Just keep finding...just keep finding... (March 23)

G'day g'day! How ya goin??

This week was awesome. It was filled with many opportunities to talk to wonderful people because... well... we don't know anyone!! The ward is awesome have taken us in straight away. So far, one of my favourite families is the Kwong family. They have 5 siblings who all served missions, and one of them is the Elder Quorum President. He served in a tiny island near Fiji where apparently he never had a solid toilet experience... poor guy. 

Elder Newell and I have had some fun times talking to various people and one of the biggest miracles we saw this week was how we would just go out with faith knowing that Heavenly Father would lead us where His prepared children were. 

Well... Thursday morning we decided to do some finding of potentials that the other missionaries gave us. Within 20 minutes we contacted 1 of those potentials and were able to get 3 return appointments. HOW LEGIT IS THAT!? It's amazing how exercising faith can bring those blessing.

We also found a Kiwi family where the husband was born into a half LDS family half Catholic family. His mum was less active but he grew up going to church. He said we could come back and see him and his family... with 7 kids! WHAT?!?!

AMAZING!!!!!

The best part of the week, in my opinion, was going to the Melbourne Temple for the first time, and it's been about 11 months since I last went in!

The spirit in that place just electrified me. My goodness, there is no greatest place on earth to be than the Temple of the Lord, His Holy House :)

I came out with a buzz to do missionary work like Never before! It's amazing.

I've learned heaps lately about Charity, and it's effects. To me, I learned from Paul in 1 cor 13:  

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor , and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Basically... without Charity in our hearts we profit nothing. As a missionary I've learned that really going out with the intent to serve and bring others to Christ helps my heart to change. That commitment to Him and His work has enabled me to put aside all fears, struggles, and problems and know that I can do it with His help.

Sorry for the bold...

Anyway, we get to go to the City for Zone P-day next week so I'll attach heaps of photos. So far... the only animals we've seen that are remotely interesting are possums! They crawl all over our fence at night and in the morning.

Shout out to my Brother ELDER C. GISH!!! Smashing it in NZ! Love ya heaps bro.

Well, that's it for the week. All is well and we're seeing miracles.

The Church is true. :)

-Elder Sargeant

The Bendigo Bros: Elders: Hirata, Tojong, Sargeant, Worsencroft

Waverly Week of Wicked Whacking...CULTURE SHOCK!

Well, G'day, Nihao!

 

I've been assigned to serve in the Waverly ward!! It's 10 minutes from the Melbourne Temple which is quite legit :)

 

Things have been hard to adjust to because literally my new companion and I are fresh to the area but we've been SMASHING through the lists and keeping ourselves busy as. We met a lot of the ward on Sunday and they are awesome. What's cool is that my ward is half Chinese and half English. There is a Chinese Translator that does every talk, testimony, and word spoken in Chinese for all those that can't speak English... yet. It's AWESOME TO BE HERE!!!

 

Well, some cool experiences we had so far this week were that.... It's FINALLY FALL!!!!! You know what that means?! Breaking out the sweater Vest! ;) Also, since we've been here we were able to meet with this awesome as Chinese guy named Wei (William) Chung. He's such a cool and humble guy. He is one of those people that is less active but doesn't realize it... so we invited him to come to church and he was excited as about it! Elder Gish... you watch out bro, I'm going to come home speaking some Chinese ;)

 

We've been able to see a few more less active and My companion Elder Newell is a solid as teacher. He's very precise, clear, and full on when it comes to going off the needs of those we teach. That's always good for a trainer to see. He's been out for almost two months so he's not quite as fresh as others which is good too! The best part is that we live in a flat that's close to everything! There are heaps of shops and malls and stuff so we can talk to a fair few people. Miracles will come, I can feel it ;)

 

 

Some insight on the new Comp. : He's from Alpine, Utah. He served in Houston South waiting for his Visa. His dad is a professor at BYU. He's the FLIPPIN MAN! He's extremely knowledgable about the Gospel, and his dad does the announcements from General Conference and Music and the Spoken word! "This is the 187th Semi-annual...." HOW AWESOME IS THAT?!?!?!

 

This one is a bit boring, but I'd like to say a special shout out to my wonderful third family in Bendigo!

 

Mumma Bowley, you have NO idea how hard it was to leave. I shed a tear or two on my way to transfers and I hope you know that you and your family have become like MY family. Never have I had an experience like that before and I think it's because I didn't let myself. KEEP BEING AWESOME AND MAKING THOSE MISSIONARIES IN THE BENDIGO AREA LOVE EVERY SECOND OF IT!!!!!!

 

 

Well...that's about all I can think of to say. Next week will be legit just you wait! >:)

 

The Gospel is true! Love every second of it, and the happy life it brings.

 

LOVE YA HEAPS, MATE!

 

-Elder Sargeant

THIS WILL BE SHORT!!!!!!!!!! (March 9th)

G'day all!!!

You're going to hate me but... THIS HAS TO BE SHORT! We had some unexpected visitors come into church while we were doing emails and we got caught off track and all that jazz.

Here is the news:

I'm being transferred AGAIN TO TRAIN!!! I'm keen as about that!!! :D Another son to add to my family tree.

This week was legit. We had some amazing miracles and experiences that I'll have to tell you about next week. 

However, one thing I'll say is I'm grateful for the truth. I'm grateful for that undeniable understanding that I have of Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, and Christ's Church. We were able to teach a member lesson to the Rechter family, one of my ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE FAMILIES, and they had a mate over named Gabbie. She is close with Kelsey, the daughter of the Rechter family, and we taught about how God is our Loving Heavenly Father. After, she asked heaps of good questions, we taught her the first lesson IN THEIR HOME, with 4 friends of hers there and Kelsey's dad to testify as well, and she accepted every commitment. SHE WANTS TO KNOW THE TRUTH adn WE HAVE IT.

I loved the way that Brother Rechter put it about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He said, "Other churches have 90% of the truth. They have 90% of what God wants and what Jesus Christ wants... we have that last 10% that makes up for the lack. We have the fullness, the last page of the book that puts everything together." That just hit me. 

Gabbie is GOLDEN AS! Stay tuned for what happens as I get upsets. LOVE YOU ALL HEAPS!!!!

Check out this blue tongued lizard we kept and named President Maxwell :)

Wrestle Mania (March 2)

G'day all! 

Owyagoin mate, aright? On ya! 

Aye, well this week has been quite a good week. The ward has just caught fire and everyone is seeing the missionary spirit rage throughout the area. We've had heaps of people bring friends to activities, invite them over for tea appointments, and allow us a chance to meet them. What a blessing it is to be so trusted, support, and loved by the members here. Makes me realize just how much it means to utilize the members and rely on them as well as our own efforts.

Some cool things have happened this week. For starters, we had Zone Conference which was quite a good experience. I always come home feeling on a massive Spiritual Buzz. It's amazing how being around so many missionaries just changes your heart, and softens it. I love that feeling. It was mainly focused on us as missionaries, how we are yoked with the Saviour and how we can rely on him to be our strength and guide. We really are never alone in this or any work. Love was also mentioned as a theme throughout the conference. Everything...has to do with love.

We share the gospel because we love, we serve because we love, we have faith and grow our faith because we love. Everything in this world has to do with love. If you don't have love then you don't have anything!

So, many are probably wondering about our investigator named Emma Wilson and how GOLDEN she was! Well, just as cake doesn't last forever the sweetest experiences don't always seem to be endless. 

Basically, she dodged us the last three times we tried to see her. For whatever reason, she wasn't wanting us to come round but that's okay because when you work hard, are obedient, and just go out with the faith to succeed then everything is made up.

We received a referral from a member this week of her beloved friend named Harry. Apparently this guy was supposed to be full on about the church.... little did we know what to expect.

Imagine to yourselves a 5'5 white man with glasses, a full on lumberjack beard, longer slicked back hair, and the heart made of gold. Well, you have Harry. This man met missionaries 15 years ago and completely shut them away but with persistence they eventually taught him a bit. After years of no contact he met Sister Baker who became very good friends with him and shared her example and love to him. He fell in love with conference talks. Every morning this bloke listens to Dieter F. Utchdorf... EVERY MORNING! He knows more about the Gospel and Church than most life long members do.

However, the best part was he was humble as. He was always thanking us, and telling us how much he appreciated us. He manifested the meaning of humility. He wants to be baptised but he hasn't received that testimony. We liken it unto mining for gold. Someone can tell you that it's their, but you gotta dig and dig until you find it yourself. You cannot rely on others testimonies forever. It doesn't work.

He came to church and LOVED it! How legit is he. Skux!

Anyway, on to Sunday night. Elder Worsencroft and I were able to go to the Rechter's home, *our ward mission leader's parent's house* and share a lesson with them and some of their less active friends and non member friend. It was an awesome experience...especially after. 

So about the Rechters. First they have 3 sons aging 27, 25, 22, and a couple daughters 19, and 17. Basically they're legit as. The 27 year old is named Steven. He's 6'6 and works at the Prison. He's ripped as!

So, one of the members is named Brother Casanova. He's the MAN! He is 25 and loves us so we always muck around with him. Basically, he talked Elder Worsencroft and just leveled him on the ground. I stood back and just laughed because it sparked that fire inside of Football >:) Anyway, Steve comes up from behind... grabs Elder Worsencroft by the back of the pants, and throws him over the couch... WITH ONE HAND. IT was SO FUNNY watching his face turn bright red as we got a massive wedgy ;) Funniest experience of my life. Luckily and unfortunately I did no join in the fun....

It happened so fast that I couldn't even do anything.

Ah the mission... what a wonderful experience :)

Well that's all for this week. Stay tuned for next weeks adventures. WE FIND OUT IF WE GET TRANSFERRED!!!

Love ya heaps!

Elder Sargeant