Down Beat for the Week

Sept. 23 – Sept. 29, 2014

Man the weeks just keep coming and going! The mission is a great experience! I want to give a big Aussie shout-out, and thank everyone for all the support you have given me so far on this incredible journey!

Alright here is the down beat!

Monday (9/22/14):

Well, after Elder N and I finished up at the library with our weekly email to home, we headed over to the local 7-11. That’s right…  it was bring your own Slurpee cup day, and you know how much I love Slurpee’s :) Soooo, being a missionary on a budget, I was definitely resourceful with this special offer :) hahaha. I rummaged around in our kitchen and grabbed the biggest cup I could find! OK, so I grabbed the biggest pot in our flat… Hey, nobody ever said what the definition of a cup was. I figure I’ll just stick the pot in the freezer and chisel out a chunk of Slurpee every time I’m in need of a little refreshment. It’s like having our own personal Slurpee machine in our flat… 24-7!

Oh thank heaven for 7-11!

Like all other Mondays, we also did a little grocery shopping today. I will have to admit, shopping is really challenging sometimes, so Elder N and I take pictures to make it fun!... Thanks for always doing the shopping mom :)

Who knew shopping could be so much fun! 

Elder N and I look like we belong in a grocery store music video.

Tuesday (9/23/14):

I did my first official missionary service project today! We went to a widow’s house and tilled her garden so she could plant! She is the only widow in our ward, and in all honesty, she isn’t even supposed to be in our ward… But because of public transportation, it is easier for her to come to the city branch than travel to one of the outlying family wards! After the service project, Elder N and I went GQing… hahaha. We basically GQ every day, and I love it! There’s nothing like breaking pretty much EVERY unwritten social code there is! In fact, some people probably think we are invading their personal space. No worries, the gospel is worth it. Besides, I love the look I get when I walk up to a complete stranger and start talking to them! :) It’s priceless!

Wednesday (9/24/14):

Today was actually a pretty solid day! I mean of course we had some appointments drop, but that has happened EVERY SINGLE DAY since I have been here in Melbourne, but life still goes on and you make the best of it! :) However, we did teach some pretty keen 1st lessons today so I was pumped over that! I feel like I’m getting better at teaching gospel principles in a more simple way, but at times I still get looks of “huh?”! Sometimes it actually feels like I wasn’t just called to serve in the Australia Melbourne English speaking mission... But also, the Australia Melbourne BROKEN English speaking mission! Hahaha. I ask people all the time "how are you today?" and I get a priceless look of “what in the heck did you just say?”. Then I ask, "Today you how?" and I get a much better response! Oh the joy of communicating with international students :) 

Tonight also marked the very 1st Australian DOWN POUR I got caught in! HOLY COW! It was like standing under a raging waterfall! Of course I wasn’t armed with my umbrella (not that it would have mattered), so I just stepped into the sheet of water, like jumping into a swimming pool fully clothed, and took it like a man!!! :) Good experiences all around down here! NEVER a dull moment!

I look like a wet Wallaby!

Thursday: (9/25/14):

I still can’t get over the miracles that you witness here in the mission field that build your testimony; as well as the trials that test your faith in Jesus Christ. Don’t worry, my testimony is strong, and Mission life is great… just an observation!

I GQed a guy/philosopher from Scotland today. As I began introducing the gospel, he started talking to me about quantum physics and how it related to God… so I motioned over to Elder N to come and participate in this conversation because he really likes getting into the deep stuff. :) So there we are, sitting on a bench in front of the state library trying to teach this philosopher, and this total stranger comes over and sits down next to us and begins listening to our message. I had no idea who this guy was but apparently he recognized us and saw we were teaching a lesson; and because he is a recent convert to the church, decides to help us out by sharing his testimony to this philosopher…. CRAZY?… it gets better!  So as this total stranger convert dude is telling the Scottish philosopher how happy he has been since joining the church, a less active Mormon who apparently knows the recent convert dude, comes over and starts “un-testifying” what the recent convert dude is testifying! So… now picture in your mind 5 grown men sitting on a park bench… one guy bashing the church; one guy “un-bashing the church; a philosopher trying to understand the church; and two Elders trying to keep it all together! Definitely one of the funniest moments on my mission yet! But hey, how many missionaries can say they’ve taught a new Investigator, a recent convert, and a less active member all at the same time! It’s definitely something you don’t see every day :)

Victoria State Library where we do a lot of our GQing... notice the benches.

Friday: (9/26/14):

I studied the meaning of sacrifice during my personal study time today, and it will bless me forever! We all need to figure out what we can sacrifice to the Lord to show our Faith in Him. By doing so, we can become spiritually stronger and strengthen our relationship with our Heavenly Father. So I challenge everyone reading this to sacrifice something this week! Maybe it’s sacrificing an hour of your time to have family night on Monday; or instead of looking at your facebook or instagram for an hour, read the Book of Mormon for that hour! I Promise you as you do this, your faith in Jesus Christ will be strengthened.

All in all today was great. As long as you keep a positive attitude about your mission it will be a blast! Today I placed about 5 copies of the Book of Mormon in the hands of people that are searching for religion! I taught a guy named L who said his "Mormon bible" had been stolen and he wanted another one :) I also taught a lady named K. I GQed her, then Elder N and I brought her up to the Branch for a chapel tour! After the tour she commented how hungry she was. Something prompted me to buy her some sushi so I did… and we went our separate ways. I later found out she is homeless and hadn’t eaten in a long time! We must ALWAYS try to be in tune with the Spirit so we can act accordingly when prompted! 

Speaking of food and following the Spirit. D (he's the guy I GQ'ed and baptized a couple of weeks ago) took Elder N and I out to eat at this Malaysian restaurant called Mamak... I love D! He's the man! 

Elder N, Me, and D... Life is Good!

Elder N, Me, D, and Spicy Lamb Curry... Life is "Gooder!"

Saturday (9/27/14):

I have already been in Australia for 1 month! I have learned HEAPS while I have been out and it is really changing how I look at things! Man the mission is great… I can’t say it enough! We taught a couple by the name of R and S today! They are on working holiday visas from China! I am able to speak some Chinese with them, which is pretty rad! However, we’re still taking it slower than usual with them because of the language barrier; but I know the Spirit is speaking hard core to them, which is great!

Sunday (9/28/14):

What started out as an uneventful day, sure turned into quite the event. We had four teaching appointments drop, which made for the uneventful part of today. However, because of those four dropped appointments, Elder N and I decided to go HARD on new contacts… we got 34 contacts! That means we have 34 appointments for the next couple of weeks! I feel October’s going to be another GREAT month :)

Our Melbourne District. Elder N and I are on the far right... 

in case you forgot what I look like :)

I Love you all so much! I hope everyone is doing well!

Elder Steele