The Week Before the Week

A very frequently asked question this week was how I feel.  To be completely honest with you, it does not feel like I've been out here for two years.  I had the same thought in MLC at the beginning of this transfer realizing that I was one of the "oldest" missionaries in there.  All the math adds up.  I was set apart September 6th, entered the MTC on the 9th, and September 2017 begins this week.  Needless to say, it feels pretty crazy thinking about it all.  

So now we'll go to the highlights.  

• Normally we go grocery shopping in pros. clothes, but last Monday we went in our non-pros. after Zone P-Day.  From my perspective, it's a lot harder to tell that we're missionaries when we ain't in the get-up.  But, this lady kept staring at our badges and eventually asked us what we do.  And so for the next ten minutes or so, we're (the four of us Elders) standing in the middle of an aisle telling this lady what we do as missionaries ad low key teaching her the Restoration.  Really cool experience.  
• So far I've only knocked doors on trade-offs this transfer.  We might change that this week, but I got to do so in Minchinbury with Elder Tasker.  Not too many peeps were home, but it was fun to switch it up and very simply invite people to learn about our unique message.  
• Held DTM up in Leura this week, so 4 companionships trained up instead of the Leura Sisters driving down the mountain.  I love traveling in groups of missionaries, the looks we get are always priceless.  
• Training through the Central Coast was also awesome.  Great memories up there and cool to see Elder Metcalf baptize Rodney, who has a super solid testimony.  
• Speaking of testimonies, I went up to Leura for a second time this week to conduct a baptismal interview for the Leura Sisters investigator.  She's a 16 year old girl, but her understanding of repentance really impressed me.  She's so excited to be baptized this coming Saturday for that very reason.  

Well, I got one more week to rock the get-up and my Elder Muh badge.  It's such a privilege to represent the Savior Jesus Christ, and I'm beginning to realize how grateful I am to have had this opportunity.  One more week to shine light, plant seeds, and testify!  

Love you heaps!

Elder Muh

We got Angel Moroni in our District (DTM in Leura)

You know what it is 

Twinning 

The Zone at foot golf (minus E.Metcalf and S. Fuller who were taking the pics)

Pretending to have hops in Leura 

Sixteen, Sixteen, Sixteen Days Left, Gotta Get it Done

Yep, I had no idea what to title this one, but hope you enjoyed that HSM.  This week played out a bit different than what we expected, the Claremont Elders were both sick on our scheduled trade-off day, so we took them to a doctor's appointment and then back to the flat.  We worked with them for a short time later in the week, but for some reason it feels like they were sick last month.  Had some mean dinner appointments this week though, one was homemade pizza.  The rest of the week in highlights and pictures below.  

• Yellow Lambo this week #wut
• Trade-off with the AP's in Mac Uni.  Elder Anderson's "target age" is so inspired.  The amount of people that you meet there that are purely just curious about why we do what we do is unreal.  Sometimes I wish I served in the city, but street contacting is the struggle for me, so it's also pretty inspired I was never sent there.  
• So Elder Metcalf served in Mac for 9 months and we got to meet a whole bunch of his recent converts and stuff.  Way cool.  
• As part of service for Grandma Townsend, we walked her dog.  There's a first for everything haha.  

And that's about it.  Zone P-Day after this and then a really good week planned.  Three trade-offs, two with our flat-mates, the Penrith Elders, plus we get to hit up the Central Coast bc one of Elder Metcalf's investigators called President to get permission for him (Metcalf) to baptize him and we are stoookeeed.  Love the Coast.  

Also realizing that I have two weeks left is pretty hectic.  Half the MTC homies flew out this week for school and we up next.  #dayonefam

Love you heaps!

Elder Muh

Tahitian Sisters are the best.  Breakfast and lunch crepes.  She taught us how to make 'em this morning.  

Must be the temple parking lot #CougarNationDownUndah

One of his go-to restaurants, Mad Fo' Chicks

Some of his recent converts with the Assistants out in Eastwood

You know we on dat health buzzz

Sister Carroll showed me this fireside flyer yesterday.  We made it! 

Loong Suffering

I gotta be honest, there's not much to report on this week.  The work has been really slow and it's been pretty rough.  I'm still trying to figure out why the Lord is having me finish here, and I'm sure I'll understand it a lot more in the future, but for now, I'm gaining a great understanding of enduring to the end.  Any moment we can spend with members keeps us sane, we're so grateful for that.  From this week on, we have at least one trade-off each week, so hopefully we'll be doing a bit more than the everyday train finding.  

• Went to Richmond this week and worked with Elder Kalomtak.  He's from Vanuatu and every once in a while would remind me of Elder Usua.  First time I tracted all transfer, it was fun to hit the doors.  
• Working with the Sisters to hopefully reactivate a Chilean sister that just moved back to Oz
• Low key drove by a Lambo this week 
• Just trying to remain as positive as we can.  This week we talked about how fun it is to just walk around with white shirts, ties, and badges.  We aren't teaching a ton, but I don't have much longer to rock the badge, so I gotta enjoy it while it lasts.  

Going to Claremont and Macquarie University this week on trade-offs, plus a couple of dinners set up.  Sanity for real for real.  

Love you heaps!

Elder Muh

The Sequence.  Elder Metcalf is golfing, but I'm really playing baseball out here

Twinning it up at DTM

My training on 2 Nephi 31:20 ft. Elder Metcalf's "Endure Tunnel"

 The bro shouting us a family box 

Blessings are...The Effects of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

I forgot a pretty cool experience we had last week, so I'll start with that and then move into this week.

So we're getting into the elevator after visiting Elder Tasker and say hi to the lady in with us.  We walk out with her and she ended up shouting us strawberry milks.  She was Muslim but really (as PMG says it) recognized us a servants of the Lord in saying that she knew we were doing the work of God.  Her husband is pretty sick, but she had a very positive outlook on it.  Shared brief portions of the Plan of Salvation with her and bore testimony of it's truthfulness.  Great reminder for us all after that pretty hectic week in the mission.  

• Big week with MLC & Zone Conference.  Weird having four Elders from our intake all bearing a final testimony at MLC.  Great group to be around, really motivating to do more for the missionaries in our Zone.  
• Finished up the mound of mulch this week.  Got a picture of the finish, but still haven't scored a beginning shot.  
• Taught the Restoration in a very hands on way to this Filipino girl we met train finding, but she lives in Katoomba and her mom low key bashed us over the phone so I don't think we'll get to teach her the Plan of Salvation now... 
• That was the second bash in a 15 hour span.  Gotta love when you listen all day but they'll never listen back.  Also, we still haven't been told which plagues from the Book of Revelation have come upon Joseph Smith and the Mormon's.  Revelation 22 is the opposition's fave :)
• Zone Conf. was great.  The past three transfers, we've had big Special Trainings, which are awesome, but the smaller settings are definitely more spiritual.  Great trainings on the Sacrament and the Spirit by President and Sister Checketts.  
• Our training was on the GofJC, so we worked up an intro that brought up the Restoration.  Grateful for those plain and precious truths full of what we can do every single day.  

Week 2 in the books.  That was the busy part of the transfer.  Now we got trade-offs throughout and interviews in week 6, so it should slow down a bit now.  Been doing a lot of what I haven't done in 3 months: train finding.  The struggle is finding people that live in our actual area.  But  the show goes on.  

Love you heaps!

Elder Muh

The Cardigan Brothahz

When the Sisters think you're trunky... 

You know we on that burger buzz #ClaremontEldahz

This was the final barrow

Hectic As

Last "Week 1" in the history of week one's of my mission.  This week one was literally like no other.  Drove to and from the St. Mary's flat a few times, jumped a couple cars, and, have been back in a trio this weekend.  Hectic is the best way to put it.  

• Bid farewell to the Idaho breathahz.  If you haven't given 'em yet, good luck on y'alls homecoming talks! 
• Elder Metcalf and I roll up to the station on transfer Tuesday rockin' the same tie.  But we didn't take a picture.  Nor did we take one all week lol.  
• Got transfers finished, welcomed Leura Sisters in, replacing 4 Elders up there.  Also welcomed Elder Niesner who's training Elder Schone in Claremont.  Get to hit up that great place on trade-offs again!  
• Did service for an older couple in our Ward, the Wilson's.  They had a pile of mulch and we're working on distributing it throughout their garden bed and what not.  You won't believe me because we took no pictures (hashtag lame we are) but the mound was probably about 7 feet tall.  
• Had dinner with our Elders Quorum President and his wife again.  They're both Returned Missonaries and totally relate with us.  Great energy boost and motivation when we visit them.  
• So that trio.  We got a Kiwi Elder in hospital (hopefully he gets out today because he is bored as) and so his Tongan companion was with us these past few days.  It's hard to describe in words why this weekend was so funny, because really, he's just so fob.  Gotta love it.  
• Because we were in that trio, we stayed the night Saturday at the St. Mary's flat (for Minchinbury Ward the next morning) and got to hang with the new Elder.  He just graduated (so he's the same age as Jaren) and I just love the kid.  
• Stake Priesthood Meeting last night was suuuper good.  Great talks and a good reminder at how privileged we are to hold the Lord's Priesthood.  Blessings on blessings.  

Stoked for Mission Leader Conference and Zone Conference this week.  Should be great, especially since we're currently trying to plan a dank as training for Conference. 

Love y'all!

Elder Muh

Deuces potato brethren! 

Elder Metcalf's got this game called Spike Ball, it's huge on the mainland and we played it at the MTC.  We got the flat going in the living room and it'll make for a mean P-Day activity.  Featuring my new $5 fern socks.  

Yep here's us in non-proselyting clothes. haha  (Elder Metcalf)