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February 26, 2018
Pictures from last zone conference & Christmas
Pictures from Sister Parker's Blog
February 25, 2018
I will go and do the things the Lord has commanded
Email #54
Area: Mildura South of the Marion Zone
Companion: Elder Mose and Elder Fala
Excerpts from Mom's email:
This week has been a very quick one! It just flew by way too fast! Been driving quite a bit as well near the end of the week. So basically we still have been figuring out where all the pickers are at and how we are going to work with that. I think we will get official word on it on Wednesday. A good highlight of the week was when I went with the Mildura North elders up to Broken Hill! That was really cool up there, but it is another 3 hours away. About 8 hours away from Adelaide! It even is in New South Wales so our zone covers three different states. So that was on Friday and then the next day I had to travel down to Adelaide to drop off a leaving missionary. So that was good and I have to do it again for Elder Mose on Wed because he is also finishing his mission. Lots of travel, but I have learned heaps from all the talks we listen to. Also have seen a million kangaroos now (half of them are road kill ones on the side of the road). I'm pretty used to driving long distances now so it is no big deal.
With the missionary going home that was in Berri, I have spent the last few days with Elder Malio as his companion for a few days. I have been coming down to Berri often to teach their investigators and something pretty cool is that one that we have taught all the lessons since I've come down here is getting baptised this sunday! She has been doing awesome! It is a little weird to have taught someone all the lessons who isn't even in my area, but that's just how crazy this transfer has been. Also going up to Mildura North for a baptismal interview for tomorrow morning so many Miracles going on!
Really great to be able to help the zone where I can and to see the miracles within! Going up to Broken Hill was a great experience with the members there. We went to one members home and they had 4 lessons lined up for us! Two of them are young kids and they were fun to teach! I think they are adopted or something, but whatever the members are catching in Broken Hill, they need to spread that to all the members because they are doing awesome!
Really sad to see Elder Mose go this week and it is kind of a mystery what is going to happen next, but I know it is going to be exciting! Hopefully can let you know more about that next week!
Love you so much! Have a good week!
Excerpts from Dad's email:
Hey Dad!
Well the weather here is cooling down a little so that's nice. Yeah I will be taking Elder Mose down this Wed for his leavers stuff. Already had to bring one missionary down because he went home as well.
The Samoan is going pretty good. Been hard to learn it being away from my Samoan companion so much being in Berri and Broken Hill. Felt like I didn't spend all that much time in my own area this week, but that's okay. Part of being a zone leader I guess. Still studying the language best I can I just need to get more resources for it like a English to Samoan dictionary. Hoping to get that in Adelaide when I go down.
Speaking of, when I was down in Adelaide, it so happened that the Mildura Ward was down there for their ward temple trip and Willy was able to go! We weren't able to go to the temple in time, but we got permission to go to the activity they had afterward. What was really cool is that my old ward in Grange was there too! That was really cool to see them! Ford's wife and son were there and I was able to talk to them! He is doing really well and apparently Josh (Ford's son) is being taught now finally! As well he is going to Seminary every day! He is just killing it! So excited about that. I was able to teach Josh a little bit, but never all the way through. Hope to hear about his baptism soon. Willy loved the temple as well! That trip was definitely worth it all to see all of that and being able to talk to them!
This week is going to be more smooth I hope! The trade off I was at up in Broken Hill got interrupted and we had to drive all the way back to Mildura. Basically we drove to broken hill (three hours) spent a good part of the day there and then I got a call that I need to come back down to take a missionary to Adelaide. It was unexpected so we drove back down that night and I left for Adelaide the next morning. So came to 16 hours of travel in the two days... Luckily about 6 of those I didn't need to drive because the north elders drove us to and from broken hill. But then had the 5 hour drive to Adelaide and then back later that day. Pretty crazy, but it was for an emergency so it is understandable. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do and I was happy to do it. "I will go and do the things the Lord has commanded" right? If I'm asked to do something by my leaders, I do it. Simple as that:).
I love serving Dad! I really do! I find more joy in the work every day! Even with all the craziness and unexpected things, I love it! I never in my live thought I would enjoy missionary work this much. I also never on my mission have been itching to go knock some doors haha. With all the busyness it has been hard to do that, but now I am really anxious to do that! I think part of our Pday will be sacrificed today because we want to get out there!
Love you so much! Have a good week!
Area: Mildura South of the Marion Zone
Companion: Elder Mose and Elder Fala
Excerpts from Mom's email:
This week has been a very quick one! It just flew by way too fast! Been driving quite a bit as well near the end of the week. So basically we still have been figuring out where all the pickers are at and how we are going to work with that. I think we will get official word on it on Wednesday. A good highlight of the week was when I went with the Mildura North elders up to Broken Hill! That was really cool up there, but it is another 3 hours away. About 8 hours away from Adelaide! It even is in New South Wales so our zone covers three different states. So that was on Friday and then the next day I had to travel down to Adelaide to drop off a leaving missionary. So that was good and I have to do it again for Elder Mose on Wed because he is also finishing his mission. Lots of travel, but I have learned heaps from all the talks we listen to. Also have seen a million kangaroos now (half of them are road kill ones on the side of the road). I'm pretty used to driving long distances now so it is no big deal.
With the missionary going home that was in Berri, I have spent the last few days with Elder Malio as his companion for a few days. I have been coming down to Berri often to teach their investigators and something pretty cool is that one that we have taught all the lessons since I've come down here is getting baptised this sunday! She has been doing awesome! It is a little weird to have taught someone all the lessons who isn't even in my area, but that's just how crazy this transfer has been. Also going up to Mildura North for a baptismal interview for tomorrow morning so many Miracles going on!
Really great to be able to help the zone where I can and to see the miracles within! Going up to Broken Hill was a great experience with the members there. We went to one members home and they had 4 lessons lined up for us! Two of them are young kids and they were fun to teach! I think they are adopted or something, but whatever the members are catching in Broken Hill, they need to spread that to all the members because they are doing awesome!
Really sad to see Elder Mose go this week and it is kind of a mystery what is going to happen next, but I know it is going to be exciting! Hopefully can let you know more about that next week!
Love you so much! Have a good week!
Excerpts from Dad's email:
Hey Dad!
Well the weather here is cooling down a little so that's nice. Yeah I will be taking Elder Mose down this Wed for his leavers stuff. Already had to bring one missionary down because he went home as well.
The Samoan is going pretty good. Been hard to learn it being away from my Samoan companion so much being in Berri and Broken Hill. Felt like I didn't spend all that much time in my own area this week, but that's okay. Part of being a zone leader I guess. Still studying the language best I can I just need to get more resources for it like a English to Samoan dictionary. Hoping to get that in Adelaide when I go down.
Speaking of, when I was down in Adelaide, it so happened that the Mildura Ward was down there for their ward temple trip and Willy was able to go! We weren't able to go to the temple in time, but we got permission to go to the activity they had afterward. What was really cool is that my old ward in Grange was there too! That was really cool to see them! Ford's wife and son were there and I was able to talk to them! He is doing really well and apparently Josh (Ford's son) is being taught now finally! As well he is going to Seminary every day! He is just killing it! So excited about that. I was able to teach Josh a little bit, but never all the way through. Hope to hear about his baptism soon. Willy loved the temple as well! That trip was definitely worth it all to see all of that and being able to talk to them!
This week is going to be more smooth I hope! The trade off I was at up in Broken Hill got interrupted and we had to drive all the way back to Mildura. Basically we drove to broken hill (three hours) spent a good part of the day there and then I got a call that I need to come back down to take a missionary to Adelaide. It was unexpected so we drove back down that night and I left for Adelaide the next morning. So came to 16 hours of travel in the two days... Luckily about 6 of those I didn't need to drive because the north elders drove us to and from broken hill. But then had the 5 hour drive to Adelaide and then back later that day. Pretty crazy, but it was for an emergency so it is understandable. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do and I was happy to do it. "I will go and do the things the Lord has commanded" right? If I'm asked to do something by my leaders, I do it. Simple as that:).
I love serving Dad! I really do! I find more joy in the work every day! Even with all the craziness and unexpected things, I love it! I never in my live thought I would enjoy missionary work this much. I also never on my mission have been itching to go knock some doors haha. With all the busyness it has been hard to do that, but now I am really anxious to do that! I think part of our Pday will be sacrificed today because we want to get out there!
Love you so much! Have a good week!
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February 18, 2018
By the end of the lesson he had tears in his eyes
Email #53
Area: Mildura South of the Marion Zone
Companion: Elder Mose and Elder Fala
Excerpts from Mom's email:
Hey Mom!
This has been one crazy week going all over the place! We started the week off right last Monday going to the camp and being able to teach there. We found a new investigator down there as well who is doing really well! We taught him the lesson and by the end of the lesson he had tears in his eyes. We invited him to baptism and he said "Yeah today would be fine" haha. Obviously it will be down the road, but still was pretty funny. He is talking to his wife and kids in Samoa as well about it. We love teaching over there, because they are all very humble. We hit a road block that day, because they just heard some bad news. After working away in the 45 degree heat everyday they were supposed to get a good pay, but when we showed up they just barely heard that they were only getting 14 dollars for the whole week!! That is just crazy low, so they were pretty upset about that. We weren't able to teach very much that day, but that is okay because Elder Fala and Elder Mose are down there right now teaching.
The rest of the week was really crazy! We drove down to Adelaide for a couple of days and it ended up being longer then we expected. We stayed in Prospect for the week, which is cool because I was over there a lot in the past when I was in grange. Man their neighbors got really angry at them one night, because I guess all the neighbors share the water bill in the unit and when they saw that there were seven of us staying there for a few days, they didn't like that at all lets just say. Luckily I wasn't there when all of them came out of their homes at the same time to rebuke the Prospect Elders.
The training in zone conference were awesome, I think one of my favorites! We are doing something called "Operation Blue Hand" which works great! It is hard to explain, but basically we carry a Book of Mormon in our hand and a way of presenting it that works so well! First door we tried it on we taught the guy right there and then!
We got back up here in Mildura on Friday night pretty late, but it was good! Saturday was William's baptism! Man what a good day that was! I will have to include that in dad's email though haha.
Love you so much and have a good week!
Excerpts from Dad's email:
Hey Dad!
Yeah this week was great! The baptism went through really great! We came across some problems getting the program and everything together so that took a while, but once the baptism came that was all good! Willy is one cool kid! The baptism as always was really powerful, but I think what impressed me even more is the next day he came to our mission prep class with the boys! That was really cool! He will be going to the temple in a few weeks as well! His friend in the ward, Noah, was able to baptize him and it was his first one since he turned 16! This group of young men are so cool and we love spending time with them. We are even teaching two more of their friends at the moment, so they are even missionaries.
The pickers camps are something that is going to take off here pretty soon! We are just finishing up some details that we need to spread it out even more. Sorry it is so short.
Area: Mildura South of the Marion Zone
Companion: Elder Mose and Elder Fala
Excerpts from Mom's email:
Hey Mom!
This has been one crazy week going all over the place! We started the week off right last Monday going to the camp and being able to teach there. We found a new investigator down there as well who is doing really well! We taught him the lesson and by the end of the lesson he had tears in his eyes. We invited him to baptism and he said "Yeah today would be fine" haha. Obviously it will be down the road, but still was pretty funny. He is talking to his wife and kids in Samoa as well about it. We love teaching over there, because they are all very humble. We hit a road block that day, because they just heard some bad news. After working away in the 45 degree heat everyday they were supposed to get a good pay, but when we showed up they just barely heard that they were only getting 14 dollars for the whole week!! That is just crazy low, so they were pretty upset about that. We weren't able to teach very much that day, but that is okay because Elder Fala and Elder Mose are down there right now teaching.
The rest of the week was really crazy! We drove down to Adelaide for a couple of days and it ended up being longer then we expected. We stayed in Prospect for the week, which is cool because I was over there a lot in the past when I was in grange. Man their neighbors got really angry at them one night, because I guess all the neighbors share the water bill in the unit and when they saw that there were seven of us staying there for a few days, they didn't like that at all lets just say. Luckily I wasn't there when all of them came out of their homes at the same time to rebuke the Prospect Elders.
The training in zone conference were awesome, I think one of my favorites! We are doing something called "Operation Blue Hand" which works great! It is hard to explain, but basically we carry a Book of Mormon in our hand and a way of presenting it that works so well! First door we tried it on we taught the guy right there and then!
We got back up here in Mildura on Friday night pretty late, but it was good! Saturday was William's baptism! Man what a good day that was! I will have to include that in dad's email though haha.
Love you so much and have a good week!
Excerpts from Dad's email:
Hey Dad!
Yeah this week was great! The baptism went through really great! We came across some problems getting the program and everything together so that took a while, but once the baptism came that was all good! Willy is one cool kid! The baptism as always was really powerful, but I think what impressed me even more is the next day he came to our mission prep class with the boys! That was really cool! He will be going to the temple in a few weeks as well! His friend in the ward, Noah, was able to baptize him and it was his first one since he turned 16! This group of young men are so cool and we love spending time with them. We are even teaching two more of their friends at the moment, so they are even missionaries.
The pickers camps are something that is going to take off here pretty soon! We are just finishing up some details that we need to spread it out even more. Sorry it is so short.
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| Elder Bryner, Noah, Willy, Elder Fala, Elder Mose |
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| Some of the boys |
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| Willie's baptismal program |
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| At missionary prep class |
| Making a pitstop |
| Acapella of The spirit of God |
| Singing 1 |
| Singing 2 |
| Standstorm 1 |
| Standstorm 2 |
February 11, 2018
Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God (Alma 26:12)
Email #52
Area: Mildura South of the Marion Zone
Companion: Elder Mose and Elder Fala
Excerpts from Mom's email:
Hey Mom!
Yeah I have had so many different experiences both hard and good ones, even this past week. My mission has changed a lot in these past few weeks to me, but that is okay because I still am enjoying it. We have had to do so much in such a short amount of time. That's no good to hear about Jaela, but I am sure she will heal okay. I will pray for her, I already do. Yeah the Samoan people are so great! It is difficult not understanding the language fully, but it is really cool to learn the language where I can.
So pretty much every other day we head down to the camp in Renmark to teach the pickers there, plus we have the camp that is about 45 min away. Renmark is close to 2 hours. Once we get there though, it is worth it because we teach the whole time until the night is over. There are actually many members there too that we didn't know about from Samoa, even a Bishop. So they come and teach with us as well and the lessons are always really good. This past week was more finding our footing there and figuring out where everyone is, but now I think we have it all figured out. We are going there tonight. Oh by the way I am over in Berri because we drove down yesterday and stayed the night. Tomorrow we are actually driving down to Adelaide for zone conference and will be there for a few days, so we are trying to teach as much at the camp tonight as we can. Probably sacrificing a lot of Pday, but that is totally fine. We just have so many that we haven't even been able to teach because a lesson can go for around 40 min. My Samoan is slowly improving, they tell me that I know more now then some Samoan Elders in the mission, but makes sense because the Lord has a purpose for me to learn the language. Still difficult though no doubt about that. I can understand more then I can speak like during lessons I can follow where we are at most of the time. Then I am able to share a few principles and I know my testimony well now. It has been a very humbling experience. "For I know that I am nothing, as for my strength I am weak. I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for he gives me strength." I can't remember where that scripture is found and not sure that I have in fully right haha, but it is true. I have come to see that more and more as I have had to rely on Him.
Being a zone leader I will admit is more difficult then I thought. There are thing that we have had to deal with that I never expected. It is a lot of responsibility for sure. I am excited for the rest of this transfer though, because there is so much potential at the moment! Our year goal in the zone is 24 baptisms. Right now we are at 4 and we have 3 more this week! We might just have to change the goal soon haha. We are on track and I personally believe we can surpass that goal in a few months at the rate God is blessing us.
Excerpts from Dad's email:
Hey Dad!
Yeah being a zone leader is pretty exciting, but man have had to do some nerve racking things. Maybe things I will have to tell you about later. Yes it is very different then being a zone leader. You learn things about missionaries because you have to help them where you can. I didn't feel ready for it to be honest with you, but I will do what the Lord wants me to do. Yeah we drive heaps!!! It is worth it all though because the work is progressing a lot! Learning Samoan has been a great experience. I have already known some from past companions, but my vocabulary has tripled this past week now that I have language study. Yeah I watch what I eat trust me. No soda or anything and I have learned the Samoan culture, so I know how to get around all the food haha. They love it though haha. I mostly remember the other languages, but I don't know my whole testimony like I do in Samoan. I can learn them though, because missionaries are from all over!
One of the cool experiences I have had in this ward is serving with the youth. They are great young men and I love getting to know them! We have been teaching W.... who looks a lot like Curtis by the way haha. He is a good kid! I have loved teaching him! His baptism is coming up on Saturday! We had to set everything up yesterday because we will be out of our area for some time.
Yeah so the higher language is basically a respectful way of speaking. It is comparable to how the scriptures speak a high form of English in a way. It is just how they speak to leaders and those of high respect. That is the main one that I am learning to speak because that is the way you teach and pray.
We had a really cool stake activity on Saturday with a great turn out. It was hosted in our ward and people came from all over for it! We had a Samoan BBQ basically which was awesome. Idk if you have ever had Oti, but man good stuff! It is like a watermelon drink. We just played sports and things like that, but it was a lot of fun. We had two baptismal interviews at the same time as well! They came down from broken hill for the activity, which is about two hours away. Mildura North Elders cover it. Yeah so Elder Mose and I were interviewing at the same time which I've never done before. Really excited though, because in a few weeks I am going to Broken Hill for a trade off and it is supposed to be nice up there.
Love you so much and have a good week!
Area: Mildura South of the Marion Zone
Companion: Elder Mose and Elder Fala
Excerpts from Mom's email:
Hey Mom!
Yeah I have had so many different experiences both hard and good ones, even this past week. My mission has changed a lot in these past few weeks to me, but that is okay because I still am enjoying it. We have had to do so much in such a short amount of time. That's no good to hear about Jaela, but I am sure she will heal okay. I will pray for her, I already do. Yeah the Samoan people are so great! It is difficult not understanding the language fully, but it is really cool to learn the language where I can.
So pretty much every other day we head down to the camp in Renmark to teach the pickers there, plus we have the camp that is about 45 min away. Renmark is close to 2 hours. Once we get there though, it is worth it because we teach the whole time until the night is over. There are actually many members there too that we didn't know about from Samoa, even a Bishop. So they come and teach with us as well and the lessons are always really good. This past week was more finding our footing there and figuring out where everyone is, but now I think we have it all figured out. We are going there tonight. Oh by the way I am over in Berri because we drove down yesterday and stayed the night. Tomorrow we are actually driving down to Adelaide for zone conference and will be there for a few days, so we are trying to teach as much at the camp tonight as we can. Probably sacrificing a lot of Pday, but that is totally fine. We just have so many that we haven't even been able to teach because a lesson can go for around 40 min. My Samoan is slowly improving, they tell me that I know more now then some Samoan Elders in the mission, but makes sense because the Lord has a purpose for me to learn the language. Still difficult though no doubt about that. I can understand more then I can speak like during lessons I can follow where we are at most of the time. Then I am able to share a few principles and I know my testimony well now. It has been a very humbling experience. "For I know that I am nothing, as for my strength I am weak. I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for he gives me strength." I can't remember where that scripture is found and not sure that I have in fully right haha, but it is true. I have come to see that more and more as I have had to rely on Him.
Being a zone leader I will admit is more difficult then I thought. There are thing that we have had to deal with that I never expected. It is a lot of responsibility for sure. I am excited for the rest of this transfer though, because there is so much potential at the moment! Our year goal in the zone is 24 baptisms. Right now we are at 4 and we have 3 more this week! We might just have to change the goal soon haha. We are on track and I personally believe we can surpass that goal in a few months at the rate God is blessing us.
Excerpts from Dad's email:
Hey Dad!
Yeah being a zone leader is pretty exciting, but man have had to do some nerve racking things. Maybe things I will have to tell you about later. Yes it is very different then being a zone leader. You learn things about missionaries because you have to help them where you can. I didn't feel ready for it to be honest with you, but I will do what the Lord wants me to do. Yeah we drive heaps!!! It is worth it all though because the work is progressing a lot! Learning Samoan has been a great experience. I have already known some from past companions, but my vocabulary has tripled this past week now that I have language study. Yeah I watch what I eat trust me. No soda or anything and I have learned the Samoan culture, so I know how to get around all the food haha. They love it though haha. I mostly remember the other languages, but I don't know my whole testimony like I do in Samoan. I can learn them though, because missionaries are from all over!
One of the cool experiences I have had in this ward is serving with the youth. They are great young men and I love getting to know them! We have been teaching W.... who looks a lot like Curtis by the way haha. He is a good kid! I have loved teaching him! His baptism is coming up on Saturday! We had to set everything up yesterday because we will be out of our area for some time.
Yeah so the higher language is basically a respectful way of speaking. It is comparable to how the scriptures speak a high form of English in a way. It is just how they speak to leaders and those of high respect. That is the main one that I am learning to speak because that is the way you teach and pray.
We had a really cool stake activity on Saturday with a great turn out. It was hosted in our ward and people came from all over for it! We had a Samoan BBQ basically which was awesome. Idk if you have ever had Oti, but man good stuff! It is like a watermelon drink. We just played sports and things like that, but it was a lot of fun. We had two baptismal interviews at the same time as well! They came down from broken hill for the activity, which is about two hours away. Mildura North Elders cover it. Yeah so Elder Mose and I were interviewing at the same time which I've never done before. Really excited though, because in a few weeks I am going to Broken Hill for a trade off and it is supposed to be nice up there.
Love you so much and have a good week!
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| Willi & Elder Mose |
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| Wow, 114.8° Fahrenheit |
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| Sand tornado |
February 4, 2018
When talking about the Gospel in Samoan, you have to speak the higher language
Email #51
Area: Mildura South of the Marion Zone
Companion: Elder Mose and Elder Fala
Excerpts from Mom's email:
Hey Mom!
Well I have about a hundred and one things that I could tell you about trust me! This first week of the transfer has been one heck of an adventure, but first I will answer your questions. Mildura is such a great area! I seriously love it here! It may just be my fav area pretty soon. It is a pretty good sized area for sure! Will get to that part later. The ward is really great! They are mostly Samoan yeah. My companions are pretty cool. Elder Fala is really cool dang love him! Elder Mose is finishing up his mission here pretty soon in about 4 weeks. Still adjusting to it for, sure but getting a good grasp of it pretty quick. Yeah it has been pretty hot still, but not as bad yet. The teaching is pretty dang good too!
This past week has been so great! Now being a zone leader we started the transfer with a few meetings. MLC was a first for me. That is the leadership meeting for the mission where we discuss upcoming things in the mission and where all the mission changes happen. That was especially interesting since Mildura is an outlying area, about 5 hours out, we Skype in for all the meetings along with Darwin and Alice. That was the case for all the meetings for this transfer, so that was pretty different. The responsibilities out here as a zone leader are pretty different as well especially the fact that I have another companion who kind of helps with the responsibilities for it all.
As for travelling... Yeah we travel a little and will start to a lot more too. So I bet you have been wondering why we are in a trio. The main reason for it is because Elder Fala speaks Samoan. We go to a pickers camp that is about 45 min away where Samoans come here from Samoa for about 6 months to pick grapes and stuff like that. The boss there is a member, so she allowed us to go in and proselyte there. That is where many of our investigators come from because they are a humble people. Not just that, but our baptism this week was because of there. His name is Simi and he has been investigating for a little while, but this past week he made the decision to be baptized. We moved quickly and arranged everything because he heads back to Samoan in a few weeks, but in his testimony he said he is going to bring the gospel to his wife and kids there. The baptism was such a great experience. He had 18 of his friends from the camp come as well and most of them said they felt the spirit and want to learn more. Here is the bad news. Most of them just got moved to Renmark which is about 2 hours out. The good news is we called the assistants and president about it and it is now our top priority is going there and teaching them. It is hard to fully explain what the pickers said over email, but I know that there is so so much promise in each of them. We will be headed to Renmark 3 times a week for the next few weeks because they all head back to Samoa in 4 or so weeks. Pretty exciting!
Love you Mom and have a good week!
Excerpts from Dad's email:
Hey Dad!
In this area we are a half hour ahead and email about 8am. Idk if you know, but we are in Victoria so different time zone.
Well like I told mom, this area is awesome! We are working real hard let me tell yeah, but it is the best! Mom reminded me that it is almost my year mark, but it doesn't really feel like it and at the same time it feels like I have been serving my whole life haha. It is a weird feeling.
We just started working with a kid named W...... who is a good friend with the youth in this ward! He lives with members as well now. So his birthday is coming up on the 19th and as we were talking to him about baptism, he said he wants to be baptized on his birthday! Elder Mose has served in this area about a year ago, so he knew the kid and he challenged him to think about it back then. This year W...... went to FSY which changed him. He said he is sure now that he wants to be baptized. So we have to teach him all the lessons in the next few weeks really quickly. He is such a good kid, for sure with temptation in his life, but he has a willing heart which is so nice to see! We have already gone through two lessons with him and going really smooth.
The work here is going really well and we are really excited for this transfer! Especially with all the Samoan pickers! They are just so cool! They speak a little English, but most of the teaching is done is Samoan. For when Elder Mose and I teach, Elder Fala translates it for us! It is a different experience to any lessons I have ever had, but they are so powerful! It is in basically a higher language in Samoan because when talking about the Gospel you have to speak the higher language, so Elder Mose doesn't know how to teach in Samoan. I am trying to learn as much as I can and doing well with it. Pretty much all of language study now, Elder Fala is teaching us Samoan. I have my whole testimony memorized and know many words because of past companions. I think that is part of the reason I came here is because I've been around the Samoan people so much on my mission. Most of the ward is Samoan as well, so we get fed big feeds. You will be able to see that in the pics of the baptism! The ward is so supportive of it! I mean the turn out for the baptism was awesome!
Something really cool that we do in this area is we go street contacting at a plaza. We contact so many people there. Just within an hour we got 8 potentials because we can split contact people. Something really new to me, because it has been mostly knocking doors in my mission. I really like it though it is very effective! It is also nice to have a senior couple out here that help us with so much! I am really excited to serve here!
Well love you heaps and have a good week!
Area: Mildura South of the Marion Zone
Companion: Elder Mose and Elder Fala
Excerpts from Mom's email:
Hey Mom!
Well I have about a hundred and one things that I could tell you about trust me! This first week of the transfer has been one heck of an adventure, but first I will answer your questions. Mildura is such a great area! I seriously love it here! It may just be my fav area pretty soon. It is a pretty good sized area for sure! Will get to that part later. The ward is really great! They are mostly Samoan yeah. My companions are pretty cool. Elder Fala is really cool dang love him! Elder Mose is finishing up his mission here pretty soon in about 4 weeks. Still adjusting to it for, sure but getting a good grasp of it pretty quick. Yeah it has been pretty hot still, but not as bad yet. The teaching is pretty dang good too!
This past week has been so great! Now being a zone leader we started the transfer with a few meetings. MLC was a first for me. That is the leadership meeting for the mission where we discuss upcoming things in the mission and where all the mission changes happen. That was especially interesting since Mildura is an outlying area, about 5 hours out, we Skype in for all the meetings along with Darwin and Alice. That was the case for all the meetings for this transfer, so that was pretty different. The responsibilities out here as a zone leader are pretty different as well especially the fact that I have another companion who kind of helps with the responsibilities for it all.
As for travelling... Yeah we travel a little and will start to a lot more too. So I bet you have been wondering why we are in a trio. The main reason for it is because Elder Fala speaks Samoan. We go to a pickers camp that is about 45 min away where Samoans come here from Samoa for about 6 months to pick grapes and stuff like that. The boss there is a member, so she allowed us to go in and proselyte there. That is where many of our investigators come from because they are a humble people. Not just that, but our baptism this week was because of there. His name is Simi and he has been investigating for a little while, but this past week he made the decision to be baptized. We moved quickly and arranged everything because he heads back to Samoan in a few weeks, but in his testimony he said he is going to bring the gospel to his wife and kids there. The baptism was such a great experience. He had 18 of his friends from the camp come as well and most of them said they felt the spirit and want to learn more. Here is the bad news. Most of them just got moved to Renmark which is about 2 hours out. The good news is we called the assistants and president about it and it is now our top priority is going there and teaching them. It is hard to fully explain what the pickers said over email, but I know that there is so so much promise in each of them. We will be headed to Renmark 3 times a week for the next few weeks because they all head back to Samoa in 4 or so weeks. Pretty exciting!
Love you Mom and have a good week!
Excerpts from Dad's email:
Hey Dad!
In this area we are a half hour ahead and email about 8am. Idk if you know, but we are in Victoria so different time zone.
Well like I told mom, this area is awesome! We are working real hard let me tell yeah, but it is the best! Mom reminded me that it is almost my year mark, but it doesn't really feel like it and at the same time it feels like I have been serving my whole life haha. It is a weird feeling.
We just started working with a kid named W...... who is a good friend with the youth in this ward! He lives with members as well now. So his birthday is coming up on the 19th and as we were talking to him about baptism, he said he wants to be baptized on his birthday! Elder Mose has served in this area about a year ago, so he knew the kid and he challenged him to think about it back then. This year W...... went to FSY which changed him. He said he is sure now that he wants to be baptized. So we have to teach him all the lessons in the next few weeks really quickly. He is such a good kid, for sure with temptation in his life, but he has a willing heart which is so nice to see! We have already gone through two lessons with him and going really smooth.
The work here is going really well and we are really excited for this transfer! Especially with all the Samoan pickers! They are just so cool! They speak a little English, but most of the teaching is done is Samoan. For when Elder Mose and I teach, Elder Fala translates it for us! It is a different experience to any lessons I have ever had, but they are so powerful! It is in basically a higher language in Samoan because when talking about the Gospel you have to speak the higher language, so Elder Mose doesn't know how to teach in Samoan. I am trying to learn as much as I can and doing well with it. Pretty much all of language study now, Elder Fala is teaching us Samoan. I have my whole testimony memorized and know many words because of past companions. I think that is part of the reason I came here is because I've been around the Samoan people so much on my mission. Most of the ward is Samoan as well, so we get fed big feeds. You will be able to see that in the pics of the baptism! The ward is so supportive of it! I mean the turn out for the baptism was awesome!
Something really cool that we do in this area is we go street contacting at a plaza. We contact so many people there. Just within an hour we got 8 potentials because we can split contact people. Something really new to me, because it has been mostly knocking doors in my mission. I really like it though it is very effective! It is also nice to have a senior couple out here that help us with so much! I am really excited to serve here!
Well love you heaps and have a good week!
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