Merry Christmas!!!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​My P-day next week is Christmas, and so I'll be skyping my family instead of emailing next week.  It's nothing personal, it's just that I like my family more than emailing.... :)  

This week has been prettying interesting!  We have had a lot more time to tract, which I don't know where that's coming from. haha :) It also means that we've had a lot more moving around with our schedules each day, with people asking to move their appointments to different times, and sometimes days.  It really helps a person learn how to be more flexible when everything changes and doesn't go the amount of time anticipated.  :)  

We've had a lot of guys answer the door without shirts on... Awkward... But thankfully many have told us to wait, put on a shirt, and then talked with us. It's totally an issue with the weather, we didn't have this problem in winter.  But a blessing of it being so hot outside is that people constantly offer us water to drink.  Which we can then turn into more time to talk as we drink from their cups.  :)  People are very nice here.  

Guess what!  We tracted into a guy who gave us a fingerspelling chart for Auslan! That's Australian Sign Language!  I didn't take a photo of it this week, but I will for next week.  :)  

For those of you who want to laugh, I stacked it this week.  Walking on a flat footpath, somehow I tripped and fell flat on my face.  There was a car driving by too, so it didn't go unnoticed.  I only scuffed up my hands a little, but yeah, tripping on a flat surface.  :)  We laughed about it the rest of the way home.  

Aussie Christmas:  Instead of dressing in more and more layers, we wear summer clothes, and people are saying that 30 degrees is too cold for Christmas.... haha :)  

Scripture of the week:  This one comes from the Living Christ.  "We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles—that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son."  I have been memorizing this during this past transfer, and I love how strong this paragraph is.  He is who He says He is.  We are celebrating Christ's birth because He came to earth for us.  I love Him, and I know that He loves me, you, and each and everyone of us.  God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.  

Merry Christmas!  I'll talk to you in the New Year! 

Photos: A few Selfie photos and the temple! 

Sister Hollee Talbot

Sister Talbot and Sister Tuifua in their happy place--the temple!

Perth Australia Temple

Sister Tuifua and Sister Talbot

Happy Birthday to Me!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​I would like to start off by first saying Thank you!  For all of the well wishes, both last week, and this week! :)  I really felt special, and all the love that came from you guys meant so much to me. :)  I love you all! 

Little Miracle! So a few weeks ago we were trying to contact a less active in the Elder's area, and were on the bus home when we met John.  He approached us (that doesn't normally happen) and started asking us about religion because he noticed our badges.  We talked to him about it, and invited him to come to church with us the following day.  He was very enthusiastic when he said that he would come.  He didn't make it.  Since he lives in the Elders' area, we gave them the information, and forgot about it.  Fast forward to last weekend, we get a call from an unknown number.  When we answer it, he identified himself as John from Girrawheen, and that he wants to come to church!  He had lost the card with our number and church address on it, so we texted him the church address again, and he said that he would come!  He showed up the next day, and absolutely loved church!  He has already started to talk about becoming a member. :)  It was so cool to be able to help him with those first few steps.  

Other than that, we've had a few member present lessons, which is great!  I just love the contribution to the lessons that the members bring.  :)  I hope that the investigators feels that as well. With a lot of our investigators being male, member presents are the only way that we can teach! 

Aussie Problem:  Only in Australia could you be in a car with a member, and have them complain about too many kangaroos or sheep on the road. :)  Hitting one is like hitting a deer.... 

Scripture for the week:  2 Nephi 9:26-27.  26 For the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law given to them, that they are delivered from that awful monster, death and hell, and the devil, and the lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment; and they are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel.

27 But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state!

There are those who don't have the commandments, and then there are those who do.  We have a privilege of knowing the commandments of our Heavenly Father, and with that comes the responsibility of following them.  We are accountable to our Heavenly Father for the things that we know He has given us.  We can account to Him each night and tell Him how well we filled out our part of the bargain.  We may sometimes think that it would be easier to not have any of the commandments and live in ignorance, but look at all the blessings that come from obeying those.  I've been working on a project where I have been writing my testimony of each individual commandment that we teach, and wow, I have been blessed so much.  Count your many blessings my friends, it will take you so far in life. <3 

Love you all! 

Photos:  The District, a view of Perth City from my area, a birthday selfie with Dolly, and my hello kitty band aid! 

Sister Hollee Talbot

District Selfie

Birthday girl Sister Talbot, Dolly Pritchard, and Sister Tuifua

Hello Kitty Bandaid

Perth

Summer!

​​​​​​​​​​​​Oh my goodness everybody!  Christmas is so close!! What are we going to do with that? haha :)

Christmas is coming, it's coming and.... The weather is getting hotter. What's with that?  I'm putting on layers of sunscreen, not layers of clothing. haha :)  It's been grand adjusting to the weather, but hey!  It's all part of the job description. :)

This week was rather busy!  We had interviews with President, #LighttheWorld started, and we had a few appointments.  One of the hardest things this week was that we had a lot of appointments fall through.  They were with really promising potential investigators too, but they just weren't home when it came time for our appointments.  We'll have to figure out how to make it more important for those that we meet so that they'll be there when we come back. :)  It's great though!  We're really settling into our companionship and the way that it works. :)

Guys!  I was able to go to a Face to Face devotional for YSA!  It was with Elder Ballard and Elder Oaks, and man, it was so powerful!  If you have had the chance to watch it, what was your favourite part?  If you haven't had the chance to watch it, it is an hour and a half of well spent time. :)  It was so fun to hear their answers to commonly thought of questions, and also to see them laughing and joking around. :)

Aussie answers: If someone says thank you, we often respond with "no worries," or "that's okay."  You're welcome isn't too common. haha :)

And for the scripture: I'm going to use the one from #LighttheWorld: Matthew 22:39 (Today's scripture) :)  How well do you know the people around you?  I know that it's fun to go somewhere cool, and do an awesome service, but you can impact your neighbour in small and simple ways and not have to travel very far to do it. :)  I know that growing up with really good neighbours has really blessed my life, along with my family's life.  Also, if you haven't started the advent calendar for Light the World yet, I suggest you start!  It's fairly simple, and doesn't take too much time.  "It gives good feelings instead of chocolate!" ~Sister Green

Love you all! have a great week!

Photos... Somehow I only took 6 photos this week.... My family sent me presents for the 12 days of Christmas, and so I'm opening one every other day to make it last until Christmas! :) Day 1 and 2. :)  And then a District Photo. :)

Sister Hollee Talbot

Ballajura District