Tuesday 27 August 2013

New Companion!!

So my today has been hectic hahah we have had Transfers and I'm with my new Companion!!! and I'm still here in the Gold Coast :D I'm soooo happy!!!!!!! So my New companion is called Elder Eldridge and he is from guess where? Go on you will never guess it ;) from Utah, he is actually from Logan Utah so the Cache Valley, where McCall is from, and get this he knows McCall, he went to the same high school Mountain Crest and had a class with her, they had a Chemistry class together! It's such a small world can you believe! haha! That is so awesome! Elder Eldridge is the Man! He is a really nice guy and although I have only just met him, I'm sure we will get on just great! So, so far I have had an Australian and American companion! Elder Eldridge has been out for 10 and half months and has just came down from the furthest North part of the mission - Cairns!!!!! He served up there for 6 months. It was weird saying goodbye to Elder Carswell, but it was fine as we will see each over around in the mission! So in the flat where we live Elder Kozak has finished his mission and is heading back to Toronto Canada tomorrow! and Elder Ly Waut is in the Flat still and his new companion is Tongan but has been raised in Sydney, his name is Elder Nalesomi, so there has been some big changes :) So Amery a massive Miracle this week was on church after Sunday, we were not sure where to Tract (knocking doors) and we where lead to this place in our area we have not been as it is really out the way, but we felt like we should go there, so we ended up knocking on this door and this man came out and he is called Steve, and Steve was really happy to see us, he had just got back church and we started talking to him and he said his Brother is a member and that he has family living in Utah now and we set up a time to come back and see him this Thursday at 4pm, we left him with a Plan of Salvation Pamphlet with our names and numbers on the back. So yesterday I got a phone call and it was on a private number so I had no idea who was calling I picked up and said 'Hello Elder King speaking' Steve responded hey Elder King it's Steve here, I read and prayed about the pamphlet that you gave me and I know I need to become a Mormon, I prayed to God and he answered my prayers' I was reading about the 3 heavens, Telestial, Terrestial and Celestial and it all just made so much sense to me' I know being a Mormon is the thing I have been needing my whole life, reading that Pamphlet filled a gap in my soul which i have been yearning for my whole life' Amery how incredible is that! My mouth dropped on the phone hahaha I was sooooo happy! We had a great conversation, and he is really excited to be seeing us on Thursday! I will set a baptismal date with him :D It was the coolest experience. Also this week we found a Mauri Family Mauri being from (New Zealand) well this family from New Zealand we tracked into and it was awesome they were interested in hearing more, as we spoke to the woman we came back around there house and The dad is actually a Less Active, who was raised in the church and turned away at about 15 and has not gone for many years! He wants to come back eventually and he wants his son to learn about it, and his son has never been raised with it or anything, the wife is a non member as well as the son and they also have an older son who is 14 :) So there is big potential to help bring this family into the church :) We also got talking to another family from New Zealand yesterday and they are struggling and are down on there luck at the moment and they are living in a tent, we were able to buy them nappies for the babies, (Diapers) being American ;) and Milk etc and help them out! And we are seeing them tomorrow and will be having a lesson with them as they invited us around to do so as they are interested! So more potential there with another family. and I told you about Nikki last week how I have been teaching Nikki for the last few weeks and how I set a baptismal date with her for the 29th of September and she can't wait for Baptism :) She is so sweet and kind, she and her children are lovely the gospel has completely changed her life already :) and I'm teaching her again tomorrow night :) and I can't wait for her baptism my first baptism and she is so awesome It is hard to describe I have wrote so much in my Journal about Nikki :) Nikki was telling me the other night about how her children are praying to Heavenly Father for the first time it was the cutest thing! I have to get going now! Love you!! Elder King XX

Tuesday 20 August 2013

3 Months Down 21 To Go!!

I have had a great week thanks I had some awesome things happen this week, So i have been teaching a woman called Nikki lately we had a few lessons this week and she is just amazing, she is a single mother and is 28, she has 2 awesome children i believe 5 and 6 called Felix and Milan. Teaching her has been going so well, she just loves the gospel so much, It is so great to see, so on Wednesday we were tracting (door knocking) and we knocked on this woman's door and she came out and said are you 'Latter Day Saints' I replied yes we are Madam, have you heard much about our beliefs' she said a little bit, and then she said my daughter went to your church on Sunday in Mudgeerba, we were shocked, we were like that is awesome, what time did she go and the woman replied at 1pm and we said that is when we went to church, what is your daughters name and she said 'my daughter is called Nikki, do you know her' I replied I know Nikki really well now in fact I'm having dinner with her later tonight and i have been teaching her, we have a lesson just before dinner. Nikki's mum was so happy she was like Nikki Loves church she has been telling me all about it and how much she can't wait to go again! and how excited she was went she came out of church last Sunday! We had a long conversation about church and Nikki, with Nikki's mum and her mum is not against it at all not one bit, apparently meeting us made her day, she said Nikki has been telling me all about you and how your a young man and how you have given up your time etc to do this and share this message etc etc, after talking with Nikki's mum we went and had a lesson with Nikki and we brought up to Nikki that we just met her mother and she was like 'Oh no' what was she like and I was just on about how kind the mum was and how excepting she was of Nikki coming to church. The lesson that night went great with Nikki and she said 'you know how some people hear all this things and it scares them away or people are to pushy well' well it does not scare me i just want to keep on learning and learning more and more and i hear all this new things and I love it' so yesterday at church Nikki came again and we taught her and we talked about Baptism and she said this 'I'm definitely going to get baptized' 'I can't wait' It was one of the best things ever, the best thing ever that i have heard as a missionary. She is so excited about baptism, i would have committed her to a date then to be baptized on, however we are sorting one out for her at the moment, so Nikki will definitely be baptized within the next transfer and I'm going to go teach her again this week, I hope i stay here so much on the Gold Coast Amery, it would mean everything to me and especially as Nikki said she wants me to continue teaching her! This week has been amazing to see her progress this much in the gospel and is such a great testimony builder for me, Miracles do happen! I know i have been put here on the GC for a reason and that is to have met Nikki, i know that if i stay one more transfer i can help her work towards baptism for sure, all of her closest girlfriends are in our ward, the fellowship we have for Nikki is just the best.  I think I'm giving a training tomorrow in front of the Gold Coast Zone, I'm not sure what on, i just got told earlier today. also speaking of companions Elder Carswell is doing really great and I will most likely not be with him next Transfer :( We wanted to spend another Transfer together but we will still keep each other updated and i will see him around at big missionary meetings!  LOVE  ELDER SAMUEL RYDER KING!!!!!! XXXXX 




This is a picture that someone in Sam's ward sent to me. It is with Sam and his best mates in the ward he is serving in! I'm so glad he has made such good life long friends while he has already been out!!

Wednesday 14 August 2013

Gold Coast pictures

Since transfers are coming up in a few weeks and Sam could go anywhere in Queensland, or stay in Gold Coast, I figured I would post some pictures of beautiful Gold Coast where he is at now. It is so beautiful I'm jealous he is living there!!



I'm not sure exactly where he is living but I know it is somewhere around the yellow line on the Gold Coast Highway. He can see the ocean from his bedroom window!!






Tuesday 13 August 2013

Living it up in Gold Coast!

This week has just been just amazing and so much has happened in it! So On thursday I was able to have an interview with the mission president, presdient Henderson from St.George Utah, I Love him so much and he really is a great man and example to me! They know my friend who is serving her mission in St.George at the temple there, she is from Dublin Ireland and she served in the London South mission for a while, while she waited for her visa's! On Wednesday night as well we were just cycling back and we talk to everyone well as many people as possible and i cycled past this bus stop and this woman was sitting down with some children it was late and my hands were covered in oil from the bicycle chain as it had came off and i needed to fix it, so i went and just started seeing how her day was and we started talking about church and she had got a divorce from her husband and she said i really think if i had church in my life i would have never of got a divorce and she is like I'm looking for a family orientated church! So i was thinking Perfect there is nothing better then this one and i started sharing about how the gospel can bless families and how I;m the only member in my family but how i want my future family to be raised with the gospel of jesus christ at the foundation of it and she said i want to come to your church that sounds perferct so we gave the address got her number and all, she is away in Sydney for a while but she wants to come so when she is back we will hopefully start teaching her :) 
Also i have not told you i teach gospel essentials/principles class every week in church and there was a non member there who is a young single mum with 2 children who loves hearing about families so i taught my class on how the gospel can bless families and how god is our loving heavenly father just a few basic points in an hour lesson, but by the end she was crying it was an awesome experience:) Also my good friend Elder Ly Waut from Tahiti, we get on so well he is just amazing i have so many good friends here well he cut my hair for me Friday night and it came out interestingly you should say haahhaa it looks pretty crazy but it will grow back hahaha It's not that bad at all though he done a pretty good job! 
So today is my P-day but yesterday i had a great experience I went to Brisbane yesterday and most the missionaries in Queensland where i think the only ones who were not present were the ones in the North, so i got to see my district from the MTC again it was so good seeing them most of them were sisters all America from Idaho, Utah, California but i also got to see my MTC companion again Elder Farr so it has been months since i saw him last and he is doing really well :) He is great just a wonderful person, but yesterday was really good as i got to meet a member of the 70 Elder Pearcing I'm not sure if i spelt his name correctly though but he spoke to us for about an hour and a half, his wife was my old mission president, President Langelands sister! I got to speak to Elder Pearcing breifly and he said to me 'Thank you for your service' It was lovely :) I'm going to surfers Paradise later well pretty soon as it is P-day and we have been allowed to go so I'm going with the rest of the Gold Coast Zone which will be fun! Also yea I have to wait for my letters the zone leaders brings them to us like once every week or 2 but I just love it when i get them :) Transfers are coming up in the next 2 weeks, so i will let you know what happens, they are occuring on the 28th :) Love, Elder King

Friday 9 August 2013

Happiest girl right now! :)





I am the luckiest person right now! I received this package from Sam today! It includes the flag of Australia, a photo album with tons of photos of him and his companion and beautiful Australia, a Book Of Mormon with tons of notes and writing in it- and his amazing testimony. I have no idea how he got the license plate, but I love it. A key chain of a crown. About 5 letters and a video to watch! I have not watched it yet but I will let you all know about it! Oh he also put in a bag of Lindor chocolate, but that just exploded all over everything in the package! But it's the thought that counts:)

Tuesday 6 August 2013

A Very Special Day


           Today marks the one year date that I first met Sam. I can honestly say that was the best week of my life and I met truly amazing life long friends. I will never be grateful enough for that week at EFY in Provo Utah. I wish I had never left that place and those people. So much has happened in the past year Sam wanted me to post today. I remember skyping Sam just days after we all got back from EFY. For Sam it was a lot longer trip home than me. That first Skype, turned into many many more following:) We ended up skyping pretty much everyday the last few months he was home. His plans were to go to BYU-Idaho then maybe go on a mission. So much has changed from that. Sam never thought he would be serving the Lord in Australia over 2 months already. I never thought I would be going to BYU-Idaho, but I know it's meant to be and The Lord has plans for each and every one of us that we just don't see yet. I am very excited to be going to the same school Sam will when he gets back. So much can change in a short period of time, but I know if you always turn to The Lord everything will work out the way it's suppose to. The Lord sees the big picture that we cant and he wants to help us. I know Sam is where he needs to be. I know we were both meant to go to that week out of the whole summer for that EFY and meet. I can not explain how much Sam has influenced my life forever. He is my best friend and always will be. He only wants the best for all of you and his family. I know he is constantly praying for all of his friends and family. If any of you know Sam well, you are lucky people as well myself. And I only want the best for you too. Any of you can message me/ comment on this post, or friend me on Facebook anytime I would love to hear how you know Sam, stories of you and Sam(or any stories of Sam) or how he has influenced your life as well! Thanks! 
Love, Amery Abel


A Skype session while he was visiting friends at Uni! 

Monday 5 August 2013

Another great week!

August 4th 2013
             This week has been great and I was able to go on a trade off with the zone leader, So i went with me and my good friend Elder Double' from Hamilton New Zealand and I went spent the day in the Mudgeeraba area and It was such a great day, just went out door knocking and had 2 really great lessons with non members and less actives, we shared all about the Book of Mormon and watched a short mormon message about the Book of Mormon and the video was based in London. So this week was also awesome because a few weeks back we were knocking on doors and I speaking to this lady in are 50's and she was really interested and wanted to learn more, weeks had gone by and we kept trying to see her again and she was really sick, but this weel we were able to have a lesson with her and it was probably the best lesson I have had on my mission so far, I always slowly progressing with my teaching we taught and went over the restoration and throughout the whole lesson she was on about how peaceful she felt when we were sharing and testifying to her and how she knows that the message we share with her is true, the reason we found out she was so interested is because a while back she done a survey to find out what relgion she was nearest to and Mormonism came up at the top so when i knocked on her door that rainy day a few weeks ago, it must have been a sign for her, I committed her to Baptism and she said possibly we are going to see her again this Friday and I have a good feeling we can hopefully get a date with her, she is really excited to see us again and, then staright after that lesson we went and taught this man named Nathan who is in his 30's his parents are strong Catholic and do not like the idea of him joining the church however, he is strongly thinking of it so we are going to be teaching him the 3rd lesson this week the Gospel of Jesus Christ and again commit him to baptism and he knows it is the right thing it is just his family who are not that happy. We also had another great lesson with this recent convert called Caitlin and now Caitlin got baptized early June, June the 8th she is 23 and is the only member in her family as well she has 5 siblings! and her parents are Catholic :p but she is awesome she found out about the church through her boyfriend who is thinking of a mission and is awesome we went over the Plan of Salvation with her which is one of my favourite lessons to teach and one in my personal study time I have been going over a lot lately :) after that we had an awesome Breakfast is Australia 'Brekky 'of Pancakes, Ice Cream, strawberries and of course Bananas and also Bacon it was a mean feed :) 
              Yesterday was also great as we were out last night at Burleigh Beach GQ ing people or golden questioning them as it is known and finding out a bit about them and this man from Brazil called Thiago ran up to us like Elders how is it going and hugges us and he is a less active and so is his parents and they live in our area Mermaid Beach and he said we need to go and see them, and gave us all there details and numbers so I phoned the dad today and we are going to go see him and his wife sometime this week to share a message :) We also were able this week to teach a Jehovah Witness man from Italy who was interested, and seeming as her is Jehovah Witness they usaully just want to bible bash with you but not this one! I spoke to him about the Book of Mormon and gave him and he was so happy to get one, which was awesome it is not everyday a JW expects the book of Mormon. :) We got a few potentials this week which was awesome the work in our area Burleigh Heads is really picking up! serving here on the Gold Coast is awesome and is really great :) Later today I phoning this man who we meet in the supermarket who Is interested in learning more he gave us his phone number and was eager to set up an apointment i have spoke to this man quite a few times so hoping something will happen there, we also met this less active guy this week called Sam who is just such a good guy, he is 23 and is thinking of a mission and loved meeting us and we are seeing him again tonight so we will hopefully help him work towards going on a mission, he has just started coming back to church :) He is full of good intnetions and has strong desires and also wants to baptized his best freind he has a strong impression, his best friend she is not a member but he pictured her at her baptism and all he was sharing this experience with us which was awesome:)
                 That is really exiciting about McCalls Bf getting called to Uruguay, i met this woman last year on the plane as i was flying from Salt Lake City to Dallas Fort Worth Texas and we were talking for ages, at the point i has only been a member for 4 months but i remember how much she wanted to learn more with the missionaries as i asked if she would like to learn more, so i when i got back to the London Temple i got a Book of Mormon in Spanish and Gospel Principles in Spanish and all the pamphlets in Spanish and sent it to her in Uruguay as she gave me her address and what not all i know is her name is Victoria, she lives in the capital of Urguay and says is it Beautiful there :) You never know maybe they got baptized her and her family or maybe McCall's BF Stirling who is going there on his mission will find them and baptize them as they have already been prepared. I hope all is well. Love Elder King XXXX