The Best Sunday Ever!

So I just realized that we had 8 meal appointments this week.  That's mean.  Love this place.  Gosford is good.  My whole mission, I've heard missionaries say that the best way to do this Work is to work with the members, and I think I'm finally beginning to grasp that.  We've built some great relationships with members who are so keen to do missionary work, but just need a bit of guidance and things are slowly falling into place.  

We also had trade-offs with the Zone Leaders this week, which is always great.  I went with Elder Riquelme, who was born in Chile, but has spent most of his life in Melbourne.  We had a pretty solid day testifying of a loving God to people who needed to know that.  Feel good day.  One thing I learned was something called "5-Alives".  So whenever we're looking for someone on the Ward list or following up with a door, we knock 5 other doors around it, and wow it makes things so much more productive.  Rather than just knocking one door and getting back in the car again, we do so much more.  

And now for the title.  Yesterday, Daniel came to church along with three less-actives, including Mama T and a Tongan brothah whose family I know from Harbord.  President Dunn, Bishop Dumas, and Brother Jeffree all came to welcome Daniel straight after the closing prayer and the members were stoked to see the less-actives there.  So thankful they were ready to welcome everybody.  Man it was so sick.  Daniel loved church and should be back next week too.  Elder Heu and I taught in Elders Quorum from Elder Bednar's Conference talk "If Ye Had Known Me".  It's pretty deep, so I was worried how it would go, especially with Daniel being there.  But we had some good discussion and it seemed to go pretty well.  Yee-uh.  

And that's it for us in good 'ol Gosford.  

Love you's heaps!

Elder Muh

Been here 17 months and have never seen these lollies before.  Pretty funny

That moment when...

The mish shirt

Hence last weeks' title (Jackets in the Summah)

Us with Elder Riquelme and Elder Sloan

Jackets in da Summah!

It is technically still summer (I believe), but this week was stormy AS.  It was way cool.  I think the Sisters hate when it rains, but man, the Elders love it.  Pretty much the whole second half of the week, it poured and there was pretty frequent thunder and lighting too.  This one day, we ran from the bus stop to a less-active's house (who wasn't home) and were running to the next bus stop when a guy asked us if he could give us a lift.  Turns out he's a less-active. What are the odds?  Miracle.  We got soaked that day, but I don't think you can totally tell in the pictures.  

It was totally like Elder Holland's Mormon Message (which you can watch here: https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-09-005-sanctify-yourselves?lang=eng).  

Side note, President Uchtdorf's newest Mormon Message is way good (https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2016-11-5000-the-journey?lang=eng).  

Alright, I'm getting distracted now, but while you're at it, these are the JAMS (https://www.lds.org/youth/theme/2017?lang=eng).

One of the investigators we're working with is Faith, a member's mum.  She's a bit older and has been a Christian all her life.  She comes to church pretty much every week, and stays for all three hours, health permitting.  Her husband passed away a while ago but she loved him heaps.  We are trying so hard for her to understand that she can be together forever.  The Gospel Principles lessons as of late have been really helpful with that.  I think I've taken for granted just how great the Plan of Salvation actually is because I've grown up with a knowledge of it.  

Best parts of the week.  Old guy has a very unique doorbell, so we're pumped.  He gets to the door, says thank you, and then walks back down the hallway.  I have no idea what he was thinking, but it was pretty funny.  Also, people here tend to just say they aren't interested, and then close the door.  It's even more funny when people close their doors after we leave bc it's hot and that's how they we're getting a breeze.  But forrealz, how can you say you aren't interested when you have never heard the message we share?  We asked this one dude why he wasn't interested and after saying he didn't want to talk about, he closed the door.  I guess he didn't want a happier life.  

It feels so good to teach the Restoration.  Like the whole message, in it's entirety.  We get to teach bits and pieces fairly often, and condensed versions, but haven't taught the whole thing in a while.  Until Saturday.  Got a solid appointment set with our brothah Daniel and he actually had a friend show up as we we're about the start teaching.  New investigator.  There's so much power in the Restoration, especially the First Vision.  I wish we could testify of that to more people than we do.  Like legit, if what we just told you is true, the very Church that Jesus Christ established 2,000 years ago is on the earth today.  It don't get much simpler than that man.  

Love the Ward.  Love the weather.  Love the work.  

Love you's heaps.

Elder Muh

Enjoying the Rain!

Birthday Card from the ZL's

¡Hace Mucho Calor!

So nothing super huge happened this week, but let me just say, I love this Ward.  I've really been blessed to stay in my areas for long amounts of time, to get to know the members well and begin to work effectively with them.  We had dinner with our Ward Mission Leader and his wife (the Newlings) on Monday and they are crack up.  They're both converts, but they love the Gospel so much and they've been in this Ward for a long time so they know like everybody.  Whenever Sister Newling sees us in the halls during church, she's like "skipping out on class again"?!  She's the best.  

We did a bit of service this week and the pictures will probably explain it better, but at the Jeffree's, we're helping him build a privacy screen on their deck, and at Mama T's, we started sanding a ceiling to re-paint.  I also held a chicken (chook) for the first time ever.  See below.  

Last transfer, we found Daniel and he was planning on coming to church with us but then didn't make it.  We've been trying to contact him ever since then, but finally knocked when he was home this week.  He's been reading a bit of the Book of Mormon, and was pretty interested at the fact that Jesus visited the Americas.  He couldn't make it to church this week, but hopefully next week he can!

This whole week, people have been raving about how hot the weekend was going to be and the records that would be broken.  It wasn't 44.7 degrees on Saturday, but its was very hot (Over 100 degrees).  At one point, we got out of the car, followed up with a door and then went to Brother Moran.  Within those 3 minutes, my arms looked like I had just come out of the ocean.  Dripping.  But it's been really cool visiting Brother Moran because I attempt to share a scripture with him in Spanish at the end.  He'll get to bless the Sacrament is the next few weeks and it'll be in Spanish which is awesome.  Kinda like the 2 General Conference talks that were in Spanish and Portuguese a few years back.  Way cool.  

We're at an interesting stage in Gospel Principles because everyone in that class is single, but the topics have such great meaning.  The fact that families really can be eternal and that the only way that is possible is through the Priesthood ordinances in a House of The Lord is incredible.  I think sometimes I forget how unique that makes this Church and also how privileged and blessed we are.  One of Sister Coulson's favorite lines is: "if only they knew".  How true.  If people had any idea of the amount of blessings and the joy that a knowledge of the Gospel can bring to their lives, wow.  They are missing out on sooo much.  And we gotta do something about that!  #themission

Love you heaps!

Elder Muh

Forgot to attach these last week

Brother Eley took us out for Thai #boiz

The new District #GosfForward

Yup.  Holding a Chicken!

Stop eating animals

 It's hard to tell, but we looked pasty and covered in the dust 

Checking for eggs 

The deck

It's that time again #dollahforakilo

Stoplights on Pacific Highway

I don't know why I was so surprised.  It's basically like Kam Highway, but not.  It's an interesting comparison.  But the drive up to Newcastle was pretty cool.  We never hit the freeway in our area, so life in the fast lane was a change.  

Special Training featuring the Worldwide Missionary Broadcast was legend though.  You've probably heard about the changes to our schedule and key indicator reporting by now, but I'll quickly summarize.  Basically the church has put a lot of trust in the missionaries and want us to be able to exercise our agency.  The changes should help us to be more accountable as well as more efficient.  

I think the update to key indicators was even bigger than the schedule change.  Instead of reporting on all of the key indicators from PMG, we just report on investigators baptized/confirmed, investigators with a baptismal date, investigators at sacrament meeting, and new investigators.  For me, this was huge, because sometimes we focus solely on the numbers to measure our success and just get caught up in those numbers.  Now, we can just go out and do what we're supposed to, which is work.  

Most of the Broadcast was reviewing clips from last year and then members of the Mission Department would analyze them.  So we got to hear from Elder Oaks, Elder Bednar, and Elder Andersen and their thoughts on how we can be more effective missionaries.  Here are some of the things that stuck out to me: 

1.  We need to simplify and focus on the doctrine of Christ, which is a repeating process 

2. I must act differently because I understand the Gospel

3. Real intent is when investigators do things on their own, according to their desire 

4. Quit worrying about success (Elder Bednar) 

5. We remain worthy of the Spirit as we partake of the sacrament meaningfully (Elder Oaks)

6. When the Spirit needs to testify, GET OUT OF THE WAY (like you would if Elder Heu came cutting down the lane to yam it)

7. Don't beat yourself up, just be as good as you can be and let the Lord lead (Elder Bednar) 

8. The Spirit comes to those who desire it and answers come when you intend to do something

9. If you aren't baptizing, teach faith and proper repentance.  Don't lose the flame of baptism.  (Elder Andersen)

10. A testimony is not just what we say, but what we are 

So this is getting pretty long, but I'll add a few updates.  J, our "g'day mate" investigator is going well.  We visited him twice this week, and brought a fellowship on the second.  Alma 32 was inspired as, he felt like it was written for him.  We invited him to "experiment" and find for himself if God is there and will work with his desire!  Last P-Day, we did play basketball with the kids.  We weren't keeping score, but someone was, and I'm pretty sure we won by a considerable margin.  Ourimbah Ward should be getting a Samoan sister in sacrament meeting sometime this transfer!  Maybe even some of the boys will come too.  We haven't met with our referral family yet, so pray that we ce'll get something scheduled for this week!  Elder Heu and I got a second transfer together, and that's us.  

Love you's heaps!

Elder Muh

 Ballin'.  Got to bust out the kicks for the first time since the MTC. 

 Also, we realized afterwards that we were playing inside of a 40 degree (104 F) dome. 

Light the fiyah 

Comps on comps 

Former companions: Elder Usua and Elder Kumar

 Eternal families 

MIRACLES

So like forreal, forreal this transfer just keeps getting better and better.  President Checketts and the ZL's gave us a challenge this week to find 3 new investigators and get one of those to church.  It was definitely motivating and we had some pretty cool opportunities along the way.  

On Wednesday after DTM, we were pretty pumped to find, so we tracked into Woy Woy and met a lady named Daphne, whose parents were LDS, but she never was.  We're not too sure how much she knows about the church, but she gave us her number and said to call her in a couple weeks.  

We met the brothah Daniel a couple of weeks ago, but our return appointment with him fell through since he was sick so we've been trying to catch him at home and finally got him!  He's pretty keen and has a lot of questions.  We taught him the Restoration and a whole bunch more on his doorstep.  He's definitely been prepared by the Lord.  He said he's been praying for guidance and we were the only one's to show up, so he's pretty convinced we're sent from God.  He was planning on coming to church, but ending up not coming.  All goods, he'll get there soon. 

The miracle of all miracles came through a call Saturday evening from Sister Jeffree.  So on Elder Heu's first day, the Jeffree's told us that their neighbors were interested in coming to church to see what it was like.  They haven't made it yet, and it's been a while since we've talked about them.  But on Saturday, she called and said that their family has a lot of questions and are interested in the lessons.  So in other words, A MEMBER GAVE US A REFERRAL TO TEACH A FAMILY.  Mother, father, and two boys.  Incredible.  Amazing.  Exponential blessings.  Hopefully we'll have good news on that next week.  

Life is great.  It's not too hot (now I probably gotta knock on wood).  We got our special training this week where we'll hear about that new schedule.  And we're about to ball up. Indoors. The ZL's met this Samoan lady through their Area Book who coaches a NSW State Champ 14-16 club team and said if we beat them 10 times, she'll come to church.  Interesting, but I think it's a good purpose, so hopefully the Lord approves of it.  More on that next week as well.  Have a good one!

Love you's heaps!

Elder Muh

 Gratitude and prayer DTM

District this transfer 

 Swagman