February was white in Kalgoorlie‏

G'day everyone!

This has easily been one of the greatest weeks we've had in a long time.  I'll start with the Sister Training Leaders.  Sister Ensign and Sister Bailey came up again this week.   Miracles happen when those two come.  We found 4 new investigators this week and we able to break down barriers with some people that we were never able to crack.  The work is moving here and it is only going to get better.  We met with the Relief Society President Julia Hawaikirangi and set up rescue visits for us to go out with the mums here during the day.  Many ladies can't come at night because they are taking care of their families so we are going to do visits on Wednesday mornings instead.  We are all really excited about it. 

On Thursday we were able to go to mutual to help with their activity.  We were asked to start in the chapel and teach the Plan of Salvation to the youth.  While we were teaching them the Laurels came in and pulled a few kids out at a time.  Within 20 minutes all of the youth were out of the chapel and into the cultural hall.  In the hall they had ping pong, a play station hooked up, a whole table full of food, a piano to play, and a photo booth to take photos.  At all of the stations there were also scriptures to read.  If they read any scriptures they received a token.  They had lots of fun playing games.  Then they were taken one by one out of the hall and down to some class rooms where one of their YM leaders was in his suit waiting for them.  He asked if they had anything for him.  They then were able to hand over their tokens if they had received any, or held on to those that they received.  If they had 1 or less they were directed to a completely dark room with nothing in it.  If they had 2 tokens they were lead to a room that had only a dimly lit lamp.  If they had 3 or more (there was potential to have 6) they were lead to a room where the lights were all on, there was a picture of the Savior, music playing and a chair for each of them to sit on.  After they were all in a room they were allowed to come back into the chapel to discuss what had just happened.  It was a great eye opener for a lot of the youth.  Even though they were at mutual they still didn't quite make all the choices they needed to to get to the best room.  Nearly half ended up in the darkest room.   One miamaid said, "I've never thought of my choices like that before."  It was an incredible humbling experience for me and my companion.  There were youth who while with us in the "pre-earth life" that were listening to us so carefully that they didn't even realize that it was their turn to leave.  Others were really anxious to get to go to the next room even though they had no idea what they would do in there.  There was one girl that pulled at my heart though.  As she left us she said, I'll be back to hear the rest later!"  When they all left our room I looked at my companion and just cried.  She had no idea what that sentence was going to really mean.  It was remarkable to get a small glimpse of what it was like for Heavenly Father to send us all here to earth.  

Saturday we had the baptism of Mark and Ngaio.  They are the amazing couple that the Elders have been teaching.  Ngaio just cried all through sacrament meeting as she was able to take the sacrament for the first time.  She told us afterwards that that was the best thing for her.  She said that in previous weeks it was almost unbearable to be able to touch the tray as it came to her and then just pass it by.  She said that it was really like being able to feel the Savior right there for her and she hadn't done everything in her power to become part of his church.  Investigators can take the sacrament before they are baptized but for these two they saw the meaning of the sacrament the way that we all should. They held it in such a sacred term that when they had been cleansed from all their mistakes and had been given the gift of the Holy Ghost they were just overwhelmed to be able to partake of the sacrament and feel it's remarkable power enable and strengthen them.  I was grateful for her testimony and reminder of what the sacrament is all about.  I pray that we can all see it like her as we prepare every week to partake of that blessing in our lives. 

Sunday morning Sister Kim and I were up at half passed 4 to get ready to go fill the font for Mady's baptism and have our meeting with the elders and Brother Timu before the baptism.  Whoever thought that a 7:30am baptism wouldn't be well attended was sorely mistaken.  We filled the entire chapel with members, and less-active members at Madyson's baptism.  I got a call from Lemuel at 7pm the night before asking me to speak.  His sister for different reasons didn't want to speak so I humbly took the opportunity.  The baptism was beautiful.  After grandpa and Mady changed and came back into the chapel we had a few of her uncles bare their testimonies about their baptisms.  The spirit was soo strong.  Then it was Mady's turn to bear her testimony and she was too scared and started to cry.  Well Mady is Lemuel's little princess and he stood up in her behalf.  He bore his testimony about how he hasn't stood at a pulpit in about the last 9 years.  He talked about how even though he isn't completely active that he knows the church is true.  He said that Mady's baptism is a big step for their family and that they really needed the push.  He shared his gratitude for the missionaries in helping her be prepared for her baptism.  I couldn't stop crying.  The spirit was so strong.  The gospel blesses families when the gospel is lived in full.  I've loved being a part of so many families that make the changes necessary to live the gospel more fully to receive those blessings.  It's incredible humbling and beautiful to see.  

Sunday night we were able to watch the South Pacific Area Broadcast.  It was really good!  Elder Keven W. Pearson talked about strengthening our individual spirituality.  There are three things that he said that we can work on to do that.  

1. Strengthen/deepen your own personal faith in our Savior Jesus Christ.  

2. Recommit ourselves to the law of the fast.

3. A full immersion in the Book of Mormon. 

O. Vincent Haleck talked about how hastening the work isn't just in the full-time missionary work for the living but it includes all of our individual work for our ancestors on the other side as well.  It was incredibly moving.  I encourage everyone to find at least one name in your history that you can take to the temple.  Go find someone that you can rescue today.  :)

Last but definitely not least we received transfer calls this morning.  I only have 2 more days here in Kalgoorlie.  I am being transferred to the Golden Bay area.  That is part of the Mandurah Ward in the Rockingham Stake.  My new companion is going to be Sister Murray.  I don't know anything about her except that she has only been out for 3 months.  It will be fun to get to know her and learn from her.  I'm incredibly saddened to leave Kalgoorlie.  I'm grateful for all of the wonderful things that I was able to be a part of.  I love being a missionary.  This is the greatest work any of us could ever be a part of.  I love it.  I love hearing about all of the wonderful things that you have all been doing.  Good on ya dad and Josh for getting active and doing so well on your dualthon.  Sophie mom's blog about the swim season made me so excited to watch you swim next season.  I've loved being able to brag about the fact that you went and swam at state.  Ben and David!  Good job on the Mr. PVHS run!  I'm pretty sure that I will have to be the picture taker for a while when I get home because you will both be too fast for me to keep up in a run.  I love reading mum's blog and seeing all that you've been able to do.  I love you all!  Miss you heaps!   

Much love,
Sister Shayne     

Pic #1 Mark and Ngaio with Elder Battye and Elder Brown 

 

Pic #2  Mady Lemuel and Mum 

 

 

Pic #3 Us and Mady :)

We went to a restaurant the other day and they asked what name to put it under and I told them to just put it under the same name as Sister Kim.  When we got our bags this is what mine said.   This take the meaning of "taking upon yourself the name of Christ" to a whole new meaning.  :)

 

 

 

 

 We went to the Tipene's after church for a feed.  This was the cake that her auntie Kandaeda made for her :) 

 

 Sister Kim made sushi one day for lunch while the Sister's were up.

This is Tiariki Kaa :)  This was at the feed after Mark and Ngiao's baptism.  Fun fact the Kaa's should be moving back to Utah in the next few months so we decided that they will be able to come to the airport when I come home!

These last two were also at the Tipene's after the baptism.  Elder Brown was called upon to do magic tricks while they cleaned up the food before they brought out dessert.  He got quite a crowd of everyone not just the kids.  He is a pretty good magician.  They all loved him.  These little girls wouldn't stop asking him to do more.