HOME!!!

 

Last Week, Last Email

 Hi Everyone!

    Let me start by saying it is absolutely crazy to think this is my last email, let alone my last week. A lot happened this week which was great. The other day I hit my two years mark. Time has absolutely flown by. It feels like the other month I was in the MTC just starting. I can't describe how grateful I am to have this opportunity to serve a mission. It truly has been the best two years.

   Alright let's get this email started! So to start with not so boring stuff, I'll talk about an experience I thought I avoided my whole mission. We were visiting Christina and she has a lot of dogs outside. And by now they know us and we're usually chill. So these ten dogs come up when we're at the door just playing. Of course I have my favorite I was playing with while waiting for Christina. Then out of no where I get this sharp pain in my ankle, I look and there is a decent size dog biting me. Let me say, this hurt. But what was cool was all the other dogs got that dog off me and chased it off. But again, my ankle was no bueno. Something funny was the family came out before the dog left and chucked glass pots and things at it and one guy chased the wrong dog around the camp just throwing things at it. But afterwards we had a great lesson with Christina and her family, so it was worth it. 

   Also this last week we went out bush for my last exchange. The exchange went really good. It's been raining a lot so we had to leave our car at Gem Tree and the Elders picked us up in their truck and we went out driving through puddles and streams. For the exchange I went to Mulgabore and Engawala with Elder Hull and Elder Smith. The exchange went well. We were able to teach a bunch and saw a lot of members which was good. I got to say my goodbyes. Then of course at night we slept in the tents. I slept way better than last time because it was cooler. Overall, it was the best last exchange. Couldn't ask for better.

   On Friday I had a five hour zoom call to prepare me coming home. That was a long five hours, but we got through. With the rest of the week we've been teaching like crazy. Our friend Zania who lives in one of the communities came to town and we had a lesson with her. She's moving to Adelaide and will be on the same flight as me. So that'll be fun. 

   The remainder of the week was normal. We've been able to see Natalie and Angelo and their family quite a bit. They are doing so good. Natalie keeps reminding me I'll be leaving them Tuesday. I'll be missing this family most. They are all just the best and I'm so excited for them to go to the temple in the future. Then I said goodbye to some other friends and members. Which was good but also it's been hitting me that I'm leaving for good so it's been a bitter-sweet week. But one big miracle was our friend Atlanta said she wants to be baptized. Natalie called into the lesson and talked about her baptism which was exactly what we needed. So Atlanta wants to get baptized in March with her family and seems pretty excited about it. 

   Sunday was a day of saying goodbyes. It's sad having to leave so many members and friends. But that's missionary work for you.

Spiritual Thought: By Elder David A. Bednar-"My beloved brethren, you and I, today and always, are to bless all peoples in all the nations of the earth. You and I, today and always, are to bear witness of Jesus Christ and declare the message of the Restoration. You and I, today and always, are to invite all to receive the ordinances of salvation."

This quote has really helped me as I've been preparing to go home. The mission is the best and I'm excited to continue the work back in Utah.

   Random stuff this week was last p-day we went to the sand dunes and played football. It was super fun. A lot of the bush saints are still here so we saw them and they just had a baby kangaroo in their house chilling with the dogs. For some reason cops were everywhere on Saturday looking for people. There was a police car on literally every street. Crazy. Finally we went to the talk of the town, Sammy's Pizza. I will say, I was not disappointed. It was actually pretty good.

   I know I say this every week, but seriously thank you everyone. This experience has truly been the greatest thing I've done. It wouldn't have been possible without all the love and support. I love this church and I know for certain is the the true church on earth today. God has restored it through Joseph Smith. How do I know this? The spirit the Book of Mormon brings is undeniable and has truly blessed my life. Love you all, see you in a few days.

Sand dune football

Last Service Project

Thanks Tim (He called me Aboriginal by the way. I did it.)

Kangaroo

This week

Out Bush

Last Mission Baptisms

 This was a great week to lead up to finishing a mission. The best day was by far Sunday and all that happened that day. But overall the entire week was great. So let's get into this second-to-last email.

   We'll start with a miracle. Sunday we were planning on having three baptisms because Tanisha went out bush. Well, she came back. We were able to teach her everything and get her prepared for Sunday which was the first big miracle of the week.

   The greatest day though is Sunday. So we wake up and get ready. Before we leave to make sure everyone is getting ready for their baptisms, we get a call from Maryanne saying their car is out of fuel and they don't have a way to get Jamika to her baptism. That is trial number one in the morning. Trial number two is when we were praying to leave the flat, someone threw a rock through our window at our flat. So we call the Elders, and they rush over and bring us duct tape so we tape a plastic lid to the window and call it good. After that though, everything was perfect. Tim came in clutch and helped Jamika and her family get to church. We go over to Angelo, Natalie, and Tanisha and they are up and ready to go. So we head to church and the whole of Muglabore shows up for the baptism. Like everyone! Then to add to that, all our friends, new members and returning members just came to church on their own. They just kept coming in. It was the most I've had at church before, it was crazy. Then we had the baptism service, everyone got changed and we watched the baptisms of our four friends. Gary Bird, Clifford Tilmouth, and President Schwalgar confirmed them. It was such a good experience.

   Sorry for the long paragraph but the baptism was awesome. Such a great end to a mission. These families are the best, can't wait to see them go to the temple and progress in the church.

   Other things that happened this week were we went on two exchanges with the two town companionships. The first one Elder Summers came to our area with me. It was a good exchange. We got to teach Kerry and his family which was a huge miracle because his wife and daughter aren't members. And we saw our other friends preparing them for their baptisms on Sunday. Then the second exchange I went with Elder Keller to his area. The exchange was good, we spent a lot of time getting things ready for the baptism. We had to break into the senior couple's flat to get the baptism clothes and spent way too much time making the programs. But we got it done. Oh, I also spent some fun time with a drunk guy so that was just the best. Overall the exchanges were great.

   Throughout the week we've been able to teach a lot of part members families and members to help them progress in the church. The work has been going absolutely amazing and it's been great to be part of it. Definitely going to miss it.

   Other things that happened this week:

We got to rock out with Kerry. The Todd River is flowing! (They say if you see it flow twice then you're never leaving Alice) We went to the Alice Springs Street Christmas carnival and found a bunch of people to teach there. And we had lots of "fun" little reactions with drunks.

 

Spiritual Thought:

"It does not matter what our personal struggles are—whether they are disease or prolonged loneliness or suffering the temptations and tests of the adversary—the Good Shepherd is there." By Elder Hugo Montoya

I love this quote because sometimes we can feel too far gone or out of God's reach. But if the Good Shepherd really does love his sheep, He'll do all He can to bring them back to his fold.

   Love you all. Thank you for everything and all the support this far. One more email to go and then I'm home.

Kerry and his family

Thanks Anna

Sharon Bill

Todd River Flowing

Baptism

More Baptism

Traveling the Whole of Australia

   Hey Everyone!

   Another week, another email. It was honestly a great week with a lot going on. So let's get to it.

  Tuesday was a super great day. We were able to go to a camp on the dried up creek and teach some people there which was cool. Then we taught some of our friends on date and our new member Jamelle. We taught a few more lessons and had dinner with an older couple in the branch. Then after had a lesson with Kerry and then the Faatauvaa family which was fantastic.

   Okay, now the long day, Wednesday. We had district council and visited some people. Then the other Elders came and got us to take us to the airport for our meeting in Adelaide. We go to check in and the lady says our flight got cancelled. But a little miracle was we met a member from Salt Lake here on vacation at the airport cafe. So that was a little miracle. But instead of flying our normal time, we flew 2 hours later than when we were supposed to, to Darwin. Had a layover, then after midnight flew to Melbourne. After that we flew to Adelaide at 8:30 in the morning. What was going to be 2 hours of travel, turned into a 18 hour all night event. But hey, it's for the memories. 

   Once we finally got to Adelaide we were tired and freezing. But we somehow got enough energy to last us all day. Today we had our MLC meeting. It'll be my last one which is pretty weird to think about. The meeting was actually good, and then after we had a Thanksgiving dinner. I said goodbye to all the missionaries and that's that.

  

  The next morning we woke up at 5am and caught our flight back to Alice Springs. So now we are back on the grind and have to make up for the work we missed. So Friday we went about teaching all of our on dates and new members and a few others. The day was just crazy going from one place to the other. We got back around 9:30 after a good day of work.

   Saturday and Sunday was similar teaching wise. We just went out and saw as many people as possible. A cool experience was Jamika passed her baptism interview. Hopefully the baptisms happen this next week. A funny story was when we showed up for the interview we noticed smoke come from Jamika's aunt house. We went over and their whole yard was on fire. So we ran over and helped them put it out. We asked what happened and they said they saw a snake and would rather burn their yard and their neighbors than to kill it with a shovel. Also that day, the Americans in the branch invited the missionaries over for a big Thanksgiving dinner. Two Thanksgivings in one week! Crazy, but the food was great. Then we went to visit our member who lives in this place of dudes just on parole. And what happened is we sang Christmas karaoke with all of them. Pretty good bonding experience. 

   Then on Sunday they had a branch activity later in the day. The activity was just eating pie basically. So in conclusion, I have put on weight this week. Then we just had lessons the remainder of the day.

   Two big miracles this week was the Faatauvaa family. Their family got back from holiday so now everyone is home so we had a lesson with about 11 of them which was so good. Their testimonies are so strong. The second big miracle was we had our member Sharon Bill call in a lesson and share her testimony and it was the best conversion story I have ever heard. The whole time after our friends just kept talking about her testimony and how badly they want to meet her.

Spiritual Thought:

   "Waiting upon the Lord can be a sacred place—a place of polishing and refining where we can come to know the Savior in a deeply personal way."-Amy A. Wright 

   Well I'll see you all in 16 days. I'm grateful for all I've met on the mission, both missionaries and friends. I'm grateful for the friends and family I have back home and for all your continue support. I'll talk to you all next week!

Flying

Pre-Flight

My guy Angelo getting Baptized

What happens when you see a snake