Too Much To Tell

G'day everyone!

There has been soo much that has happened this week.  I've decided to just stick to the most important and best stories.  Some small tender mercies that happened this week we are praying will become great stories for future emails.  I want to start with some super funny stories first.

I love having a companion that is learning English.  Sister Tomaki and I were talking about the commandment of keeping the Sabbath Day holy.  We have a family that is struggling coming to church because of rugby games on Sundays.  I asked Sister Tomaki how we can help them come to church and she said, "Can't they just ask the coach to move games to Saturdays?"  I explained that rugby union plays on Saturday and rugby league plays on Sundays.  She didn't like that answer and asked again why it has to be that way.  I said, "That's pretty much all of Australia."  She pushed her chair back and said, "Well that's why no one believes in Jesus Christ anymore!"  I laughed soo hard.  I agreed that other things are coming in place of Sunday worship and it is really hurting people's spirituality. 

The other great thing that happened was as we were reading the Book of Mormon for language study.  Now we do a whole variety of things for language study from singing the hymns and learning the words she doesn't know, to using a booklet that the Senior Couple over languages gave to us.  In that book we have done a fair bit of rhyming words.  At the end of the chapter in the Book of Mormon we were reading Sister Tomaki came across the word 'abomination'.  We talked about that word for a bit and she just got quiet and I could tell she was thinking of something and just waited to hear what she would say.  She started whispering under her breath and finally said, "A Polynesian!"  She was finding something to rhyme so that she could remember how to say that word.  :)  I couldn't help but laugh and when she thought about what she said we ended up in tears we were laughing so hard.  It was great!      

On to more spiritual things.  This week in Sister Tomaki's 12 week program we have been studying the spirit and how to act on the promptings we receive.  Well the other night we didn't have any set appointments so we had written down a couple of names of people to go see.  After dinner I asked her who she thought we should go see.  She said Sister James.  Sister James wasn't on our list of people to see but I trusted her and we acted.  We couldn't have come to her house at a better time.  The week leading up to that had been one of the worst weeks for Sister James.  It seemed like the whole world caved down on her.  When we showed up she had just finished crying to her non-member husband and had been to her dad earlier in the day to work out a plan to help her get her life back in order.  We shared 3 Nephi 19:9 (my current favorite scripture to share) and talked about the Spirit and how much it can help us in our lives.  It was amazing.  We left and I offered a prayer in the car for Sister James and to thank Heavenly Father for prompting Sister Tomaki to say her name.  It was a great thing to see the Spirit work and for Sister Tomaki to get that experience. 

We are currently on Bishop Mandin's good list :)  That is a great place to be.  He texted us Thursday arvo (afternoon) and asked if we could go visit Sister Ingram.  She is a young mum with 3 kids that just needs some encouragement to get to church.  We again didn't have any set appointments so we took his text as a great honor and told him we would get right on it.  We went around that night and said hi to her and her kids.  We got to know her and shared Moroni 6:4-6 and talked about the importance of church attendance.  We made a game plan to get her to church on Sunday and then left.  We texted Bishop back and told him what we did.  He was pretty happy.  Then we asked if there was anyone else he needed us to check up on.  He said to go see Sister Northam.  We had a lesson with her on Saturday and it was amazing.  She talked with us for a good while and we really built a great friendship.  Both Sisters were at church yesterday :)  Bishop saw me after sacrament and said, "They are both here!  I saw Sister Ingram sneak in the back at the start of sacrament!"  He gave me a high five and then carried on to go greet people.  It was awesome.

Last thing for today comes from a lesson that back fired on us.  We've been working with a less active girl named Shanae.  Well at the end of our lesson she said, "Sisters I don't mean to be rude but I'm really not interested with church or anything with it."  We talked for a bit and realized that she will come back when she is ready and now it not that time.  It cut me pretty deep.  I want this part of this letter to be specifically for anyone reading it that may feel  like they have done too much to be forgiven by God, for those who feel like God doesn't love them, or that life would just be easier if you just stay in a state of apostasy because you've already fallen and it's to late to come back.  IT IS NOT SO.  God loves you.  He wants you to come back.  He sent His Son to die so that you can repent, change, and come back.  Whatever it may take, however hard it may seem, whoever needs to be healed it is possible through the Atonement of Christ.   Please, if you are feeling this way, study the atonement.  Find out how that event in time applies to you.  Because it does.  It applies to us each so individually and in every way shape or form that we may need it at any time in our lives.  You have never ventured too far to come back.  God's hand is always extended towards us.  I could give you a list of scriptures that tell us that but I wouldn't deny you the privilege of finding them and seeing God's love for yourself.  All we have to do is reach up and take His hand and he will help us through anything.  If you ever feel like it would just be better without God in our life, think again.  Find a connection to Him.  He is only every a prayer away.  We talk to him through prayer and He talks to us through the scriptures or other people.  Pray, read, and go to church.  I can promise you if you start with those 3 things you won't need anything else.  Just try it.  It can't hurt.  You can give 1-3 hours a week towards this experiment.  If nothing comes from it after trying it several times then you are no worse off.  I know though that if you go and do those things that you will see the difference in your live and you will draw closer to Heavenly Father.  10 mins here for reading, 5 minutes or less there for prayers, 1-3 hours a week for church.  Those little things will bring a lifetime of happiness, guidance, joy, peace, family success, and eventually eternal blessings that we can't even begin to imagine.  The worst that could happen is that you don't try.  Like I said you are never too far to come back.  Ever.  Start today with a prayer.  Do it right now if you need to.  God wants to help you.  Your Heavenly Father wants to hear from you.  The Savior can lift our burdens.  I only know this because I've seen it in my life.  I've seen in in countless others.  Heavenly Father loves you more than you can comprehend.  Please turn back to Him. 

I love you all :)  I hope that you feel God's love in your life every day.  I pray that the blessings that you stand in need of will come as you follow His commands.  I love this gospel.  Being a missionary is the greatest thing in the world.  Share something you know to be true with someone you love.  It will make your day so much better.

Love you all heaps!

Sister Shayne

At the end of every email from now on I'm going to give you my Book of Mormon reading updates.  For those of you who want to join us the challenge I issued is to read 5 pages of the Book of Mormon everyday.  I've done my first week and I want to share my favorite scriptures that I read throughout the week with you.  If you haven't started I hope these will get you started. :)

1 Nephi

1:20 There are tender mercies all around us.  Look for them everyday and you will see God's hand in your life more abundantly.

3:5 All commandments come from God.  Not your parents, not the apostles, not your leaders, they come from God and we should accept them and live them as such.

8:30  I hope this is the group that we are all a part of.

12:11 How is your faith today?

13:37 Again I want this to be each and every one of us.

15:11 If you have a question, need, or anything just ask!

Pic.  This is for Emily Wells!  Thank you for your love and kindness!!! Kaya loved her praying chart!