Different language, Different countries, One religion‏

Family!

 

This weeks letter is going to be broken up into 3 different emails so I don't miss anything.  First off I'm glad to know that everyone is doing well and had fun at Zack's farewell.  It was awesome to see all the pictures mom sent.  You are all so tan!  You all look so happy :D I love it!  So this week has been pretty slow as far as cool stories goes.  We had 2 major things that will be explained in the other 2 emails.  One not so funny  thing from this week is that Sister Kennar and I have realized that we are getting fat and don't know why so we made a new workout plan for ourselves to try and get rid of these extra kilos.  We made a plan but we need some ideas of exercises to do (pinterest workouts for upper body and abs without weights).  We used our extra white board and drew a pictureof Fat Girls.

 It's our motivation to really work out in the mornings and not just wake ourselves up with jumping jacks, sit ups and stretching along with running every other day.  Which we only get like 2 ks in anyway when we do run.  Hopefully it will work :) In sacrament the other day we had a RM speak that served in South Africa.  He started out by bearing his testimony in that clicking language.  He said, "I'm going to start by answering questions about my testimony.  No there is nothing wrong with the mic, yes those clicks were coming from my mouth, yes that is a real language and yes that is the coolest language in the world."  It had everyone laughing.  It was soo cool!  I love that the gospel really has reached many parts of the world in all kinds of languages.  I love you all and can't wait to hear more about how football is going for Ben and David.  I know they are tearing it up and making everyone proud.  Keep it up boys!  Josh I hope you have an awesome Birthday this week! Hopefully your letter gets there in time :) Soph just keep being awesome.  It was great to hear all about your pit band and things last week.  High school is so much fun.  Soak it up while you can.  Next Monday is a National Holiday here.  It's the Queens birthday so all the libraries will be closed.  Because of that we won't be emailing until Wednesday next week.  Just so you know :)  I love you all!

 

All my love,

Sister Shayne

 

 

Event #1 from this week.  

On Thursday Sister Lindsay set up an entire conference just for the Sisters in the mission.  We had it at the local stake center and all 38 sisters gathered for a day of training and fun.  We started at 9:30am and were in workshops and break-out groups until we had lunch.  It was great!  We focused primarily on Chapter 10 of Preach My Gospel.  It's amazing how we can read through those chapters over and over again but it isn't until we really break them down and practice them that we see the power that can come from them.  I know that PMG was written by inspired men.  There is no other way to explain how we can become such incredible teachers at such a young age to teach this gospel.  I know I will be a totally different teacher now.  We really focused on using scriptures as we taught, applying the scripture to the investigator, asking inspired questions that provoke thought and insight, and listening to eternal truths they know and building off of those.  It was powerful.  Our Assistant Elder Jordan said, "Christ was our perfect example.  He didn't ask what others knew about the 10 Virgins or the wheat and the tares, He taught them."  There was a lot of little insights like that that I wrote down in my study journal because I didn't want to forget them.  My study journal will be my favorite thing to look back at for my mission.  I learn so much when I reread what I've written in it from the start of my mission.  After our training we went to Kings Park and the Botanic Gardens.  Kings Park is one of the biggest inner-state parks in the world.  It's bigger than Central Park in New York.  It was incredible.  I just soaked in every minute I had there.  It's moments like that that really make me realize that I'm half way around the world.  I'm going to send heaps of pictures because they say more than I can.  It was an incredible experience that I won't soon forget. 

 

Pictures of the city and view from Kings Park

 

 

 

Sister Tanaka!!! She's from Fukuoka! I found her the morning of the conference and just said, "Hi I'm Sister Beckstrand." and pointed at my badge.  She looked and my last name and got soo excited.  She smiled soo big and almost cried.  She talked all about Jacob and how his Japanese is better than hers and how he said his cousin was serving in this mission.  He was in her ward when she got her call. 

 It was so cool to talk to her throughout the day and make her feel a little bit like she was at home. 

She's only been here for 2 and a half weeks.

 

Me and the City :)

 

The City view.  It's just beautiful.  

 

 

 This is a Kangaroo paw.  It is the state flower of WA.  This is the most common coloring but it can be found in yellow/white and nearly black as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 This was a cute little part of the park where we all took pictures

  

This is part of the garden area of Kings Park.  The flowers were incredible!  

 MORE FLOWERS!

Huge beautiful walk way of grass and trees.  Everything here is just beautiful and perfectly planted and maintained

 

 

 

 

This is a memorial for all the soldier of WA.

Event #2

Saturday we had the baptism of Sadaf and Monia!  It was absolutely beautiful.  We arrived at 6:30pm and met the girls there.  They had their white clothes ready to go and were ear to ear grinning from the second they arrived.  Earlier in the week we had asked Jonathan Dunlop, one of our ward missionaries preparing for his mission, and Kipling Holder, the Bishops son with his mission call to Milan Italy to preform the baptisms and confirmations.  It was a great experience for them.  We talked to Johns mom earlier in the week and she just cried and told us how a year ago she never thought John would be where he is now and how honored she was that we had asked him to help with the baptisms.  It was really neat to see how one simple prompting to have John do one of the baptisms was able to effect their whole family.  John is 22 and only has his physical left to do and then his papers will be sent in!  It's really awesome.  The program for their baptism was simple.  We had a talk on faith by one of the YSA girls, a talk on Enduring to the end by one of the ward missionaries, and then the baptisms of the girls.  Sadaf told us as she changed that she felt a weight lifted off of her.  When they were changed we met back in the chapel.  Sister Kennar and I bore our testimonies and then invited the girls to bear theirs.  They had both written out their simple testimonies in English and got up and recited them.  The spirit was sooo strong.  I couldn't believe how 2 girls from Iran who have only been in Australia for 3 months were able to escape their homeland just to have religious freedom. 

 

Their story is inspiring.  They were worshiping as Christians in Iran at a friends home.  The government found out and they fled.  The friend is currently in prison in Iran.  They went to Indonesia to flee to Australia where they can worship freely.  When they arrived they stayed with a family members friend who's husband is a member of the church.  There is no such thing as coincidences.  God's hand is in this work.  He provides a way for all of his children who are ready to accept the gospel to be able to.  I've been amazed at how even with a language barrier we have been able to teach these girls.  When apostles and prophets talk about technology being able to help us share the gospel they don't just mean using Facebook and Blogs to share the gospel around the world.  We used translation tools on ipads and laptops to help these girls completely understand the fullness of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  I just marvel at the power and wisdom that the Lord has in this work.  I love being a part of it and being able to help others find this incredible happiness.  In the girls confirmations they were both blessed to be examples for their families and friends.  I know that this is just a small part of that promise.  They will be able to do temple work and share the gospel with many of their people.  I love it.  The church is true and I love it.    

 

 

 

 

Opposition In All Things

Hey there!

Wow this has been one incredibly crazy week.  It's felt really long too.  I don't know why but most weeks fly by and this week actually felt like a whole week.  I have couple of really cool stories to share this week.  The first was a lesson that we had with Sadaf and Monia.  When we went the family that they live with were having some family problems so we just went into the back room with Sadaf and Monia to give them a lesson.  We did the entire lesson without a translator.  We opened with a prayer to invite the spirit and to help us have an understanding of each other.  Sadaf said that now that they can get baptized what did they need to do in order to be baptized.  We went through the 6 baptismal questions (found in PMG if your interested in what they are) with them.  We taught what they didn't know and strengthened what they did.  It was amazing.  We had a laptop open with google translate for the words they didn't understand and they had a ipad with their Persian translator on it to translate words for us that they didn't know the English word for.  By the end of the lesson Sister Kennar and I were holding back tears from how strong the spirit was in that little bedroom.   Sister Kennar said she wanted to cry because she was so happy and Sadaf typed a word into her translator and showed it to us.  The English translation was, emotional freedom.  Never have 2 words hit my soul so strongly before.  It just summed up their entire experience with finding the church.  From lying that they were Muslim in Iran to save their lives to being able to be baptized into the Lord's church here in Australia.  It just blew me away.  I couldn't help but cry as we left their home that night.  We said a prayer and just thanked God for putting us in their path and letting us have the opportunity to help them along in this journey that are taking.

We got the blessing of getting a car on Wednesday.  During transfers one area had been closed down and therefor left a car that wasn't being used.  It was a major blessing and an answer to many many prayers by Sister Kennar haha.  It rained a lot this week so we were very thankful to have a car to be able to still go visit many people.  We taught Saba the Plan of Salvation this week.  She is darling.  She wraps her scriptures in a plastic cover to protect them so they don't get bent, scratched, or ripped.  We told her that we had really been praying about her and that we want to move her baptismal date up to the 28th of September.  She got the biggest smile across her face and said, "That's my birthday!"  It was such an awesome moment.  She is golden.  She can't wait to be a full member, go to the temple, get her patriarchal blessing, and go on a mission herself.  I never thought I would ever get someone to teach that is so prepared in my life. 

On Friday we had the most amazing lesson I've had on my mission and I don't know if I'll have an experience again that will be able to top it.  We met our friend Lydiya at the park on Friday and taught her the Restoration.  She had a million and a half questions running through her head so we told her that we can answer them all.  We started by singing I am a Child of God and then shared out lesson.  She listened really closely and said that it all made sense.  I asked her how she felt and she said, "Actually I feel really bad."  I automatically thought, "Oh shoot, that's not how someone is supposed to feel."  She said,  "I feel like Satan is trying to bring me down."  We told her that he knows how close she is to finding the truth and that when she accepts it that he won't be able to get to her anymore.  She thought and cried and passed back and forth for a bit.  She kept saying that she didn't know what she was supposed to do.  I finally said, "Lydiya how would you feel if we knelt right now and you asked God what HE wants for you."  She said she would be honored and there we knelt in the middle of the park with cars passing by and kids playing on the play ground.  All morning it had been overcast but never rained.  It was cold and windy but it wouldn't rain.  Lydiya said the most sincere prayer I think she's ever offered.  As she prayed the clouds parted and one ray of sunlight came through.  I kid you not it was straight out of a cheesy lds novel it was too perfect to be true.  We were instantly filled with warmth from the sun and from the Spirit.  Lydiya started to cry and said, "I can feel you Lord.  You know that I love the sun and I know that this is my answer from you."  She finished her prayer and looked up at us.  Her whole countenance had changed.  She was a totally different person.  As we walked back to her house the clouds got darker and darker and 10 mins after we left her it started to rain.  It was the craziest thing I've ever witnessed.  It was amazing to feel someone's answer, to see the literal change in their person, and see the gospel instantly blessing her live.

  The only downfall of missionary work is that Satan is real and that he is trying harder than ever to bring people down.  The next day we gave her a text inviting her and her partner to Stake Conference.  The text we got back said, "Thanks for the invite but I'm happy at my own church.  I don't believe in you Mormons.  I'm no longer interested."  I was cut.  I thought maybe it was her partner that got her phone so we drove straight over to her house.  She wasn't home so we gave her a call.  Long story short she talked to several Preachers and Pastors from other churches that night and they had filled her head with so much anti-Mormon rubbish that she didn't even know what to think she just started spitting out things that she had heard.  We asked if that was what she thought of if that was what others told her.  She said that what she was told.  I then asked her what God told her.  That shut her up.  She said she didn't know.  We bore testimony that she knows and we know because we were there in the park when God answered her prayer.  We were bold and loving and bore the strongest testimony we could to stand up for what we believe against the evil rubbish she was told.  We hung up with her not wanting to hear from us again.  Sister Kennar just cried and asked if we could pray for her.  I've never felt the power of prayer stronger as I prayed.  At the beginning of my prayers I was hurt, sad, and confused.  I could feel Satan's presence just mocking us.  I don't think I've prayed more earnestly in my life.  By the end of my prayer I felt at peace.  I know that Lydiya will find the truth someday.  That she will be able to call upon that experience she had and that it will richly bless her life.  I'm grateful that I have a strong testimony of the truthfulness of this gospel.  "This is the way and there is no other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the Kingdom of God." 2 Nephi 31:20-21  I love being a missionary.  I love seeing the gospel change lives, whether they accept the gospel or not.  The church is true.  I know it, I live it, I love it.  Keep doing those little things in your day to draw you closer to the Savior.  I love you all and pray for you daily.  Keep smiling :)

Much love,
Sister Shayne

p.s.

Just some fun pictures

 

Those Elders were in our district last transfer.  The one missing a tooth is Elder Allred.  He got punched by an Aboriginal in Kallgorlie last summer trying to break up a fight.  The other one is Elder Marshall.

 We decided to match for Stake Conference.  White tops, black skirts.  It was simple but it's the little things like that that just make a day so much better.

FHE at the Berrymans.  The blankets on the floor is what Auntie called, "Moari style."  There were like 24 people there last night.  It made me really feel home.  When we went around we had to introduce ourselves and how we were connected to the Berrymans.  I said, "I'm Sister Beckstrand and I'm the Berryman's adopted child for the next couple of weeks."  :)

Ballajura Aquatic Center :)

Train Station in Perth City.  We had to go pick up a Sister that was coming back from Albany.  It was the closest I've been to the city my entire mission.

 

 

 

Picture we got as we were driving of the city. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This first one is for Dad and Josh.  

It was cheezy but I had to take a picture while we were stopped at a light.

This is an actual Kookaburra sitting in a gum tree!!!!  I about died.

 

 Some pictures from our hike last p-day.  This tunnel was like 2k's long.  You could see the end so it didn't seem like it was going to be very long or dark but half way through you knew that there was no turning back.

 

Once we got to the end of the hike I thought I was in Zion or in AF Canyon.  It was crazy.  But instead of our normal Utah pine trees and aspens we were surrounded in Gum Trees.

 

 

The last one looked like a truffula tree from the Lorax.  I had to take a picture.

Last week of the transfer‏

Hey!

 

I've survived my first transfer of training!  I've been in Alexander Heights for 6 weeks now and we got the call today that we will be staying here for another 6 weeks at least to finish Sister Kennar's training.  This last week was hard.  On Monday Sister Kennar had a break down.  She had been holding a lot in and finally just let it go.  She was ready to go home.  She had been really struggling and I had no idea.  It was hard to see her just break down in tears.  She wouldn't accept a hug or anything.  She just let it all out.  I spent a lot of time on my knees that night in tears.  I finally thought we had figured everything out and then this happened.  She asked if she could just call home and talk to her family.  I held on to the phone and told her that she would have to ask President after Zone Meeting the next day.  Well we went to Zone Meeting and during our practice teaching Sister Kennar broke down again.  Her mind was not focused and she felt really inadequate.  She didn't want to talk to President after the meeting.  I stopped President Lindsay and talked to him for a bit and asked him how I can best help her.  He had some great advice and if anything he just calmed my heart that everything was going to be okay.  Sister Lindsay said that she was going to come study with us the next morning.  When we went home we did personal study.  I prayed for nearly half of my personal study in tears pleading for help on how I can help my companion.  When we finally got together for comp study she shared a really spiritual experience that she had during her personal study.  She had read exactly what she needed to and I could see the mighty change of heart.  When it was my turn to share what I learned I just cried.  I think it scared her because the only time she had seen me cry was when I read mom's blog about Zack's endowment.  I told her everything that I was feeling.  I shared how incredible she is as a missionary, how much I loved her, how much I wanted her to become the missionary that I know the Lord wants her to be, and how I felt like I had failed as a trainer from Monday night until she shared what she did.  It was a hard little mountain to climb but there is an incredible unity in our companionship now.  When Sister Lindsay came to study with us it was so nice to just be able to talk to her.  She asked how we were going and we were able to just talk to her like she was a mom.  It's nice having a mission mom to take care of us. 

 

After Sister Lindsay left we headed out for the day.  We saw a girl at the bus stop that looked really lost and about ready to cry.  I stopped and asked if she needed help.  She nearly started to cry.  Her name is Lydiya.  She said that she was just lost at where she was and where she was going.  We started talking about anything and everything.  She was recently baptized in a Baptist church.  We asked her if we could go sit in the park and talk to her.  We ended up sitting there for 40 mins answering her questions, sharing experiences, and teaching her.  She has had a crazy rough life.  She is only 19 and is lost.  She gave us all of her details and said that she wanted us to come visit her.  When we left I couldn't help but think that she is one of those people that has a hole in her heart that needs to be filled with the gospel and she just doesn't know it yet.  She said, "I know that God can help me." 7 or 8 times.  After she said it one time I asked, "Do you really believe that?"  She looked me square in the eye and started to cry.  She said no.  I testified more boldly than I think I ever have before about God's love for us and the plan that He has for us.  I gave her a Plan of Salvation pamphlet and asked her if she would read it, write down any questions, and then pray and ask God if what we have to share with her could help her in her life.  She said that just having us talk to her was an answer to a prayer.  She had prayed to know if she was alone and then we rode up and asked her if she needed help.  I can't wait to talk to her tomorrow.

 

We had a super powerful lesson with Saba on Saturday when we taught the Restoration.  She is golden.  I've never met someone soo prepared by the Lord.  She said that her mom wants her to come to the church they go to and she told her mom that she is old enough to choose for herself on what makes her happy and that our church is what has brought her peace and is putting her closer to God.  She said that she can't wait to get her full licence so she can help the missionaries share the gospel.  She's soo amazing.  AND!!! We saw a miracle this week!!!  We got a call from President Websbane and he said that the restriction on people to be baptized if they are on a bridging visa has been lifted and that we can progress Sadaf and Monia towards baptism!!!! We told them the good news at church and we reset them on date to be baptized! :) Thank you for all of your prayers on their behalf.  It has brought so much happiness to them and it's only the beginning of a lifetime of eternal happiness in the gospel.  I love being a missionary! I love seeing others lives change for the better.  I love being an instrument in the hands of the Lord.  The work is moving forward and there is nothing to hold us back.  I love you all and pray for you daily. 

 

Much love,
Sister Shayne

 

Happy Anniversary mom and dad!  I hope you have a great anniversary and do something nice.  Soph, Josh, Ben, David make sure you clean the house extra well this week for mom and dad for their anniversary.  Be good and do what you are told :)  I'm glad that you are all doing well in school and having a fun time.  Josh I am in the middle of a letter to be sent to you for your birthday in a few weeks.  Hopefully I can get it to you on time haha Ben I haven't been able to ever remember the correct word for headphones.  I always call them listening cords and everyone looks at me funny.  I totally said "a whole nother" the other day talking to my companion and I just laughed at myself.  I have been bitten by a couple stupid mosquito's here.  They swell up really big and they itch like none other.  I've been really proud of myself for not itching them.  Do you have any questions for me about Australia, the bugs, the weather, or anything like that that I can answer?  These are me new funny words for the week. Fairy bread is a childhood favorite here.  It is just buttered bread with sprinkles on it.  Apparently I'm going to have it for my birthday because I was deprived as a child according to members haha it doesn't sound super appetizing if you ask me but I'll give it a try.  The alphabet is even pronounced differently.   When you spell words h an z are pronounced 'hache' and 'zed'.  It's a dead give away that you aren't from here when you say 'ach' and 'zee'.  I think that's all for this week.  Sister Kennar wants you to send pictures from school dances and when my hair was super short.  If you get wallet size pictures from school photos I would like them so I can keep them in my wallet to show people please :) I love you all!

 

p.s.

Wow. I can't believe what has happened this week back at home.  I cried when I read the article about Braydon.  I automatically flashed back to talking to him and the Duckworths at the pool when they would all come to train together.  The lord really needed his smile back at home. 

Dad you are at the spot that I was with Meningitis, you feel great but your insides are not doing so well.  Just rest. 

I pray for you all everyday and know that the Lord is watching out for us.  I feel his love soo much being here.  Every time I meet someone with a family problem or strive to reactivate a less active family or anything of the sort I always say a prayer in my heart and thank God for our family.  We've been blessed with the greatest family on the planet.  I love that we turn everything to the Lord when times get hard.  That is the only way to make it through times that are hard.  I love you soo much.  There is a postcard coming your way for your anniversary this week :)  It will probably be really late but it's coming.  Thanks for being there for me and raising me right.  You're the greatest parents a kid could ask for.  Thank you for your encouragement and prayers.  

 

All my love, 

Sister Shayne 

Sickness, Revelation, and a Miracle‏

Hey everyone!

 

This week has been pretty different.  One Elder in our Zone got pneumonia and it spread like wildfire throughout our zone.  Sister Kennar got really sick this week so our work was less than impressive.  I did get a lot done while she was sick though.  Last transfer was really busy with work and I got really behind in my journal writing.  Luckily we have our daily planners that hold all of the information of what I had done every hour since I entered the mission field.  Well I was about a month and a half behind so the time that Sister Kennar stayed ill in bed I was able to catch up with that.  It made me remember helping mom write a bit of Great Grandma Leona's journal.  I write a lot about the weather just like she did.  It will be one week of solid sunshine and sweat as we bike and then it will be a sudden downpour  of rain for like 3 days straight.  Well we work through everything.  I've been blessed with an awesome immune system from living in St. George and always going out and playing in the summer rains, staying outside when it's hot, and just being a St. George child.  Sister Kennar has been sick because her body can't adjust to the crazy bipolar weather.  She gets massive migraines that leave her out flat.  This week she caught a cold with a nasty cough.  I don't know how I've managed to stay healthy.  I credit it to being obedient and still waking up at 6:30 every morning for my 30 mins of daily exercise.  It isn't much but I know that that is my reward for being obedient to that one little mission rule.  I've gained quite a bit of kilo's being on my mission but I'm hoping that if I keep running in the mornings it will come off.  You would think biking all day would do it but it doesn't.  I'm still planning on running dad's 10th marathon with him a year after I get home.  I'll really get going on that when I get home but my 20 minutes runs in the morning are a good start I reckon.:)

 

There were two stories from this week that I want to share that bring about the other 2 parts of the subject to this letter.  The first experience was with our investigator, Peta.  She is in her 60's and has 2 daughters and a granddaughter that live with her.  We've only caught her about twice but we have feeling that we aren't supposed to let go of her quite yet.  We went and had an awesome visit with her on Wednesday.  She opened up to us and we learned HEAPS about her.  I would have never guessed that she had been through as many things as she has.  She is a crazy strong lady.  When we were doing our weekly planning on Thursday we looked at her past teaching records and tried to figure out what she needs to know.  As we went through the records all of the passed missionaries have tried teaching her the same thing over and over again.  It seemed like they knew that they needed to teach the Restoration and get her to read the Book of Mormon.  Which don't get me wrong they definitely do but they were just teaching lessons and not teaching her as a person.  She has a strong catholic background so the Book of Mormon is hard for her to accept.  From that lesson we had with her we realized that we need to take an approach that will show her that this gospel can bless her life and that we aren't just there to teach her what we know, baptize her, and leave her to endure on her own.  She loves her family.  She would do, and has done, anything so that her daughters could have a better life.  We realized that eternal families is where we need to focus with her.  We know that if we teach according to her needs that she will be more willing to listen to the rest of what we have to share.  I'm really looking forward to teaching her this week and seeing how we go. 

 

Our miracle came about on Saturday night.  We got a call from Elder Beck that went like this:

Elder Beck: Sisters are you busy right now?

Us: No, not really we were just heading to a dinner appointment.

Elder Beck:  Okay well Sisters we need your help, well actually God needs your help. 

He then proceeded to tell us about this girl that they found while they were street contacting the other day that lives in our area.   They had given us her information the day they met her but for the last week we hadn't been able to get a hold of her.  She had called the Elders just in tears.  She said that she needs to change her live and get rid of the things she's done in the past.  They told her that we would be over as soon as we could.  We fulfilled that promise.  We called Fab and Ibby, the investigator and less-active that we were having dinner with and asked if they could help us before we came over to eat.  They picked us up and dropped us at Saba's house.  They also picked us up after our lesson and still fed us dinner :) It was great.  Saba is an 18 year old from Ethiopia.  She has been betrayed by friends, been down some dark paths, and is ready to turn her life over to the Lord.   She just openly wept with us.  We cried with her as she talked to us.  We promised that what we know can help her not only be clean from all the things that she's done but it will continue to help her draw closer to the Lord.  We taught her the gospel of Jesus Christ.  She said that she would give her life over to God if she could.  I told her that He doesn't want her to give her life.  All He asks of us is to repent, be baptized, and use the Holy Ghost to guide us back to Him.  Her answer was, "When can I do that?"  We set her baptism date for the 5th of October. (Because we get General Conference a week later here so that is a normal weekend for church) She accepted and came to church yesterday.  She loved every second of it and all of the testimonies, talks, and lessons given were exactly what she needed to hear.  It's amazing to know that the Lord has people prepared.  I feel blessed to be able to help her repent and turn to the Lord.  It's an incredible feeling. 

 

That's the summary of this week.  Hope all is going well with everyone. Keep smiling.

Much love, Sister Shayne

 

Sorry it's so long.  We went to a better library this week that gave us 2 hours tops to write.  It's great.  I hope we can come here more often.  First off dad Happy Fathers Day!  Yesterday was Father's Day here in Australia which now makes sense why we only call home on Mother's Day because it's the same around the world.  Thanks for all of your weekly updates.  I'm glad that all of the adults were able to go have a fun weekend together.  I'm sure you'll heal quickly.  You aren't that old.  Don't take in mind that your oldest child will be 20 in a few weeks :)  I had a question for you.  I had a lot of time to study this week while Sister Kennar was sick and I came across fore ordination as I was reading in Jesus the Christ (Which is an amazing book that you need to read if you haven't).  I was just curious if you knew more about it.  Would you say that you were foreordained to be a Bishop while you were here on earth or could even being the worlds greatest dad be a fore ordination?  Random question I know but studying a few books only gave me so much information. 

Mom thank you for your blog updates!  I cried as I read through the blog about Zack's endowment.  I miss you more than you know.  I love being with the mom's in the ward.  Sister Berryman came and sat by me at church yesterday and just put her arm around me.  It's little things like that that make me miss you and grateful for all that you've done for me.  Another experience was taking care of Sister Kennar this week.  Cleaning up after her, making sure she drinks enough water, helping her feel better,  I really do feel like a mom most days and I feel bad for such a rotten kid I was.  

Sophie, all the missionaries say that you look like my twin when I show them the picture of your back to school photo. (I take pictures of the pictures on the blog so I can show you all off to my friends here in WA :D ) I hope the high school is treating you well. I haven't gotten your letters yet but I'll let you know when I do.  

Josh thanks for caring on the Scooby-Doo lunchbox tradition.  You're the best :)

Ben I love the Monster's Inc backpack!  I can't believe how big you are getting.  Keep smiling and showing off your straight teeth :D

David I think wins for the coolest lunchbox with Sophie in a close 2nd.  Those are the cutest and most awesome lunchboxes I've ever seen.  I hope you are all loving school and settling in just fine.  I love and miss you all like crazy.  I pray for you daily and feel your prayers for me.  Love you all!!!!

Much love,

Sister Shayne

1st- The scarf that girls wear in Iran.  Sadaf and Monia had us put it on to show us what it is like in Iran. 

PS mom, Rebekah is a less active member that we are working with. Please add her on Facebook.

 

 

2nd- Our not so little spider friend.  We had a house inspection on Friday.  Everyone who rents in WA has quarterly house inpections from their landlord.  I've had 2 since I've been on my mission.  One thing we have to do is clean all of the spider webs off of the house and back yard.  I had killed about 7 little spiders as I took down webs and then I came aross this guy and decided that my work there was done.  I let him be.  I wasn't going to mess with him.  We just make sure that our back door is always closed tightly :)

 

 

 3rd- This is Jesse Pappas, our Ward Mission Leader :)  I love this guys.  There is never a dull moment around him.  This was taken before we started our Missionary Correlation Meeting at his house with the other missionaries and ward missionaries.

 

My awesome rain coat given to me by a member.  Notice how dark and wet it is outside in the picture of me on my bike.  This picture doesn't do justice for how soaked we were this night when we came home.  I reckon it's a pretty good look though :)

This cute quote came from a Fab and Ibby's home.  Ibby is a less-active and his wife Fab is a non-member.  They are an awesome couple.  This quote just made me smile and laugh.  I had to take a picture.