Comedy of...Errors. :)

Hello all!  How was your week? 

Mine was just dandy, and has been a rather quick week!  I love having temple P-days, and the blessings that I'm able to see there both during the session, and while we're in the other rooms at the temple too.  :)  I highly suggest that anyone who can should try to go this week when they have a chance.  If you're struggling with anything just take it to the temple, and you will be able to find the answers you need. 

So we had the Temple on Wednesday, and then we had Zone conference on Thursday!  I just love being there and listening to the things that the Fifes and the Assistants have prepared for us.  This time they focused more on what it means to be truly converted, and how it's a life long process to remain converted to the gospel.  If you stop for a while then you've lost ground that you've already worked so hard to gain.  Keep going in the fight, and know that you're doing an awesome job!  They also focused on making sure that we are in tune with Heavenly Father's plan so that we are best able to reflect Christ in our lives.  It was super cool to listen to them.  :) 

Sister Orro and I get along just fine, and we're always finding something to laugh about.  Besides trying out toilet tracting for the first time last week, we've also asked a guy where he lives... on his driveway.  haha :)  Probably the day that I've laughed the hardest was when we biking on our way to a street to tract.  We started up and all was going smoothly, until there was a car coming so we moved to the footpath. Well, Sister Orro didn't quite make it to the footpath before her tire slid out from under her, and she crashed.  Thankfully the car saw and went around her, and all she got was a scrapped knee.  But we did have a good laugh that all she did in reaction was "Ooh!" haha :)  We made sure she was alright and then we headed off again.  We made it to the place that we wanted to go, and they weren't home, so we were heading off to another area, we start going and all we hear is "Pppsssshhh" Turns out Sister Orro's bike tire popped... so we walked our bikes everywhere the rest of the time we were out that day.  :)  It was really funny that it all happened within a little bit, and we were able to laugh about it. :)  All is good, we're all safe and sound. 

Aussie terms:  Postbox (mailbox), Postman (mailman), and que (line, like for a bus or checkout spot.) 

This week's scripture is in Alma 8:18:  Now it came to pass that after Alma had received his message from the angel of the Lord he returned speedily to the land of Ammonihah. And he entered the city by another way, yea, by the way which is on the south of the city of Ammonihah.

When we receive a commandment to do something, do we go back to it speedily?  Even if it's something that we don't want to do?  When we are making sure that we are diligent in all of our efforts, we will gain all that we need and more in return.  How are you showing our Heavenly Father that you want to gain His guidance?  By "returning speedily"? Obedience brings blessings, and being diligent in our obedience brings more blessings too. 

Keep up the great work, love you all! 

Have a great week!  

Pictures: A sunset while we were tracting, the sunset with the temple, and Sister Orro and I at the temple! 

Sister Talbot and Sister Orro

Perth Australia Temple, Sister Talbot's happy place

Burns Beach at Sunset

Oreo and Tablet

Well hello there my friends! 

This week has been amazing, hard, and exciting all at the same time.  :)  To start off, it was transfers on Wednesday, and I stayed but Sister Perkins left.  She's going to become the new Sister Training Leader in Dianella Zone, which fits her perfectly.  She's been an amazing trainer, and is super kind.  I know that she will have a great impact on the sisters that she will be watching over, because she's already done a fabulous job watching over me.  :)  I miss her, but I also am really excited to be with Sister Orro, so it's not too hard of a change. 

One of our Sister Training Leaders ended her mission on Sunday, so for the first part of last week we were in a trio.  If there's anything to say about being in a trio, is that it makes time move faster, and there is never a dull or quiet moment.  :)  It really helped to be with both of them, because they gave me tons of insights about how to lead an area. 

My new companion is Sister Orro!  She's from Townsville, Queensland, and has been out on her mission for 14 months.  She's got heaps of stories and it's been really cool to hear about them.  :)  She's also rather blunt, so if she sees something that shouldn't be happening then she'll tell me.  She's been rather quick to point out that I'm too hard on myself.  :)  She's a really powerful missionary, and it's exciting to see how the ward has already accepted her with open arms. At a member's house, while we were introducing her, a young women called us Oreo and Tablet.... So that's basically what our object names are now.  :) 

Other than that, we've just been doing the normal tracting and visiting that we do. :)  The weather has been really nice here recently, so we've been able to ride our bikes and walk around our area instead of using the car.  :)  I just love the nice warm weather. Everyone has been super nice too, with smiles and apologizing that they aren't interested in the message that we're sharing.  Oh!  Embarrassing story of the week:  I couldn't find a toilet to use while we were tracting, and so we had to do what we call "toilet tracting."  Basically picking a house and asking to use their toilet.  Which is super awkward for both missionaries, because while one is in the toilet, the other has to make small talk with the people in the house.  First time I've had to do it, and I honestly hope it's the last. 

Aussie terms: Porridge (Oatmeal), stack it (biff it), and muesli bar (granola bar.)

And for the thought this week:  Moroni 10:27:  And I exhort you to remember these things; for the time speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye shall see me at the bar of God; and the Lord God will say unto you: Did I not declare my words unto you, which were written by this man, like as one crying from the dead, yea, even as one speaking out of the dust?  

How are we using the scriptures that we have been given?  I thought that it was interesting that I found this scripture in the Preach My Gospel chapter about the Book of Mormon.  It talks about having us as missionaries gain a vision of how to better use the Book of Mormon in our proselyting efforts.  Am I using it enough, or could I be using it more?  It also goes along with being back home.  Are you still interacting with the Book of Mormon, or have you put it off to the side?  What are some ways that you could be in the scriptures more?  How can you benefit from adding more of that in your life? 

Love you all, have a great week! 

Pictures: Sister Orro and I, the sisters in our zone, and the trio!

Sister Hollee Talbot

Sister Orro and Sister Talbot

Zone Sisters!

The Trio, Sister Seau, Sister Perkins, and Sister Talbot

Hear That? It's the Winds of Change!

Alrighty my friends!  What shall I tell you today? 

Oh I know!  All of it. haha :)

So this week was really fun, because we as a Zone had a competition all week with small challenges each day to win points to win a meal with the Zone Leader or the Sister Training Leaders (Depending on if you were a Sister or an Elder :) )  Tuesday was to tract 40 doors, which sounds easy, until they add the fact that you have to have 40 doors open to you.  We won that one!  It was pouring rain the entire time, and we probably had to knock about 80 doors in order for 40 to open to us, but we got 3 potential investigators from it.  One little miracle that happened as well is that one of the last doors we knocked opened and actually let us inside and gave us some water!  That doesn't happen too often, but man, it was cool to see that happen. 

The other challenge that we won was Thursday where the challenge was to give away 30 pass along cards.  We were tracting that morning, so if they weren't too interested in our message, we would just ask them if we could leave a small card with them.  It's amazing how many people who aren't interested will take the card, which will lead them to the gospel a little later on, I'm sure of it.  :)  We had more energy towards the work than normal, which has been a super cool blessing for this week. 

As for the title of this email, it's end of transfers!  I just finished my 12 weeks of training here in the field, and so Sister Perkins and I were really expecting a phone call for transfers.  We did get one like we were expecting!  I'm staying here to lead the area with a new companion (Who I know her name, but I'm not sure how to spell it, so I'll just wait til next week.) and the Amazing Sister Perkins is going to be a SISTER TRAINING LEADER!!!!!  Oh my goodness we're so excited for her!  I'm excited to stay here and lead, though I'm a little nervous.  It'll be good to find out why I'm here in this area, and to keep working as hard as I can to prove that I have my testimony of this gospel and the work that I'm in. 

Aussie terms:  Full Stop (period, like the punctuation), biscuits (cookies) and diary (planner, schedule, etc...) 

As for the scripture this week, I'm going to use Alma 2: 28 which says:  Nevertheless, the Nephites being strengthened by the hand of the Lord, having prayed mightily to him that he would deliver them out of the hands of their enemies, therefore the Lord did hear their cries, and did strengthen them, and the Lamanites and the Amlicites did fall before them.  

We trust in Heavenly Father to answer our prayers, and to help us in what we are currently facing in 'battle.' I know that Heavenly Father does answer our prayers, and He will strengthen us for the things that He has given us for our benefit.  Answers don't always come immediately, but they will come. Full stop.  It's for our benefit if we have to wait for our answers.  Don't give up hope.  Keep praying, keep working, keep your testimony.  Answers will come, and He loves you, so He will strengthen you. 

Love you all!  Have a great week!

Pictures: Another sick day, a street sign I rather enjoy, and all of the Sisters' name tags.  :)

Sister Hollee Talbot

Sister Hollee Talbot and her kangaroo sign :)

A sick day for Sister Perkins and Sister Talbot

Looks like the sister's tags went to the beach!

Just Another Day in Paradise :)

​​​​​​​​​​​​Hello there!  Fine day, isn't it? 

It has been a super great and busy week!  Just the way we like it as missionaries.  :)  We had FHE with an investigator on Monday, District meeting on Tuesday, a Stake wide leadership training on Wednesday, exchanges on Thursday, an All Sisters Conference on Friday, along with a Relief Society activity on Friday night, and a potluck activity to go to on Saturday night.  This week has been so full on, but man, has it been a good one.  :) 

The Stake wide leadership training was held by Elder Lekias of the 70, and it was talking about aligning the keys of leadership with missionary work.  It was super cool, because he had the Fifes speak, and also had videos to watch as well.  It's important that as a ward we are united in missionary work, otherwise our efforts are not as effective.  At one point Elder Lekias asked a missionary if he would like the leaders of his ward to fill appointments in his planner for him.  The elder quickly responded, "Yes, please!"  haha :) 

The exchanges were great!  My companion was Sister Aperaamo again.  :)  She's amazing! We were able to practice for Sisters' Conference, where we decided to sing hymn #117, "Come unto Jesus."  It was really cool to practice with all of the zone sisters, and sounded amazing too!  When we broke into our alto and soprano groups, all the sisters slid in to be really close to me to hear the notes... I guess I need to sing louder.  :)  We also were able to do a District Blitz for the Sister Training Leader's District.  When we were tracting, we were given specific streets to tract, and a few formers to look for that they didn't have an address for.  At the end of one of those streets, one of the formers that we were looking for answers the door, and immediately lets us come in and talk with her!  It was super cool!  This is Sister Aperaamo's last transfer, so it was really cool to hear some of her stories, and gain some of her perspective on things coming up for me. 

The All Sisters Conference is similar to a Zone conference, except that it was only the sisters there.  Total, I think there were around 50 Sisters, which was cool to see all of us in one room.  We got a lot of training on how to manage our thoughts so that we aren't thinking negatively about ourselves.  There are ways to improve us without thinking negatively about ourselves. I really want to try the ideas that they gave me so that I can do better at that.   They also had the Stake Relief Society President (who lives in our ward) come and talk to us.  She talked about why there is opposition, and how our focus majorly impacts the way that we think about ourselves. 

Aussie terms: Rubbish bins (garbage can), bin bags (garbage bags), and bench (island counter area).  I guess it's really hard to find the bin bags in America... haha :)

And the scripture goes right along with the All Sister's Conference: 3 Nephi 24:17 "And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him."  It's kind of a simple one, but I like it.  Our Father in Heaven and our Saviour love us, and know we have great value and worth.  Just like we don't diminish the value of any gem that we wear, we shouldn't diminish the value of the precious jewels that we are.  Believe in Heavenly Father, and believe that he loves and values all of us individually. 

Love you all! Have a great week!

Pictures:  Sister Aperaamo and I, a lot of sisters in one little car, and the district trying to look cool... haha :) 

Sister Talbot and Sister Aperaamo

Lots of sisters in one little car!

The district trying to look cool!