9.16.2013

Email September 16, 2013

Hello my dear friends and family,

First off, HAPPY BIRTHDAY (in Australia) TO THE BEST MOMMY IN THE WORLD!!! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!

This week was good. I feel super lazy at the moment so I can't promise that I will write a lot but I do want to tell you all about a few things! So I have to tell you more random things about Australia to start with! The dairy products here are so creamy and they make me feel so sick. It is awful! The cheese is bitter and tastes funny but I am getting used to it because I eat a lot of sandwiches because they are pretty much the only thing I like. We eat so many weird meals that I have to eat things like sandwiches and chicken strips to balance it out! Haha speaking of food, we ate at an American member's home last night and we had bacon cheeseburgers and A&W Root Beer! It was the most amazing meal I have eaten here so far! President Butler is an incredible cook and he is a hick and listens to country music and used to rodeo and we get along so great! He know all the good country music! He asked me if I like "King George" and I just laughed. So we sang some George Strait and Garth Brooks and he played guitar and it was like I was home for an hour and, let me tell you, I needed it! It is still raining a ton here and it was raining this morning but its sunny right now! My umbrella exploded so I have to buy a new one. Don't ask me what happened...but I may or may not have gotten really excited about using my umbrella that I opened it a little too violently and it just burst a little bit...Haha anyway, random fact: light bulbs are called light globes here and the speed limits are actual LIMITS! If you are one kph over, you will get pulled over. It's nuts.

I told my companion about the problems I have been having with her on Thursday and that was...interesting. She was super offended but I needed to get it out because it has helped me so much to get over the stupid little things that drive me nuts. We are just so different and it makes me think that she is self absorbed and it makes the stupidest things annoy me...like the fact that she always squints when she talks to me or the fact that she yawns in the middle of every prayer that she offers. Yeah...its stupid. Haha but I am getting over it and learning to love her. She commanded evil spirits to leave a lesson the other day and I am still trying to process it. I don't really know what to think. It could have something to do with our levels of spirituality at this point but for some reason I cannot wrap my mind around raising your right hand and yelling that the evil spirits possesing a less active's body to depart. I have been praying to strengthen my faith to understand better but I am not really there yet. I will keep you updated.

I found out that they weren't kidding when they told us that this was one of the most stressful missions in the world....4 missionaries from my zone went home in just 3 weeks. Missions are really hard for those of you who were wondering. Haha but I am doing really well! Each day gets better and I am learning that the less I worry about what I feel or how tired I am, the happier I am. I was so concerned with being this perfect missionary and not being able to measure up but now I am learning to just be me and people seem to like that much more. I know its silly but it is hard to be yourself when so many people have really high expectations for you! It feels like I am learning to be the person I already was with minor improvements...and the worst thing about it is that I am relearning it every single day! It's exhausting but so rewarding! I love it here! I love Australia! I miss the States like crazy but there is nothing like what I have been called to do! I get to talk to people about hope, joy, and love all day every day and it is great because those are my favorite things! As far as stories for the week, I will just tell a brief miracle from this week!  On Saturday afternoon, Sister Eldredge and I went to follow up with a potential investigator and we had to walk up a massive hill to get there. On the way back down, a man walked out of his home and said hello to us. We said hello and started to walk away but he just kind of lingered there so we decided to stop and talk to him. Come to find out, he saw us walk up the hill and came outside to say hello! Talk about a prompting from the Spirit! So we got to talking and we taught him a brief version of the first three lessons in about 20 minutes. He just got out of a long relationship and is looking for a fresh start and a better life and a way to get his life together again. So we invited him to church the next day and he CAME!!! He is excited to learn more and we set up an appointment to teach him tomorrow and I am really excited! The Lord blesses us so much when we make inspired plans and strive to make our goals! I have such a testimony of what I am doing! The Lord places certain people in our lives for very specific reasons! So the next time you hate someone, ask yourself what you can learn. Haha sometimes that is really hard and maybe they are just in your life to be an example of the person you don't want to be but hey, at least you know!

I got letters from Elder Petersen, Mama P, and a package from Kaylese and Clay and my daddy and I LOVED them! I cannot get enough of the mail! It is seriously so great! Just a heads up, I can't use the forever stamps from the states so if you sent me some, I am sending them back! We have a zone activity today so I don't know how much time I will have to write letters but I will do my best to respond to all of the ones I got! I love you all so much! Adelaide is still cold but it is getting warmer and the sunsets are beautiful! When we are up in the hills we can see the ocean and it is amazing! It's the little things that matter :)


I love you all and am STILL praying for you! Have a wonderful week! :D

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