What a hectic week!! (Jan 27)

G'day g'day all! 

Glad to be back to share the adventures of Cranbourne Victoria!!! It was a crazy week with many interesting things that happened... good things of course.

You'll have to forgive me, as this day has been a day of interviews with the missionaries and we're pretty smashed after giving heaps of people rides. Here is the craziness of the week.

Well, to start out, one of my favourite things about my mission has been the chance to pray SO often. What a blessing! I've never really been good at them but this past week was a monumental one for me and prayers. I was able to go on exchanges with my old companion from Tasmania, Elder Cavanaugh. I love that man, I really do. I was nervous to go because it'd been a while and Tasmania was an interesting experience for both of us together, but with faith we went forward. Things moved in accordance with how they'd always go. Morning time, brekky, studies, comp study, and finally some daily smashing. We went out and I remember specifically praying for the strength to go out and speak calmly to people, and that Elder Cavanaugh and I would have a fun day. 

The first person we talked to was a nice old lady from the Czech Republic! She was nice as to us and we had a great discussion with her, but the best part was the flow that took place from our mouths. I remember just asking questions that I had no idea were there. I remember speaking and feeling assurance and confidence spread through my heart and mind like the warm breeze in the dusk of a Summer day. We left the doorway, leaving a good impression with a daughter of God, and feeling ready for the day.

It was HOT AS here. We were walking around and decided to GQ some people.... that turned into 6 hours of GQing (randomly walking up and talking to people) broken up with some tracting. I was so happy to go out and work so hard that day with my old companion. I learned a bit from him and we had a great day. To celebrate... what did we do?? GET SOME SOFT SERVE AT MACCAS---HECK YEAH!

So an update on our investigators:

We are currently teaching a family of Sue, Mikayla (daughter) and Raquel (friend of Mikayla who is 16 and so is she). They were GQ'd a week or so ago.

On exchanges, my companion and another missionary were able to have a POWERFUL lesson talking about who God is and what it means for us!!!!

SICK AS!!!!! 

It's for 28th of February. Legit.

Sorry about this but it was a great week. I'm almost out of time! SOrry!!! LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!

-Elder Sargeant

The work continues... (Jan 18)

G;day all! 

What a glorious week it was to be alive. Nothing beats waking up each day awaiting the new experiences that are waiting to take place. I'm keen as to share some experiences had this week with you all!

Things are going well here in Cranbourne. The feeds continue to take place, but more importantly the members are EXTREMELY HELPFUL in missionary work! My goodness. We have a 18 year guy in our ward named Lanza. He's the man and works in a warehouse saving up for his mission. He and a friend from work have been talking and discussing religion and the gospel and now he is interested in learning. We're going to teach him this week but it's amazing how people are anxiously searching and are curious about what truth is out there and how to find it.

Next, Elder Pearson came to visit our mission. He taught us of our divine identity, of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, of Faith to Succeed, and how to pray with Faith. He explained to us about BOLD and AMBITIOUS goals. Definitely made me think about the future and what it holds for me. What are my goals?! Are they bold? Do I want to push through and make them happen??

He showed us a cool trick as well. He called one of the missionaries up and told me to "Try to grab the Marker" from off the pulpit. The Elder was confused.... so he "tried" and lifted up the marker. Elder Pearson said "No no... don't do it. TRY"

So he continued. Next thing we know, we learned a pretty cool principle. "Do or do not, there is no try." Struggle is simply being caught between a commitment. If we want to succeed then we BE successful until we are. If we want to grow in our faith, we BE faithful until that gift comes.

So yeah.... church was awesome. We're rebuilding our teaching pool and man oh man are we seeing some cool and small miracles. We've been so blessed to talk to some amazing people who are genuinely searching. I love being able to help them!

That's about it for this week. Remember, I love you all!!

-Elder Sargeant

Banana Sandwiches and Satan's Bum (Jan 12)

G'day g'day!

Good to be back here at 11:16am in the beautiful Cranbourne, Victoria. The weather is a nice 26 degrees outside with partly cloudy skies.... which beats the 42 C we had TWICE LAST WEEK! I haven't sweat that much in my life, but it makes you feel satisfied at the end of a long day.

This week was a really good one. First off update on Tommy Vaha our progressing Investigator! HE IS THE MEANSIEST!!!!! He has been reading out of the Book of Mormon and texted us saying "Definitely, this is the path for me and my family to take."

He came to church, is gave up coffee and tea, and we didn't even teach him about the Word of Wisdom. He's the man. Thank you for your prayers! We're teaching him at a FHE tonight at the Bishop's house. 

Other things that happened this week were. Well, a woman from Tasmania came up to visit my companion and I. She took us out to lunch with her 10 year old Daughter Evelyn. Sister Parkes ordered a Banana sandwich. Something to try:
Two pieces of bread with butter.

sliced up banana spread over the bread.

sprinkle sugar on top.
Make sure to remove Satan's Bum!

(Satan's bum is the bottom of the banana where the little black stem thing is.... it's crack up. The proper name is 'Satan's anus' but I'm not a fan of shouting that to the world.)

Didn't take a bite but give it a go!

We drove through the BIGGEST LIGHTNING STORM I'VE SEEN IN MY LIFE! We were going on exchanges up to Sale, which is 2 hours away, and we got caught in a massive storm. No death or problems but many flashes and cracks. It was epic. Of course we stopped to get soft serve ice creams on the way. The best tradition of all time.

I really love the area. It's about 90% Polynesian and I'm enjoying the change. I can be my crazy self and not get looked at like I'm some possessed man with issues... Naw, I never act that way! It's been a blast working with the members and seeing their lights shine to all their friends. 

Hope the Patriots keep smashing! GO PATS!!!!


Love you all, have a  good week!
Elder Sargeant 

Endurance---the key of finishing strong (Jan 4)

G'day, Talofa, Kia ora, Malo le le!!!

Elder Sargeant here! Just an update of the week that just passed. Well, as you all know my time in Tasmania has ended. The 8 transfers (total) reign has come to a close. I'm sad... I miss that beloved place. The people were my people. Each family was my family. I miss them, but every good page in a book must be turned to the next at some stage, and that's where I am now!

I'm serving in the Cranbourne area in the Gippsland stake--25minutes from the Temple here in Melbourne. I'm keen as to be close again!

My ward is primarily Islanders which means FEEDS OF MASSIVE QUANTITIES, but enduring is the key. Just eat slow, talk heaps, and drink even more! So far so good.

I LOVE THE WARD THOUGH! Everyone invites people to church, gives us referrals, does their home/ visiting teaching, and all that jazz.

Also, our Ward Mission Leader, who is in charge of helping out the missionaries is trying to get into the UFC. His name is Nick Patterson. Look him up! He won his last fight against and UFC Vet. in 0:38 seconds. Legit, he's a beast.

Anyway, this week was really cool. I was able to have a really happy couple of first days. I've been really looking for ways to improve myself as of late, and the goals that I had in my head were never really seen in my eyes as accomplished. When I moved to this Zone, I was blessed with the capacity to see how I had indeed changed. I had never felt such a rush of happiness in my entire life, at least as consistently as it was. I definitely was feeling the Spirit. Now, it's a matter of keeping that up and working hard.

You know what the worst part about being new is? Everyone asks how long I have left... DA HECK!! As if keeping it out of your mind is hard enough, having others drill it in is not the best. Naw, it's not that bad actually. I don't really think about it now. It's become a back shelf thought that's reviewed only when completely necessary.


The biggest miracle we saw this week was with a member named Jay Brown. He is a returned missionary himself from the New Zealand Wellington mission. He has a friend named Tommy, who's wife is investigating in NZ. Turns out, his wife knows the relatives of brother Brown in NZ and was talking to them about how cool it'd be if they could meet up with the Browns in AU. Well, doesn't take much... NEC MINUTE they're moving here (hopefully permanently) and we have a teaching appointment with Tommy today! Hopefully it goes well.

Well, that's all I can really think of. The funniest thing that happened is definitely the Harpoon gun....

One of the missionaries in our flat is a survival expert and weapons maker-extraordinaire! Luckily, it's in non-pros times. However, he made a home-made harpoon gun that we shoot at this giant as stuffed monkey that we got for Christmas. Things almost as tall as me, but 3x wider! It's fun.

*Disclaimer* ---No animals were harmed in the making of the harpoon gun.

Well, hope you're all happy and healthy. LOVE  YOU ALL! THANKS FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS! Keep Tommy in your prayers for us please!

Love you all!

-Elder Sargeant