Howdy all!
It’s been a week full of miracles down here in the down under. Like crazy. Our mission just changed it’s standard of excellence (for those who don’t know what that is, it’s kind of like the mission weekly goals) from getting 20 lessons a week to finding three new investigators a week. Finding investigators is always something I’ve really struggled with, and the whole mission has been as well. They made the change because they noticed those who did have more finding success had more lessons and ultimately baptisms. Well, easy enough principal to follow, so we got to work. And we found five new investigators this week. Wow. For the most part, they just kind of fell into our laps, the first one is a member referral. He’s got a bit of work to do still, he has a massive drinking problem, and his friend who reffered him to us is really….. eccentric, especially when we were teaching him. But that’s one.
The other four are a family we found while we were walking about. We said hi, stopped and chatted, invited them to learn more and they accepted. And then we taught them the restoration two days later, committed them to baptism if they find out it’s true, and they seem to be all on board. That’s never happened my whole mission! Of course, transfers are just around the corner, and I have no idea if I’m getting transferred or not. We had interviews with president last week, and when he found out how long I’ve been here, he said that it’s probably time for me to move, but he also thinks that elder Perkins is more than likely going to another companion, so he doesn’t know. He said he’d pray really hard about it, and I guess either way it goes, it should be good. I wouldn’t mind leaving or staying to be honest, I’ve been here forever, but the work is really speeding up here now. For instance, we have one member (same member I usually write you about, I guess I’ll fill you in on her since I write about her so much. Her name is Lema, she was baptized last october on halloween, and has loved it ever since. She came from an Assembly of God background, where her parents are the ministers. She’s married to the Elder’s Quorum president, also a convert RM, who is also amazing named Andrew, and they have two kids, Ben and Ezekiel) who has committed herself, her husband, and the two of us to each invite five non-members and five less active members to church in two weeks. Forty people. And if there’s anyone in the ward who will get it done it’s the two of them. We’ve been out doing rescue visits with them every Thursday as well, and that’s been an absolute blast. I’ll miss them if I get transferred as well, and it will be kind of sad to leave all this good work behind for another area, but I’ve also been here for nearly six months, and I think I may just be a little too recognizable to some of the members. Like I said, either way I’m happy.
Well, that’s quite a bit longer than usual eh? Must have been a good week. I guess I’ll get to some questions….
Have you had more lessons and referrals this week? Heaps more lessons. 12 this week.
How is Elder Lavulavu doing? Good, though he’s requested to president to leave the tongan program. I don’t think he likes it too much.
How is your 8 year old new member doing? All right. In and out of hospital with burns.
Does her mom bring her to church? No, she’s usually in the hospital sunday mornings.
Do they REALLY only have two kinds of cereal in Australia? Not quite, but very close. If I want to be honest, they only have one kind of cereal, cardboard.
Why did you have to travel a long way to see conference? We have to go to the stake center, and the ward I’m in is in a really awkward place. We meet at another stake center, but we’re not part of that stake. We’re basically a million miles away from anything convenient.
And you listened to it all in one shot? Well, it was over two days, like back at home, but the breaks are shorter inbeween, and we still basically just have to sit there until the next session.
Is that what the members do too? Most of them watch the saturday sessions at home, come to the priesthood and sunday sessions.
What is your favorite thing you ate this week? I’m not actually to sure what it was. It was some really good meat this fijian-indian family made for us, but I’m not even sure what animal it came from, much less what it actually is.
Did I think of too many questions for you to answer this week? Nope, it’s fine.
Well love you all. Have a great week!
-Elder Shelton