Narooma
Week #1
Hey yous!
What a
wonderful and trying week! Just kidding. I can't be negative about this area
even if I tried. We have been either super busy or not busy at all though. I
can't decide what description fits best - One thing is for sure, we are getting
door knocking DOWN to a T. haha :)
But after
emails last week, it took us ages to find a place to get groceries. Yes, it is
that small of a town. Everything is like an hour away -Like our recent convert
who lives in the middle of nowhere and we accidently went off roading in our
corolla to try and visit... haha But back to Tuesday... we met President and
Sister Watt! He just got called as branch president as the senior couple
literally just left that was filling that position. But they are super young,
fun and Scottish. They gave us a background on the area and missionary
experiences. Not too good because people were easily distracted to be serving
in paradise... So they are super to have sisters now that are ready to get to
work. It is really cool how we can literally leave a legacy here in the next
6-12 weeks.
So more
about the area; It is all WHITE. So I have to overcome my fear of talking to
white people... haha The ocean is multiple shades of blue. I wish I had
pictures to do it justice. And the stars at night are ridiculous. Everything is
so close here, the sky, the clouds, the stars, it is like you are in a big
globe and it just surrounds you. What a beautiful world Heavenly Father has
given us to live in.
It is a quiet area though until the holiday season picks
up and so it is mostly old, retired, and not willing to change. So we started
to pin down the areas with more humble circumstances (Alma 32 status) and
started seeing a little more luck. We were able to place some Books of Mormon,
lots of pamphlets and were blessed to find 3 new investigators this week.
Janet is
a born-again Pentecostal, open to checking out our church and lives on Kennedy Crescent
(so obviously I had to tract that street, although I honestly don't think my
name is Kennedy anymore.. you people all have to start reminding me haha). Then
Phillip is an old man from Maltese, Catholic and open to listening as well. We
have already met him twice! And then Jason is aboriginal, and the uncle of a 12-year-old
recent convert that hasn't been coming to church. He is on his own journey to
find truth and is willing to hear us out.
We also
had some miracles with less actives. Especially Brother Clinch, who when he
opened the door said that He told the boys awhile back to take his name off the
list, but the spirit directed us to use the whole "The Branch needs
you!" approach vs. you need the branch like the Power of Everyday
Missionaries book said (Thank you again Dad for that strong recommendation to
read that before the mission, ya’ll should all read it too!) And as we only
have two priesthood holders I really saw him as who He could become. It was
really cool viewing someone the way our Heavenly Father does. I have done this
quite often as a missionary but for some reason not like I did that day. It was
really eye opening.
Also met
an older less active lady Maxine, she writes poetry... that rhymes :) And then
Sis. Baghurst, from England who likes her old ward and would still be active if
she lived there.... but she is open to reading the Book of Mormon and to having
the lessons! And then we finally got in touch with a golden Recent Convert Jack
who recently decided to "take a break" and no one knows why but we
got a return appt with him on Saturday and he seems super open and said he will
tell us all about why then. Super excited to talk to him and help him resolve
whatever concern he might have!
Then
SUNDAY. Oh my goodness! BIGGEST MIRACLE EVER. So the Canberra Stake is out here
this week for a girls camp k? So I saw everyone from Belconnen pretty much....
and ALEK. The Sudanese girl I taught and then her baptism fell through the day
of?! We saw each other and just cried. She is now 16, so just two more years till
she can be baptized :) Also, I felt very special with all the YW wanting
pictures with me. So thanks Belconnen YW for letting me feel the love!
(YW from Canberra Belconnen Ward)
(Alek and Sister Rushing)
Super
random but I feel like sharing the fact that I saved a monarch butterfly from a
spider’s web. Yes, this is the same person that intentionally stepped on all
the bugs in her path while walking at the start of her mission. Everyone can
change haha And then what else? Lets
see, I am just loving this area and loving my companion. We both laugh... too
much. And after thinking I might just be able to hold a note (after being
forced to sing in duets, and small group numbers) I am jamming out in the car
and Sister Heoft goes "You sounds awful! Can you just let him sing?"
haha
But I
love the Lord and the miracles he is putting in our paths. We met so many
people that said it was a miracle we actually caught them at home at that time.
And I know without a doubt that was not just a coincidence. We also have a
suburb that is an hour away so we get to listen to alot of talks, my personal
favorite "His Grace is Sufficient" BY Brad Wilcox is always a go to
one. His grace isn't about filling the gap, its about filling us. Life is all
about change to become more like our Savior. We need to focus not as much on if
we have been saved by grace (which we 110% have) but how grace has changed us.
I love how as I invite others to become more like the Savior, I as well am
changed to be more like Him.
I love
this gospel. I love this work. I love being a missionary.
Sister
Rushing xx
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