Seeing and Staying in the promised land!‏

Hey!

We just got the transfer call.  Sister Tomaki and I will be staying in Golden Bay! The stories of this week will explain why I am so excited about this little fact.  We are finally out of our wilderness stage of this area and we are starting to see the promise land!  Our district is pretty much staying the same.  We are losing Elder Eti but the rest of us are staying.  We are gutted that he is moving but the new Elder coming in is pretty cool.   He came to WA to save money for his mission, flew back to NZ and put in his mission papers and got his call to Perth.  He lived with the Tipene family out in Kalgoorlie while he was here.  He got to Perth while I was serving in Kal so I've only met him like twice.  It will be a good transfer.

I just have to give a shout out to how awesome my little siblings are.  Soph, I can't believe you are old enough to date and drive.  Way to be on top of it all to get your license on your birthday.  That's so cool.  I can't wait to have you drive me around :)  Tell the boys to back off or else there will be one angry sister missionary in Australia.  Josh you are becoming a running machine.  I can't wait to see you run races with dad and at high school.  I look up to your determination.  Ben!  The pictures from your baseball season are amazing!  You are a great little pitcher!  I love hearing about how well your games went and how easy it is for you to make friends.  David, you are unstoppable.  Homerun after homerun during your games.  I bet the other teams were scared when you stepped up because they knew you were going to make your team win. I have the best little siblings in the world! 

Monday last week we went at chilled at the Robinson's.  There is a park by Areonny's house that has become our p-day place the last few weeks.  It's been great.

Tuesday night we met up with the Greentree family.  I don't remember what I've told you about them so I'll give a background.  Phil, the dad, was baptized many years ago by Brother Dean Timms who lives in our ward.  Phil and his family moved back up here from Esperence only about 5 months or so ago.  We've been trying to meet with them since I served with Sister Murray but every time they have had an excuse or reason why we couldn't share something with them.  Last Sunday we went and dropped by.  Phil and his partner (they aren't married yet) Tash had friends over that were giving them tattoos.  He was having a drink and he just said, "Sisters, I'm not going to hide who I am from you.  As you can see I need help.  When can you come back?"  We went and had dinner with them Tuesday night before he flew out to work on Wednesday.  During our studies Tuesday morning we felt really impressed to teach them the atonement.  We started our lesson with a prayer, taught simply, and testified powerfully.  Phil just broke down in tears.  He said that the last few weeks he had been trying to dodge us.  He expressed that every time he turned us away he just felt rotten inside.  We explained to his wife and kids that what Phil was feeling was the spirit.   You get the Spirit after you are baptized.  His son Kian said, "I want to be baptized."  My jaw just dropped.  We talked to all of them for a little bit and then committed all of them to pray about being baptized and see what answer they get.  The Spirit was so strong.  Tia is 15, Kian is 13 and Georgia is 10.  None of them had ever seen their dad cry like he did.  Even Tash who has been with him for 17ish years now hasn't ever seen that side of Phil.  It was an incredibly touching moment for everyone.  We also committed them to start saying their family prayers again.  We knelt with them right then and asked Phil to say the closing prayer for us.  There was no way anyone could deny the feeling that was in that room.  The next day we got a text from Tash saying that Phil had called President Lindsay and left him a message on his phone explaining the lesson we had and asking President to consider leaving Sister Tomaki and I in this area.  I was touched.  It's incredible to see the Lord work through you at the right time for these people.  It was nothing that Sister Tomaki or I did that could have created that atmosphere or feeling in that home.  I love knowing that no matter how far someone may stray from the straight and narrow path when it is their time to come back the Holy Ghost will let them know.  Every time without fail.  I'm just so incredibly humbled and grateful that I get to be a part of it all.  We are seeing them on Wednesday and I can't wait to talk to them and see how they have been prepared.  I LOVE THIS WORK! There really is no better thing we can do in this life then to bring those we love into the gospel.  If you have someone close to you that doesn't know the fullness of Heavenly Father's plan and love for them please let them know!  It might be scary but it is soooo worth it! 

We had a great lesson with our friend Paris this week.  He had his girlfriend over who he gave a Book of Mormon to.  She had been reading it but didn't understand what was going on.  We taught her the Restoration and it made a lot more sense to Paris hearing it the second time.  We brought up baptism and Paris asked how baptism worked exactly.  We taught him about it and helped him see what a blessing it is in our lives.  He looked at his girlfriend and said, "We should both be baptized.  Heck my whole family needs this!"  We told him that we agree.  We invited them to go see a baptism that was in Rockingham and they seemed really keen.  We got a call from him on Friday though saying that he and his girlfriend wouldn't be joining the "Mormon church."  I was totally surprised.  We asked why and asked what had happened to change their minds but he just said that they didn't feel like it was for them.  Someone must have said something to them.  I was sad but glad that he knows it's something he can do.  People can turn down our invitations but once they know it's what they need to do then there is no denying that.  They will come around some day.  For us that's just part of the work.  We dust ourselves off and start again. 

Those are the more spiritual parts of our week.  

On Tuesday during district meeting Elder Teuira sneakily wrote in my planner and in Sister Tomaki's.  Mine said, "Look at your companions 'to do' list.  Hers said, "Buy Elder Teuira a gift."  We laughed so hard at his creativity and decided that we would actually get him a gift just for kicks and giggles.

 

  Elder Teuira is the biggest Transformers fan.  We found that out last week and were kinds of surprised at what a Transformer nerd he is deep down.  We stopped at Target one day and bought him 2 construct a bots!  Bumblebee and Optimus Prime.  We put them in a gift bag and dropped it off at their flat.  Later that night we got this text message [see picture].  Needless to say he loves us :) 

I love this district of missionaries.  I love the Mandurah ward.  These have been the best months of my mission even though they have also been some of the hardest.  Our hard work, tears, and struggles are finally paying off!  We can't wait to see how these next couple of weeks play out.  Thank you for all of your love and prayers.  They help more than you know!  I love you all!

Much love, Sister Shayne 

Alma

2:29-31 I fist pumped the air and made like a cheering sound effect during personal study as I read this.  The righteous will always come out of top.

3:26 Happiness or misery?  Who will you listen too?

5:14-16 Can you imagine?  How are you doing?

5:27-28 Your 2nd coming could be tomorrow.  We never know when our time in mortality will come to an end.  We can't just procrastinate.

5:45-46 How does Alma know that this is all true?

5:60 Christ will call unto you.  He loves you.

6:6 Fast, Pray, Share the Gospel.  The key to happiness in this life. 

7:17 This is how I feel after a powerful lesson with less-active members.

Chapter 8 I frequently use this story when asking members to help us in this work.  We can't do it without you.

11:26-46  Let us testify like the recent convert Amulek.  When people ask us about our religion don't back away.  Share what you know to be true!

13:28-29 This is the best council we could listen too.

This picture is me trying to make the parts of the scriptures that people just skip over important.  This is Alma chapter 11 where the Nephites monetary system is set forth.  I was trying to see how much Zeezrom was willing to give Amulek to deny his testimony.

I have another story to share with you.  The senior couple in charge of our flats came around to do an inspection the other day and I could tell that Sister Sutherland had an American accent.  I asked her where she and her husband were from and she said, "We are from Lehi, Utah!"  My face lit up and I ran over to the kitchen to show her my apron from Grandma :)  She showed her husband and he got the biggest smile of his face.  He just said, "Well that's a perfect little touch from home isn't it?"  I was glad I could make their day. 

The last one is of our new fry pan.  I think we needed a new one :) 

Pre-transfer dinner at Grandma's house.  Sister Tomaki and Elder Wihongi being an egg.

Elder Teuira making dessert.  He made crapes and chocolate sauce all from scratch.  We'll keep him around for a while.

 Me and Tori :)

Me and Elder Maughan.  I didn't know he was making a face until I looked at the picture later haha!

Me and Elder Eti :) 

This is the best picture I could get of some kangaroos that we saw eating someone grass on the way home from Grandma's house last night. There was 2 but one was hiding up by the house and I couldn't get a picture of it.