this transfer... probs going to the bush or something...

Anywho this week was seriously miraculous! Our whole zone has been down in morale for some reason and even members in the branch are depressed and the work has been going pretty slow as well.... and I had just read a talk by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland from ages ago... about 1999... He talks of the exact situation we're in now.... Right before things get good.... the adversary strikes... Such as the First Vision.... not long into Joseph Smith's prayer.. the adversary had held him bound... seeming he would be doomed for destruction... but then exerting his strength to call upon God... a pillar of light came down..... Another example... Moses... He saw God face to face... and saw the whole earth and every spirit as God could see.... then Satan came and impersonated Jesus saying he was the only begotten and to worship him..... Moses began to fear and called upon God as well.....And then Satan was commanded to depart..... Satan ALWAYS knows when the most good is about to happen and will do everything within his power to stop and discourage whoever it is... whether you are preparing to go on a mission or anything... Likewise for this week.... we realized our teaching pool was super low... and there's either 2 ways you can react from realizing you have no one to teach... #1.... Be depressed and let the adversary work on you and fall into a hole of self pity..... or #2.... Seek guidance from the Lord.... And I picked #2 :) So I was making calls to try and set up appointments when I realized we had no one to teach... so I prayed and asked what I should do.... The thought came into my head "Well don't just sit there... go out and do something..." And so I prayed to know where to go!... And the distinct impression came.. "ELIZABETH STREET!"... So I told my companions, "GET UP, WE'RE GOING FINDING!" And mind you it's like 8:40pm... we only had like 20 minutes... so we all went and 5 minutes in... I found this Japanese guy that wanted to come... so I was pumped as, like WOOOOOOO!!!!! As he was writing his number down... I got a text from our Golden Investigator- ... She basically texted us she didn't want to meet anymore... So with this bittersweet moment I just wanted to cry hahahah. It's like... great.. my prayer was answered... but now our baptismal date just bailed on us... But it didn't phase me I still had faith we would get her back... later during the week... long story short.. we met with her and...... SHE AGREED TO KEEP MEETING WITH US! Yayyyy!!! The spirit really worked on her and even though her natural man didn't want to meet with us... she searched herself and realized this has been making her the most happy she's been.... Miracles!!! And I even had one crazy experience....

We were finding for about 2 hours at UTS and then came to Chinatown... I was standing at a stoplight and straight across the street was this girl that stood out and I felt I should talk to her.... but as I waited for the light my companions told me to come another direction so I couldn't talk to her..... now about an hour later I stood at that same stoplight... AND SAW THE SAME EXACT GIRL STANDING THERE!... I was like... :O.... Deja Vu!.... And so I quickly went to talk to her once the light turned green and it turned out she was keen as!! She grew up in a catholic school but hated it and felt God was somewhere else... and was still trying to find Him... So I got her number and we set up an appointment later this week...

Later on during the day... I met this guy!!! Straight from saying "Helllo" to him we just hit it off... he was so super friendly and just awesome!! And so I invited him to come and see the church and we gave him a tour around... and we had a lesson with him and during it we taught the whole restoration.. introduced the book of mormon.. and committed him to be baptized.... Without even hesitating.. he said "I really don't have a choice.. If Jesus told me to follow Him... I must do that... And I would love to!" And he even already believed in the Book of Mormon! Hahaha it was just miraculous!... And so this whole past week everyone was depressed and going through trials... Satan knows how to work with people... but if you call upon God and keep working and pressing forward... that's when the good happens! Remember that ;)You have to overcome the bad first before you can experience the good... that way Heavenly Father knows he can trust you.... Love you byeeeeeeee!!!

Nothing Better On Earth...

So now to explain C and D.... Elder I.. he was one of my best friends in the Zone my first 2 transfers and then he got transferred to Newcastle... And during his time here in the City he found this Chinese guy named C... And it was actually a miracle... C went outside to walk that day thinking of what kind of person he was and how he could improve.. and was sad because he didn't know how to change... and then he met Elder I and came in to learn about the gospel... he was progressing so well until he moved back to china :'( .... Then I think I told you.. last week he called us and wanted to meet again!! And he even brought his friend D and we had a lesson with them... It was probably THEE most spiritual lesson I had all week (and I taught heaps this week)... They opened up so much and they were both SO prepared!... C shared with us that experience of him meeting Elder I... and there was a pause.... and the Spirit filled the room... in that instant we committed them to be baptized and C eagerly accepted.... D... paused and said "Does baptism mean showing your faith in God to follow Him and become a Christian?"... And we were like o.O ..... Uhh..... yes... yes it does!!.... And he pondered it and then accepted as well!! It was just a great experience of seeing that no effort is ever wasted.... Elder I at this very moment.. probably still thinks C is in China and praying one day he'll learn again... when really he's now preparing himself for baptism... so this was a testimony builder to me that ANYONE you may share the gospel with... whether it's 3 months later like in this situation or 3 years later.... no effort is ever wasted and everyone has hope.

I gotta be quick though I got like 10mins left... This week was full of miracles... So lately in the area I'm serving in.. There's been HUGE retention problems... due to the amount of baptisms we have each month, 3/4 of the branch is recent converts and so there isn't many strong members to help fellowship them to stay strong... So HEAPS of people have been going less active... even our goldens... from our area :( And so we weren't in contact with them for a while and even on Sunday I had my FIRST normal missionary experience where I got to go hunt someone down in their house... but he wasn't home... in fact it was a fake address :'( so we were a bit crushed... but this past week we were able to see ALL of them on the street and set up appointments with them!! There's even this really nice girl N who was less active for all her life and we just re-activated her and shes been coming to church!!! And it's just been exciting for me because in the City we don't get to participate in re-activating at all... our role here is usually just to find,teach,find,teach,find,teach! So on top of this I had really cool finding experiences as well... I met this guy who was getting yelled at by his boss on the phone and I talked to him and he said after he talked to me he felt so calm and relaxed and wanted to come and learn! And I also met a professional snow boarder who had been prepared by the hands of angels!!! Everything he said sounded like an apostle hahaha! So we will meet with him as well. Just an all around good week in missionary work! And then we got to go to the temple this morning which is always spiritual! Seriously there's absolutely nothing better on the earth than doing missionary work... It is the most satisfying thing you could ever do!! When you get to love it so much nothing else even matters... When I even think of going home or listening to music etc. I just feel sick... I'm going to be a missionary forever... Serve a 13 year mission like Ammon!!!