Sister Erickson and I have been teaching a lot lately. It's so fun. I'm having the time of my life.
Greetings from "Victoria's largest and most vibrant municipality."
I've decided lately to come to a renewed sense of commitment and in return I think I've received a gift of eagerness. Along with a lot of gifts of many people to teach. I'll explain a few.
But first, two funny stories.
At dinner, a family asked me if we have any pets, and I began to tell the many sad tales of tragic animal deaths in the family. They were nearly on the floor laughing about, for example, how Alise decided to give Crystal's Christmas hamster a bath in a cup of Sprite on the day she got it. It didn't survive.
Next, (allow me a moment or two of immaturity) we had an appointment with a lady who has missed her last few appointments. We could hear someone home and impatiently waited for them to come to the door. I said playfully "let us in by the hair of your chinny-chin-chin" and Sister Erickson replied "I don't want to be the big bad wolf!" That must have led me to huff and puff and get ready to blow their house down. At the moment I'd taken in this huge breath, the guy answered the door and I was left to awkwardly exhale while Sister Erickson, surprised, tried to make conversation. It was near the end of a very long, strange day when none of our appointments actuated in a lesson, so we needed a good laugh.
Brett is a guy we met outside near a less-active member's house. We went and told him about the Book of Mormon and he was so excited to read it. He said he would read it in a week. We shouldn't have expressed our doubts, but we told him it might take him a little longer than that--two weeks. He has read some of it and he wants to attend church. It's just so fun when we find people who are willing to just try it out and see for themselves. I really think that anyone who reads the entire Book of Mormon, having an honest heart, will be certain of its truth by the time they reach the promise at the end.
The Romero family, the friends of the Gallardos, came to church again, but this time without their children. We taught them last week and invited them to prepare for baptism. They said they'd discuss it as a family. They must have liked the idea, because they're still into learning. They're coming to the stake swimming competition in Frankston on Saturday, which means we get to go and cheer for (or, in Aussie, barrack for) our ward team!
We went to visit a teenage girl with less-active parents, Nakita, on Monday. She had two friends over--one named Sesame, pronounced seSAHme, Jamaican/South African, and one named Pritika, Indian. After a little while of just chatting, they started asking questions about how our church is different from, say, the seventh-day adventists. We taught them the first lesson about the Restoration of the gospel right there. The girls were so enthusiastic and curious about learning, and both of them took a copy of the Book of Mormon that Nakita gave them. This encounter led me to recognize that so many more friends of members than we realize are curious and willing to learn.
On Sunday, at the request of the sister teaching Relief Society, we did a presentation on Preach My Gospel. One of the young single adult girls, Charlene, was listening intently, which confused me because I thought she wouldn't have cared too much. After, she told us the person she's currently staying with (she's in between homes) is interested in the Church. His name's Harley. We went to teach him last night. He has so little knowledge about Christianity, but he's in the process of changing his life. His ex-girlfriend (I think) just had their baby daughter a few days ago and he wants to be better and be able to be there for her.
The other day we visited a potential investigator, an old Croatian Catholic, who was drinking wine out of a huge liquid measuring cup. He offered us some and said "you won't go to heaven if you don't have any of this wine." So funny.
During study on Sunday morning, I was thinking about that echidna I saw last week. It was confidently crossing the road, but when I approached, it changed directions and hid its head in a pile of leaves, curled up pretending to be dead. If another echidna approached it, it probably wouldn't have done that. I learned from this local Australian species that the other local Australians--the humans--have a similar tendency. They curl up and defend themselves from invasion when the missionaries walk up. For some special people, we can do what we do on our own, but for most Aussies, they don't like confrontation. I desperately wanted the members here to realize that they are our most powerful source for finding people to teach. They are already in the hearts of their friends. I made a mental list of things I wish members knew about missionary work (including myself in this category; I'll be a civilian soon enough), which led to an unfolding of ideas. We're making a member missionary packet called "becoming a Preach My Gospel member." President Lindley keeps talking about all the things that need to happen if we're to see the work really progress here: we need Preach My Gospel missionaries; we need Preach My Gospel church leaders; we need Preach My Gospel members. So we're going to help the ward members here become Preach My Gospel members. I wrote a personalised letter to them, and we collected some relevant articles, and made a "what do I do now?" list. It sounds simple, but I think it will be powerful to anyone willing to apply what apostles have said and what missionaries have learned by experience.
And in the spirit of a side note, I love our German bishop and his family.
That's all for now! Love you! Thanks for reading!
Savanna
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
i am so happy.
This week has been so beautiful, one of the best of my mission. Oh and thank you for the package. I got it today. Sister Erickson is turning mental wheels trying to find a way to get to the Olympics in Beijing. We'll see how that goes.
Remember Ebony, the 7-year-old little friend of Kaila? We finally got to meeting Natalie, her mother. Natalie asked us what we teach and we got to introduce her to the message of the Restoration. She was a little suspicious at first but we showed her how it's what was taught from the beginning of time, but that it's been fragmented and lost, but restored now, and now Ebony tells us that her mom likes it and wants to come to church. Ebony said the sweet sweet sweestest prayer, thanking God that her mom could learn about Jesus Christ and asking that she could learn more and come to church and have fun and see that church is a fun place to learn.
Also, Brother Gallardo in our ward brought a new family to church--this was the second Sunday in a row. The father of this family, John, grew up with Brother Gallardo (Luis). They're both Chilean. John had the discussions about six years ago kind of as a favor to Luis but wasn't interested really. This time John called Luis and asked him if he could come and they've been talking a lot. Luis told John he's going to have to turn the matter over to us. Sister Erickson and I taught the Sunday School lesson on Sunday (the lesson was the Fall of Adam--kind of an intense topic if it gets out of hand, but it didn't, and we centered it on how through Christ's Atonement we can be redeemed from the effects of the Fall). When we asked if anyone has any questions, John said, "I don't have any questions. I just want to know more." I told him he's in luck because he was talking to the Church's professional teachers of nonmembers :) John has a wife, Maria, and four children. It's just perfect. This is the way it's supposed to happen. We're SO excited to teach them tomorrow evening. We think about them all the time.
Early this week we also taught Betty. She's 74. When she opened the door to our knock, she looked at Sister Erickson and announced that they already knew each other. (They didn't.) I've been learning (as we all are throughout our lives) how to recognize direction from the Spirit. One of the ways it works with me is I see myself doing something. I hadn't done it for a while, but I recited "I saw a pillar of light..." and I felt it, and I'm pretty sure she did. That was the first time we met her. This week we came in and taught her the plan of salvation. We got only as far as the pre-earth life and that we all lived with God before we came here and she said whenever she talks about these things she feels an energy going through her. It was such an awesome lesson. And true to the commitments we made to President Lindley at zone conference (I'll explain in a minute), we used the word "baptism" and rather than saying she didn't want to, or she already has, or another common thing that disappoints us, she said she's not ready. That's fine, we can help her get ready. Betty is so wonderful; she's 74 years old but doesn't share the common assumption many of her age have that she's too old to change, too old to learn. She recognizes that her life isn't over yet and has recently decided to take back the control of her life that she has often allowed others to have. I love that, we'll help her regain freedom.
Oh. We had another couple of super hot, super humid days. I'm in the mode of rediscovering the joys of summer.
One of the elders gave us a CD that has only one song on it that we think is acceptable for missionaries to listen to. It's called "Healing Waters." We put it in on Saturday and I put it on repeat because we didn't want to listen to the others. I wondered, just for fun, whether we could stand listening to it all day long. We did, and we listened to the same song through Sunday and Monday until district meeting Tuesday morning. It helped me get really excited about baptisms.
We saw an echidna while driving the other day. We pulled over and took photos of it. They're so cute and poky. Ha... but it curls up as soon as you approach it. I can't see that being much of a defense, except that it looks really spiny.
Zone conference happened on Wednesday last week, which is why I was on the email a day early. We made the following commitments to President Lindley and to Elder Catton, one of the assistants to the president.
1. Use in our teaching the DVDs that President Sybrowsky gave us. It has four talks from the October 2007 conference--Elder Ballard's "Facts, faith, family, fruits" about members' responsibility to define ourselves and to prevent misunderstandings; Elder Nelson's "Scriptural witnesses" about the purpose of the Book of Mormon"; Elder Holland's MASTERPIECE about the Godhead "The only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent"; President Hinckley's last General Conference address "The stone cut out of the mountain" http://lds.org/conference/sessions/display/0,5239,23-1-775,00.html
2. Assign investigators 15 chapters from the Book of Mormon to read in one week in a power reading challenge, after which they need to pray to know that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ
3. Read the Book of Mormon daily
4. Use at least the word "baptism" in every lesson [We've been doing this, and it actually makes the work a lot more fun, engaging, and effective]
5. If we're not good at anything else, become really good at inviting people to be baptised. Practice by role plays and study about the blessings of baptism during companion study
6. Plan lessons for every dinner appointment we have with members, and come with an objective, something to accomplish
Also at zone conference President Lindley played "If I were a rich man" from Fiddler on the Roof just for this one line about if he were rich, Tevyeh could sit in the synagogue and read scriptures for seven hours a day. He gave us this quote from Elder Holland about becoming God's investigator. It's really helped my study.
I have officially memorized both The Living Christ and The Family: A Proclamation to the World. I got a sticker for it from my companion. :)
Today for p-day we went to the temple. Sister Lindley organized for all of us to go to her Chinese investigator's milk bar (convenience store) and show the DVD with President Hinckley. Sister Zhang, from mainland China, shared her testimony and conversion story. The investigator, George, told her he knows it's true. He has a baptism goal date for next Friday. After that we all went to the mission home and made lunch and played games. I'm really impressed by several of the elders. I wonder how I can have children like them someday......... agh!!!!!!!!!!
Speaking of someday, I need to find a job and a future. Any ideas?
Thanks for your readership, O little audience!
:)
Love you heaps ;)
Sister Savanna
Remember Ebony, the 7-year-old little friend of Kaila? We finally got to meeting Natalie, her mother. Natalie asked us what we teach and we got to introduce her to the message of the Restoration. She was a little suspicious at first but we showed her how it's what was taught from the beginning of time, but that it's been fragmented and lost, but restored now, and now Ebony tells us that her mom likes it and wants to come to church. Ebony said the sweet sweet sweestest prayer, thanking God that her mom could learn about Jesus Christ and asking that she could learn more and come to church and have fun and see that church is a fun place to learn.
Also, Brother Gallardo in our ward brought a new family to church--this was the second Sunday in a row. The father of this family, John, grew up with Brother Gallardo (Luis). They're both Chilean. John had the discussions about six years ago kind of as a favor to Luis but wasn't interested really. This time John called Luis and asked him if he could come and they've been talking a lot. Luis told John he's going to have to turn the matter over to us. Sister Erickson and I taught the Sunday School lesson on Sunday (the lesson was the Fall of Adam--kind of an intense topic if it gets out of hand, but it didn't, and we centered it on how through Christ's Atonement we can be redeemed from the effects of the Fall). When we asked if anyone has any questions, John said, "I don't have any questions. I just want to know more." I told him he's in luck because he was talking to the Church's professional teachers of nonmembers :) John has a wife, Maria, and four children. It's just perfect. This is the way it's supposed to happen. We're SO excited to teach them tomorrow evening. We think about them all the time.
Early this week we also taught Betty. She's 74. When she opened the door to our knock, she looked at Sister Erickson and announced that they already knew each other. (They didn't.) I've been learning (as we all are throughout our lives) how to recognize direction from the Spirit. One of the ways it works with me is I see myself doing something. I hadn't done it for a while, but I recited "I saw a pillar of light..." and I felt it, and I'm pretty sure she did. That was the first time we met her. This week we came in and taught her the plan of salvation. We got only as far as the pre-earth life and that we all lived with God before we came here and she said whenever she talks about these things she feels an energy going through her. It was such an awesome lesson. And true to the commitments we made to President Lindley at zone conference (I'll explain in a minute), we used the word "baptism" and rather than saying she didn't want to, or she already has, or another common thing that disappoints us, she said she's not ready. That's fine, we can help her get ready. Betty is so wonderful; she's 74 years old but doesn't share the common assumption many of her age have that she's too old to change, too old to learn. She recognizes that her life isn't over yet and has recently decided to take back the control of her life that she has often allowed others to have. I love that, we'll help her regain freedom.
Oh. We had another couple of super hot, super humid days. I'm in the mode of rediscovering the joys of summer.
One of the elders gave us a CD that has only one song on it that we think is acceptable for missionaries to listen to. It's called "Healing Waters." We put it in on Saturday and I put it on repeat because we didn't want to listen to the others. I wondered, just for fun, whether we could stand listening to it all day long. We did, and we listened to the same song through Sunday and Monday until district meeting Tuesday morning. It helped me get really excited about baptisms.
We saw an echidna while driving the other day. We pulled over and took photos of it. They're so cute and poky. Ha... but it curls up as soon as you approach it. I can't see that being much of a defense, except that it looks really spiny.
Zone conference happened on Wednesday last week, which is why I was on the email a day early. We made the following commitments to President Lindley and to Elder Catton, one of the assistants to the president.
1. Use in our teaching the DVDs that President Sybrowsky gave us. It has four talks from the October 2007 conference--Elder Ballard's "Facts, faith, family, fruits" about members' responsibility to define ourselves and to prevent misunderstandings; Elder Nelson's "Scriptural witnesses" about the purpose of the Book of Mormon"; Elder Holland's MASTERPIECE about the Godhead "The only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent"; President Hinckley's last General Conference address "The stone cut out of the mountain" http://lds.org/conference/
2. Assign investigators 15 chapters from the Book of Mormon to read in one week in a power reading challenge, after which they need to pray to know that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ
3. Read the Book of Mormon daily
4. Use at least the word "baptism" in every lesson [We've been doing this, and it actually makes the work a lot more fun, engaging, and effective]
5. If we're not good at anything else, become really good at inviting people to be baptised. Practice by role plays and study about the blessings of baptism during companion study
6. Plan lessons for every dinner appointment we have with members, and come with an objective, something to accomplish
Also at zone conference President Lindley played "If I were a rich man" from Fiddler on the Roof just for this one line about if he were rich, Tevyeh could sit in the synagogue and read scriptures for seven hours a day. He gave us this quote from Elder Holland about becoming God's investigator. It's really helped my study.
I have officially memorized both The Living Christ and The Family: A Proclamation to the World. I got a sticker for it from my companion. :)
Today for p-day we went to the temple. Sister Lindley organized for all of us to go to her Chinese investigator's milk bar (convenience store) and show the DVD with President Hinckley. Sister Zhang, from mainland China, shared her testimony and conversion story. The investigator, George, told her he knows it's true. He has a baptism goal date for next Friday. After that we all went to the mission home and made lunch and played games. I'm really impressed by several of the elders. I wonder how I can have children like them someday......... agh!!!!!!!!!!
Speaking of someday, I need to find a job and a future. Any ideas?
Thanks for your readership, O little audience!
:)
Love you heaps ;)
Sister Savanna
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
news from the ends of the earth
G'day. I'll just jump into it. The past week has seen a verrrry cool change, including occasional rain. I think of it as a divine gift just for me to help me survive and do my work.
On Sunday we went to some members' house for the family-and-friends potluck dinner following their baby's blessing. It was fast Sunday, and I didn't think it was going to be too hard this time, but it didn't go too well. My brain decided to slow down while tracting that morning and it was all I could do to try and think about something other than bed all through church in the afternoon. At the dinner I just felt sicker and sicker and all these moms started fussing over me, and after eating I felt even worse. The mother of the new baby reacts similarly to low blood sugar and described it as feeling like she's about to go into a coma. :) Anyway, I'm telling this story because just before we left to go to a teaching appointment I got a blessing from a patriarch and a member of the temple presidency--a Polynesian named White and a white Aussie named Brown. Brother White made the joke that President Brown got his name. Heh. I feel silly for expecting something different to happen when I don't eat other than what happens every time.
That evening at home I couldn't do anything--I just lied down on the floor and listened to a BYU devotional on CD. It was Mark Peterson's talk. I realized that there's almost nothing more comforting when you're feeling miserable than hearing the voice of someone you love. So thanks Mark, and I'm doing reasonably well at blossoming where I'm planted. :)
Sister Erickson talked yesterday while searching for new investigators about how thankful we are to be in this ward. I've never felt more comfortable in any other ward on my mission. Everyone is so accepting, warm, supportive. They treat us like we're members that are permanently part of their ward. I can't consistently say that about everywhere I've been. It's such a nice place to finish a mission.
We saw Ebony and Kaila yesterday. Kaila has turned into a little Primary teacher. She reads the children's Book of Mormon stories to her friend, and has taught her the plan of salvation, and they say prayers together. I tried to explain to them how Asael Smith (who was on the first page of the Relief Society/Priesthood lesson this week) is Joseph Smith's grandfather, and he's also my great-great-great-great grandfather, so I'm related to the prophet, but Kaila just wouldn't have it. Ebony kept saying "Kaila, they don't tell lies." I thought that was so sweet, because we try not to! Kids these days, they're too young to be sceptics, but they are.
Also yesterday we went to drop off our jackets to be dry cleaned in preparation for our meeting this week, and Veronica, the shop owner, initiated a conversation with us about how she's lost trust in God, but not in Christ, and how she wants her faith back. We asked if we could teach her but she thinks we're already going to her house because an older couple comes around and brings her books like the Watchtower. Nooooooooooo!!!!!!!!! That's the third time this week we've met someone who thinks WE are already teaching them, and we're not! We're going to pick up our clothes today so we will come prepared with something for her to read--one of my favourite articles by Elder Holland about how in everything that Christ did, he was trying to teach us about the character of God. It's called "The Grandeur of God" from the November 2003 Ensign. In fact, here's the link. http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=93d174536cf0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1
That was a long link. I LOVE when people start talking to US, especially in businesses.
More spiders: on Thursday evening there was a huntsman spider the size of a cereal bowl, and maybe bigger, in the gym at church.
I'm getting nervous about coming home someday. This time I say that because we went to an indoor sand volleyball court last p-day with the elders in our district. The radio is on and I found myself silently hoping/praying that they would just play some fun, innocent songs because there was a sequence of several obscene songs that came on. But it's normal music, meaning songs you'd hear any day. Some did come on eventually. Sometimes missionaries find rules hard--like not listening to just any music--but I think it's nice to live as purely as possible for a little while. I think I'll always be sensitive to it though.
All of the missionaries went to the worldwide leadership training session this past Saturday. It was strange to see
Thomas S. Monson
President
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
written on the screen while President Monson spoke. I miss President Hinckley. But it was powerful to see that he really is the new prophet.
We met a lady sometime this week, the elegant and beautiful Sara, while tracting. We asked her if we could teach her and her reply was perplexing: No thanks--my husband and I are searching for a religion. The logical thing to say would have been "yes, please! my husband and I are searching for a religion."
Yesterday a member in our ward, the stake Relief Society president, took Sister Erickson and me out to lunch at a very expensive little cafe. I felt a little uncomfortable, but the food wasn't boring, so it was nice.
I want to write about Jeff and Rostel Ward a little. Jeff is this amazing cook who can eat anything at a restaurant and then recreate it at home. We had this Thai-inspired dish at their house Friday and it was the most delicious thing I'd ever had. He's SO excited about the gospel, and he's so excited that he knows our investigator Garren. His wife is a Filipina who joined the church after their marriage. I've been wondering through my whole mission how to get ahold of these several speeches that I remember as the highlights of my BYU devotional education, and we got to his house and he was talking about how all he ever listens to are BYU devotionals, and he was quite happy to find those talks and make a few CDs for me. It's really unfortunate how much I haved missed BYU over the past year and a half, and how I miss it still, and I'm disappointed that I've already graduated.
Oh, the sisters in Dandenong are teaching a lady who moved from Iran with the intention of seeking asylum and becoming a Christian. She has to keep her conversion a secret from the people she lives around. We are not supposed to work closely with anyone whose life would be endangered by becoming Christian, but she is working on it with a lawyer and seeking asylum and a visa. Sounds familiar? Maybe we could connect her with someone who has had a similar experience?
This is nearly over. Sister Erickson and I have been battling lately to get new investigators--it's been a few weeks now with not that much success. I feel like we've been working harder lately. I don't want to lose it at the end. It's hard but it's not that bad, and this is the happiest lifestyle I think a young person could lead at this time in life. That is a strange statement, and seems contradictory, but it's not because happiness doesn't directly correlate with situations--it comes from being aligned with what's right. Anyone can have access to that! Amazing!
Okay, the end. Please write!
Sister Nilsen
PS I had a dream last night that I approached the mailbox and I had several packages waiting for me. :)
On Sunday we went to some members' house for the family-and-friends potluck dinner following their baby's blessing. It was fast Sunday, and I didn't think it was going to be too hard this time, but it didn't go too well. My brain decided to slow down while tracting that morning and it was all I could do to try and think about something other than bed all through church in the afternoon. At the dinner I just felt sicker and sicker and all these moms started fussing over me, and after eating I felt even worse. The mother of the new baby reacts similarly to low blood sugar and described it as feeling like she's about to go into a coma. :) Anyway, I'm telling this story because just before we left to go to a teaching appointment I got a blessing from a patriarch and a member of the temple presidency--a Polynesian named White and a white Aussie named Brown. Brother White made the joke that President Brown got his name. Heh. I feel silly for expecting something different to happen when I don't eat other than what happens every time.
That evening at home I couldn't do anything--I just lied down on the floor and listened to a BYU devotional on CD. It was Mark Peterson's talk. I realized that there's almost nothing more comforting when you're feeling miserable than hearing the voice of someone you love. So thanks Mark, and I'm doing reasonably well at blossoming where I'm planted. :)
Sister Erickson talked yesterday while searching for new investigators about how thankful we are to be in this ward. I've never felt more comfortable in any other ward on my mission. Everyone is so accepting, warm, supportive. They treat us like we're members that are permanently part of their ward. I can't consistently say that about everywhere I've been. It's such a nice place to finish a mission.
We saw Ebony and Kaila yesterday. Kaila has turned into a little Primary teacher. She reads the children's Book of Mormon stories to her friend, and has taught her the plan of salvation, and they say prayers together. I tried to explain to them how Asael Smith (who was on the first page of the Relief Society/Priesthood lesson this week) is Joseph Smith's grandfather, and he's also my great-great-great-great grandfather, so I'm related to the prophet, but Kaila just wouldn't have it. Ebony kept saying "Kaila, they don't tell lies." I thought that was so sweet, because we try not to! Kids these days, they're too young to be sceptics, but they are.
Also yesterday we went to drop off our jackets to be dry cleaned in preparation for our meeting this week, and Veronica, the shop owner, initiated a conversation with us about how she's lost trust in God, but not in Christ, and how she wants her faith back. We asked if we could teach her but she thinks we're already going to her house because an older couple comes around and brings her books like the Watchtower. Nooooooooooo!!!!!!!!! That's the third time this week we've met someone who thinks WE are already teaching them, and we're not! We're going to pick up our clothes today so we will come prepared with something for her to read--one of my favourite articles by Elder Holland about how in everything that Christ did, he was trying to teach us about the character of God. It's called "The Grandeur of God" from the November 2003 Ensign. In fact, here's the link. http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/
That was a long link. I LOVE when people start talking to US, especially in businesses.
More spiders: on Thursday evening there was a huntsman spider the size of a cereal bowl, and maybe bigger, in the gym at church.
I'm getting nervous about coming home someday. This time I say that because we went to an indoor sand volleyball court last p-day with the elders in our district. The radio is on and I found myself silently hoping/praying that they would just play some fun, innocent songs because there was a sequence of several obscene songs that came on. But it's normal music, meaning songs you'd hear any day. Some did come on eventually. Sometimes missionaries find rules hard--like not listening to just any music--but I think it's nice to live as purely as possible for a little while. I think I'll always be sensitive to it though.
All of the missionaries went to the worldwide leadership training session this past Saturday. It was strange to see
Thomas S. Monson
President
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
written on the screen while President Monson spoke. I miss President Hinckley. But it was powerful to see that he really is the new prophet.
We met a lady sometime this week, the elegant and beautiful Sara, while tracting. We asked her if we could teach her and her reply was perplexing: No thanks--my husband and I are searching for a religion. The logical thing to say would have been "yes, please! my husband and I are searching for a religion."
Yesterday a member in our ward, the stake Relief Society president, took Sister Erickson and me out to lunch at a very expensive little cafe. I felt a little uncomfortable, but the food wasn't boring, so it was nice.
I want to write about Jeff and Rostel Ward a little. Jeff is this amazing cook who can eat anything at a restaurant and then recreate it at home. We had this Thai-inspired dish at their house Friday and it was the most delicious thing I'd ever had. He's SO excited about the gospel, and he's so excited that he knows our investigator Garren. His wife is a Filipina who joined the church after their marriage. I've been wondering through my whole mission how to get ahold of these several speeches that I remember as the highlights of my BYU devotional education, and we got to his house and he was talking about how all he ever listens to are BYU devotionals, and he was quite happy to find those talks and make a few CDs for me. It's really unfortunate how much I haved missed BYU over the past year and a half, and how I miss it still, and I'm disappointed that I've already graduated.
Oh, the sisters in Dandenong are teaching a lady who moved from Iran with the intention of seeking asylum and becoming a Christian. She has to keep her conversion a secret from the people she lives around. We are not supposed to work closely with anyone whose life would be endangered by becoming Christian, but she is working on it with a lawyer and seeking asylum and a visa. Sounds familiar? Maybe we could connect her with someone who has had a similar experience?
This is nearly over. Sister Erickson and I have been battling lately to get new investigators--it's been a few weeks now with not that much success. I feel like we've been working harder lately. I don't want to lose it at the end. It's hard but it's not that bad, and this is the happiest lifestyle I think a young person could lead at this time in life. That is a strange statement, and seems contradictory, but it's not because happiness doesn't directly correlate with situations--it comes from being aligned with what's right. Anyone can have access to that! Amazing!
Okay, the end. Please write!
Sister Nilsen
PS I had a dream last night that I approached the mailbox and I had several packages waiting for me. :)
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
i want it to rain all day for a week. it's been so hot.
#1 favourite moment: a while ago Sister E suggested Jeff Ward, a member here, as fellowship for when Garren came to church. Garren hasn't come yet, but we talked to him last week and he was talking about a project he's working on. We recognized it as a project that Jeff Ward is working on. Turns out they're collaborating in a self-help builders' group to build their new houses--they're building the same plan in the same neighborhood. They already know each other and will for years to come. Another miracle! We told Jeff last night and he's so excited. It was a divine assurance to me that though little may happen with Garren while I'm here, still he'll be under the radar of Church members and he will make progress.
Another favourite moment this week was when we met a family from Mauritius while walking to an appointment. The grandchildren spoke English just fine, but the grandmother didn't at all, so I commenced a short conversation with her in French. It was nearly all the French I could produce at that moment, but Sister Erickson didn't know I even knew any, and in the middle of the conversation I looked at my companion to see her astonished. It was so fun.
Sunday morning we had an interim zone meeting at 7:45 am before stake conference. I thought we were going to be scolded, but it was actually a fun meeting. We were discussing how best to work with members. President Lindley brought up the talk from the last General Conference called "Facts, Faith, Family, Fruits" (or something) and I mentioned that I'd been wanting to use that talk to help families prepare that card with quick facts on it so they can share when asked just "a little" about the Church. President Lindley asked if members would be more likely to listen if Elder Ballard was actually there (of course he would) so I was led to figure out how to bring Elder Ballard to members' houses. I said...hmm... I would watch the conference DVD with them. President asked where I would get it. I replied from the bishop or library. He and the zone leaders acted sceptical. I said, okay I guess I'll have to buy my own copy? Right then Elder Levin pulled out a DVD of four highlighted talks from Oct 2007 General Conference and handed it to me. Long story, but yet another of my favourite moments this week.
We met a guy from Zimbabwe while visiting Rachel and John from Congo (Kinshasa) called Shepherd who already seems like a member and says he's searching for truth. If he's searching, he'll find it.
I want to write about the funeral but I have no time! It was so powerful and inspired me to be a dedicated Church servant, loving and dedicated, throughout my life. I've resolved to have these last 3 months be the most selfless of my mission/ life so far. It'll be hard!
Gotta go!
Love you!
Another favourite moment this week was when we met a family from Mauritius while walking to an appointment. The grandchildren spoke English just fine, but the grandmother didn't at all, so I commenced a short conversation with her in French. It was nearly all the French I could produce at that moment, but Sister Erickson didn't know I even knew any, and in the middle of the conversation I looked at my companion to see her astonished. It was so fun.
Sunday morning we had an interim zone meeting at 7:45 am before stake conference. I thought we were going to be scolded, but it was actually a fun meeting. We were discussing how best to work with members. President Lindley brought up the talk from the last General Conference called "Facts, Faith, Family, Fruits" (or something) and I mentioned that I'd been wanting to use that talk to help families prepare that card with quick facts on it so they can share when asked just "a little" about the Church. President Lindley asked if members would be more likely to listen if Elder Ballard was actually there (of course he would) so I was led to figure out how to bring Elder Ballard to members' houses. I said...hmm... I would watch the conference DVD with them. President asked where I would get it. I replied from the bishop or library. He and the zone leaders acted sceptical. I said, okay I guess I'll have to buy my own copy? Right then Elder Levin pulled out a DVD of four highlighted talks from Oct 2007 General Conference and handed it to me. Long story, but yet another of my favourite moments this week.
We met a guy from Zimbabwe while visiting Rachel and John from Congo (Kinshasa) called Shepherd who already seems like a member and says he's searching for truth. If he's searching, he'll find it.
I want to write about the funeral but I have no time! It was so powerful and inspired me to be a dedicated Church servant, loving and dedicated, throughout my life. I've resolved to have these last 3 months be the most selfless of my mission/ life so far. It'll be hard!
Gotta go!
Love you!
photos
a "sign" that i'm in the right area
our young sudanese muslim friends
kaila's baptism: sister erickson, brother phillips, michelle, kaila in white, ebony, me--perhaps not in that order
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Staying in Berwick
Hi--Sister Erickson and I are going to Tecoma to see the elders there because they're moving and they're our current favourite friends and we'll probably never see them again. So not much writing time.
We found out about President Hinckley's death a few hours after it happened from some members here, right after returning from our Australia Day picnic. We had a few moments of holy mourning. I'd looked at his picture that morning in a conference Ensign and wondered whether he'd be around for the next one. He's the prophet I've grown up with, and the only one most of us missionaries can remember. Poor Kaila, the 9-year-old who was baptised on Sunday. We told her the news last night and she looked as if she would cry--she had, after all, only just learned his name. I told her "remember Henry Gordon Lee Bankley...?" (Last week when we were teaching her, we taught her the living prophet's name--Gordon B. Hinckley--and asked her the name and she confidently stated "Henry Gordon Lee Bankley.") But then we told her a new one would be called in a few days and she was relieved.
We'd had a couple of events I was really looking forward to that are now canceled in consequence: a mission conference combined with the Melbourne West Mission, meaning we'd get to leave our mission boundaries for the first time and go to a chapel by Melbourne City, as well as see the 100 missionaries. Sister Erickson and I were going to sing Praise to the Man in a small group. Plus we have stake conference this weekend, where Elder Tingey and Elder Sybrowsky were supposed to speak, as well as host a dinner for all of 2007's converts. Elder Tingey had to go home with Elder Cook, who was in New Zealand, but I think President Sybrowsky is coming still (he's the area president).
Another funny thing Kaila said: we taught her about obedience and she said "I thought obedience was when something was wrong with your liver...no, that's obious! no, that's obese!"
We took that new family we're teaching to LDS Social Services Addiction Recovery. It was a great class. We learned how to meditate. I don't think the method was so effective for me but Sister Erickson loved it. Especially the lady of the pair is such a lovely person. I have a lot of hope for her and what we can do for them.
On Australia day Sister Erickson and I had our first try at playing cricket. I wasn't that fabulous. They had me "bowl" which means pitch, which is a really awkward movement because you throw the ball but it's more like launching it because you can't bend your arm. My arm's not so good at being a catapult.
We received a call from a member the other day who'd been shopping at Smiggle (a trendy stationery shop owned by a member in the Moorabbin ward) and pointed out to the manager at the cash register that the models in the advertisements go to our church. The lady, Naomi, had been searching for a church to attend with her husband, but the member didn't think to invite her to come to ours. So she told us about her and we went to Smiggle on Saturday. We weren't sure what to do because there were lots of customers but we waited for the activity to die down and we finally got to talk to her. It went lots better than we'd expected. They really have been searching for churches to attend, and I think they'd kind of disqualified ours and wouldn't have thought of it unless someone talked to them. So I told her about the Book of Mormon and why it's necessary and doesn't compete with the Bible and about its historical context. She has a Pentecostal/kind of born-again background so she had some hard questions, but was actually interested in the answers and was sincere about wanting to check it out. When I was talking to her I felt a little like I was looking at myself because she was only a little taller than me, a 21-year-old university student with long blond hair, and we were both wearing headbands. She lives in Frankston, though, so we won't get to teach her. I think Sister Kumar, who's now in Frankston, will be great for her.
Well, that's all I have for today. A few of our investigators have broken up with us recently, so we'll be doing a lot of finding in the upcoming weeks. I'm okay with that!
Keep filling me in on the results of the primaries!
Was President Hinckley's death on the front page of any national newspapers? We found a small article on page 26 of the Victorian paper. It was next to an unsavoury advertisement. Hmph.
Bye!
Savanna
We found out about President Hinckley's death a few hours after it happened from some members here, right after returning from our Australia Day picnic. We had a few moments of holy mourning. I'd looked at his picture that morning in a conference Ensign and wondered whether he'd be around for the next one. He's the prophet I've grown up with, and the only one most of us missionaries can remember. Poor Kaila, the 9-year-old who was baptised on Sunday. We told her the news last night and she looked as if she would cry--she had, after all, only just learned his name. I told her "remember Henry Gordon Lee Bankley...?" (Last week when we were teaching her, we taught her the living prophet's name--Gordon B. Hinckley--and asked her the name and she confidently stated "Henry Gordon Lee Bankley.") But then we told her a new one would be called in a few days and she was relieved.
We'd had a couple of events I was really looking forward to that are now canceled in consequence: a mission conference combined with the Melbourne West Mission, meaning we'd get to leave our mission boundaries for the first time and go to a chapel by Melbourne City, as well as see the 100 missionaries. Sister Erickson and I were going to sing Praise to the Man in a small group. Plus we have stake conference this weekend, where Elder Tingey and Elder Sybrowsky were supposed to speak, as well as host a dinner for all of 2007's converts. Elder Tingey had to go home with Elder Cook, who was in New Zealand, but I think President Sybrowsky is coming still (he's the area president).
Another funny thing Kaila said: we taught her about obedience and she said "I thought obedience was when something was wrong with your liver...no, that's obious! no, that's obese!"
We took that new family we're teaching to LDS Social Services Addiction Recovery. It was a great class. We learned how to meditate. I don't think the method was so effective for me but Sister Erickson loved it. Especially the lady of the pair is such a lovely person. I have a lot of hope for her and what we can do for them.
On Australia day Sister Erickson and I had our first try at playing cricket. I wasn't that fabulous. They had me "bowl" which means pitch, which is a really awkward movement because you throw the ball but it's more like launching it because you can't bend your arm. My arm's not so good at being a catapult.
We received a call from a member the other day who'd been shopping at Smiggle (a trendy stationery shop owned by a member in the Moorabbin ward) and pointed out to the manager at the cash register that the models in the advertisements go to our church. The lady, Naomi, had been searching for a church to attend with her husband, but the member didn't think to invite her to come to ours. So she told us about her and we went to Smiggle on Saturday. We weren't sure what to do because there were lots of customers but we waited for the activity to die down and we finally got to talk to her. It went lots better than we'd expected. They really have been searching for churches to attend, and I think they'd kind of disqualified ours and wouldn't have thought of it unless someone talked to them. So I told her about the Book of Mormon and why it's necessary and doesn't compete with the Bible and about its historical context. She has a Pentecostal/kind of born-again background so she had some hard questions, but was actually interested in the answers and was sincere about wanting to check it out. When I was talking to her I felt a little like I was looking at myself because she was only a little taller than me, a 21-year-old university student with long blond hair, and we were both wearing headbands. She lives in Frankston, though, so we won't get to teach her. I think Sister Kumar, who's now in Frankston, will be great for her.
Well, that's all I have for today. A few of our investigators have broken up with us recently, so we'll be doing a lot of finding in the upcoming weeks. I'm okay with that!
Keep filling me in on the results of the primaries!
Was President Hinckley's death on the front page of any national newspapers? We found a small article on page 26 of the Victorian paper. It was next to an unsavoury advertisement. Hmph.
Bye!
Savanna
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
I have a nice life.
Missionary life is really nice. I'm happy.
It will be worth your time to read the entire email this week. :)
Interviews with President Lindley were last week. I'm feeling embarrassed about it. It was basically him asking me about my plans are for when I get home (I'm still very vague on what to do for the first year) and then saying "you know what your next great important work is, right?" If you haven't guessed, the important work I have to do next was marriage. The conversation was uncomfortable. Ha. Besides that, we made some goals for the end of my mission and he promised that I'd have wonderful experiences if I do these three things consistently: exercise in the morning for 30 minutes, search for the promises in Preach My Gospel, and outline at least one lesson every day with my companion during companion study. To Sister Erickson he gave specific study plans, including to memorize The Living Christ, so we pretty much had it memorized by the end of the next day. I love having projects to accomplish. We're still working on refining it, but we have it done.
We had a good day yesterday. It was for no specific reason, but we rode bikes (it hurt; it was hot) and talked to everyone we ran into, and found some potential investigators. Some guy was walking eating a sandwich from KFC and I really felt like scolding him because he thinks everything he has he got himself, and that he doesn't need anyone. I asked him where he got his sandwich, and how he got to work, and how he breathes, and how he was born. He does need people. He does need God. We also visited the mother of a less-active family (she told us some updates on the Australian Open. By the way, I'm pretty sure I saw Roger Federer play in Athens 2004. He was on one of the small courts. I was a few feet away from him. :) ) Anyway, we visited her and she hadn't had missionaries over for a few years. It's a really sad story--some of her children made some bad choices and some people reacted in a way that really disappointed them, so they chose not to come back for a while, but she still has such a pure testimony and the family lives all of the commandments that they can. I think we can help them, if they don't want to come to a church building yet, to reestablish gospel habits so they can be a stronger family and feel the influence of the Spirit.
We also saw Garren yesterday. (The one Sister Wakeley and I were teaching last year in Moorabbin, and he recognized us when we found him tracting here in Berwick...don't deny that that's a miracle!) I feel like he's MY investigator. He doesn't keep commitments too often, so it would be easy to just give up on him, but he loves our visits and I'm starting to see that what we're teaching him is becoming more a part of his life. We read the Living Christ with him because we suspected that next we need to find out if he has faith in Christ and we needed to help him get some. Tomorrow we're going to bring him a book, like a journal, where he can write about instances he has that help him understand that God really is there and really does help him, something as simple as seeing something beautiful or having an easy drive to work, or someone being helpful to him. Garren really responds to principles that help him understand his potential, both where he came from before he was born and what he can expect to become after. He said it's changing his perspective. It's just so nice to see him retain and ponder what we've taught. I love listening to him talk and hearing his ideas on life.
Oh yeah! News on Kaila! On Saturday we took her to a child-of-record baptism and afterwards our ward mission leader invited her to be baptised, that he'd love to baptise her because he'd baptised her mum, and Kaila accepted. She seems so happy now. She made invitations for her friends and family (including me--it was so cute). It's happening Sunday after church.
Kyle and Jenn--THANK YOU... that was the most amazing gift. I didn't have any idea that such footage even existed. I have shown my baptism DVD to Kaila and Jessica, two of my investigators, as well as the elders at district meeting. You were right--it is helping with the Lord's work. I was such an awkward kid (according to my perspective), but I knew what I was doing.
Sister Wakeley and I got to work together again on Monday. I went to her area for exchanges. I've always loved working in Dandenong. It's got to be the most multicultural area in the mission. We taught several families from Sudan, one guy from China who'd been in Australia for three days, some Croatians, a few Aussies, some Cambodians, the inevitable Indian. We found one new investigator, an old German man named Bill who really wanted to come to church. As we were about to leave, he said "you made my day" and I felt really humble and guilty for not always loving tracting. Selfish!
I really loved church on Sunday. I just sat in sacrament meeting and thought about how I appreciated all the members there. They're such strong examples. I called the Bishop that evening to find some information on the ward mission plan and was unprepared for all the jokes he made... on the list of plans is to help four families join the church, which he said was anywhere from 8 to 100,000 people. He wants us to find a family of 400 with 4 generations living under one roof. I said we'd have to find a Japanese family. So now he says he's expecting us to find the 4 Japanese families with 400 members each, hiding somewhere in the rural suburbs of Pakenham. He's a German guy whose parents live in my first area. They were the first members I met in Australia. The grandmother told me that evening I look like a stranger, then about a month later she said "you look no more stranger." I still felt a little stranger.
Here's Savanna's favourite missionary joke of the week:
(I'm sorry; not everyone will get it.)
I'll present it as a dialogue. The characters are me and my new zone leader, Elder Levin. He's from Provo. We were talking about patriarchal blessings.
Elder Levin: "I'm from the tribe of Judah."
Me, pointing, urgently: "Gather him!"
Elder Levin: "But I'm already gathered!"
And my favourite Australian joke of the week:
Sister Erickson and I, for some reason, were reading the dictionary.
"Be careful not to confuse FLOOR with FLAW"
In America the pronunciation isn't even close but I guess in Australia you have to be careful not to tell someone to wash the FLAW.
The end! Transfer news come in a week. I suspect Sister Erickson will be moved, but she thinks she's staying.
I'll be home in precisely three months from today.
Love you!
Savanna
It will be worth your time to read the entire email this week. :)
Interviews with President Lindley were last week. I'm feeling embarrassed about it. It was basically him asking me about my plans are for when I get home (I'm still very vague on what to do for the first year) and then saying "you know what your next great important work is, right?" If you haven't guessed, the important work I have to do next was marriage. The conversation was uncomfortable. Ha. Besides that, we made some goals for the end of my mission and he promised that I'd have wonderful experiences if I do these three things consistently: exercise in the morning for 30 minutes, search for the promises in Preach My Gospel, and outline at least one lesson every day with my companion during companion study. To Sister Erickson he gave specific study plans, including to memorize The Living Christ, so we pretty much had it memorized by the end of the next day. I love having projects to accomplish. We're still working on refining it, but we have it done.
We had a good day yesterday. It was for no specific reason, but we rode bikes (it hurt; it was hot) and talked to everyone we ran into, and found some potential investigators. Some guy was walking eating a sandwich from KFC and I really felt like scolding him because he thinks everything he has he got himself, and that he doesn't need anyone. I asked him where he got his sandwich, and how he got to work, and how he breathes, and how he was born. He does need people. He does need God. We also visited the mother of a less-active family (she told us some updates on the Australian Open. By the way, I'm pretty sure I saw Roger Federer play in Athens 2004. He was on one of the small courts. I was a few feet away from him. :) ) Anyway, we visited her and she hadn't had missionaries over for a few years. It's a really sad story--some of her children made some bad choices and some people reacted in a way that really disappointed them, so they chose not to come back for a while, but she still has such a pure testimony and the family lives all of the commandments that they can. I think we can help them, if they don't want to come to a church building yet, to reestablish gospel habits so they can be a stronger family and feel the influence of the Spirit.
We also saw Garren yesterday. (The one Sister Wakeley and I were teaching last year in Moorabbin, and he recognized us when we found him tracting here in Berwick...don't deny that that's a miracle!) I feel like he's MY investigator. He doesn't keep commitments too often, so it would be easy to just give up on him, but he loves our visits and I'm starting to see that what we're teaching him is becoming more a part of his life. We read the Living Christ with him because we suspected that next we need to find out if he has faith in Christ and we needed to help him get some. Tomorrow we're going to bring him a book, like a journal, where he can write about instances he has that help him understand that God really is there and really does help him, something as simple as seeing something beautiful or having an easy drive to work, or someone being helpful to him. Garren really responds to principles that help him understand his potential, both where he came from before he was born and what he can expect to become after. He said it's changing his perspective. It's just so nice to see him retain and ponder what we've taught. I love listening to him talk and hearing his ideas on life.
Oh yeah! News on Kaila! On Saturday we took her to a child-of-record baptism and afterwards our ward mission leader invited her to be baptised, that he'd love to baptise her because he'd baptised her mum, and Kaila accepted. She seems so happy now. She made invitations for her friends and family (including me--it was so cute). It's happening Sunday after church.
Kyle and Jenn--THANK YOU... that was the most amazing gift. I didn't have any idea that such footage even existed. I have shown my baptism DVD to Kaila and Jessica, two of my investigators, as well as the elders at district meeting. You were right--it is helping with the Lord's work. I was such an awkward kid (according to my perspective), but I knew what I was doing.
Sister Wakeley and I got to work together again on Monday. I went to her area for exchanges. I've always loved working in Dandenong. It's got to be the most multicultural area in the mission. We taught several families from Sudan, one guy from China who'd been in Australia for three days, some Croatians, a few Aussies, some Cambodians, the inevitable Indian. We found one new investigator, an old German man named Bill who really wanted to come to church. As we were about to leave, he said "you made my day" and I felt really humble and guilty for not always loving tracting. Selfish!
I really loved church on Sunday. I just sat in sacrament meeting and thought about how I appreciated all the members there. They're such strong examples. I called the Bishop that evening to find some information on the ward mission plan and was unprepared for all the jokes he made... on the list of plans is to help four families join the church, which he said was anywhere from 8 to 100,000 people. He wants us to find a family of 400 with 4 generations living under one roof. I said we'd have to find a Japanese family. So now he says he's expecting us to find the 4 Japanese families with 400 members each, hiding somewhere in the rural suburbs of Pakenham. He's a German guy whose parents live in my first area. They were the first members I met in Australia. The grandmother told me that evening I look like a stranger, then about a month later she said "you look no more stranger." I still felt a little stranger.
Here's Savanna's favourite missionary joke of the week:
(I'm sorry; not everyone will get it.)
I'll present it as a dialogue. The characters are me and my new zone leader, Elder Levin. He's from Provo. We were talking about patriarchal blessings.
Elder Levin: "I'm from the tribe of Judah."
Me, pointing, urgently: "Gather him!"
Elder Levin: "But I'm already gathered!"
And my favourite Australian joke of the week:
Sister Erickson and I, for some reason, were reading the dictionary.
"Be careful not to confuse FLOOR with FLAW"
In America the pronunciation isn't even close but I guess in Australia you have to be careful not to tell someone to wash the FLAW.
The end! Transfer news come in a week. I suspect Sister Erickson will be moved, but she thinks she's staying.
I'll be home in precisely three months from today.
Love you!
Savanna
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
only 6 more weeks of summer left
Hi! This email will have to be written super fast.
We went tracting on Savanna Court last week and got a new investigator. We'd just had training on talking to everyone about their lives, not just about our message (that sounds funny) so it was a particularly enjoyable time. Christine Court was right next to it, and that's Sister Erickson's middle name. A strange coincidence?
On Sunday Sister Erickson and I went to a barbecue a Sudanese family invited us to. We're teaching them English, but not the gospel. Sister Erickson teaches the mother, Zahra, English while the kids teach me about the Qu'ran. It's been interesting. We got to the barbecue and they were ALL from Sudan (tall, really dark Africans), wearing colorful religious/cultural clothes, about 15-20 women and the same number of men, plus a couple of children for each couple. The men were outside and the women inside. The children came up to us and lined up in a row and asked us questions, and the young ones (6 years old) came and asked if we're Christians. We were quite the spectacle.
We had an amazing but sad experience last night. A member who hadn't been to church for 15 years came on Sunday with his sister. He and his fiancee are struggling to overcome drug addiction. They're such lovely people and have had such hard lives. I wanted to write more about this but the person who brought us just now told us we have to leave right now so I don't have time, but I've never felt more powerfully the strength and value that comes from bringing up a family in righteousness. I feel so safe. I guess I can write more about them later.
Please write!
Savanna
We went tracting on Savanna Court last week and got a new investigator. We'd just had training on talking to everyone about their lives, not just about our message (that sounds funny) so it was a particularly enjoyable time. Christine Court was right next to it, and that's Sister Erickson's middle name. A strange coincidence?
On Sunday Sister Erickson and I went to a barbecue a Sudanese family invited us to. We're teaching them English, but not the gospel. Sister Erickson teaches the mother, Zahra, English while the kids teach me about the Qu'ran. It's been interesting. We got to the barbecue and they were ALL from Sudan (tall, really dark Africans), wearing colorful religious/cultural clothes, about 15-20 women and the same number of men, plus a couple of children for each couple. The men were outside and the women inside. The children came up to us and lined up in a row and asked us questions, and the young ones (6 years old) came and asked if we're Christians. We were quite the spectacle.
We had an amazing but sad experience last night. A member who hadn't been to church for 15 years came on Sunday with his sister. He and his fiancee are struggling to overcome drug addiction. They're such lovely people and have had such hard lives. I wanted to write more about this but the person who brought us just now told us we have to leave right now so I don't have time, but I've never felt more powerfully the strength and value that comes from bringing up a family in righteousness. I feel so safe. I guess I can write more about them later.
Please write!
Savanna
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
I'm melting!
I discovered that I get sunburned if I am in the sun for 10 minutes without sunscreen. We just got permission to wear full-brimmed hats, and I'm going to buy one today. It was definitely NOT this hot last summer. It's like Las Vegas in August hot. Except today it's cooler and there's a breeze.
Sister Erickson is my new favorite superstar. I should have written favourite. We had a chapel tour lined up with Garren because he was nervous to go to church on Sunday. He had just run off to help a friend when we got to his house, so we went in search of someone else to go to the tour. We had acquired a key and a member to come from a nearby town, so we thought it important to make it worth everyone's effort. We tried Grant. He wasn't home. Sister Erickson thought of Candice, who'd said she wouldn't be available for a few weeks and who'd had a small operation that day, and we asked if she wanted to come. She said "sure, I'll help you out!" and just came. That was a medium-sized miracle, I think.
We taught Kaila a lot last week. Her newest concern about baptism is "but it's just regular water." Who is this kid? She's so different from her mother in that way. It was fast Sunday and Michelle, Sister Erickson, and I fasted together to help Kaila. I REALLY hope something happens, because it would be a great foundation for Michelle's testimony of this new principle she's been asked to live.
Sister Erickson and I are having so much fun together. We had so many great experiences this week--some of them hilarious, some of them very spiritual. Usually I make a list throughout the week of everything I want to write about in my email, but I didn't this week, so I can't remember all of them.
Tomorrow is zone conference. We're going with Michelle on Thursday to the temple to do baptisms. It should be a nice relief, because Thursday is going to be 41 degrees Celsius, or 106 degrees Fahrenheit, and Friday is going to be 42 degrees Celsius. It's kind of useless doing finding on those hot days because people open the door and say, "you're crazy! go home!" then some of them offer us water before shutting the door and sending us on our way. There's absolutely no one on the street. I'm SO thankful for the car on those days. We determined to use bicycles whenever the heat is at all bearable. We were on bikes all day yesterday going up and down hills and my legs were aching by the time we went to bed half an hour early. Ha, I'm so weak. I thought we went about five times the distance we actually did.
On Sunday the elders from another ward at our building told us a lady showed up to church and gave us her number and address. She'd heard that some "Mormons" had been to the house when she was out and felt bad that she'd missed whoever it actually was that went, so she looked up the address in the phone book and stopped in on Sunday morning. We went over and taught her the Restoration last night. It was a really well organized, well articulated, passionate enough lesson. The member we brought was just perfect for her. We were a little disappointed after the lesson because she seemed to understand it but by some things she said after, we realized she didn't. I tried to help her understand that this is about absolute, eternal truth, but she said that truth is in your heart. I feel like people think they can define God according to what they believe. Does this mean if they vascillate between believing and not believing, then he vascillates in and out of existence? Anyway, about Kerry, I really appreciate that she's willing to learn, whether it's academic to her; any reason to begin investigating is valid. We'll just see what God does with this one.
I just want to reiterate for anyone who knew I really wanted to be called to a foreign-speaking mission that I am REALLY REALLY REALLY thankful to be doing this in English. It's difficult enough speaking clearly of these things that are so personal and so deep in my native language, and difficult enough trying to make connections with people all the time. I hope the day comes when most missionaries serving in each country are natives of that land. The gift of another language is really precious too, though...
That's it for today!
Please write!
Love
Savanna
Sister Erickson is my new favorite superstar. I should have written favourite. We had a chapel tour lined up with Garren because he was nervous to go to church on Sunday. He had just run off to help a friend when we got to his house, so we went in search of someone else to go to the tour. We had acquired a key and a member to come from a nearby town, so we thought it important to make it worth everyone's effort. We tried Grant. He wasn't home. Sister Erickson thought of Candice, who'd said she wouldn't be available for a few weeks and who'd had a small operation that day, and we asked if she wanted to come. She said "sure, I'll help you out!" and just came. That was a medium-sized miracle, I think.
We taught Kaila a lot last week. Her newest concern about baptism is "but it's just regular water." Who is this kid? She's so different from her mother in that way. It was fast Sunday and Michelle, Sister Erickson, and I fasted together to help Kaila. I REALLY hope something happens, because it would be a great foundation for Michelle's testimony of this new principle she's been asked to live.
Sister Erickson and I are having so much fun together. We had so many great experiences this week--some of them hilarious, some of them very spiritual. Usually I make a list throughout the week of everything I want to write about in my email, but I didn't this week, so I can't remember all of them.
Tomorrow is zone conference. We're going with Michelle on Thursday to the temple to do baptisms. It should be a nice relief, because Thursday is going to be 41 degrees Celsius, or 106 degrees Fahrenheit, and Friday is going to be 42 degrees Celsius. It's kind of useless doing finding on those hot days because people open the door and say, "you're crazy! go home!" then some of them offer us water before shutting the door and sending us on our way. There's absolutely no one on the street. I'm SO thankful for the car on those days. We determined to use bicycles whenever the heat is at all bearable. We were on bikes all day yesterday going up and down hills and my legs were aching by the time we went to bed half an hour early. Ha, I'm so weak. I thought we went about five times the distance we actually did.
On Sunday the elders from another ward at our building told us a lady showed up to church and gave us her number and address. She'd heard that some "Mormons" had been to the house when she was out and felt bad that she'd missed whoever it actually was that went, so she looked up the address in the phone book and stopped in on Sunday morning. We went over and taught her the Restoration last night. It was a really well organized, well articulated, passionate enough lesson. The member we brought was just perfect for her. We were a little disappointed after the lesson because she seemed to understand it but by some things she said after, we realized she didn't. I tried to help her understand that this is about absolute, eternal truth, but she said that truth is in your heart. I feel like people think they can define God according to what they believe. Does this mean if they vascillate between believing and not believing, then he vascillates in and out of existence? Anyway, about Kerry, I really appreciate that she's willing to learn, whether it's academic to her; any reason to begin investigating is valid. We'll just see what God does with this one.
I just want to reiterate for anyone who knew I really wanted to be called to a foreign-speaking mission that I am REALLY REALLY REALLY thankful to be doing this in English. It's difficult enough speaking clearly of these things that are so personal and so deep in my native language, and difficult enough trying to make connections with people all the time. I hope the day comes when most missionaries serving in each country are natives of that land. The gift of another language is really precious too, though...
That's it for today!
Please write!
Love
Savanna
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
even Berwick is fun too.
I was wondering whether it would be. It's a lot more civilised and wealthy here. There definitely won't be any spontaneous fights at the train station. Frankston was like my missionary playground. I'm now working on figuring out just what it is that Berwick needs (besides me, of course!).
It turns out that Michelle did get baptised, and her mother-in-law came along with her daughter. I got a blessing after by my mission president and it was just wonderful. My mind has been clear, as was promised, and I know these last few remaining months will be happy ones! (Does it feel that I've been gone for nearly 14 months?)
Yesterday for district meeting we discussed the quote by President Hinckley that says "So many of us look at missionary work as simply tracting. Everyone who is familiar with the work knows there is a better way." I know that it has its place, but I also know it's not appropriate that it is the primary source of investigators and use of our time. It's always more effective to spend time with people and not with closed doors. Anyway Sister Erickson and I decided to take a risk and drive up to this remote-ish country "town" and visit some former investigators. We actually found them at home, this enormous welcoming mountainy thing, and found them friendly and curious and a little philosophical. We left with an invitation to come back for dinner and a lesson on Saturday evening, and they promised to come to church on Sunday. Church time is moving to 1:30 pm (we have four ward that meet in our building) so lots of investigators are finding it easier to decide to come to church. The lady of the house, Portia, had been going to this other church that is really nervous about the influence of Jezebel and everyone was paranoid about...anyway I don't want to write about that. We'll teach her some doctrine. They will be really enjoyable to teach.
Also. We've taught Michelle's daughter Kaila a few times and she got permission from her dad to be baptised, so now she just has to decide if she wants to. I think it's so funny that the parents are okay with it and the 9-year-old isn't. Usually it's the other way around. We taught her the plan of salvation on Monday night for family home evening and Kaila had so many complicated, mature questions like how do we know that the prophet is telling the truth and what happens when we die to the people who believe in Buddha? Won't they go to their god? So we plan to teach her next time about Jesus Christ so she can understand why his influence on the world was necessary for us to be forgiven and return to live with God someday. Well if her baptism happens, and it probably will, that will probably happen January 12.
There really is so much happening right now, and I wish I could write all the great things that we've experienced, like teaching Cindy the Thai lady, and Zahra and her Muslim family from Sudan, and Denise and Carolay from Peru, and the Indian family we taught. But there's not time for that. OH YEAH! Tarun got baptised! That Indian guy who wanted a Christian wife--me or Sister Mesake, doesn't matter which--because it would be practical.
Um, it's time to go, and the elders are teasing me about reading my email, so I think it's a sign. :)
I'm happy!
Bye!
Sister Nilsen
It turns out that Michelle did get baptised, and her mother-in-law came along with her daughter. I got a blessing after by my mission president and it was just wonderful. My mind has been clear, as was promised, and I know these last few remaining months will be happy ones! (Does it feel that I've been gone for nearly 14 months?)
Yesterday for district meeting we discussed the quote by President Hinckley that says "So many of us look at missionary work as simply tracting. Everyone who is familiar with the work knows there is a better way." I know that it has its place, but I also know it's not appropriate that it is the primary source of investigators and use of our time. It's always more effective to spend time with people and not with closed doors. Anyway Sister Erickson and I decided to take a risk and drive up to this remote-ish country "town" and visit some former investigators. We actually found them at home, this enormous welcoming mountainy thing, and found them friendly and curious and a little philosophical. We left with an invitation to come back for dinner and a lesson on Saturday evening, and they promised to come to church on Sunday. Church time is moving to 1:30 pm (we have four ward that meet in our building) so lots of investigators are finding it easier to decide to come to church. The lady of the house, Portia, had been going to this other church that is really nervous about the influence of Jezebel and everyone was paranoid about...anyway I don't want to write about that. We'll teach her some doctrine. They will be really enjoyable to teach.
Also. We've taught Michelle's daughter Kaila a few times and she got permission from her dad to be baptised, so now she just has to decide if she wants to. I think it's so funny that the parents are okay with it and the 9-year-old isn't. Usually it's the other way around. We taught her the plan of salvation on Monday night for family home evening and Kaila had so many complicated, mature questions like how do we know that the prophet is telling the truth and what happens when we die to the people who believe in Buddha? Won't they go to their god? So we plan to teach her next time about Jesus Christ so she can understand why his influence on the world was necessary for us to be forgiven and return to live with God someday. Well if her baptism happens, and it probably will, that will probably happen January 12.
There really is so much happening right now, and I wish I could write all the great things that we've experienced, like teaching Cindy the Thai lady, and Zahra and her Muslim family from Sudan, and Denise and Carolay from Peru, and the Indian family we taught. But there's not time for that. OH YEAH! Tarun got baptised! That Indian guy who wanted a Christian wife--me or Sister Mesake, doesn't matter which--because it would be practical.
Um, it's time to go, and the elders are teasing me about reading my email, so I think it's a sign. :)
I'm happy!
Bye!
Sister Nilsen
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Christmas wasn't hot!
Hi... just a quick note, since we spoke at Christmas. I'm in Berwick, which is pronounced something like Barrack. We live in a crescent called Bemersyde, but they pronounce it Bermesyde. Which leads us to joke often about which letter we will choose to make silent. Usually in Australia it's the r, so shouldn't they say Bewwick? How about Erwick, or Brwick, or Berwic? Autralia? Um, anyway.
I'm with Sister Erickson again! How nice! I have been talking her face off, poor lady. We have a lot to reminisce about and catch up on. I was really hoping for a senior companion again, and she's the only one that's older than me. We're going home at the same time. Everyone is confused about why Sister Kumar and I swapped areas and companions, but little things happen every day that help me understand that I'm meant to be here. For one thing, we were tracting the other day, a huge test of endurance--two hours--(haha, joking) and we ran into one of my former investigators from the Moorabbin area. Of all the places in the world we could have both been at that time, Garren a) was at home b) lives in my new area c) in the back room but came out after his friend answered the door d) recognized me e) remembered how powerful the feeling of peace was when he met us. He's the one that said it was better than drugs. It's just incredible to me that we found him. It's nearly impossible.
So, we're preparing a lady called Michelle for baptism. Sister Kumar and Sister Erickson found her tracting. Sister Kumar was sad to leave her, but she walked into two of the baptisms I found, so I think she got the better deal :) We were nervous about Michelle telling her parents and like 8 brothers and sisters about her decision, but she told them and didn't meet opposition, just a little apathy. Michelle came with us to our Christmas Eve dinners (one of them was with an American family. The mom made pumpkin pie, a relief since I didn't get any last Thanksgiving because they ran out in the MTC!). We got a few little gifts from the members. Sisters just got moved into the ward here after a couple years' absence. That's always a good time to be in an area because the members appreciate the change.
So, time to go. I can't believe 2008 starts next week! Bye!
Savanna
I'm with Sister Erickson again! How nice! I have been talking her face off, poor lady. We have a lot to reminisce about and catch up on. I was really hoping for a senior companion again, and she's the only one that's older than me. We're going home at the same time. Everyone is confused about why Sister Kumar and I swapped areas and companions, but little things happen every day that help me understand that I'm meant to be here. For one thing, we were tracting the other day, a huge test of endurance--two hours--(haha, joking) and we ran into one of my former investigators from the Moorabbin area. Of all the places in the world we could have both been at that time, Garren a) was at home b) lives in my new area c) in the back room but came out after his friend answered the door d) recognized me e) remembered how powerful the feeling of peace was when he met us. He's the one that said it was better than drugs. It's just incredible to me that we found him. It's nearly impossible.
So, we're preparing a lady called Michelle for baptism. Sister Kumar and Sister Erickson found her tracting. Sister Kumar was sad to leave her, but she walked into two of the baptisms I found, so I think she got the better deal :) We were nervous about Michelle telling her parents and like 8 brothers and sisters about her decision, but she told them and didn't meet opposition, just a little apathy. Michelle came with us to our Christmas Eve dinners (one of them was with an American family. The mom made pumpkin pie, a relief since I didn't get any last Thanksgiving because they ran out in the MTC!). We got a few little gifts from the members. Sisters just got moved into the ward here after a couple years' absence. That's always a good time to be in an area because the members appreciate the change.
So, time to go. I can't believe 2008 starts next week! Bye!
Savanna
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