Trade off with new missionary

Email #89
Area: Oaklands Park
Companion: Elder Turcotte

Excerpts from Mom's email:

Hey Mom!

I don't really know if this week went fast or slow... Haha hard to explain. It was a good week with some really good days and one or two slow ones. Over all though I can say it was good!

The week started off great with our district meetings which are always a spiritual feast. We picked up a few assignment/chores that we needed to do for the zone. For example, the car up in Murray Bridge is not running well and there is not a car dealer up there so we had to switch cars for the week and take there car in down here. Their car was pretty dirty and was just not a good car so that was disappointing, but we got her all fixed up. Then the same companionship had problems with their phones so I had to take one of their phones to go get it looked at. Haha chores of a zone leader😂 always fun! Haha nah, but I'm glad I get to serve them and help out. We try to keep things running smooth the best we can.

On Wednesday we went on trade off with the Assistants in their area. I thought that this was a great experience! I honestly learned more from this trade off than most trade offs I have ever been on! What really impacted me was the way the flat felt. Our flat is clean, but their flat felt like a home. Felt like how my you kept our home. I endeavor more to have ours the same. That and as well we developed a level of trust and brotherhood between ourselves and the assistants. I feel that relationship is strong to have in the mission!

I went with Elder McDonald who also came into the mission with me. We had a really good time catching up because we have never really served around one another before. He is actually from South Africa as well! He was a major karate fighter and was even going to represent South Africa professionally, but the mission has made that a difficult path to continue. However, he will now be going to BYU so I might be able to see him when we get home!

We then held another trade off with our district leader to replicate the things we learned during our trade off with the assistants. Simply being a model in everything that we do including cleaning and even eating. Gives them a feel of what it can be like if they conduct themselves the same. I really enjoyed it myself!

The funny thing on the trade off was our mock lesson! So I asked a member in the ward, Ben, who I'm pretty close with to pretend to be someone we are teaching. He is going on a mission soon, so he wanted to observe for sure. So I was with a new missionary who is on his first transfer, Elder Roberts. He had no idea Ben was a member the whole time. He even asked some tough questions and I turned some of them to Elder Roberts haha. In the end of it, Ben's parents gave it away though. It was a good teaching experience and gave Elder Roberts a chance to take the reins a bit more.

It was so funny because before the lesson, Sister Turner (Ben's mom) offered us lunch because she didn't know what was going on haha. So Elder Roberts just thought that this family was super solid and great! In the end he knew and it was a good time!

Love you heaps and have a good week!


Excerpts from Dad's email:

Hey Dad!

For those that we are teaching, they are all still slowly moving forward. Honestly just busy schedules is the hardest part. It's like no one is ever available. It's okay though I still enjoyed the week for the most part. The past day or so has been pretty tough however. Doctrine and Covenants 122:9 "Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever."

The week over all was good just the past day or so. There was a funny moment during the week I can share. So my companion really wanted to go off these jumps on his bike. Just recently, like two weeks ago, there was a missionary who had to go home because he got hurt going off jumps and stuff on his bike on pday. Well my companion anyway insisted on going on these jumps that are small next to a bike trail we ride past all the time. I thought it was a dumb idea, so I didn't but he did. Well the first jump, no air at all. He goes again... no air except for the air he got when he flew off his bike haha. Was kind of funny. He is alright, just a few scratches. Messed up his bike a little bit though. I will send a video.

Love you heaps and have a good week.

After Elder Turcotte's little jump spill