Hey hey hey,
So last Tuesday was our pday with transfers but I
still have some exciting news. We ended up having some post transfer shuffling
so now our Tongan sisters are in a trio! But we saw the Teisina family that
night, all members, mum is a recent convert, all recently sealed in the temple
but just going through a rough patch right now but I love them!
Wednesday we visited our special less active friend
Kathy, as always. She LOVES her new Italian sister, words can't even describe.
haha It is hilarious. We then dropped off a little birthday gift to Tasi, the
16 year old of a less active in our ward that is married to a super strong
Assembly of God man who won't let her or the kids go to church or be baptized
despite this 16 year old KNOWING that this church is true because she feels the
spirit the strongest whenever she is allowed to come. So we gave her a box of
"Favorites" it is the best selection of Cadbury (the chocolate
company here that blows America out of the water) for her "Sweet"
Sixteen with 16 of our "Favorite" quotes and scriptures... ya get
it?! eh?! We think we are cute... But it led us to having a good talk with her
Dad who believes there is "no true church" because the bible says
that.... yeah, I’d like to see that reference, what about that whole "one
lord, one faith, one baptism" or the fact Christ came to earth and
established his church... but of course, I didn't bible bash, that would drive
out the spirit (even though I know we'd win haha) but left him with the 17
points pass along card. It is a great story look it up online. A few guys read
the bible and said if there was one true church it had to comply with these 17
points they found in the scriptures and later on all ended up joining the
Mormon church! So we gave him the references with those points and references
and I'm excited to follow up there! Oh and we also got let into a less active
home for our rescue visit that night so that is always a miracle!
Thursday we had a multi zone "Meet the
Back's" conference (new mission President). He is so funny with a dry
sense of humor that cracked everyone up. He stressed a little bit of the good
ole "work hard, play hard" philosophy and I really like him. His wife
is very motherly and sweet and they are both very, well Utah. haha But I like
them a lot. We also planned our exchanges and our training, we are going to
take sisters back into our own area again and train on whatever they
individually want to focus on but do a joint training on missionary conduct,
the authority of their call and all that hoorah (see our sticker we made to put
on the back of their badges- its pretty damn cute! Ok... I actually haven't
American sworn in like a transfer and a half now, cut me some slack. I'm all Aussie
now).
Our stickers we made for exchanges for the back of their badges
Friday we finally caught up with Vera, our
70-year-old Croatian woman we literally ran after for church that wanted the
sacrament water to be vodka? Well she confessed to having a compulsive stealing
problem, she even showed us all her stolen wardrobe, glasses, everything. So
still haven't managed to teach the Restoration quite yet, but we got to
repentance and the ten commandments out of the way haha Well I don't know what
else can top that for Friday besides the fact Sister Pagnin and I decided to
set up our little siblings, I found you an Italian man Cass. And he is just
about to leave to serve in the Salt Lake South mission, see the pic ;) And then
I ripped a skirt because the Tongan sisters wanted to see me do the splits...
yeah
The Setup: So cassidy, do you want to write this Italian man or not?
Saturday a returned sister missionary went out for
us for 5 hours and we didn't have too much luck but we met with Tiador, who we
are probably dropping. She is the one from Iraq all into exorcism stuff too and
she hardly lets us talk. So gonna be more bold with her next time and see if
she really is interested to learn. But we saw Eva from Nigeria and he is great.
Only gave us 15 minutes but we had the best lesson on faith and HE asked US
really genuine questions which is always a great sign. That night we caught up
with our favorite now returning long term less active about patriarchal
blessing and committed her to pray if now is the right time to prepare for
hers.
Next minute! It's fast and testimony meeting and
someone talks about patriarchal blessings #answeredprayers Our special Sister
Kathy and her adopted "sissy" came to church and somehow managed to
ask Bishop in front of the whole relief society if we could come over and she
could cook me and her beautiful Italian sister her world famous spaghetti
Bolognese... but CRAZY good multi stake
fireside that night for the whole greater Sydney area (I still can't believe
I'm like right outside the city since being so far away for so long). They had
3 professional rugby players and their wives speak. William Hopoate (aka the
face of our mormon.org cards),
The Setu's (they were in Jordan and Stacey's ward back in Canberra and were our
primary fellowship so it was so good to see them, they are now expecting their
first child as well) and the Perrits/Parrots/I don't know them or rugby. But it
was PACKED. All the way to the stage and people all outside. But really
edifying. But to save seats all the full time missionaries had to sit on the
stands... awkward. But my best friend from the Seventy Elder O'Reardin was
presiding so that was cool to cross paths again.
Then yesterday we had MLC so hence no email on
Monday. But it was really good. So funny though, the Zone Leaders from
Liverpool were over an hour late because they planned to take the train instead
of their car to talk to more people, had it all planned but 2 of the lines were
down, so they literally ran and were panting and confessed they got lost in the
North mission at one point even and then President Back is all like "Well,
How was it? I'm glad you came back" and then proceeded to say how we all
should be parking our cars more. So later after MLC we did that! Also, our
companionship and another STL companionship might just be the reason that
elders and sisters are no longer allowed to drive in the same car... so don't
blame us but President agrees it will help with the casualness as well as us
all getting out of cars more and talking to more people. He also gave us a
great training about Faith. "We do what we believe" and "if
missionaries believe they can do it, they can do it" and oh we can do it!
That was my personal goal this week as well to increase my faith and I'm really
excited. So MLC was great, even if we had the lowest actuals to account for
haha humbling experiences are always good to keep us going right?
We also had the opportunity this week to really
just build up and help a struggling sister/companionship. While stressful, I
have loved helping these great sisters. Even if it is not out talking to more
people, teaching lessons, I learned today in my personal study that I am still
in the service of my Heavenly Father (Mosiah 2:17) I am grateful to be his
instrument no matter how he needs me and I love giving my will over to His
greater plan and seeing miracles. I'm grateful for the faith I have and the
opportunity we each have to continue to seek for more everyday. It is the first
principle of the gospel for a reason so y'all do something this week to
increase your faith- sound good?
I love you all. I love this work. I love my Savior.
I love the happiness the gospel brings. I LOVE being a missionary. I still
can't say that enough. It is the best. Stay good and have a great week. Prayers
and love your way from down undo!
Love, Sister Rushing
(Sister Pagnin's very first Krispy Kreme EVER)
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