Sister in Sydney: Chocolate Town

Hey yous! Hope you have had a busy, exciting and spiritually super week as I have had.

Monday: Our p-day was a total companionship date day, walking around chocolate town, getting macaroons, and yes... I meant to say china town, not chocolate town. But there was def chocolate involved haha and then that night we watched the Testaments with Shelly (the less active that has "seen the light" and struggles with some health issues). She shared a really cool experience with us as well that after she stopped going to church she randomly felt prompted to pray one last time, to see if the Mormon church was true and if it was, for God to show her something. And then 2 days later is when we showed up for the first time. I love being an instrument in the Lord's hands.

Tuesday: We did a walking day to talk to people. Unfortunately no one was home and no one in our path spoke English... This is how diverse this area is! But that night we visited a member and I shared a thought on my studies that day about Lot's wife. LOVING the Old Testament, despite all the jokes I previously made about how slow of a read it would be... But it was so cool. Also, please read Elder Holland's speech "Remember Lot's Wife" it is SO GOOD.

Wednesday: Our car had to get serviced which allowed for another good walking day and this time we found someone that spoke English. It was even cooler because we were just talking about my trip to Rwanda and then we run into Omari, from the Congo (which is right over the lake where my parents and I stayed) and he has a copy of the Book of Mormon, wants to learn more and be able to take the gospel back to his family when he goes there in 2 weeks for 3 months. So we got to get teaching him fast! He has been sick though but we hope to catch up with him sometime this week :) Oh and remember how I said no one was mean in Fairfield? FALSE DOCTRINE! But it was funny. Seriously. This lady walked by us and said "Such pretty girls... in such ugly skirts...." I was really confused at the comment until she kept saying other negative things as she walked past... haha I hope y'all think that was as funny as I did. And for the record, I don't think either of our skirts was really all that ugly.

Thursday: Exchanges in Parramatta. If I thought there were heaps of people out and about in Fairfield you should see this place! We walked all day and I wanted to be like an hour late walking to all their appointments because there were so many keen people to talk too! It was a really successful day with Sis. Vakalahi, she is great. 28, from Tonga and a convert to the church!

Favorite lesson had to be with their investigator Vijay though from India, that has lost all his worldly possessions and is obsessed with Heavenly Father not answering his prayers to just give him a mansion, he doesn't need his old 9 house ya know... just one big mansion haha But it was a great lesson and I just found out he came to church on Sunday! Yay! Also, they are the most North of the mission so at one point we had a view of the distant city and Harbor Bridge.

Friday: Nothing exciting to report, had to grab supplies from office, deliver stuff to sisters, met with President Palmer who I really admire a lot. But our new mission president and his wife have received their visas and will be here on Saturday! Crazy, but very exciting at the same time. But got back in time to see Amanda, she is the mum with 4 kids that has a lot of anxiety and was that miracle lesson last week of "is this really what I'm searching for?" and she mentioned really wanting to make it to church on Sunday and got a return appointment for the next day.

Saturday: Best exchange and day in this area yet! I was with Sis. Krzymowski, Polish but from Utah. She is so great and we were on fire.

We were busy all day. Started following up with a potential we found (the blind man we stalked week 1 here) and taught his wife Jeany. She hates Americans but loves us and hasn't really put the two and two together yet that we are Americans. She is great! Seeing her again tomorrow. Then referral from the elders to see Marcel (who turns out to be another big rugby player?) but he has a friend that is dating an LDS girl and has been to the Tongan ward a few times, likes our church, said it is very similar to his Catholic church as we teach about the word of God but said it is different because we have another book. So we got to testify of the Book of Mormon and then his response was "Well, looks like I better read it then!" Then we went to the other sister's baptism of John Best who is the funniest old man ever who use to be an atheist actually. And Sister Dass, a member from our ward brought her friend Helen who was there for the first time. We sat by Helen, talked to her throughout the whole thing and she loved it. We will start teaching her soon :) She is from Fiji, but Indian. Then that night we went to see Amanda. Who is so golden yet at the same time, kinda walking on egg shells. She has so many concerns and questions and is so open so we don't want to overwhelm her. She had a question about repentance and judgment, which led into the Atonement and then we went to introduce the Book of Mormon. And the spirit ended up having us teach her the whole restoration. It was so great and she is so willing to read and pray and even despite her anxiety, come to church this upcoming Sunday after her car is fixed! Great end of exchange too, it made my whole mission when she told me that at her intake meeting (when we actually both thought I'd be her trainer) she viewed me as the missionary she wants to become. Example is the most powerful teacher and that is what I am striving so hard to be, for other missionaries, my siblings, my investigators and everyone else in my path. I want to hold up that light, which is not my own, but the light of Christ. It reminds me of my favorite quote that Gma CC sent me in one of her first letters to me "Live so those who know you but don't know Him, will want to know Him because they know you."

Sunday: Was full of meetings and food that I could not avoid to save the life of me haha. But one meeting was with all the missionaries in this stake and the stake presidency talking about the work in our area and relations with missionaries and members. And at the end I loved the thought he shared about thinking how much blood was shed and pain was felt by the Savior just for me, and then to think about everyone else in the world and how much the Savior suffered for them too and how so many of them don't know that yet, or don't know the fullness of its implications, and how much it can bless their life.

This message is centered on Jesus Christ. This is his church and he is the Savior for each and every one of us. I love this work and I love bringing others closer to him each and everyday and remember, you don't need a name badge to do that! I can't wait to use this experience as a springboard for the rest of my life to continue to help and bless other's lives as the come unto him.