Elder Jaren Bryner A LDS Missionary Down Under in Adelaide Australia: As we are obedient, the outcome will always be beautiful

Email #102
Area: Alice Springs
Companion: Elder Richard

Excerpts from Mom's email:

This week was yet another week in the mission field with its ups and downs. To some degree it went slower then normal though haha. I don't know if it is the anticipation or what..😅 At the same time though, some days went really fast because they were really fun!

I had some pretty fun times this week! One of them was our trade off with the other elders! I went to their area again and had a blast! The highlight was going to the Ledbutters (on date for the 9th) and they are an awesome family to teach as always. We had a lesson on obedience by following Elder Ostraff how to fold a paper bird. The only thing was, I couldn't watch how to do it. In the end everyone had a nice paper swan while I had my version on a paper bird, which didn't look great haha. We learned that sometimes we don't know why certain folds happen and might even seem pointless, but as we are obedient, the outcome will always be beautiful.

We had a great miracle this week that was a tender mercy to me!! So M... has had a hard time with his health for a while and has hindered him from coming to church. Well the doctors figured out a few things and he is not in as much pain now. So this last Sunday, M... came to church and it was amazing! His comments in Sunday school were awesome! There were a few members there that thought he had been a member his whole life by the comments he made! I'm really grateful he came my last Sunday here! That was one thing I was really praying for! I hope soon after these problems pass, he will be able to enter the covenant path. He spoke to me this week about maybe skyping in on his baptism when it happens! That would be cool!

One of our challenges from zone Conference was to begin to implement family history in our work. Starting on the 10th for a month, they are doing a family history Blitz. The mission department has asked this mission to test how well family history would work in missionary work. So for a month, all the missionaries here will do is use family history in the initial contact. No other form of finding. Sounds pretty fun to me, too bad I will miss it honestly! To gear up for it, we have tried to find ways to do it here in Alice. We found that walking through town with a clip board and asking people to do a quick 3 question serve about families opens the conversation.

The questions consist of:
1. Do you know the names of your great grandparents?
2. Do you know where they were born?
3. Have you even done family history?
if so, what resource did you use? (my heritage, family search, ect)

As we asked these questions, practically everyone we have talked to has said they tried family history, but it was just to expensive to do. That leads to us introduce Family Search, which is the largest database of names and family history resources in the entire world, all free to use. Even that we have a family history center with consultants that can help you all for free. See how that works!? It works really well!!! I was pretty surprised actually just how well it works!!

Excerpts from Dad's email:

Hey Dad!!

Last few weeks coming to a close... Pretty crazy!! It doesn't quite feel real yet. Probably will when I get in the plane, not the one to Adelaide but one home hahaha.

Man I don't know what to expect when I get home. I've been thinking about that. What is my next step in life? Well school, dating, and all the general stuff but where do I start? What do I work towards? Goal setting has been a blessing in my mission and I want to have a goal to work towards. I'll talk to you more about it when I get home for sure haha. Man real life stuff here!! Hahaha! That's okay though, same part of God's plan.

I was reflecting last night as I went to bed what has occurred in the past to years. Man I have been so dang lucky! I've been able to experience things and receive so much that I don't feel like I deserved! So many Miracles that I have seen that I never though were possible, some to sacred to even write about. This has been a special part of my life and I think will shape the rest of it to come. My patriarchal blessing talks about that and I'm starting to make connections. One part talks about the avenues of education I want to search for and to "expand my vista's". I think I might know where to go with that. I have received as promised, training in the spirit. I've come to understand it more then I thought I would. It's pretty amazing what the gospel is! I mean, I feel like I am fulfilling part of a personal prophesy! Idk if I'm making any sense though haha.

Now only with a week left, I'm not sure what I can achieve. That is what I am wondering right now. What else can I do? I guess I just have to go and find out.

Did you have a chance to sort through the photos from last week? I am sending quite a bit more haha. Some may raise questions hahaha. Yes, some stories you may have to wait for lol. I'll keep working hard until the very end! I hope this has blessed you guys as it has blessed me. I'm excited to see you all soon!

Well I got some cool stuff to show you all including gifts and things. It is crazy how giving some people are here! I've picked up some cool as stuff! Any other request of what would be cool to bring home? I've got a good amount of suit case space I think and only have two pdays left, only one in Alice where there are unique things. Let me know if anything in mind pops up.

Love you and will talk to you next Monday!