Sorry this email is so late. This morning we went out "bush" with some of the members. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! We road in their 4 wheel and didn't even care if there were roads or not and then we went and saw the old mines that are around Kal. Brother Aumoe is like the stereotypical brown aussie man that you think of it's awesome!
Last week we decided that we needed to have a pretty hefty planning session. It took us all day but we were determined to not give up. We have reaped so many blessings from it this week. The first person is sweet precious Seany. She's so cool! She reminds me of the girls. We decided to start getting the young women involved instead of the leaders. We took one of her best friends with us to the first lesson and she bore a powerful testimony of the priesthood. Because we had one of her best friends with us she was way more keen to have lessons with us every day. I think my favorite part about missionary work is seeing their understanding grow. I wish I remembered what my setting apart blessing said about my mission, but this week I know that part of my patriarchal blessing was fulfilled. Seany told us that she can see how much happier her life is since she's been coming to church and how much it has helped us. She wants to continue down this path. In the past week we have taught her tuesday, wednesday, and thursday and we've covered the restoration, plan of salvation, gospel of jesus christ, the word of wisdom, the law of chastity, priesthood and auxilieries, temple marriage, follow the prophet, and the importance of prayer and scripture study. She even found the perfect scripture to go with our lesson for gospel of jesus christ. we were talking about enduring to the end and all of a sudden she whips out 2 nephi 31:20 and she was like I love this one it sounds so pretty. Ok let me remind you this girl is 15 and isn't a member yet!!!
I think we found our family! They are part member only the dad is a member but he has 3 kids that can get baptized and his so sweet wife. We found the teaching record and it pretty much looked like they had just been friends with the missionaries in the past never even taught the restoration... so we decided to drop the spiritual bomb on them. it was awesome. Brother Timu the ward mission leader (who is so awesome) came with us and they were all so keen and the kids all committed to read the book of mormon for 5 minutes a day, pray, and smile (one of our favorite commitments to leave with people). The best part was to see how quickly once the spirit was there we were able to bond. In the 1 visit we were able to do the same amount of bonding that took the previous missionaries going several times just sharing "messages". It just goes to show the power of 2 spirits connecting. When you are open to the spirit it does so much more for your relationships.
Last night we were having dinner at this members house and there was this man there who is a member but has been going through a really really really hard time the past year, and because it's a small town everybody knows about it... which doesn't make it any easier. We shared the mormon message about the currant bush and how god has a will for us so we need to trust him when we get cut down. We asked them how they have seen this principle in their own lives. This is a typical example of missionaries trying to teach people not lessons but sometimes it can be intimidating to ask such blunt questions when you know someone's situation. Fraiser opened up and it was the most powerful example I've ever had of teaching people not lessons. We testified of the promises that the Savior has given to those who are faithful. After he texted us and told us that it was the first time in a long time that he had felt the spirit. Guys.. he even cried! I was so humbled to have been apart of it and I know that even if I had been a disobedient missionary and Fraiser needed to feel that spirit at that time Heavenly Father would have found a way for him to get it, but I'm so grateful that I was worthy to be that vessel and to witness him returning to full activity. Those are the immediate blessings of being a diligent and obedient missionary.
President and Sister Lindsay came this week. It was the best and shortest day of my mission. Coming country even if nothing good comes from it (but good things all ready have come) was worth it just for that one day with the Lindsay's. It was just the 4 of us with them, the elders and us. They taught us what was shared at zone conference... but it was way more personal. Turns out President shared Clive's conversion story with the entire mission. I've always felt that I had nothing to do with Clive's conversion, but I was just blessed enough to get to serve in that area at that time but it turns out that President sees it otherwise. In my interview he told me that it was nonsense for me to think that. He helped me understand more about faith. He helped me see that had it not been for my faith, and willingness to be obedient Clive would have never seen us waving on the side of the road. Faith doesn't mean immediate baptisms, and if you don't get baptisms it isn't necessarily because you aren't faithful, and even some missionaries who aren't faithful and obedient will still get baptisms. But as a church we believe in all things we hope for all things and we have endured many things and we hope to be able to endure all things only way baptisms are possible is because somebody believed enough to follow the counsel of the Lord, missionary or investigator. The only way I was able to endure Alexander heights was the hope and faith that I had in the Savior, even though sometimes it felt weak...that is the power of my faith in Clive's conversion and in every time I teach. I have enough faith to hope that my brother or sister could be converted and return home with me. I have been forever changed by exercising my Faith and hope in the Savior. I love him, I know that he always fulfills his promises to those who are faithful and abide by his laws. I can't deny it... not after Clive, when I was to the point where I felt like everything was lost. Not after every day that I've had on my mission where I see the Lord's hand.
I was reading in the doctrine and covenants this last week and I came across this scripture "And again, verily I say unto you that it is your privilege, and a promise I give unto you that have been ordained unto this ministry, that inasmuch as you strip yourselves from jealousies and fears, and humble yourselves before me, for ye are not sufficiently humble, the veil shall be rent and you shall see me and know that I am—not with the carnal neither natural mind, but with the spiritual."
I know that if we choose to see things in an eternal perspective we gain the spiritual eyes to be able to see our Savior
xoxo forever
Sister Wyatt
when you go "bush" you see lakes... old mine pits... and the people at the tavern (which is the only building around for k's) have your write your names on their wall... so exciting!
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