Sunday 22 March 2015

My Badge is Impressed Upon My Heart

Well this week, has been a lot better, I definitely have seen the Tender Mercies of the Lord in my life, like we went up to a place called Montville and we got to look at the view of the Glass House Mountains, and walk in a Rain forest and all, well it was really awesome, and all, as when we were looking of the view of the mountains, it was quite cloudy and I felt like saying a prayer, so I said a prayer with my Companion Elder Derhak and Brother King and his son Benny, and as I said it, a massive ray of Sun, just burst threw the clouds and landed straight on me!!! It was such a Beautiful experience and all, looking back, I was thinking what a similar experience that Joseph Smith had and how important it is sometimes to have our own Sacred Grove experience :) as we were in the Rain Forest we saw Baby wallabies hopping around and afterwards we played some Soccer (Football) Also Anthony and Vicki went through the Temple last week, what a wonderful experience it was for them, that same weekend Anthony also received his Patriarchal Blessing, and Vicki is getting her's so soon :) Also Anthony is preparing to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood in May :) He is already Progressing so much. 
We also had an incredible miracle happen, we were on Trade-offs I was out with one of the Assistants we were knocking doors and we knocked for ages and no one was home, not a lot was happening, then we knocked on this one door and a 15 year old boy called Cory came to the door, we spoke to help and told him, we could help him find God in his life and help him come to know the Saviour Jesus Christ more, we asked him if he would like to learn more he said he would be interested, we said that becuase of your age, we are going to have to get permission from your Mother first, so we got a return appointment on to go back on Saturday, so when we went back on Saturday, we knocked on the door and Cory was not there, but his Mum answered the door and said Cory was away at his Father's and gets to see him once a month, she then Proceeded to tell us that she was a super Inactive member, who had joined the church when she was younger and then was Re-Baptized at age 21, a held a calling and was an active. She said she was not on the records, but that she would love for us to come again and help teach her son Cory and Convert him. :) 
I ended up also having a lovely Birthday here and visited Members like all day, and was fell feed and had another surprise Birthday party here at Lion's park!!! Then in the evening went down to the Mooloolaba Esplande and saw Anthony and Vicki, and Vicki, got this man to play the guitar and sing me and song in front of every one, it was ''Purple Rain'' by Prince she said this is the song she wanted to sing me!!! It was the sweetest thing :) Also the best Ice Cream here or ''Popsicle'' has an interesting name but it is the bomb, just totes mcgoats the best it is called ''Golden Gaytime'' and my friend in the ward, she made me a Golden Gaytime cake, it was just soooo good!!! just Dangerous. I also got a pair of Aussie Thongs!!! and a heap of Caramel Koalas, Buderim's the Best!!! I don't ever want to leave Buderim, just because the relationship I have with this ward in unreal :) It was also pretty warm out lately and I was loving it, it was around 37 degrees which is probably around 98 Fahrenheit and all, and that is not bad for Autumn ;) 
We also had great success, this one time we were out knocking doors a few weeks ago, and we spoke to a 16 year old Rugby player called Benny, who had met missionaries in the past a year ago. We got on really well, Benny also has two sisters one age 18 called Jasmine and one age 21 Called Savanna, when we meet them, we got on super well, and this one time after we had finished talking to them and walked off, they ran after to catch up and said we could come anytime, so we saw them again and then, we have built up a good relationship with the parents, we saw them on Saturday evening and ended up having dinner with them, and we are going to watch Benny play a Rugby game on Wednesday evening and then they are coming to watch 'Meet the Mormons'' with us on Thursday at the cinema, we know great things will come from this and that as we introduce these awesome people to some more YSA miracles will Happen. 
Also last night we ended up having a BBQ, at our friends place and he had family over from Arizona, they are from Yuma, one of my good friends here on my mission was from Yuma, well me and my friend from Yuma, had the best of times, just so many crack up times, and I asked this couple who were visiting from Yuma if they knew this family and they were like, yes we know them, your friends Dad was our Bishop :) what a small world, I treasure experiences like this. 
Also hopefully Chelsea Coalfax will be coming to listen to my final talk in Sacrament meeting, it is hard to believe that next week, is my last on my mission, but I'm smashing this week and my last week, going hard in the paint!!! Also I was talking to this awesome girl yesterday at my friends mission farewell, party, she is going to the Temple Square Mission, so I will see her later this year anyway, well one the people i was talking to know's Kate Mathieson and she just got back from her mission in Korea, it's unreal how fast it went, i really hope to see her before I leave, and I have got her to pass on a message to Kate and hopes she can come up to Buderim on the 5th of April for the 9am session of Church and here my farewell talk. 
Also a big shout out to Caitlyn if you are reading this and can come to Buderim on the 5th of April at 9.00am to hear my farewell talk the address for the chapel is 1 Sunbird Chase Road, Kawana, it's just of Nicklin way. 
Also Toni is getting baptized this coming weekend, on the 29th of March at 4.00pm, she is so excited and really really wants it, a lot of hectic az things have been happening lately, but I can't wait for her to get baptized and all :) It is so exciting :) 
Also we have the coolest experience and miracle this morning Brother ''the Man'' Smith our Assistant Ward Mission leader came around this morning, to tell us some good news :) One day, while he was waiting for the Elders at are Flat, the one's that were hear a while ago, he decided while waiting to talk to our Indian Neighbors who are the sweetest people ever, he left them with a Book of Mormon, and he wrote his testimony in it and put his phone number in it and gave it to them, the Book of Mormon, then was sent to India, when It reached India, it waited there a while, before being sent back to Brisbane, where this woman who has been in Australia for a week, while she is studying over hear with her husband, found the Book of Mormon and read the testimony inside it and called the number and spoke to Bro Smith and she said she wants to get baptized, so I then called the husband after receiving some information, and I wanted to speak to Poonam, that is his wife's name his name is Vikram and we chatted on the phone for about 30mins, his wife Poonam was away at univeristy, we had a great chat, he said how he had been stiudying the bible for 3 years back in India, and before they moved here he prayed that he would be shown the way and that is when the Book of Mormon showed up. So I got all his information and his house address and I'm going to call the missionaries near Brisbane to go and teach and baptize them, as he expressed over the phone how he wanted to join :) also on my last day, I'm going to try and meet up with him and give him a Book of Mormon in Hindi with my testimony in it :) 
It had been a great week!!! we just went hard knocking doors the whole of Saturday and wow did the blessings come with over 10 return appointments. The Lord really is Hastening his work in this part of the vineyard, I can't believe next week, is my last week as a missionary, although i will also be a missionary, as my badge is impressed upon my heart :) 

Sunday 15 March 2015

See You in Three Weeks

 I'm so lucky to be here in Australia turning 21, good ol' St. Patricks day, it's a great day!! The sunshine coast is Paradise!!! It's the best, the weather is amazing, and Buderim ward is the best :) It was really Lovely as Vicki one of the recent converts, well we always see her every single Sunday at 3pm, we turned up yesterday thinking it would be like a normal Visit, however when I walked in and all, there was a lovely cake with 21 on it and the Australian flag all the way around it, and there were some people hiding in the Kitchen, and in the Garage who jumped out to say Happy Birthday, It was the nicest present, putting on an awesome surprise birthday and what not, I was soooo happy :) 

It's not been easy for me lately, I have been really struggling, emotionally and really down in the dumps as well as well as really happy, like I'm not happy, then I am, but then really I'm sad but I'm not, I'm just Numb so very Numb. Like I just don't want to leave my mission and go back, i love it here being a missionary,I have mentioned and about going back so much, but I truly do not want to leave because It's amazing, I wish I could just start over and do it all again, I love the people with all my heart,!!! We had a ward activity and it was the best it was a Mexican Fiesta, it was super sweet and all, and I got to teach my last Gospel Principles class and Brother King was like that was the best Gospel Principles class I have ever been in!!!! .

 Skyping my mum was great, I Loved it, she is the best and I'm just so blessed because of her like I'm so happy to be able to see my Mum, Dad and Sister and the rest of my family, but It is so great being here, I know you always love using the words ''Bitter Sweet'', well this is the most ''Bitter Sweet'' ever for me., I was super sweet as my family sung me happy birthday, who would have thought 21 years ago we would both survive, me and mum, I know that God lives and his Only begotten Son Jesus Christ lives, I love the scripture in D&C 76 verse 22-24. ''That He Lives''. That God has been so merciful. 
It was really interesting Skyping them, just to be like, see you in 3 weeks hhaha, So I Loved that.

Monday 9 March 2015

Marching Forward in March

 Everything is going super well lately, Wow I Just am having the best time ever here and just loving it!!! I'm so happy here, the Mission is the best and going so well. We are having lots of wonderful experiences here with teaching. This week was great,  I went to a Leadership council in Brisbane with President Henderson and all the Leaders were there, it was just incredible such a great and uplifting meeting, It was super awesome and we are excited to launch the Easter Initiative, 'That he lives'' the church will be realizing it on the 27th of March. It was so awesome in the meeting, as I was standing up and saying something, President Henderson, was like, 'I Love you, I just have to give you a hug'' His Love for me since I have been serving is just incredible, he is the most Christ Like person I have ever met. It was great in the meeting as this one comment I made he was like 'Now that's revelation'' haha, he is the man, I have been able to spend a lot more time with him, we actually went to Dinner last night with President and Sister Henderson, he took out the whole of the Sunshine Coast Zone as we were the only Zone to SMASH all of our goals and all, no other Zone came close, and this is the hardest Zone in the mission, February was a great month and we are all ready Marching forward in March. I also had my last Zone Conference, yesterday it was super intense and just such a great day, then after then when we went to Dinner with President and Sister Henderson, we ended up going to a park and smashing like 50 boxes of Cost Co Pizza and drinks and Churro's. The Zone Conference was really great, we got to watch ''Meet the Mormons'' in it and I think I was like crying for half of it haha, i was really emotional during it, It hit me like a brick wall. Then after I was talking with one of the Sister Missionaries who is in Caitlyn's ward and she said Caityln was going to watch Meet the Mormons with them. so a massive shout out to CAIYTLYN, IF YOU WATCHED MEET THE MORMONS, I HOPE YOU LOVED IT, IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED IT, YOU WILL LOVE, KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU AND I'M SO PROUD OF YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO  FOR BEING SUCH A GREAT MOTHER, KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!!!! So all is going super well here in the best mission in the world, what ever mission you serve in, is the best mission in the world :) the Australia Brisbane Mission, THE MIGHTY ABM, ''Australia's Best Mission'' 
Toni is doing super great and all and the kids are doing really well, we are seeing them pretty much everyday and helping Toni prepare for her special day, It's also awesome and me and Bishop get on really well, and we just found we have the same Birthday, so we will have to do something then, with Toni and the family also. 

Monday 2 March 2015

Finish Line

 I have just got back from the Australia Zoo!!! I Loved it there and had a great time Anthony came with us and all. March is already here it is going to be the most exciting month on the mission, a lot of great things happening :) So my travel Itinerary is all sorted, I got 2 different copies for some reason, But I will be back on the 8th. I get to Skype home in 2 weeks time, as it is Mother's day in England :) So that is pretty sweet I get to Skype just before I come back, not long just under 5 weeks, and Toni did not get baptized on the weekend, but is getting baptized this coming Saturday on the 7th of March at 7pm, so 7 for 7. We also set another 2 more baptismal dates, for both on the 21st of March and they are friends they are called Amy and Nikhil, they are friends of a member's daughter :) It's also crazy to think that I baptized Chelsie Coalfax a year ago, on March the 1st and she is going really great in the church and lives with a member family, I'm excited to be able to get in contact when i get back :) The work is going amazing here!!!! I Love it, and I'm going as hard as I can, running through the tape. Going to run through that Finish line, we hope to set a few more Baptismal dates this week, we are pumping this area!!!!! Buderim's just incredible. Sorry, I could not write more this week, We have to go in just under 30 mins to a lesson!!!!But i will write much more next week. Elder Samuel King