Email #50
Area: Mildura South
Companion: Elder Mose and Elder Fala
Excerpts from Mom's email:
Hey Mom!
Wow this week has been another crazy one!!! I even have some crazy news! I will spare you the wait and let you know right away. So I have been transferred to the Mildura South area to be a zone leader there... Yep.. crazy! It is about 5 hours or so from Adelaide. Elder Siaosi is staying here for now so he is nervous. Not exactly what I expected at all. I thought for sure that I would stay here for some time. We will be heading to the mission office in 2 hours and then from there I head to Mildura! I have two new companions, Elder Mose and Elder Fala. Guess what else, they are both from Samoa!! I know Elder Mose, I have seen him around leadership stuff and Elder Mose knows Elder Siaosi. The area I am going to has heaps and heaps of Samoans too! It is like the Samoan area! I'm going to be fat when I get home mom, I'm sorry...
Well this last week in Murray Bridge was one to remember! We have achieved so much! Yes the weather was super hot, but we overcame all that for sure! Knocking doors was a little difficult because as soon as someone opens the door and feels that nice 43 degree air, they say "nope, to hot!" and slam the door. Met some nice people as well who would get us water, even had a lady give us orange juice which was awesome! We have been smashing the bikes still and I am shocked that I am not burned yet! I apply sunscreen, so guess that is why! Not trying to get fried.
We have done a lot of work with the members this past week! We have N... coming out with us regularly now because he was called as a ward missionary. Then we have been trying to do splits to get more done. Eve on Saturday, we taught heaps and at the same time got 4.5 hours of finding in! That one day that we had splits was really awesome! I went out with Bro Reed who is probably one of the best members I have seen involved in missionary work in his personal life! Man, he shares the gospel with everyone and their dog! Just this past week we taught his friend who is leaving the Jehovah's witness and is looking for a faith (something about them announcing in their own magazine that they are not inspired by God...). Anyways he and I went all over the place! He was awesome help! Even as we were driving he saw his trainer in front of the gym and pulled over to talk to her. He was like "so when are we gonna teach you?" haha it was the best! She even said "You already know I am a dry mormon!" How they teach her one day, I wouldn't be surprised. Elder Siaosi and Bro Nick did a lot of finding and even taught a lesson! They did really well! Many fruits from utilizing members for sure! We have grown the teaching pool up a lot! I am disappointed after all the blood, sweat, and tears (mostly sweat) put into growing the area, I have to hand it off. That's okay though. Elder Atkinson will do great here with Elder Siaosi. He is coming from Darwin, so he is used to the heat anyway.
Today I will be sure to take heaps of pictures before I go! Will miss it here! The members are great! It won't be as hard leaving grange, but still. Speaking of! Elder Touti (last companion) is the new district leader in Grange!!! Pretty sweet! Well love you heaps! Have a great week!
Excerpts from Dad's email:
Hey Dad!
Already told mom much of the news so I will just continue with some stories from this past week.
Again it was really hot this week! I have been using that towel you sent and it helps a lot. Drink a lot of water to! It is so hot though that if you don't freeze the water bottle the night before, your water will be hot within the hour of finding. Yes, we still do three hours finding even in this heat. Obedience! Haha even if it is 45 degrees... Well didn't get that hot luckily, but was supposed to. It got close. The weather is really affecting people because nobody wants to come outside.
We found a great man this past week named T....., he is Seventh-day Adventist ... Man got heaps of questions I have never been asked before. I kind of new how to answer, but not fully. On Friday we came crossed him, really nice guy! He investigated in the past, but I think the missionaries left the area and never had follow up. So on Friday we taught him about the Book of Mormon and we explained how it is another testament of Jesus Christ. Then he said he has read it and saw a few things he wasn't sure on so we told him we can help resolve those concerns which include baptisms for the dead and Sabbath day. He said if we can show him that our beliefs are truly biblical, he would be baptized. So that night I studied heaps about those and learned a lot! Came back the next day with Bro Reed who knows his stuff (he even new T.....'s wife). So that lesson started as what you would expect. Kind of exchanging scriptures, very respectfully on both sides, and didn't get very far. When it came down to it I felt prompted to testify again of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and promised if he truly would read, ponder, and PRAY about it, he would know too. He is taken on my challenge and even came to church yesterday!
Crazy to be transferred after all of this, but I trust that all will go well! Love you heaps and have a good week!
January 28, 2018
January 21, 2018
Splits in Mt Gambier
Email #49
Area: Murray Bridge of the Marion Zone
Companion: Elder Siosi
Excerpts from Mom's email:
On Tuesday we were able to take out a young man who is preparing to serve a mission. His name is N..., he just came from Samoa... Yeah I know another Samoan companion lol! Yeah he has been learning English for some time and he just came over here about a week or two ago to be with his mom who is in our ward. It was really cool because he came out with us all day. I still had to do 99% of the talking in contacts and teaching and stuff since both of them don't have confidence in it yet. That's okay though... anyway we found a new investigator that day, man talks a lot haha. We had a lot of good experiences, even came across a house that has heaps of statues and stuff in the front yard. The guy let us take pics which was nice.
Yep we went to Mt Gambier! That was a really cool trip and a highlight of the week for sure! We go there for many reasons like they don't ever see missionaries out there, so kind of lonely. Plus it helps build the companionship up and we are able to help them. The drive was really a nice one to be honest! I drove for part of it, we mostly just traded drivers every now and then. We listened to really great talks on the way and I really learned a lot that I have never understood fully before. I think my understanding of the gospel is widening. I learned something about the atonement that has helped me appreciate it a lot more lately as well. I look forward to when I can talk to you all about stuff like this, because I wonder what knowledge we can share. So I went down with the zone leaders, both really great missionaries and learned much from them. Once we got down to Mt Gambier I realized just how far off this place is. It is the farthest south area in all of Australia. This small town really is beautiful in some parts though! Check out the pic of the Blue Lake! That was crazy as!!! We split into two companionships, one being a trio. We were able to teach two really great lessons that were so powerful. I has really helped me put a face to who we talk about over the phone and I feel I can help them a lot more to resolve concerns for their investigators. Man that area is hilly though! Never had to bike so hard ever! It is one of the hilliest areas, but was a blast! One video I sent you is giving an idea of how hot it was. So hot that flies would flock together in doorways to stay out of the sun. One door had hundreds that I sent a video of. We spent around two days time their including travel, so Elder Siaosi and another new missionary (Zone leaders comp) had our area for that time. Made me nervous, but they did okay for sure. It was a good experience for him, but soon as we got back they were no joke rejoicing haha. Was pretty funny!
Was a blessed week and I enjoyed so much of it! There were some hard parts during it, but I will be emailing dad about some of that for sure. Not negative things just difficult haha. It will make sense.
Love you and have a good week!
Excerpts from Dad's email:
Hey Dad!
Told mom about most of the trip and stuff. But yeah the weather has been a total opposite to yours! You won't believe it!
So the whole week was pretty hot, but Friday! Holly Dang!! It was 45 Degrees C (113° F)!! Wow it was really hot let me tell ya. Hottest thing I have experienced. It was as if you held up a blow drier on high up to your face all day. So that was fun lol. Knocking doors was crack up though, because people's hearts were softened a little bit for our suffering haha. Some nice people let us in to give us a drink and stuff. One dude answered the door immediately and said "I'm not interested in what you are selling, but do you want a class of orange juice?" Yeah we did! So he let us inside and his wife poured us like 4 glasses of orange juice haha. Nice people just not too interested in anything. We tried to stay inside all that we could, but still need to do 3 hours of finding at least, so that is what we did. Exact obiedience! Haha some members were telling us things like "Spirit of the law elders" and "I'm sure God will understand", but nah. Even the sisters smashed it! Used the car all day, but still worked hard haha.
Many of our investigators are currently at a stand still at the moment. We have two though that I feel have some much great potential and that is two of our new investigators this week. One of them was a great experience yesterday. So right after church, I was talking to a member about going to go see a recent convert and he said "yeah, but before that we need to go see one of my friends". Yeah I got pretty excited, so we went over and met J..... She is pretty cool! Her personality is kind of like a vegan Aussie girl, but really humble and real. She is in her late 30's probably. Anyway, we got to talking about her beliefs and she said she is still confused about a lot she has learned. She listened to some J dubs in the past, but guess what they just came out with in their magazine... They said it themselves that they were not inspired by God!!! In their own magazine... So she noticed that and wanted to look into other things of coarse. Anyway, she asked us questions all having to do with The Plan of Salvation, so we decided to teach that. It all clicked! Then we testified how we know and of modern day prophets and revelation. She is really excited to learn more about the restoration! That was really a cool experience.
Well that's my week pretty much haha.
Love you heaps!!!
Area: Murray Bridge of the Marion Zone
Companion: Elder Siosi
Excerpts from Mom's email:
On Tuesday we were able to take out a young man who is preparing to serve a mission. His name is N..., he just came from Samoa... Yeah I know another Samoan companion lol! Yeah he has been learning English for some time and he just came over here about a week or two ago to be with his mom who is in our ward. It was really cool because he came out with us all day. I still had to do 99% of the talking in contacts and teaching and stuff since both of them don't have confidence in it yet. That's okay though... anyway we found a new investigator that day, man talks a lot haha. We had a lot of good experiences, even came across a house that has heaps of statues and stuff in the front yard. The guy let us take pics which was nice.
Yep we went to Mt Gambier! That was a really cool trip and a highlight of the week for sure! We go there for many reasons like they don't ever see missionaries out there, so kind of lonely. Plus it helps build the companionship up and we are able to help them. The drive was really a nice one to be honest! I drove for part of it, we mostly just traded drivers every now and then. We listened to really great talks on the way and I really learned a lot that I have never understood fully before. I think my understanding of the gospel is widening. I learned something about the atonement that has helped me appreciate it a lot more lately as well. I look forward to when I can talk to you all about stuff like this, because I wonder what knowledge we can share. So I went down with the zone leaders, both really great missionaries and learned much from them. Once we got down to Mt Gambier I realized just how far off this place is. It is the farthest south area in all of Australia. This small town really is beautiful in some parts though! Check out the pic of the Blue Lake! That was crazy as!!! We split into two companionships, one being a trio. We were able to teach two really great lessons that were so powerful. I has really helped me put a face to who we talk about over the phone and I feel I can help them a lot more to resolve concerns for their investigators. Man that area is hilly though! Never had to bike so hard ever! It is one of the hilliest areas, but was a blast! One video I sent you is giving an idea of how hot it was. So hot that flies would flock together in doorways to stay out of the sun. One door had hundreds that I sent a video of. We spent around two days time their including travel, so Elder Siaosi and another new missionary (Zone leaders comp) had our area for that time. Made me nervous, but they did okay for sure. It was a good experience for him, but soon as we got back they were no joke rejoicing haha. Was pretty funny!
Was a blessed week and I enjoyed so much of it! There were some hard parts during it, but I will be emailing dad about some of that for sure. Not negative things just difficult haha. It will make sense.
Love you and have a good week!
Excerpts from Dad's email:
Hey Dad!
Told mom about most of the trip and stuff. But yeah the weather has been a total opposite to yours! You won't believe it!
So the whole week was pretty hot, but Friday! Holly Dang!! It was 45 Degrees C (113° F)!! Wow it was really hot let me tell ya. Hottest thing I have experienced. It was as if you held up a blow drier on high up to your face all day. So that was fun lol. Knocking doors was crack up though, because people's hearts were softened a little bit for our suffering haha. Some nice people let us in to give us a drink and stuff. One dude answered the door immediately and said "I'm not interested in what you are selling, but do you want a class of orange juice?" Yeah we did! So he let us inside and his wife poured us like 4 glasses of orange juice haha. Nice people just not too interested in anything. We tried to stay inside all that we could, but still need to do 3 hours of finding at least, so that is what we did. Exact obiedience! Haha some members were telling us things like "Spirit of the law elders" and "I'm sure God will understand", but nah. Even the sisters smashed it! Used the car all day, but still worked hard haha.
Many of our investigators are currently at a stand still at the moment. We have two though that I feel have some much great potential and that is two of our new investigators this week. One of them was a great experience yesterday. So right after church, I was talking to a member about going to go see a recent convert and he said "yeah, but before that we need to go see one of my friends". Yeah I got pretty excited, so we went over and met J..... She is pretty cool! Her personality is kind of like a vegan Aussie girl, but really humble and real. She is in her late 30's probably. Anyway, we got to talking about her beliefs and she said she is still confused about a lot she has learned. She listened to some J dubs in the past, but guess what they just came out with in their magazine... They said it themselves that they were not inspired by God!!! In their own magazine... So she noticed that and wanted to look into other things of coarse. Anyway, she asked us questions all having to do with The Plan of Salvation, so we decided to teach that. It all clicked! Then we testified how we know and of modern day prophets and revelation. She is really excited to learn more about the restoration! That was really a cool experience.
Well that's my week pretty much haha.
Love you heaps!!!
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January 14, 2018
#MiraclesNeverCease, Baby just sat there almost in ah looking at me
Email #48
Area: Murray Bridge of the Marion Zone
Companion: Elder Siosi
Excerpts from Mom's email:
Hey Mom!
That is funny how you saw the elders because the ones in our stake emailed me about sending them a referral haha. Thinking about doing the same thing for the missionaries that are out from the ward I am in. Yeah for some reason animals have that sense a lot especially if the feeling is familiar. I have noticed that mostly happens when it comes to members dogs. Idk if it is because they recognize the feeling because it reminds them of their owners or something. Interesting though. We had an interesting experience with one of our investigators babies yesterday when we were teaching them the restoration. The baby was fussy up until we got to the part of the first vision when I recited Joseph Smith's account of it to them, the baby just sat there almost in ah looking at me. Kind of funny and V.... noticed it as well. That is when L... asked questions about children and we were able to explain a lot that she has had questions for for a long time. Yeah I have learned a lot of stuff like the things you and James are talking about. The sisters are doing a lot better haha I think they are in high spirits now. They got a new investigator this week from a referral we sent them so that was good. The area here can be a hard one, but at the moment things are going well with plenty for us to do.
Elder Siaosi and I doing really great honestly. I thought it was going to be really hard with having to teach him English all the time and wasn't sure if we would get along just him and I, but the truth of it is we get along great. I think I have learned a lot about genuine care for your companion. I definitely have had to go out of my way to be positive with him all the time which has been really good! I feel responsible for him to have a good first experience because the beginning of a mission is hard enough, but he has to learn an entire language as well. I just want to be sure that he has a positive experience for the beginning of his mission. It has brought a large change in me as well I have noticed. I'm happier, more excited in the work (especially finding), and just continue to change everyday. The beauty of the Atonement!
We have had a lot of great experiences this week! In the zone we broke the record for the highest amont of new investigators in a week ever in the Marion Zone! Half came from our district! Smashing it eh? Really though the Lord is blessing us so much right now and the work is hastening! Members this week are going to be a huge focus because we have set up a game plan with our ward mission leader so looking forward to that!
One great experience that we had this week was a lesson we had with our new investigators S.... and S........ They are both from india and have no background in religion at all. They had no idea who God is, have barely heard of Jesus Christ, and all if it is a foriegn concept to them. Having had taugh many Indian people in Grange, I had an idea of how to approach it, but they were from a different part than anyone I have ever taught so they never heard of any of this. Anyways so we sat down with them and started teaching and figured out that S.... doesn't even speak any english, so his wife translated for us. Normally when you teach people that never have heard about God you just teach Godhead and Prayer first lesson, but I was prompted to jump to the First Vision. We could see as we taught that S.......'s face lit up with a huge smile. She asked if it is really possible for her to know God is there. We left them with the promised blessing that if they pray, God will answer them. The spirit was very strong and such a great experience!
Love you Mom and have a good week!!!!
Excerpts from Dad's email:
Hey Dad!
How's it going over there in the land of promise? Work still tough? Hope it is getting better.... Pray for you every day that it will get better!
Well this week has been really a good one! This upcoming week should be exciting too! I am headed up to Mt Gambier with the zone leaders for a trade off with elders there. It is about 5 hours away, but it is suppose to be beautiful. Still figuring out details with them, but I won't be driving luckily haha. Should be a good trip.
Man it is getting hotter and hotter here sometimes! The weather is crazy! One day it is raining and the next it is 40 degrees.
It was good to have a full week to work! I think I have Murray Bridge down now since it is so small haha. I know where I am going where it took me a lot longer to figure thinks out in grange. Speaking of, I found out a miracle that happened! So back in Grange we had an investigator from a part member family named C..... So C.... didn't want to be baptized yet, since he had never felt it was right for him. Anyway so we had EFY coming up at the time we were teaching him and we talked him into going to it. He was good friends with the youth in the ward. So guess what! We got a text yesterday about a miracle in the Grange area!:
"At church today, we met with C.... ... who went to FSY and he came back a changed person. He approached us with the young men president and told us that he wanted to be baptized next month. We set a return appointment for this week! #miraclesnevercease" -Grange Elders
That was really cool to see! I guess he had an experience at FSY! I am so glad to here that because I went back through my journal where I wrote about why we told him to go to FSY. It was a random invitation based off a very fast prompting and he originally rejected it. Well I see now it does take time for miracles to happen after a seed is planted, but still worth the wait!!
I love this work more and more everyday. Sure we do hard things but I can't explain the love I have for it now!
Love you heaps Dad!!!!
Area: Murray Bridge of the Marion Zone
Companion: Elder Siosi
Excerpts from Mom's email:
Hey Mom!
That is funny how you saw the elders because the ones in our stake emailed me about sending them a referral haha. Thinking about doing the same thing for the missionaries that are out from the ward I am in. Yeah for some reason animals have that sense a lot especially if the feeling is familiar. I have noticed that mostly happens when it comes to members dogs. Idk if it is because they recognize the feeling because it reminds them of their owners or something. Interesting though. We had an interesting experience with one of our investigators babies yesterday when we were teaching them the restoration. The baby was fussy up until we got to the part of the first vision when I recited Joseph Smith's account of it to them, the baby just sat there almost in ah looking at me. Kind of funny and V.... noticed it as well. That is when L... asked questions about children and we were able to explain a lot that she has had questions for for a long time. Yeah I have learned a lot of stuff like the things you and James are talking about. The sisters are doing a lot better haha I think they are in high spirits now. They got a new investigator this week from a referral we sent them so that was good. The area here can be a hard one, but at the moment things are going well with plenty for us to do.
Elder Siaosi and I doing really great honestly. I thought it was going to be really hard with having to teach him English all the time and wasn't sure if we would get along just him and I, but the truth of it is we get along great. I think I have learned a lot about genuine care for your companion. I definitely have had to go out of my way to be positive with him all the time which has been really good! I feel responsible for him to have a good first experience because the beginning of a mission is hard enough, but he has to learn an entire language as well. I just want to be sure that he has a positive experience for the beginning of his mission. It has brought a large change in me as well I have noticed. I'm happier, more excited in the work (especially finding), and just continue to change everyday. The beauty of the Atonement!
We have had a lot of great experiences this week! In the zone we broke the record for the highest amont of new investigators in a week ever in the Marion Zone! Half came from our district! Smashing it eh? Really though the Lord is blessing us so much right now and the work is hastening! Members this week are going to be a huge focus because we have set up a game plan with our ward mission leader so looking forward to that!
One great experience that we had this week was a lesson we had with our new investigators S.... and S........ They are both from india and have no background in religion at all. They had no idea who God is, have barely heard of Jesus Christ, and all if it is a foriegn concept to them. Having had taugh many Indian people in Grange, I had an idea of how to approach it, but they were from a different part than anyone I have ever taught so they never heard of any of this. Anyways so we sat down with them and started teaching and figured out that S.... doesn't even speak any english, so his wife translated for us. Normally when you teach people that never have heard about God you just teach Godhead and Prayer first lesson, but I was prompted to jump to the First Vision. We could see as we taught that S.......'s face lit up with a huge smile. She asked if it is really possible for her to know God is there. We left them with the promised blessing that if they pray, God will answer them. The spirit was very strong and such a great experience!
Love you Mom and have a good week!!!!
Excerpts from Dad's email:
Hey Dad!
How's it going over there in the land of promise? Work still tough? Hope it is getting better.... Pray for you every day that it will get better!
Well this week has been really a good one! This upcoming week should be exciting too! I am headed up to Mt Gambier with the zone leaders for a trade off with elders there. It is about 5 hours away, but it is suppose to be beautiful. Still figuring out details with them, but I won't be driving luckily haha. Should be a good trip.
Man it is getting hotter and hotter here sometimes! The weather is crazy! One day it is raining and the next it is 40 degrees.
It was good to have a full week to work! I think I have Murray Bridge down now since it is so small haha. I know where I am going where it took me a lot longer to figure thinks out in grange. Speaking of, I found out a miracle that happened! So back in Grange we had an investigator from a part member family named C..... So C.... didn't want to be baptized yet, since he had never felt it was right for him. Anyway so we had EFY coming up at the time we were teaching him and we talked him into going to it. He was good friends with the youth in the ward. So guess what! We got a text yesterday about a miracle in the Grange area!:
"At church today, we met with C.... ... who went to FSY and he came back a changed person. He approached us with the young men president and told us that he wanted to be baptized next month. We set a return appointment for this week! #miraclesnevercease" -Grange Elders
That was really cool to see! I guess he had an experience at FSY! I am so glad to here that because I went back through my journal where I wrote about why we told him to go to FSY. It was a random invitation based off a very fast prompting and he originally rejected it. Well I see now it does take time for miracles to happen after a seed is planted, but still worth the wait!!
I love this work more and more everyday. Sure we do hard things but I can't explain the love I have for it now!
Love you heaps Dad!!!!
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| Helping out the sisters with a flat tire |
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| Oh look Mom, a huge spider. Should I pick it up?!?! |
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| Jaren's comment "Huntsman Spider...I think they eat small birds though. They don't bite us though for some reason" |
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January 7, 2018
Teaching pool is growing
Email #47
Area: Murray Bridge of the Marion Zone
Companion: Elder Uili and Elder Siosi
Excerpts from Mom's email:
Hey Mom!
Well I will try to answer your questions real quick:). Yeah V....and L...! They are great! They are still figuring details out for their baptism and probably will have to be around June though. They come to church every week and are great just need to finish a few things. Yeah much of the ward is Samoan, but as well there are a lot of Aussies down here when we knock doors. We go to church at 9:30 here. Yeah there were a few here not that long ago. I know two recent converts from this past year here. Yeah it is about as hard as most of Australia, but hey this past week we got 5 new investigators! Of coarse we worked our butts off haha, but the Lord has blessed us for sure. We never were feeding the horses this is just a small town so there are farms/ranches everywhere with animals. That was right next to where we parked before we went to knock doors.
This past week was really a good one. There were about 3-4 days we were down in Adelaide for Zone Conference and Arrivers training as well. It was good though, we stayed down in Oakland's Park with 9 Elders in one flat! That was pretty crazy because the flat really was maybe meant for 4 people. One morning we played Aussie Rules Footballl for morning exercise together and that was a really good game with all of us. It is very different to what anyone back home would be use to for sure. Right before we went down we went to do some service for an investigator; basically did the lawn. It was so funny though to see Elder Siosi's reaction to the edger! Haha he has never seen anything like it because at home they would use machetes. Trainings were really good as always! Learned better skills and method's of teaching. (I'm basically just going through my journal and telling you about some entries lol).
The past week we have had a little bit of bad luck here in Murrey Bridge, especially the sisters haha. Starting off at the beginning of the week, Sister Tokuma's handle bars fell off her bike somehow and she just went over... She has a hard time walking at the moment, so she has just been staying at a members home. Then Sister Troescher, one night was getting hot water for her companion to put heat on and she spills scolding hot water all over her hand. Now she is wearing a bandage. Then sister Thomson nailed a curb last Tuesday and blew a tire out, hit her knee on the door of the car so she limps. Then she tripped into her desk two nights ago... So have my hands full with these sisters having to pray for them constantly, so they don't all end up crippled lol.
I'll continue stories with dad:)
Happy Birthday Mom! Sorry I am late with it, but not my fault haha!
Love you so much!
Excerpts from Dad's email:
Hey Dad!
Yeah guess what! Our teaching pool is now up to 11!!!! Trust me when I say it didn't come easy! Running a lot for sure lol! The Lord has blessed us a lot no doubt.
Here is my letter to President:
I was raised in an active LDS home since I was born. My family has surely been blessed with what we have and the family relationship we have. It was a loving home, but of coarse we had our arguments at times. However overall it was a loving environment. When I was young, my family would call me Jaren the prophet, because I always tried to do what was right and to get my family to do the same, at least I think that is why they called me that haha. Time went on I think I lost that a little due to teenage life. The trials that I faced in the years leading up to my mission were more spiritual. They were trials such as great temptation, especially in high school. I thought for sure being in a community where everyone is a member of the church that there wouldn't be very much peer pressure or anything like that. That was the time period in my life where I had more of a social testimony. I went to church often, but even sometimes I didn't want to be there. I would have rather stayed home much of the time. Then my older brother, James left on his mission to South Africa. When he left I think was the point when I really started to wonder about what faith is and really what it was that my family had. That was really when my testimony began to grow. I started paying attention in seminary. I actually prayed at night. It was just the beginning. I still went through high school with a lot of temptation coming my way, but for some reason or another, I never gave in to my desires. I had control and I new what was right. I didn't want to do something that I would regret. Two years went by and my brother got home. This was just when I was finishing school and when I started seeing more and more that it is time to repent and time to change. This was about the time when I then started reading my scriptures more and really considering a mission. I had made the decision to serve a mission when I was young and already had it on my mind, but I don't think I really started thinking about it until my brother returned home. I saw the massive change that he had made and I felt the massive testimony that he had.
From then on, I wanted to take my life seriously! I had a choice to make. To go and serve or to remain home and continue the way I was going. Well, it took much prayer and much pondering, but I made the choice to send in my mission papers. I never really talked about it with anyone how hard of a choice it actually was for me. When it came down to it, I have always known the church was true. God has always been there in my life and he was speaking to me. I just wasn't listening a lot of the time. I had 5 months to prepare after I received my mission call. During that time I tried my best to make sure my testimony was strong enough for me to step on that plane. I am so grateful it was. It has been on my mission where I have truly come to know my Savior and know of the truth. If I didn't know it was true, I would have gone home a long time ago. I have faced more trial on my mission than I have in my whole life, but I have never grown more in my life then I have in this past year. I know the gospel and everything that goes with it is true! I am a better man because of it. My conversion story has lasted my whole life to this point. I have always had the gospel. As Nephi of old, I was borne of goodly parents, and I am so grateful for them for the life I've been given. My conversion continues and I look forward to what the future holds.
So to continue from moms email:
On Saturday, the temperature was 43 degrees C!!!! Holly smokes it was hot! We were out side for a lot of it knocking on doors and people just thought we were crazy as haha. I had that cloth thing you sent me around my neck all day and it helps heaps! Still super hot though, so drinking water a lot. We have had to use the car a lot this week because Elder Siosi blew his tire after we got back from Adelaide and we can't get bike tires up here. We will be going down tonight though. Speaking of, Elder Uili is leaving to PNG tomorrow morning at 4am. So we are taking him down to Adelaide to stay with the assistance tonight. On his last day here, we are going to have our district pday activity. We are hoping to go to this kangaroo reserve, but I don't know how much it will be so we will see.
The work is going really well at the moment! We have found 5 new investigators this past week and each of them are different for sure. One is aboriginal, two are from India, one is Seventh day v, and one is a guy who wants to find a church. Would take to long to explain them all, but we are looking forward to teaching each of them!!! They all have great potential for sure!
Well the rest of the week has just been crazy finding and follow ups. We have been trying to go by formers as much as we can, because there are a lot in the area book that have never been followed up with. Finding as been good as well, because since the sisters have not had to much of a chance to do much this week, I think the Lord has passed more responsibility to us. One day we only found potentials that were single sisters, so we have sent through this past week like 10 referrals for them I think.
That's all I can think of for this week. I forgot my camera at the flat, btw so I will try to send pics from my comps camera and send the others next week...
Area: Murray Bridge of the Marion Zone
Companion: Elder Uili and Elder Siosi
Excerpts from Mom's email:
Hey Mom!
Well I will try to answer your questions real quick:). Yeah V....and L...! They are great! They are still figuring details out for their baptism and probably will have to be around June though. They come to church every week and are great just need to finish a few things. Yeah much of the ward is Samoan, but as well there are a lot of Aussies down here when we knock doors. We go to church at 9:30 here. Yeah there were a few here not that long ago. I know two recent converts from this past year here. Yeah it is about as hard as most of Australia, but hey this past week we got 5 new investigators! Of coarse we worked our butts off haha, but the Lord has blessed us for sure. We never were feeding the horses this is just a small town so there are farms/ranches everywhere with animals. That was right next to where we parked before we went to knock doors.
This past week was really a good one. There were about 3-4 days we were down in Adelaide for Zone Conference and Arrivers training as well. It was good though, we stayed down in Oakland's Park with 9 Elders in one flat! That was pretty crazy because the flat really was maybe meant for 4 people. One morning we played Aussie Rules Footballl for morning exercise together and that was a really good game with all of us. It is very different to what anyone back home would be use to for sure. Right before we went down we went to do some service for an investigator; basically did the lawn. It was so funny though to see Elder Siosi's reaction to the edger! Haha he has never seen anything like it because at home they would use machetes. Trainings were really good as always! Learned better skills and method's of teaching. (I'm basically just going through my journal and telling you about some entries lol).
The past week we have had a little bit of bad luck here in Murrey Bridge, especially the sisters haha. Starting off at the beginning of the week, Sister Tokuma's handle bars fell off her bike somehow and she just went over... She has a hard time walking at the moment, so she has just been staying at a members home. Then Sister Troescher, one night was getting hot water for her companion to put heat on and she spills scolding hot water all over her hand. Now she is wearing a bandage. Then sister Thomson nailed a curb last Tuesday and blew a tire out, hit her knee on the door of the car so she limps. Then she tripped into her desk two nights ago... So have my hands full with these sisters having to pray for them constantly, so they don't all end up crippled lol.
I'll continue stories with dad:)
Happy Birthday Mom! Sorry I am late with it, but not my fault haha!
Love you so much!
Excerpts from Dad's email:
Hey Dad!
Yeah guess what! Our teaching pool is now up to 11!!!! Trust me when I say it didn't come easy! Running a lot for sure lol! The Lord has blessed us a lot no doubt.
Here is my letter to President:
I was raised in an active LDS home since I was born. My family has surely been blessed with what we have and the family relationship we have. It was a loving home, but of coarse we had our arguments at times. However overall it was a loving environment. When I was young, my family would call me Jaren the prophet, because I always tried to do what was right and to get my family to do the same, at least I think that is why they called me that haha. Time went on I think I lost that a little due to teenage life. The trials that I faced in the years leading up to my mission were more spiritual. They were trials such as great temptation, especially in high school. I thought for sure being in a community where everyone is a member of the church that there wouldn't be very much peer pressure or anything like that. That was the time period in my life where I had more of a social testimony. I went to church often, but even sometimes I didn't want to be there. I would have rather stayed home much of the time. Then my older brother, James left on his mission to South Africa. When he left I think was the point when I really started to wonder about what faith is and really what it was that my family had. That was really when my testimony began to grow. I started paying attention in seminary. I actually prayed at night. It was just the beginning. I still went through high school with a lot of temptation coming my way, but for some reason or another, I never gave in to my desires. I had control and I new what was right. I didn't want to do something that I would regret. Two years went by and my brother got home. This was just when I was finishing school and when I started seeing more and more that it is time to repent and time to change. This was about the time when I then started reading my scriptures more and really considering a mission. I had made the decision to serve a mission when I was young and already had it on my mind, but I don't think I really started thinking about it until my brother returned home. I saw the massive change that he had made and I felt the massive testimony that he had.
From then on, I wanted to take my life seriously! I had a choice to make. To go and serve or to remain home and continue the way I was going. Well, it took much prayer and much pondering, but I made the choice to send in my mission papers. I never really talked about it with anyone how hard of a choice it actually was for me. When it came down to it, I have always known the church was true. God has always been there in my life and he was speaking to me. I just wasn't listening a lot of the time. I had 5 months to prepare after I received my mission call. During that time I tried my best to make sure my testimony was strong enough for me to step on that plane. I am so grateful it was. It has been on my mission where I have truly come to know my Savior and know of the truth. If I didn't know it was true, I would have gone home a long time ago. I have faced more trial on my mission than I have in my whole life, but I have never grown more in my life then I have in this past year. I know the gospel and everything that goes with it is true! I am a better man because of it. My conversion story has lasted my whole life to this point. I have always had the gospel. As Nephi of old, I was borne of goodly parents, and I am so grateful for them for the life I've been given. My conversion continues and I look forward to what the future holds.
So to continue from moms email:
On Saturday, the temperature was 43 degrees C!!!! Holly smokes it was hot! We were out side for a lot of it knocking on doors and people just thought we were crazy as haha. I had that cloth thing you sent me around my neck all day and it helps heaps! Still super hot though, so drinking water a lot. We have had to use the car a lot this week because Elder Siosi blew his tire after we got back from Adelaide and we can't get bike tires up here. We will be going down tonight though. Speaking of, Elder Uili is leaving to PNG tomorrow morning at 4am. So we are taking him down to Adelaide to stay with the assistance tonight. On his last day here, we are going to have our district pday activity. We are hoping to go to this kangaroo reserve, but I don't know how much it will be so we will see.
The work is going really well at the moment! We have found 5 new investigators this past week and each of them are different for sure. One is aboriginal, two are from India, one is Seventh day v, and one is a guy who wants to find a church. Would take to long to explain them all, but we are looking forward to teaching each of them!!! They all have great potential for sure!
Well the rest of the week has just been crazy finding and follow ups. We have been trying to go by formers as much as we can, because there are a lot in the area book that have never been followed up with. Finding as been good as well, because since the sisters have not had to much of a chance to do much this week, I think the Lord has passed more responsibility to us. One day we only found potentials that were single sisters, so we have sent through this past week like 10 referrals for them I think.
That's all I can think of for this week. I forgot my camera at the flat, btw so I will try to send pics from my comps camera and send the others next week...
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January 1, 2018
First week in Murray Bridge
Email #46
Area: Murray Bridge of the Marion Zone
Companion: Elder Uili and Elder Siosi
Excerpts from Mom's email:
Hey Mom!
New years was really good! We were able to go out most of the day, but come 6pm we had to go back to the flat the rest of the night. Yeah we have heard that his visa is here now so he will be leaving next Friday at the latest, but we don't know for sure when. My companions names are Elder Uili and Elder Siosi.
So the last few days have been really good! Finally this next week we will be able to go out a little bit more, but we now have zone conference and arrivers training number 2. So we will be in Firle Thursday and Friday all day. The work is really good here in Murry Bridge! We are trying to work as hard as we can with the time we got. We seriously will run door to door sometimes! It's no wonder that my shoes are wearing out day by day. Just yesterday I was able to have interviews with president and it was really good to talk about the new expectations for the new year. This next year is definitely going to be full on, but the best year ever! I'm ready for it! It was interesting what things president was saying and talking about. I think we have built up a really great level of trust at this point and I don't know exactly what he has in mind for me, but sounds interesting with the impressions I got.
The only funny experience I can think of this past week was yesterday before we shot over to interviews. We were going finding and we came across a man who is Egyptian Orthadox, a very passionate one at that. We started teaching him in his home and it was going well until we got to the point in the lesson where we brought up the restoration through the prophet Joseph Smith. He didn't really agree with that let's say lol. He said something about the bible saying there being no prophets after Jesus Chirst, but he didn't really seem like he new what he was talking about when I challenged that. When people say stuff like that, I have the knowledge now to challenge it and I can get passionate myself. Rare, but it can happen. Definitly takes a little patience to just move on because I don't like giving up on a person easily. Was pretty funny though after, think I stumped him lol.
Well got some cool news for the upcoming year! Our new baptismal goal as a mission is 277! Pretty exciting!
I've been writing in my journal daily now and I plan to for now on daily. Maybe it can make emailing easier by looking through it before emailing. Will do it next time.
Love you!
Area: Murray Bridge of the Marion Zone
Companion: Elder Uili and Elder Siosi
Excerpts from Mom's email:
Hey Mom!
New years was really good! We were able to go out most of the day, but come 6pm we had to go back to the flat the rest of the night. Yeah we have heard that his visa is here now so he will be leaving next Friday at the latest, but we don't know for sure when. My companions names are Elder Uili and Elder Siosi.
So the last few days have been really good! Finally this next week we will be able to go out a little bit more, but we now have zone conference and arrivers training number 2. So we will be in Firle Thursday and Friday all day. The work is really good here in Murry Bridge! We are trying to work as hard as we can with the time we got. We seriously will run door to door sometimes! It's no wonder that my shoes are wearing out day by day. Just yesterday I was able to have interviews with president and it was really good to talk about the new expectations for the new year. This next year is definitely going to be full on, but the best year ever! I'm ready for it! It was interesting what things president was saying and talking about. I think we have built up a really great level of trust at this point and I don't know exactly what he has in mind for me, but sounds interesting with the impressions I got.
The only funny experience I can think of this past week was yesterday before we shot over to interviews. We were going finding and we came across a man who is Egyptian Orthadox, a very passionate one at that. We started teaching him in his home and it was going well until we got to the point in the lesson where we brought up the restoration through the prophet Joseph Smith. He didn't really agree with that let's say lol. He said something about the bible saying there being no prophets after Jesus Chirst, but he didn't really seem like he new what he was talking about when I challenged that. When people say stuff like that, I have the knowledge now to challenge it and I can get passionate myself. Rare, but it can happen. Definitly takes a little patience to just move on because I don't like giving up on a person easily. Was pretty funny though after, think I stumped him lol.
Well got some cool news for the upcoming year! Our new baptismal goal as a mission is 277! Pretty exciting!
I've been writing in my journal daily now and I plan to for now on daily. Maybe it can make emailing easier by looking through it before emailing. Will do it next time.
Love you!
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