Seventy Star Struck

Hey yous! This week we had a lot of refreshing rain to cool off the ridiculous heat waves and also heaps of revelation with Zone Conference, Stake Conference, and ya know... meeting two general authorities from the Seventy to prep me up to meet ELDER NELSON IN 3 DAYS.

So what is all this revelation? Where to start? Seeing President and Sister Lew was the best. They are SO lovely. Sis Lew said I'm the pillar here in Canberra keeping it all together but honestly, I feel like I'm cracking haha Then President gave me a what if ultimatum about me leaving Canberra or staying another transfer but with my current companion. I said for the people and my teaching pool and for my companion, I would stay. Not sure if I'm regretting that comment or not...  But we find out this Saturday which means next Pday will be my Tuesday and then Monday for all of yous!

Zone Sisters

Then Stake Conference with Elder Oreadin (sp?) and Elder Pearson of the Seventy was INCREDIBLE. Totally pumped me up for missionary work and I'm already a missionary, so I'm hoping members feel the same. Elder Oreadin just happened to be here for the last Stake Conference as well and guess what... so was Sister Rushing! When he shook my hand he was like "We have meet before Sis. Rushing" and I was dumbfounded like "Yes, we haaaave..?" and then he told me I was a face not to forget! #SeventyStarStruck But great insights like "You can't see what you aren't looking for" when praying for opportunities, and then how we have to remember EVERYONE has accepted the gospel because heck, we are here on earth aren't we?! It really struck me how he said every one of us, has a spirit that knows EVERYTHING! It is just our mortal amnesia that doesn't allow us access to everything it knows, but through the Holy Ghost we can learn. Then his rule of 7's is the BEST. People need 7 experiences to generally accept the gospel, so stop looking for just the 6’s and 7’s when the missionaries ask you if you know anyone. TRUST ME YOU KNOW PEOPLE. I'm from a different part of the world, so when members say they don't know anyone I can easily reply "TELL ME ABOUT IT." Haha So that puts a spin on things. Who are the 4’s and 5’s you know? Even the 3’s? Who do you know that is NOT interested in the gospel? And remember it’s a message everyone has accepted before and a message everyone needs to hear.

Also they reorganized our Stake Presidency, obviously. Our bishop is now the Stake President (Belco ward represent!) and one of his counselors is also another current bishop. So heaps of changes right now, and lots of emotions. I couldn't help but think of Dad and the stress of having to be bishop let alone be bishop and a stake president for the week! haha So new bishop this Sunday. Also another shout out to my Dad, totally used something from the "Power of Everyday missionaries" book you had me read pre-mish. A member said how do I help my friends who think everything is going good and that they don't need the gospel? So I was able to respond to try to flip it around and tell them that the gospel needs them and get them involved helping you with a talk, an activity, etc.

Teaching pool updates! Trish is sick (dumb adversary) so we will probably push back her baptismal date a week or two. Alek is great. Still rock solid. Our lady that knows everything but likes to pray to that other Jesus finally came to church again and loved it. And our recent convert Stacey, her husband Jordan and baby Keanu are just doing fantastic! :)

And now a miracle of course! We were going to contact a referral a member found that had a Book of Mormon but missionaries never returned. But I felt prompted to grab another Book of Mormon before going there anyways. Met her mom actually, visiting from Nigeria, who recognized our church name from Nigeria, she is going home soon but wanted a book. Well conveniently I had one and showed her how to get in contact with missionaries back there. Her spirit was not only so strong you could feel it, but you could also see it in her eyes!

I love this gospel. I love being a missionary and becoming more like my Savior in the most minimal ways possible everyday. It hit me this week how much this mission is preparing me for my future, to continue to be a missionary the rest of my life, to continue strengthening my testimony and continuing to try to be more like him. To wrap up this week I want to share this quote with all of yous and my testimony that I know what I am doing is the work of the Lord and that this is HIS work and I get the blessing to be an instrument in his hands as his work is hastened. I am so blessed.

-Sister Rushing :)

"Every challenge you face, every hard thing you confront, every bad thing that happens to you, every unfairness, every conflict, every sadness, tragedy, every disappointment and heartache, every temptation and every opposition happens for one purpose only: to give you an opportunity to respond by applying in your life the teachings of Jesus. As you do so you are changed to become more like him." - Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge

We bought matching "Bon Jour" night gowns, dedicated to the Tahitian sister who speaks French

P.S.Then I got the most amazing v-day packages from Mom and Dad and Grandma CC on, get this, Valentines Day. How perfect? Thanks for still figuring out a way to get flowers to me dad and for being the most creative person in the world mom. And grandma, the acai berries came at the perfect time as I was just finishing off my other package from Christmas. Kate and Maddawg, thanks for being the best. Your reply will be on its way :)

P.S.S. I kind of want "Say my name" lyrics. Because I want to change them to "Saw my badge" haha

 This sister kept being mistaken for me, so what did she do? She died her hair so she isn't blond anymore. Am I really that bad? haha Just kidding but its a good joke between us :)

I'm watching my portions at these Samoan/Tongan feeds but had to take a pic. The Otei (the drink) is the bomb. Its like watermelon, any fruit you want, with water and heaps of sweetened condensed milk! haha Yum. But don't worry I had 3 servings of plates like this so I wasn't rude ;)