This past week has to have been the best week of my mission, no exaggeration. Bendigo has been SUCH AN SWEET AS PLACE TO SERVE AND IT HAS ONLY BEEN THREE WEEKS!!!! FAIR DINKUM!! ;)
Anyway, first of all the ward members spoilt us heaps with lollies, bickies, and heaps of leftover meals. Never have I had to indulge in so much food as I did on Christmas Day. Who is complaining though aye? NOT THIS GUY! (MY waistline may be but she'll be right) and now New years is coming up. A new year to work towards bettering ourselves and lifting others. That's what it's all about!
Anyway, some funny things happened this week. First of all being in a 4 man flat is funny as because I'm with two missionaries who had to learn English. They sometimes speak in a broken tongue which is hilarious as, and the best part is when they hear American slang that they've never heard before... because they just keep saying it over and over and over and over again. I'd give you some examples... but that'd be bad.
To add to the awesomeness, the Bishop called us on Saturday morning and asked for our assistance with some service.
Turns out... we had to help put out a bushfire in a vineyard of a less active member and her non member husband. Someone started a fire with some farm machinery and it sparked it and BAM 75% of the vineyard in flames! It was hot as and such but it was awesome. We walked around with buckets and poured them on all the posts. It was insane seeing the damage that a simple spark can bring... looking over the landscapes it was like looking at a green freshly planted pasture of grapes, then a desolate burnt wasteland with smoke rising from the ground. The best part was he didn't know we were in a evacuation zone. Technically no one was supposed to be there because of potential fires... but no one told us this and the Bishop didn't either. LEGIT! :D
The best part of the week was talking to my family, followed quickly after some wonderful experiences with Elder Worsencroft. Bendigo is such an awesome as place. The work is so plenteous and the people are wonderful. We got invited to stop by and see this bloke named Brad, one of your potential investigators, on New Years Day. He wants us to teach him how he can bring his life back on the straight and narrow path.
Then, yesterday we had a lesson with one of our investigators named Deckland. He had been taught formerly but lost touch with the Elders. He is gay, and smokes, but is such a sincerely nice and loving guy who has gone through... A LOT of unfortunate and horrible things that shouldn't have happened. The hard part of agency aye? Sometimes you get yourself into horrible places when you don't have the Light of Christ in your life. My testimony has grown so much. I love it!!! Anyway, we had a member with us named Mitchell Rechter, the brother of our Ward Mission Leader. He got back from his mission in April and he is SOLID AS. HE served in Germany somewhere and we've become quite good mates. He reminds me a lot of Nick Nadeau actually which is comforting in itself. So, with the testimonies of three Elders we sat down and talked to Deckland about how he could build his faith. We shared with him and bore witness of the truthfulness of the Gospel, and how Jesus Christ and His atonement make everything right in life that seems wrong. Elder Worsencroft looked over at me and whispered "should we invite him to be baptised?" and I just was overwhelmed with a "YES!!" So that's what we did. It was powerful. Deckland cried and as I invited him to be baptised, per Elder Worsencroft's wish, I had that overwhelming confirmation that everything I was doing was right. I FELT the pure love of Jesus Christ just wash over me, and I just knew from that moment that 1) I was saying exactly what needed to be said and done and 2) I KNEW that Jesus Christ lived, died, and lives now for me and everyone. It was exactly what I needed. I felt as if I took a bite of the white fruit of the tree of life that Lehi talks about in 1 Nephi 8. It was incredible. I LOVE THE GOSPEL!!!
Oh, and Deckland accepted the invitation with FLYING COLOURS! WOO!!!!!!!
This week was just amazing. I love seeing how the gospel makes everything better, and more happy.
I LOVE YOU ALL HEAPS!!!!!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR AND SHOUT OUT TO MY SECOND MUM SHANNON GISH!!!!! HAPPY 27th BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!! ;)
-Elder Sargeant
Me and Elder Hirata posing like straight thugs. ;)
Sunset, lollies from Christmas, and workout time!!!
Elder Smith, Elder Judd, and I posing in Mooroopna the day before I got Elder Worsencroft.
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