A Miraculous Baptism

Monday, November 10^th – Sunday, November 16th

Monday (11/10/14) 

We went fishing for P-day. Then in the night time we taught D from Indonesia. He is an arguer and only believes in the Bible. However, WE taught the restoration in a VERY VERY VERY bold manner. The Spirit was the strongest I have EVER felt in my entire life! During the hour lesson there was probably 20 minutes of silence just because we were all feeling the Spirit, and he was communicating to all of us! We told D if he were to pray with real intent, then he would KNOW this is the only true church here on this earth today! MAN THIS CHURCH IS TRUE!!!

Just a super great P-day fishing on the Yarra River!
I caught a fish mate... Oh wait... Just a dirt clump... haha!

Tuesday (11/11/14) 

We taught C a super good lesson about Temples, and the qualifications we must meet to be worthy to go in! He expressed to us he still wants to be baptized BUT his mom HATES the idea of it! So, it looks like we are going to have to wait until January when he turns 18! Then we taught a guy that is struggling to recognize the promptings of the Spirit...He decided to stop the lessons… Give him time, and I’m sure another set of missionaries will find him. L didn’t stop smoking after all. He called and told us he only did it for 11 hours. Oh well, 11 hours is definitely better than 11 minutes J ha ha. He is such a great guy, and keeps giving it his best. We just keep praying he will triumph over the smokes. Then we taught a guy named J and his friend J. The lesson went great and we will just have to wait and see what happens.

Me and L! He loves to play ping pong after the lessons! He is actually pretty good!

Wednesday (11/12/14) 

Today the whole day was Zone Conference! It was my very first one and I LOVED it! It was super great. Basically the APs gave some training; and then President and Sister Maxwell gave some training; and then some other missionaries gave some training…. I know, a lot of training! But something President Maxwell said stuck with me, "When trials come... Big or Small... Force a Smile! Look at it as a strengthening period from God." I have learned to ALWAYS keep a positive attitude about things! Everything happens for a reason!

Thursday (11/13/14) 

This was my 3 Month mark! WOW! 1/8th of my mission gone. It’s been GREAT! We taught C again today (he’s the one who has to wait until he turns 18 to be baptized). He is always way fun to teach because he is still trying to learn English! :) WE are always able to have great lessons with him! He is really progressing in his testimony of the gospel. Then we taught a lady named J. She is Aussie, and is a mortgage laywer... HOLY COW, probably the most awkward lesson ever. We would ask questions and she wouldn’t respond.. HUH? I am not quite sure how to explain it, but it was just one of those super awkward moments. We gave her a Book of Mormon, she didn’t say anything J, so I guess we will see what happens!

Today on my 3 month mark, I found a pair of sweet Oakley sunglasses on my morning run. It was a pretty grand day :)

Friday (11/14/14)

I am really getting sick of people canceling! It is like the story of my life here in the city! I think it is God’s way of letting us know He is in charge and knows exactly what He is doing! Even if we are not crazy about the direction the day is taking. We did teach a guy from Korea named M. That was a really good lesson! He had been in contact with some missionaries while living in Tasmania, and he is now in Melbourne for a couple months :) Hopefully he will choose to be  baptized!

Saturday (11/15/14) 

It was a GREAT DAY!!! We got another baptism! M, the Minister form Kenya, was baptized! After he was baptized he told me this is the true church! He said he wished he would have known about this church when he preached to over 1,500 people in Denmark!!! HOLY COW, Elder N and I literally just baptized a Preacher! How cool is that! Then tonight was TRANSFER NEWS..... Elder N and I will be staying in the City for another transfer! Man, I am sooo happy to be staying here in the city! I love the variety of people I get to meet and talk to everyday. It is a great place to be a missionary.

M's Baptism. What a wonderful day!

So after getting the call telling us we were not getting transferred, to our surprise, the phone rings again, and it was President Maxwell telling us… WE WILL BE TRAINING A GOLDEN (a golden is a new missionary straight from the MTC) IN THE CITY!!!! Man, now I am soooo stoked! We are going to be in a trio companionship and both Elder N and I will be training him! What an honor to have just finished my own training, and then be blessed with the opportunity to be a trainer :) I am really excited for this transfer!

Sunday (11/16/14) 

Sundays can be a really super stressful day for missionaries! I am always worrying if my investigators are going to make it to church; and then I am super bummed if they don’t come! Oh well, I’m definitely learning to live with the Sunday stress! And then there are those Sundays when you meet a crazy person at church, who proclaims he is going to come and see you again, so he can give you a Sony Walkman, so you can listen to the inspirational Christian radio channel while you’re GQing… What’s a Walkman?... What’s a cassette?.. hahah.  Yep, it was a good day with some good laughs with that MATE! :)