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

Blast From the Past

Hey!  How ya goin'? 

Man, this week has gone by fast.  I'm not quite sure where all the time went, but it was a sweet as week.   Busy as too.  :)  We had a lot of little appointments, and we traveled a lot on Public Transport as well.  It was really fun.  

Guess what??? I was companions with Sister Perkins this week!  We had exchanges, and we were companions for 24 hours!  haha :)  It was really fun to spend time with her, and to learn from her again.  We both have learned so much, but we are able to still learn from one another.  At least, I learned from her while we were together this week, I don't know if she learned from me. ;) haha She is such a good example of hard work and missionary work, I'm glad that the sisters in the Dianella zone get to have her as Sister Training Leader.  

#LighttheWorld has started everyone!!!!  Man, I am so excited for it, and to see all the miracles that will happen across the world as we all try to celebrate this Christmas season!  In Perth, we are doing heaps!  We have gotten the funding to show the video as an advertisement on a TV station, I think we're going to have a billboard, and we are going to have a flying billboard as well.  For the flying billboards, it runs for an hour at a time, and I think it will run three times.  How cool is that going to be?  If I see it, I'll take a photo, it all depends on where I am if I can see the Perth Coastline or not.  I challenge everyone to start going along with it when it starts.  It is such an amazing program to bring Christ back into Christmas.  

Aussie thing of the week: Soz.  S O Z..... I don't understand how, I don't understand why, but it somehow means sorry.  Like soz not soz, means sorry not sorry.... There are even advertisements on the sides of the busses that say soz.... it's so weird!  

And the scripture for the week is Moroni 10:3-5.

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

Guys, I absolutely love the Book of Mormon with all of my heart.  It is The Book.  If you don't think you have a testimony of it, or think that it is fading, I challenge you to read it.  Cover to cover, and then test out this promise.  I can promise you that Heavenly Father will answer your prayers.  Maybe not as you are anticipating, but He will answer you and give you that confirmation that you need to keep going.  :)  I finished the Book of Mormon this week in my reading, and man, what an amazing book.  I know that the Book of Mormon is true, and that reading it has blessed my life.  It gives me peace when I don't know where else to find it, it comforts me when everything else runs out.  And it guides me in my decisions when I turn to it.  Read it, learn it, love it. 

Have a great week everyone! 

Photos:  Exchanges! A Kookaburra, the district sisters, and a companion selfie.  

(If my momma wants to, I have more photos of the Perth City that she can add to the blog.) 

Sister Hollee Talbot

Sister Talbot and Sister Tuifua

Kookaburra

Practice, Practice, Practice!

​​​​​​​​I love this song.  It's from a movie! "Day after day, all the prince ever does, is practice, practice, practice."  ~Swan Princess

To all those that don't think that they are good enough, please refer to the above mentioned song. :)  

I have sung that song to myself a few times this week "I'm terrible at tracting." Practice, practice practice "I could use some work at contacting." Practice, practice, practice...  (side note, the full stop (period) does not work on this computer  Half of my sentences will be without it, because it takes a lot of effort to get it to work :)  

One thing that I thought was really cool this week was the Aligning the Keys meeting.  We already had it in North Coast stake, so I got to go to two of them!  It talks about how we can align the keys of missionary work and stake and ward work.  So it was filled with stake and ward leaders, along with all the missionaries.  It is a beautiful meeting.  I sat next to the Stake Young Women's President, and while we were dealing with technical difficulties, I was asking her how she met the missionaries.  Her story is very cool.  She was tracted into, and described her first encounter with the missionaries as her being very cynical, but telling the elders that they could come back.  She said that she wouldn't have gone back to follow up, but that these missionaries did, the elders sent the sisters to her. From there she took the lessons and is now where she is because of them.  Her story has echoed in my mind this week as we were greeted at the doors by very cynical people.  I pray to know and to follow prompting of when to go back, and when to leave it be.  She doesn't remember the names of those original elders, but wow, what a lasting impact they had with one another.  

This week we had Zone Conference, and I'm so excited for Christmas now!  #Lighttheworld is starting this week, and we talked Heaps about it!  (I will talk more about that next week when it actually is running.:) ) It doesn't matter how many of those we have gone to, it is still an incredible feeling at each and every one of them.  

Aussie Phrase:  Flat out like a Lizard Drinking.  It means that you have been super busy.  Sometimes we shorten it to just Flat out, but yeah  Flat out like a lizard drinking. :)  I'm sure a few of you can relate to that.  

Scripture this week is Ether 12:3 For he did cry from the morning, even until the going down of the sun, exhorting the people to believe in God unto repentance lest they should be destroyed, saying unto them that by faith all things are fulfilled—

Imagine how much faith and diligence it takes to "cry from the morning, even until the going down of the sun." We as disciples can have the faith necessary to do that.  If you don't feel like you can, start reading just a little bit more, and then apply those scriptures to yourself.  YOU CAN DO IT!!!!  I believe in you, your Heavenly Father believes in you, and the Saviour enables you.  :)  What can you do with your faith? 

Thinking about faith, look at the last line of that same verse.  You can do many mighty things, and work many miracles if you keep your faith strong.  I challenge all who read this to find some way that they can fill their works with faith this week.  

Love you all! 

Photos: Aussie road, my companion, a random bus station selfie, and a painting on the wall of my library.  (Ballajura library, shortened to Ballas. ) 

Sister Hollee Talbot

Sister Tuifua and Sister Talbot in a random bus station selfie

Sister Tuifua

Aussie Road

Painting on the wall of the Ballajura library

We're Following the Leader

Hey all!  How ya going? 

Well, this week has been a heart breaker.  On Monday and Tuesday we spent a lot of the time saying goodbye to those that I had gotten the closest to over the 6 months that I had been in my beloved Joondalup ward.  I sincerely love everyone that I served with, and am excited to see how they continue to grow, even without me.  

But, change is a good thing, so I'm here now!  I'm in Madley Ward, Alexander Heights area.  :)  So far, so good!  We've seen two really cool miracles right off the bat, which I'm really excited about.  The first one happened during Weekly Planning.  We were looking over the Potential Investigators forms, and felt really good about contacting a few phone numbers that were written.  No one answered, so we moved on and forgot about it.  But a little while later, as we were ending weekly planning, we got a return phone call!  It was awesome to talk with her for a minute, and then schedule with her.  She (Unfortunately for us) is going on Holiday for the next month, but we're planning to meet with her at the beginning of the new year!  

The other miracle that we saw this week is that we were able to find a family.  They were potentials from a Blitz that the sisters had a while back, but they weren't able to follow up with them afterwards.  While walking home one night, Sister Tuifua remembered them and we stopped by their house.  They let us in, and we had a nice chat with them, and invited them to English class!  They are from Afghanistan, and are really eager to come to that!  

Aussie Phrase: Flat out like a lizard drinking.  :)  I'll tell you what it means next week, stay tuned! haha 

Scripture this week is 1 Nephi 18:16-- Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions.  

I honestly was missing Currambine my first night here, and was really not too happy in my prayers to Heavenly Father.  I didn't realize how spoiled I had been in my first area, and was asking why that first night here.  When I make my planner for upcoming transfers, I write random scriptures on random pages, and see how they match the day when I get there.  It doesn't always work out, but Wednesday night it did.  I'm where He wants me to be, and I know that my efforts are best spent here.  :) I can't complain to Him just because he moved me.  At least I was able to be moved. 

Love you all! 

Photos: My new District, my new companion Sister Tuifua, and The Williams and Chan Boons from my last area. :) 

Sister Hollee Talbot

The Williams with Sister Talbot and Sister Orro

Sister Talbot, Sister Orro, and the Chan Boon family

Sister Tuifua and Sister Talbot

Sister Talbot and her new district 

Currambine, Joondalup Ward Photos