
Howdy all!
Been a bit of another crazy week down here (seems like every week is a little crazy actually, perhaps crazy is the new normal?).
Things have been picking up a bit (not much, but a bit) down here. We’ve been tracting like crazy, and so far we’ve had no success. I’m hoping to tract into someone who will open their door sometime on my mission, but I guess people have their agency. We’ve made contact with a couple of former members in the area, and they seem like they’re interested, but we’ll see when we go see them this week. I think that one of the hardest parts, at least for one of them, will be that they live over an hour away from church, and if you’re not really committed to the gospel that’s not a trip you enjoy taking each week. They do sound interested though, when we called, they said they were sick, but they also made sure that we set another date very soon.
Also, the Relief Society president’s foster kids are coming along great! I think that two of them are ready to be baptized. Unfortunately the third doesn’t seem as interested in the gospel, and is a bit harder to teach because her interests are very different from the other two, and doesn’t respond as well to the format we put the lessons in. There is also another lady who we are teaching who says that she wants to be baptized, but she knows that she needs to make some changes in her life. I think that they’re will be a bit more work to do with her as well, she doesn’t come to church, and I’m not exactly sure where she stands on her testimony of Christ yet, but she does want to change and be baptized.
Another less active in the ward has also approached us and asked if we can start to teach her children. One of them is eight years old and has a desire to be baptized, but she doesn’t think that he knows enough about the church. She and her children do come to church occasionally, and her brother is the branch president, so we aren’t exactly starting from scratch, however, it seems like a lot of the other extended family aren’t exactly the best influences.
The branch here is getting really exited about missionary work though. One of the branch members came up with this idea to get people to learn about the resurrection, and get people to come and see the church building. He’s really exited about the idea, and the rest of the branch is really hopping on board. He’s a bit over-enthusiastic about it in some regards, which is not at all a bad thing, just that he didn’t really take the time to think everything through. He’s asked us to try to get “eight or so missionaries down here for a couple of days, maybe some sister missionaries too! I bet they’ll be able to entice people to come!”. Unfortunately, we really can’t pull any missionaries out of their area, and we have no where to put all of them (especially the sisters) so if we do get any additional missionaries, it will be when our district leader comes down for exchanges. It’s a good idea, and I’m exited for it, but we’ll have to work it out with fewer missionaries.
Time to answer some questions (Questions were from Mom):
So, how is the weather there? Is it really warm yet? Mostly warm and sunny, although we’ve had a couple of rainy, windy days as well
We just switched back from day light savings time to standard time today, do they have that in Australia?We have day-light savings, it just happened like a month and a half or so ago.
Did you have to get a licence? Are you getting used to driving there? (ok, that’s so weird!)
My American liscence works down here. I did have to be “Mission certified” but they’ll certify just about anyone! seriously, I almost crashed into the curb more times than I can count, and they just said, “Okay, drive on down to Merimbula now!”. Used to driving? not really. I mean, it’s not likely that I’ll turn into the wrong lane anymore, but it’s still a bit weird.
How are you and Elder Boswell getting along? What is he like? (Sounds like a lot like you)
Elder Boswell is great. He’s really quiet, and pretty much monotone (sounds like he has no expression at all until he laughs), but he’s good. I guess on the surface he may sound like me, but we’re very much different. He is a very clean, neat organized person, and I’m well, you know… me. He’s very diligent about doing the work though, and that’s good. He’ll be a great missionary, and honestly, he’s almost at the stage where he could train another missionary (its happened before, we have a missionary training out here who had been here less than five weeks.)
What are you doing for exercise now, are you back to running along the beach?
No, the beach has been closed to missionaries since Elder Serle was my companion. It’s warming up and the beaches down here are notorious for bikini-clad girls. We can’t go to the beach unless we have a baptism there. We do go running occasionally, but mostly it’s just been push ups, sit ups, and some of the exercises I did in football.
And what are you eating these days? I hope you are getting some nutrition.
Cardboard. Occasionally recycled cardboard. It’s a product they call “Wheat-Bix” down here but I know better. The box outside is a perfect substitute when you have none left. Seriously, Aussie cereal is weird. We actually eat really healthy. Elder Boswell had a full year living away at college, so he knows how to cook a bit. Lots of fruits and veggies though. And cardboard.
I love you all, and hope you’re having a great time. Sounds like life is busy, but good.
Love Elder Shelton