18 months in the Outback!: Great lessons = great week.

G'day everyone!

This has been another fast week. We had some great lessons that I want to tell you about.
First off is Brother Williams. We went and taught him the Plan of Salvation in hopes of being able to answer his questions about the Godhead and the kingdoms of glory. He is a stubborn Samoan man but he wants to understand. He is really strong in his beliefs. Which is fine as long as he is open to hearing ours. Sometimes through the lesson I would get a little frustrated because he would cut me off to say his point. He kept saying, "that's according to what YOU teach". Finally I couldn't take it anymore and I said, "Brother Williams you keep saying that this gospel is what we teach. I am here as a representative of Jesus Christ. I come to teach what He taught when He was on the earth". Sister Tomaki and I bore testimony of what we know to be true through the Spirit and he was confounded by the Spirit. As we left we told him we would come and teach him about the authority of God next time. We walked out the door and he said, "Okay see you on Monday!" He wants to understand. We fasted for him yesterday and we are going to see him today to teach the Restoration. It's going to be good.

Next we had a sweet lesson with Jess this week! She is back from her holiday in Kalgoorlie where she was raised. We brought Sister Simpkins along. Jess started out with, "Okay I have a question." I love that sentence. She said, "I've been trying to figure out how to balance living the gospel and being myself. Can I just be myself and keep the commandments?" I couldn't help but smile. I told her that is exactly what she needs to do. Then she asked, "If I get married and baptized then later on when we are both worthy and ready to enter the temple can we still be sealed or do we have to do the the first time?" I just squealed with joy. I love seeing investigators see the bigger picture. Sister Simpkins was perfect fellowship for that lesson because she was sealed to her husband later on. I love the Spirit. I love good lessons like that. Jess is progressing so much in her desire to change. It's incredible to see.

Last lesson was with the Fiti family. We dropped in on Saturday night for a lesson. It was just mum, Kause, Kaya, and Kannon. We taught them about the Plan of Salvation. From the moment Sister Tomaki started the lesson mum was hit with the Spirit. She couldn't stop crying. Every time I looked at her she just gave us the "it's okay keep going" look and wave. We got to the spirit world and asked mum how it would feel to be able to be in Paradise. She said that is sounds amazing and a bit overwhelming. She said that she is so grateful that her kids get to learn for themselves and make those choices that will get them there. We testified that because of the Saviour we can all make it there if we rely on His Atonement. The spirit again was so incredibly strong in their home. At the end of the lesson Sister Tomaki committed the family to come to church. There was a moment of silence and then mum said, "I hate to say this but we have other commitments to rugby tomorrow morning." Their again was a bit of silence as we let the Spirit work and she said, "Our priorities are a little messed up." We testified about how much making church a priority will bless their lives. They have already started to see the difference that reading and prayer alone have done in their family over the last week. Mum spoke again as she looked at her 3 kids and said, "I guess we will have to start playing rugby union instead of rugby league. Union plays on Saturdays." My jaw almost dropped. That is huge! We again promised them the blessings that will come and she said that they might make the 1 o clock sacrament meeting at Rockingham chapel after the games. We aren't sure if they made it but her thoughts are in the right direction. We left their house so lifted and excited for them. I can't wait to go visit them this week :)

Another cool thing happened this week. We went to the chapel and met with our family history consultant. She helped Sister Tomaki and I both find a name to take to the temple. Now I just have to give our family some props because nearly all of the work for all of the ancestors that I have on familysearch has been completed. We had to do some really good searching. But finally we found Mrs. Ann Britton. She is Grandpa Shelton's great-great grandma and her husbands work and her 2 sons work have been done but hers has not. I'm excited to go do her work for her so we can seal them all together! Family history work is so cool.

This week is a big week for me. I celebrate my "Perth"day on Thursday :) The 8th of May was the day that I landed in Perth last year. I'm pretty excited to celebrate it. I'm also stoked to call you and talk to you all. I have loved seeing the pictures from all the races that dad and the boys have been in. Easter looked like so much fun with the family. I really look forward to hearing it from you over Skype on Mother's Day. I hope you all have a great week!

Much love,

Sister Shayne

Pic #1 Sister Tomaki fell asleep while closing her personal study. I had to take a picture :)

Pic #2 This is how I felt after planning one night. Sister Tomaki returned the favour and took a picture. It made me laugh and think about the pictures that mum has of me hanging over things all the time and falling asleep.

Pic #3 It's getting old here. Sister Tomaki decided to just curl up during lunch one day to try and keep her heat in. Poor thing. She's been cold since she got here. We have great members though that have given her heaps of warm clothes.