Hey yous!
OK I don't even know where to start. I guess in order right? So despite almost pushing back Wen's date, then her telling everyone it was on, and then everything going wrong (the adversary is so real people!) Wen was baptized this last Saturday and Confirmed the next day at church. From her family showing no support up until the last minute, the brother baptizing her and the dress being late, the dress being too see through, our investigator Ivana not having a lift with car seats, then almost not coming, etc. etc.) nothing could stand in the way of this amazing ordinance being performed. Seeing Wen enter the font smiling and waving and then waving and smiling even more when she came out of the water was the greatest thing I have ever experienced. Afterwards we had a big cry fest with her and our translator where Wen told us she is happy because of us, was baptized because of our perserverance and said during the talks after she was baptized, she felt the spirit so strongly telling her what she did was right, and it was. She followed the Savior with determination to follow Him and has entered on to the straight and narrow path that leads us back home to our Heavenly Father, who I know was smiling down on her that day.
Ivana and her kids also were able to attend the baptism (that was a whole other issue with the adversary) as well as President and Sister Back. We didn't even know about transfers until we checked our phone post baptism where I saw my name and the word transferred. I go over to President, pointing to Wen and Ivana and saying Presdient, you aren't really going to make me leave are you?! In a joking manner of course. But you could tell he felt bad "Sister Rushing the Lord has another adventure in store for you" he then preceeded to thank me for my service as a Sister Training Leader and tell me I will be finishing my mission on special assignment in the most beautiful part of the mission, opening a small branch to the work. So here I am now in Narooma, on the one computer in the small branch chapel above the icecream shop across the street from the beach in this beautiful small country beach town 4 and a half hours down the coast with 9 active members and no investigators. Challenge accepted! :)
It was harder than I ever imagined to leave Fairfield though but I know this adventure is exactly what I need and where I am needed. I can't wait to give it my all here and be used as an instrument in the Lord's hands to play whatever role he needs me too. President also said ideally he wants all leadership released their last two transfers and training but since all the intake is visa waiting I am serving with Sis. Heoft (pronounched Heft) from Tonga. It is also her last trasnfer so my final companion will be a mystery! But we are excited to be here and finish RUNNING.
But thank you Mum for calling Mission President... I now have "that Mother" haha just kidding, thank you for your love and concern but everyone just know that I am safe and sound and overheard a little bit about all the terriorist threats here in Australia and even though we were not planning on going back there EVER AGAIN after counseling with President there is now a new rule to no longer contact any Muslims for safety purposes. It was for sure a miracle nothing bad happened that day. Someone was for sure looking out for us. And now I am quite a way out from the middle east of Australia.
(clip from article of terrorist activity in Kennedy's area that prompted her to be "that Mother":
"One man has been arrested and 15 others detained after a massive counter-terrorism operation in Sydney and Brisbane.
Hundreds of state and federal officers conducted dawn raids this morning in Sydney's northwest, west and southwestern suburbs.
Similar raids were also carried out in the Brisbane suburbs of Logan, Mt Gravatt and Underwood.
AFP Acting Commissioner Andrew Colvin said a total of 25 warrants were executed during the Sydney raids.
He said the man had been charged with "serious terrorism related offences" and would appear in court today.
"Police believe this group had the intention and had started to carry out planning to commit violent acts here in Australia," he said.
"Those violent acts particularly related to random acts against members of the public." )
Now I'm in an area as white and Aussie as ever (which is all new to me...) but you know me, always up for a challenge and can't wait to get to work!
In my final testimony at church I shared something from my studies that I would like to share with you now. After alot of driving and missing a lot of turns I have come to notice how the GPS always re-routes me. It is just like Heavenly Father, as soon as we mess up, all is not lost.Just like our GPS, he doesn't say "Sorry, you missed a turn" and then turn off. Rather, He immediately reroutes us to our final destination, back to Him. But the more wrong turns we take, the harder and more difficult the journey is. Similar to Alma discussing the Liohonna, "they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel a direct course and were afflicted.. becasue of their trangressions " but when we follow the commandements and heed the promptings of the spirit, or that still small voice of the GPS that is so easy to miss, we are then guided back home in the quickest (and happiest) route home. "For behold it was easy to give heed to the word of Chrirst, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss.. if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise... do not let us be slothful becuase of the easiness of the way." I love that insight so much because it doesn't matter where we are, or how lost we might feel, because Heavenly Father truely has devised the means to save each of His children.
I can't wait to tackle this new challenge here in Narooma. This is something completley differnt then I have EVER done before but once again, I am shotgunned (the only thing I have ever been.. meaning both my companion and I are new to the area) and have to build up a whole teaching pool (just like I did with my trainer who now I can say I have served in the same 4 areas that she also served in, how cool is that?!). So I think everything so far in my mission has prepared me for this and I can't wait to see what the Lord has instore and find those wandering off the easiest, most direct path home which I know without a doubt is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And I know without a doubt that that was been restored in its fullness today. How blessed am I to know that. I'm happy and healthy and hope you all have the best week ever!
Love you! Sister Rushing :)
P.S. We just wait on eachother to email here. But we will see if there is a library somewhere? It really is a small town. I really like it :) But it will make emailing and chatting a little more difficult.
P.S.S. I don't get to borrow Sister Pagnin's camera cord anymore so no pictures this week (clap your hands, you just avoided a million goodbye pics) but luckily Sis. Pagnin was online to send me one from the baptism and then the frame with pictures from her baptism with some quotes we gave her the day of her confirmation :)
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