I am hesitant to write such a ridiculous statement as "I am blissful," because there is always the occasional day that I hope will end ASAP, and the real live Korihor (explain later), and the too-early morning, etc. But I have had SUCH a good week! My dos (that means two) companions and I have a great time together, and being in a trio means twice as many people to count on, and support me, and people to support, and people to impress ;) It also means that we have more freedom--for example, we can go to teach a single male if no other female is in the house. So, we can influence people that we wouldn't otherwise be able to affect.
As a result of the Wantirna South area being added to my jurisdiction, I have inherited a simply lovely investigator named Bernard. I met him even before our areas combined and I have always felt an affection for him that may or may not have been premonition. He is a sweet sweet oldish South African man, married with grown children, and loves to have us over to teach him. He promised that he would be baptised after going to church a couple of times if he is sure that it's the doctrine he likes and not just us. He likes listening to Sister Parkinson because she has a soothing voice, and to Sister Erickson because her voice is determined, and to me because mine is "been there, done that" or something. I wonder if this means I talk like I think I know everything? Bernard was sooooooooooooo prepared to meet us when he did. He just stopped smoking a month ago to improve his health after cardiac problems, and he was on a sort of life-discovery quest or something. His wife is warmer to us each time we come.
I am still in awe over how delicately Heavenly Father works in each of our lives. We knocked on Darren's door, and he was mildly interested, if at all. Then his friend Aran from Ireland approached and asked all these questions, not really interested but just wanting to talk somewhat provocatively (spelled that word on the third try) about religion, having come from Ireland in the midst of religious conflict. But as we answered Aran's questions, we could tell that Darren was affected. I hope we'll see him again. I use this as an example of God working in our lives because Darren wouldn't have heard this stuff if Aran hadn't been there, and though Aran didn't care, Darren who thought he didn't care got to hear it. Capito?
Yesterday we had a marvelous district training meeting. We have 2 senior sisters in our district now. My companionship gave a training on making lessons more spiritual, and a lot of it was praying and expecting that the Spirit will be there--that is our right, and too many people are surprised when the Spirit directs our teaching. I include myself. The point is that God answers prayers, and if you pray to have the Spirit, it WILL be there. He's just waiting for us to show faith and acknowledgment that good things come from Him. After talking about that our zone leader, Elder Catton (who is from Canberra, the capital of Australia, and whose favorite color is orange, and who is clever, three effective reasons for me to appreciate him) said to me "Sister Nilsen, I appreciated your testimony about how God answers prayers. Will you pray to find a family to be baptised within the next two weeks? Perhaps that is the will of God and He's just waiting for you to ask."
Yes.
Enter Chris. He was power-tooling in a yard and though he was hard at work I said hi and asked if we could come back to share something. He said yes, and we came back a couple times before we found him, and he was busy again but told us to come back. Finally we found him, yesterday after district meeting, and talked for a few minutes. The man has NINE children, from a couple different relationships, and is worried about the degrading of the family, and works hard, and is a good man, and most important of all didn't tell us to go away when he found out quite well who we are :) Will he be my family?!?!?!?!?!?!?! (that's a plea, not a wondering)
My favorite joke this week.
Me: Look at those cows, they're so skinny...
Sister Parkinson: That's because they live under those power lines.
Me: Yeah, they have FAT cancer.
ha ha ha.
Sister Parkinson and Sister Erickson remind me subtly of two of my bestest friends. Sister P of Shovena and Sister E of Rebooka. More on them some other time.
Oh the subject lines is about cumquats (it's Choose Your Own Spelling Day) because we went to Sister Vinen's for dinner and she pointed at a tree, saying she has c/kumquats. My reaction: what?!?!?! None of us knew those were real. We each picked one off the tree. You eat them, evidently, with the skins on. They are sooooooooooooo super sour!!!! Sour face!!!! Sister Parkinson the evening we ate those wrote accidentally in her journal "Today I am a cumquat."
Zaiah B, so good to hear from you...I can't really write back if you don't email me your address.
Dora, thanks so much for all your emails! I wrote you a letter a couple weeks ago, but I just now wrote down your address. It's comingggg!!!
Oh yeah. Korihor. Alma 30:13-17. Every single thing that Korihor says as a counter against the Gospel, I hear every day. No man can know of things to come. These are just traditions of your fathers. There can be no atonement for others. Every man prospers according to his own genius. Whatsoever thing a man does is no crime (God doesn't give us commandments). What!?!??!?!!
Well, the hour's up pretty much. The weather has been so nice. It rained for like 4 days, which was lovely because it's so hot, there are bush fires that put out the power in all of Melbourne last week, and Australia's been in a drought for years. By the way, talking to people is so so so so rewarding, especially when you see that spark...being a missionary is the coolest.
The end.
All my love.
Savanna
Ashley Lawson, if you read these, email me or something...I want to tell you where you're going on your mission. Just kidding, but I had a dream about it and it's super cool. You're learning TWO languages. Ha. BYe.
As a result of the Wantirna South area being added to my jurisdiction, I have inherited a simply lovely investigator named Bernard. I met him even before our areas combined and I have always felt an affection for him that may or may not have been premonition. He is a sweet sweet oldish South African man, married with grown children, and loves to have us over to teach him. He promised that he would be baptised after going to church a couple of times if he is sure that it's the doctrine he likes and not just us. He likes listening to Sister Parkinson because she has a soothing voice, and to Sister Erickson because her voice is determined, and to me because mine is "been there, done that" or something. I wonder if this means I talk like I think I know everything? Bernard was sooooooooooooo prepared to meet us when he did. He just stopped smoking a month ago to improve his health after cardiac problems, and he was on a sort of life-discovery quest or something. His wife is warmer to us each time we come.
I am still in awe over how delicately Heavenly Father works in each of our lives. We knocked on Darren's door, and he was mildly interested, if at all. Then his friend Aran from Ireland approached and asked all these questions, not really interested but just wanting to talk somewhat provocatively (spelled that word on the third try) about religion, having come from Ireland in the midst of religious conflict. But as we answered Aran's questions, we could tell that Darren was affected. I hope we'll see him again. I use this as an example of God working in our lives because Darren wouldn't have heard this stuff if Aran hadn't been there, and though Aran didn't care, Darren who thought he didn't care got to hear it. Capito?
Yesterday we had a marvelous district training meeting. We have 2 senior sisters in our district now. My companionship gave a training on making lessons more spiritual, and a lot of it was praying and expecting that the Spirit will be there--that is our right, and too many people are surprised when the Spirit directs our teaching. I include myself. The point is that God answers prayers, and if you pray to have the Spirit, it WILL be there. He's just waiting for us to show faith and acknowledgment that good things come from Him. After talking about that our zone leader, Elder Catton (who is from Canberra, the capital of Australia, and whose favorite color is orange, and who is clever, three effective reasons for me to appreciate him) said to me "Sister Nilsen, I appreciated your testimony about how God answers prayers. Will you pray to find a family to be baptised within the next two weeks? Perhaps that is the will of God and He's just waiting for you to ask."
Yes.
Enter Chris. He was power-tooling in a yard and though he was hard at work I said hi and asked if we could come back to share something. He said yes, and we came back a couple times before we found him, and he was busy again but told us to come back. Finally we found him, yesterday after district meeting, and talked for a few minutes. The man has NINE children, from a couple different relationships, and is worried about the degrading of the family, and works hard, and is a good man, and most important of all didn't tell us to go away when he found out quite well who we are :) Will he be my family?!?!?!?!?!?!?! (that's a plea, not a wondering)
My favorite joke this week.
Me: Look at those cows, they're so skinny...
Sister Parkinson: That's because they live under those power lines.
Me: Yeah, they have FAT cancer.
ha ha ha.
Sister Parkinson and Sister Erickson remind me subtly of two of my bestest friends. Sister P of Shovena and Sister E of Rebooka. More on them some other time.
Oh the subject lines is about cumquats (it's Choose Your Own Spelling Day) because we went to Sister Vinen's for dinner and she pointed at a tree, saying she has c/kumquats. My reaction: what?!?!?! None of us knew those were real. We each picked one off the tree. You eat them, evidently, with the skins on. They are sooooooooooooo super sour!!!! Sour face!!!! Sister Parkinson the evening we ate those wrote accidentally in her journal "Today I am a cumquat."
Zaiah B, so good to hear from you...I can't really write back if you don't email me your address.
Dora, thanks so much for all your emails! I wrote you a letter a couple weeks ago, but I just now wrote down your address. It's comingggg!!!
Oh yeah. Korihor. Alma 30:13-17. Every single thing that Korihor says as a counter against the Gospel, I hear every day. No man can know of things to come. These are just traditions of your fathers. There can be no atonement for others. Every man prospers according to his own genius. Whatsoever thing a man does is no crime (God doesn't give us commandments). What!?!??!?!!
Well, the hour's up pretty much. The weather has been so nice. It rained for like 4 days, which was lovely because it's so hot, there are bush fires that put out the power in all of Melbourne last week, and Australia's been in a drought for years. By the way, talking to people is so so so so rewarding, especially when you see that spark...being a missionary is the coolest.
The end.
All my love.
Savanna
Ashley Lawson, if you read these, email me or something...I want to tell you where you're going on your mission. Just kidding, but I had a dream about it and it's super cool. You're learning TWO languages. Ha. BYe.
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