Lift Up Your Head

Hi there! This week has been really good! It's always an adventure to be in this area, and thankfully, we haven't caught it on fire yet. But it is so golden! :)

We had a lesson at Bishop's house this week, which was soooo cool! He popped in to listen to what we were discussing in MCM on Sunday, when we got to talking about the family that Sis and I are teaching. He asked us if we had had a lesson with a member present yet, and we told him no. "Okay, then. We'll have one at my house at 6:00 on Tuesday. Dinner and a lesson, I'll invite the family."!!! :) He then had another meeting to go to, so he popped out of the meeting. It is so cool to be working with him, he has so much energy for everything! :) The lesson and dinner went so well! It was cool to see the way that the spirit touched them, both the members and those being taught. It was great to have, and was so exciting! They are really excited about it all. Hopefully we will be able to keep that energy up. At the end of the lesson, Bishop said, "Same time, same place, next week!" So we're looking forward to that as well.

We also had exchanges this week, I went up to Sister Merrill's area, and her companion went with Sister Hughes to our area. There were so many miracles in both area, I just don't know what to talk about. I can suffice it to say, we were blessed even though these areas are like 1 1/2 hours drive apart. :) <3 I loved being able to go there, to work with Sister Merrill. Her testimony is so strong, and I loved the way that the members related to what we shared. It's great! Sister Hughes had so many stories about leading the area, and bringing so many awesome miracles into our area too. There were even a few follow up appointments that she got too! as well!

Aussie phrase: Bug out. It means to get out of somewhere fast.. For FHE we went to family's home, and they were talking about the emergency preparedness, and all they were doing was just in case they needed to "bug out" fast. haha

And the scripture is: 2 Nephi 4:28--Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul. 

I found this one this week, and had a little "ah ha!" moment. I'm not terribly sinful, but I realized that I had somehow let myself droop a little, and I wasn't as happy as I could be. That is still the enemy of my soul, even if I still have happy moments. Thankfully, we were at a point where a simple choice to be happy is what changes that. Then the next day, I found a scripture with a similar theme, and then again the following day! :) If there's something I need to learn, it's that I'm supposed to be happy. <3 :) Find something that is preventing your happiness, and find a way to change your attitude about it to be a little more happy. That way you're not allowing the enemy of your soul to control you! Go! Fight! Win! :)

Love you all!

Sister Hollee Talbot

Sister Hughes and Sister Talbot at the Perth Temple

Perth Australia Temple

Chunky or Trunky?

Well,  this week was awesome! We are getting settled into the flat and into the new area.  It is great! We also had Zone Conference, which was super cool too. 

Let's start with Zone Conference! So this time we talked a lot about our key indicators and what they are.  It was impressive that even after this long, the definitions really still do stand out.  I guess some of us had been looking at the indicators a little different, and so we got more instruction on it.  It should be really good. We also talked about the Doctrine of Christ, and some of us were even asked to come up and share a talk about it.  The new couple missionaries over flats and fleet cars came and gave an interesting presentation as well. They had me, sister Hughes, and a few others come up and draw on pictures of some celebrities. It was fun/funny. But then, she asked an elder to come up and do the same, only on a picture of Christ. We all gasped and he quickly retreated when he could see the picture. She related it to how we treat our flats.  If we are treating them with respect, and allowing the spirit to be able to dwell there, then we are doing our job right.  Food for thought.  

Also, there has been a word creeping in conversations around me.  The word is Trunky. Simply it means thinking a little too much about home and not enough about the work.  I don't think I'm doing it.  So whenever someone asks if I'm Trunky,  my companion responds "yeah, she is chunky." I think I'd rather be chunky than Trunky. Haha 

Oh!  Another cool story.  We were working in one of our areas, and we were just sitting down for studies when we got a phone call from a YSA. "Hi!  I'm Jade, I'm a YSA in your ward and I'd like to meet you!" We then had her come visit us at the park, and she joined us for the whole day of work! She went tracting, following up, and visiting with us.  It was awesome! 

And! The bishop of the neighboring ward had heard about a convention happening in his area and wanted our help with it.  It was on Sunday, and started right at the time that his ward meets. So he had us taking care if a family history booth and a Just Serve booth inside this convention.  It was so fun! We talked to people about family history and service from about 8-12:30! It was so cool to see their interest in it, and to invite them to try it out.  It was an awesome unique opportunity to share the gospel.  

Aussie word: push bike.  Bike.  It's so funny when we are biking and people are talking about our push bikes. We don't push them anywhere, we pedal! 

Spiritual thought for this week: Coming from President Nelson in the women's session of conference.  He challenged all of us 8+ to read the entire Book of Mormon before the new year, marking all the references to our savior. How cool is that? I started that this week, and I've loved it.  I've already done it once, but I'm doing it again.  There is such power in that book.  Keep reading it, and I can promise that you will feel the power that comes from it too.  It is true.  

Love,

Sister Hollee Talbot

Harvey Dam

Harvey Dam

Emu

Try, Try, Try

P.s. my momma is going to send this off.... So if it comes on a day other than my pday, that is why.  Because my momma loves me and will help me out.  

Hey all! This week has been good! Hard, but good.  The start was filled with farewells to Busselton, the end was figuring out our new area.  The hardest goodbye was probably to the young women, who we had gotten very close to over the time we had joined them for activities... Hopefully we will still be able to keep in contact.  They are amazing girls.  

The new area is very different, but that is okay, because it makes it an adventure! We didn't have much information to go off of (technology was holding the information and wasn't cooperating with us) but the people we did know were willing to help.  I'm grateful they did.  Currently we are called the homeless sisters because we don't have a flat.  We are borrowing an elders' flat close to our area. They were kind enough to move in with the other elders. So... I'm homeless, but just house sitting for the time being.... work in progress, at least we have a place... Haha  it's all just a part of the changes.... especially when we're new. 

So funny story. We were at the Sisters General session on Saturday, and we were the only sister missionaries there. (Only three wards, we are the only companionship in here.)  As we were talking to a sweet sister, she told us she was in Leschenault ward, and that she wanted sisters. "Yeah, that's us!" No, I wish it was.... They were taken away.  We don't have any. "Well, we're here!" No, they aren't coming here. "They're back!" Oh! You mean you're our sisters?! Haha she was so excited, and I think all the ward is.  

Aussie word: squash and netball. Both are sports.  Squash is like racquetball, and netball is like basketball, but without the backboard, and less dribbling, more passing, I think. Funny names though. Haha 

And the thought I have is from President Eyring. He's awesome. I loved his most recent General Conference address, where it was focused on trying.  We don't need to meet some unrealistic expectations.  All we have to do is try, try, try.  If you're tired, just keep trying. If you're afraid you're not enough, just keep trying.  That is all that is asked of us, and that's what Heavenly Father wants from us.  At times when you feel so not ready for whatever challenge may come, just try.  I invite you guys to listen to conference, or follow the spirit to know which ones to read. Take the message to heart, and then.... Try. Try. Try. 

Love you all! 

Sister Hollee Talbot

 Pictures: Emu, The Harvey Dam, A jenga tower... and a funny sign that we saw the other day.  (The pictures disappeared, so we only have the jenga tower...and we will wait for the rest next week!)

Busselton, Busselton Branch Photos