Master the Tempest is Raging

Let's start off with really good news! :) I'm officially an Auntie!  Her name is Maylee, and she was born on Friday!  Yay! 

Oh! and another thing.  I was swamped with photos last week of everyone celebrating my halfway mark with ice cream.  Thank you all so much!  I didn't have time to respond to all of them, but they made my day! 

Man, what a week.  :)  The sister training leaders thought that it would be a good idea with the sicknesses to go on splits with us.  I was with Sister Monson, and man, it was fun!  I felt kind of like I was the Sister Training Leader for a bit because I lead her around my area.  :)  We only caught like 2 wrong buses the two mornings that we did it.  :)  Good thing we had a bit of extra time. 

Oh! Another awesome thing!  We had Elder Haleck of the 70 come and visit our mission this week! :)  It was super cool to have him adding to our Zone conference, which was my favourite yet! (All of them are my favourite, so it just adds to my favourites!)  He talked a lot about the missionary examples that we have in The Book of Mormon, and how we can learn from the way they reacted to discouragement, and add it to the way that we react as well.  He also had us study the "Becoming a Disciple of Our Lord Jesus Christ" by Elder Hales, and then asked for our thoughts on it.  It was really cool to hear everyone's different experiences and ideas on the talk.  

Funny story! We were at a park waiting for a Blitz to start, and who is hanging out at the park but a very Aussie family.  The dad was using phrases that no Americans use, and I understood all of them! ha! I've been in Australia just a little while. haha :) 

Aussie Phrase: Let's hit the frog and toad: Let's hit the road. :)  Yes, this is one that the dad used while at the park. 

And for the thought this week, I'm using the title of my email.  "Master, the tempest is raging" which is Hymn no. 105.  

The winds and the waves shall obey thy will:
Peace, be still.
Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea
Or demons or men or whatever it be,
No waters can swallow the ship where lies
The Master of ocean and earth and skies.
They all shall sweetly obey thy will:
Peace, be still; peace, be still.
They all shall sweetly obey thy will:
Peace, peace, be still.

These past few weeks it's felt like I'm in a tempest.  This song came to mind while I was thinking about the situations I'm in, and it is such an awesome peace message.  "The winds and the waves shall obey thy will."  Our Master, our Saviour has that power.  Trust in Him, and He shall direct thy paths, and he will calm the storms that you are going through.  He might not calm them in the way that you want, he might just give you the peace that you need to get through it.  

Photos: An attempted Zone selfie, a scarf that I got as a gift a while ago and was finally able to wear, and a selfie with a beanie that I got as a gift that I accidentally took zoomed in. haha :) 

Have a great week!

Sister Hollee Talbot

Zone Selfie

Beanie selfie, except you can't see the beanie, only our beautiful Sister Talbot :)

Scarf Selfie!

Hump Day is Best to Celebrate With Water

Hey Guys!  Guess what? I've just hit 9 months on my mission!  It's so exciting to think that I been able to be serving this long.  I absolutely love it! 

My family calls that hump day, so that's what that is for me! haha 

And guess how I celebrated it?  With Allan's baptism!  

Oh it was so good to see him enter into that covenant with Heavenly Father.  He looked so excited before it happened, and couldn't stop smiling afterwards!  He told us later that he just felt so happy and serene, and that all he wanted to do that night was read the books that he had been given.  He finds all of them the most interesting books he's ever read.  :)  You could also tell how happy he was during the closing song at his baptism, because he was the loudest singer in the room. :)  He's normally pretty quiet during the hymns, but not anymore! 

As for the rest of the week, we spent some time tracting, but have had to stay in the flat due to some little sicknesses that have hit both Sis and I.  If you wouldn't mind praying for us, that would be appreciated. :)

Oh! One more thing!  In Perth we use the Swan River as a landmark of directions.  If you ask where something is, or where someone is serving, it's either north of the river, or south of the river.  I have seen this river a few times, but had never crossed it due to serving in North Areas.  I was able to cross it yesterday to go to a fireside!  It was so cool! I've been south of the River! haha 

Aussie action: The Australian Salute: Flies are very annoying here, they land on you! And you can't run away!  So you simply swat at them while doing what you're doing.  Walking down the street, contacting people, knocking on doors, etc.  No where is safe.  So during this devotional I went to last night, the Stake president was speaking, and just casually doing the Australian salute. :) 

And for the scripture of the week.... There are so many good ones I found this week.... how to narrow it down.... Let's use Alma 32:28:  Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

I feel like it takes a lot of courage to let that seed grow, even when we've had it grow for us before.  But take courage!  It will grow.  I've been looking into faith a lot recently, and I love that we have so many scriptures that describe it for us.  Let us pick something this week, a little faith seed, and plant it this week.  Keep watering it, nourishing it, and watch it grow!  President Fife has told me that watching ourselves grow is like watching grass grow.  If you stand there watching it, it doesn't look like it's growing.  If you take care of it, but focus on other things and come back to it, you'll fee the growth!  :) 

Photos: Allan with the Berrymans, Allan with us (In case you couldn't tell who the strange girls were. ;) ) random selfie (I love suprising Sis with "Hey, smile!") , and  Camels! :) 

Sister Hollee Talbot

Sisters Talbot and Tuifua, Allan, and Kyron and Terangi Berryman

Sister Tuifua, Allan, and Sister Talbot

Sister Talbot and Sister Tuifua Random Selfie

Camel "Hump Day" Package from home

Advance Australia Fair!

Happy Australia Day my friends! :) 

Let's see... What have I done this week? We went tracting, we had fun exchanges in the Sister Training Leader's area, and yeah, did the normal work. :) 

So for this week, the Zone had a goal to Teach Testify and Invite 2100 times in this week.  And because I think I'm funny, I came up with this line: "Team T is ready to TTI until our Tongues are Tied!"  If you enjoy that line as much as I did, good.  

Oh yeah!  We also had 3 baptisms in our district this week!  Two in our ward, and then one in the other ward.  So we combined them all into one service, which was awesome!  Both wards came out to support both, and it was fantastic!  I got to play the violin as well, which was so fun! 

Aussie word: Sus.  You can use it in so many different ways: Let's sus it out, meaning let's figure it out, or let's look and see. Or you can say Don't do that, you'll look sus.  Meaning you'll look suspicious.  haha :)  Odd words.  

Alma 26:3:  3 Behold, I answer for you; for our brethren, the Lamanites, were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how many of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God! And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work.

We sometimes start listing all of the physical blessings of serving a mission. But when we get right down to it, just being able to be a missionary, to be the tool in which Heavenly Father uses to convert people, is the greatest blessing you can receive.  I love the examples of the member missionaries here, and it makes me consider how I will be better when I get home.  No, you don't need to be like a proselytizing missionary to serve.  Find one way to share the gospel with someone this week.  You'll bless their life and Heavenly Father will bless you.  Pray for opportunities to share the gospel. 

 Love you all! 

Photos: 

Me and Sister Green

Some Sisters in our Zone

A look at what we had this transfer.. No wonder we're tired! :) 

Sister Talbot and Sister Green

Some zone sisters :)

Transfer calendar! No wonder they are tired!

Cyclone Joyce Came to Visit Us!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​So in case you didn't know, Cyclone Joyce came to visit Perth! :) It rained solid from 8:00 Monday morning to middle of the night. :) I soaked through 2 pairs of shoes, but hey! They really needed a good cleaning, and now they look all nice and clean! :)


It got really hot and humid after that, so I got another little taste of summer, which is still yet to come full force, I hear that February is the month that we will most enjoy summer. :) But one thing is certain, the spirit has to be fairly powerful to catch people while tracting, because it's certainly not going to be two sweaty missionaries on their doorstep. :) Good thing the Church is True and the spirit touches hearts. :)


I just loving doing service. :) Unfortunately we haven't been able to do too much of it in this area, but we now have two different houses that have asked us to help them with yard work, and it means that we can work hard in the yard! I forgot how nice it is, (Except it was really hot while we did it, gotta love sweat running down your back. :) haha) I really like working the yard and seeing the progress that happens that way.


Aussie convenience: We don't have clothes dryers. Now you might think that the absence would be something bad. But it's so hot out here, that we wash our clothes, put them up on the clothes rack, and in 1 hour, everything is totally dry. :)


Scripture of the week: Alma 7:11-13: 11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. 12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.  13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me. 

I don't know how many times I've read over this scripture, and never really given it much thought. He is taking upon Him our pains, our afflictions. It's not just "the world's sicknesses," It's Sister Talbot's sicknesses, it's yours, it's specific. He did it for me, so he'd know how to comfort me the most. He did it for you, so that he'd know how to heal you, how to comfort you, how to succor you. And that's where we get our comfort and remission of sins. Let's choose our actions in order to be able to fully use His power more strongly in our life. 

Love you all!


Photos:


a group photo from a while ago, random selfies, and our tags in the rain. :) 

Be a Little Boulder! (Bolder)

Haha :)  Guys, I can't remember if I've already used that title.... But it applies so much!  

Sorry about the short email last week, hope you enjoyed it anyways! :)  haha 

So to give more details about my short sentences. :) 

I am still alive, and really enjoying my mission.  To anyone who's thinking about it, I highly suggest it.  It isn't easy, but mate, it's so worth it. 

It is really hot, but it's only gotten to about 37 Celsius (only 98F!!), which is 8 degrees below what it promises during the summer.  :)  We really enjoy our aircon (air conditioning), and the kindness of strangers who give us water at their doors.  :)  

It's so true!  We have heaps of miracles happening!  Lots of people that tell us they're interested truly are, and are letting us come back.  Plus, it is such a cool blessing to have a prompting to go just a few street out of your way to talk to someone, have them be at home, and just watch their face light up with joy when they see you.  :)  It may be small moments like that, but it is so cool to be that reason for the excitement in their eyes. 

Our investigator is on Baptismal date now, and the elders serving in this ward have two, so this ward is having a great start to the year!  :)  ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

One thing that I've learned and am still learning on my mission is to be bolder.  If you're not bold, things won't move as quickly, and you may miss some opportunities that only happen because you're bold.  Be lovingly bold, but let yourself be bold. :)  I have seen a few chances go by to be bold, and have missed them, and now I'm working even harder to catch them again.  :)  A few months ago, Sister Fife held up a little rock, and said "Be a little boulder (bolder)"  I thought it was so funny and clever that I later found myself a rock, and wrote on it those words.  :)  Now I have a little boulder to remind me to be a little bolder.  

Aussie term: Lead (Leash, like for a dog) and 'brallas which is short for umbrella. We're experiencing a bit of a cyclone at the moment, so we're getting wet over here. haha :)  

Scripture for the week: Alma 5:38:  Behold, I say unto you, that the good shepherd doth call you; yea, and in his own name he doth call you, which is the name of Christ; and if ye will not hearken unto the voice of the good shepherd, to the name by which ye are called, behold, ye are not the sheep of the good shepherd.

Mate, shepherds are so cool.  They don't need to keep their sheep on leads, or have dogs to pull them in, they stay with their sheep, and their sheep stay with them.  He'll call us by the name that he has given all of us, and we will be blessed as we answer him.  :)  

Photos: A Funny sign that Transperth had for the holidays. :)  A random selfie this morning, and the temple! 

TransPerth Sign for the Holidays

Perth Temple

Random Selfie :)

Gotta Be Quick!

Hi guys!  

I've only got a few minutes because we're headed to the temple this lovely morning, so a few quick updates: 

I'm still alive! 

It's hot here in Australia.

Heaps of miracles are happening left and right.

And we now have an investigator on baptismal date! :) 

Also!  If you have the opportunity to go to the temple, I would say go!  We take for granted our closeness to the temple.  I'm only allowed to go once every six weeks, but some missionaries don't even get to do it that often. :)  Go, enjoy the blessings of the temple! 

Also, I didn't upload any photos either, so... No photos this week, sorry!  

Love you all!

Sister Hollee Talbot

(Photos added by Mom with permission :)

Sister Talbot in her happy place, the temple!

On 4:13 Team T Celebrates Like Warriors!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​So as Warriors for our Saviour, we would like to wish you all a Happy New Year!  

To explain the title of today... 13 Years ago on New Year's day, I was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  4 years ago on New Year's day, Sister Tuifua was also baptized a member.  As we celebrated our cool little connection, we decided that at 4:13 on New year's day, we would celebrate!  So we paused in our tracting, pulled out little confetti poppers, and celebrated!  We then picked up the confetti and resumed tracting. :)  

This week has been awesome! This week we tracted into a family of 7. As we've been working on our different approaches, sometimes we still go with the basic "have you met the missionaries before?" To this house, we did that approach, to which the daughter (who we thought was YSA) went in and got her mom. We asked the same question to the mom, and she said that she hadn't, and in the conversation that followed told us that she hadn't ever really been religious before, and that she didn't think that they would have time until 2019. After hearing that, we simply started with "Well, as missionaries we teach about Jesus Christ, and how learning about Him strengthens our family relationships..." While slightly transitioning to the Plan of Salvation, she opened up, and the kids came closer to listen to us. :) We gave the mom a pamphlet, and the kids immediately reached for it as well. Even though she said that they wouldn't really have time initially, they were still listening to us, saying that it was something that they wanted to learn more about, and told us to come back the following Wednesday. It was so cool to be able to share with a family like that. It has been a big dream of my mission to share the gospel with families, because the gospel has impacted my family positively since the beginning. I have already seen the changes in the Abbott family, and the joy that came into their lives, and I have been praying to help and love another family the same way. I've been praying every night that we can be able to keep this interest in them going, and am excited to see what happens when we follow up with her tomorrow. :) 

Aussie life problem:  When you're waiting for the bus, and look at a car, and think that it looks funny... Only to realize that the driver is on the Left side instead of the right!  It looked so weird!  haha 

And for the Scripture this week: D&C 4:2. For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul.

This is a scripture that as a mission we recite every day.  As we were reciting it one day, "blameless before God" stood out to me.  It made me think of  what I would like to do, and what I need to do to be found blameless before God.  Then it took my mindset to Negative Self Talk, and realized that I am not the one to be placing blame on myself.  That's not my job.  My job isn't to blame myself, or to talk negatively about myself.  To those who think that they have NST, know that there is happiness and freedom outside of it.  Know that continual prayers to our Heavenly Father can slowly start to unwind you from those cords.  You can still want to be perfect, but you can gain a better appreciation of the Atonement of Jesus Christ through it.  I have honestly struggled every day to beat NST out here on my mission.  I would like to think that I'm doing pretty good about winning that battle.  I still have my days, but I'm getting better.  :)  I love you all, and am so excited to see all that you're doing in the New Year! 

(For those who want a longer story on this, please talk to my momma, who can share a letter I wrote a while ago.  It goes into battle strategies on how to beat NST.) 

Love you all!  Have a great week! 

Photos: APM (Australia Perth Mission) A family photo, A Heart, and a Companion New Year's Eve photo! 

Sister Hollee Talbot

Christmas Skype Family Picture

Happy New Year!!!

Australia Perth Mission