The weather is so weird today. So windy. We've seen tree branches everywhere on the road. The power went out in Moorabbin and this factory outlet I've been planning to go to there for months, and finally got permission to go there, was closed and a bunch of unhappy women were sitting in the chairs just inside the entry. :)
Today we and the Dandenong sisters, Sister Wakeley my old companion and Sister Melendez from the Phillipines went to have lunch with Richard and Jackie and say "see ya sometime" to them. It was so sad. I was doing fine but then Jackie had to go and he asked me for a hug and I couldn't give him one and then I realised that saying goodbye to everyone and this mission and this land is going to be really difficult. I hope to see them again in China or in America someday soon-ish. They make the best food, by the way. Wow.
We found this wonderful family--I think I may have written about them last week. The Steele family. The father, George, requested a Lamb of God DVD for his children and we had a great conversation with them. They have this amazing, beautiful 9-year-old daughter Stephanie. She's just enchanting. We brought over a children's Book of Mormon stories and she read aloud to us the first chapter, the story of Joseph Smith and how we got the Book of Mormon. I asked her to tell the story to us in her own words and she gave this beautiful, detailed recitation of the whole thing. Her father was astonished. I then asked her how she felt while she was telling me the story and she said simply "I feel that it is true." How powerful is that, for a father who's just being introduced to these ideas to see his daughter do that.
There's this less-active family here who once were very strong members but some tragic things happened to them and they didn't do very well in coping with it all and they feel unwanted and jaded... they have three children who haven't been baptised yet. We were assigned by the ward leadership to visit her and just help her find strength, so we gave her a project, to read 10 chapters of the Book of Mormon we selected for her and then write a one-page summary on the Atonement. I wish I could express how I feel toward her, but I can't. I just want for her to find the healing she's looking for. Our next project for her is going to be to make a scrapbook page of her testimony, because she's a super-scrapbooker and we think that would be the most personalised way for her to review who she is and what means the most to her.
John Romero came to church on Sunday with his son Adrian, so things are looking up for them again. We went and saw Steve on Tuesday and gave him a Book of Mormon (Steve is the alcoholic man who lives in a shed in a guy's backyard) and he is so cool. He's like "Maaaaaaate, you can't go! You have to stay in Australia." I'm glad at least someone wants me to stay.
Yesterday we were walking around in Pakenham and ran into this lady. She's between 18 and 27. Vague, I know. Rachel. She was wearing a purple beanie and purple pants. It was a pretty cool day. She'd heard about our church and our book from her church. It was evident that she was very nervous to be talking to us because her voice was just shaking, but she was doing well at still being confident. It was also evident that she thought we were very mistaken and very misled, because she asked to pray for us. Just before she did, I shared with her my personal experience of seeing one of the original copies of the Book of Mormon and how I knew so deeply that it was true, and there is only goodness in its pages. (this was strategic) She prayed right there with us, and it was actually quite sweet. She felt responsibility for us as we did for her. The whole conversation I had a prayer in my heart that she would feel our love for her and that she wouldn't feel the need to be so nervous. After her prayer she said, I asked if I could give her a hug, and I did and Sister Fangupo did. Rachel took a Book of Mormon and walked away. Sister Fangupo told me she'd had the same idea, to give her a hug, so I know it was inspired. I just wanted her to feel loved, and not intimidated, and that she didn't have to be scared. It is a strange story to relate, but it was a powerful experience for me. I can't believe still that I can have feelings of love for people whom I don't even know, or even for people who are rude to me, or for people that mock us. It's hard sometimes but sometimes it works.
Another small victory yesterday: we ran into this proclaimed atheist, and I perceived throughout our conversation, which was mostly him acting as if we are fools for believing something we can't see, that he really wanted to believe in God but just couldn't find it within himself to believe. He did finally listen to one of my explanations: you are a physical person, and you are a spiritual person. You need physical evidence to learn physical things. You learn by sight, touch, hearing, by reading, by someone else who knows. You learn spiritual information only in spiritual ways. It was another conversation that would have been very difficult without the gift of charity which I know didn't come from me, but which was actually rewarding and easy when accompanied by concern for his welfare and peace.
It's time to go.
thanks for reading.
I look forward to seeing you!!!!!
Love
Sister Savanna
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