What A Week

Hey everyone!

Sorry for the late email this week.  We got to the library yesterday and the computers were down.  They didn't come back up while we were down in Mandurah so we got permission to email today instead.
 

This last week will be one that I won't soon forget.  Let me start on Wednesday.  Wednesday we went and saw the Greentree family.  We taught them about temples and family history work.  It was a great lesson and everyone participated.  After the lesson everyone had all kinds of questions about baptism.  Anything from how they are baptized to the white clothes they have to wear.  We addressed each concern and helped them feel confident about it all.  I was kind of surprised that they had so many questions about it.  At the end of every question answered I would say something like, "but we have another week to worry about that."  We finished their lesson and went to see Sister James and her lovely kids.  She had a friend over for dinner.  We taught all of them about the importance of following the prophet.  There were two 10 year olds, and two 6 year olds that each and every one of them wanted the attention so we played 'Thomas S. Monson says'  :)  I thought it was a clever game.  We watched the Mormon Message 'Dare to Stand Alone' and the mum's friend really felt the spirit.  It was really great to see.  We invited her to join us for our lessons with the James family every week.  :)  I love seeing members share what they know and not being afraid to let people know what they stand for.  When we left I checked our phone.  We missed a call from Brother Dean Timms.  Dean is the one who baptized Phil Greentree 17 years ago and was planning on baptizing all the children as well.  We drove down the street and called him back.  As soon as it started to ring I looked at Sister Tomaki and said, "We got the weekend wrong.  Brother Timms is back this weekend, not next weekend."  Sure enough Dean answered and said, "Hey Sisters it's Dean here.  I was just talking to Phil and we decided that the children's baptism will be on Saturday at 5pm."  Now you need to know something about Brother Timms, when he says "jump" he expects you to say, "how high?" I answered, "This Saturday or next Saturday?"  He said, "This Saturday! I'm back this weekend and I won't be back for about 3-4 more weekends after this one."  I just went silent and didn't really know what to say.  My head was spinning like a million and a half miles per hour. He asked if I was there and I said, "Yes we are here but Brother Timms they haven't had their baptismal interviews yet."  In this mission they have to have them done no later that Wednesday night in order to be baptized on the upcoming Saturday.  He had a lot of confidence in us.  He said, "Sisters you know how to make it happen!  You can do it.  If not we will have to wait 3-4 more weeks."  That was enough for me to freak out just a little.  I called Elder Hereaka and just vented all of what had just happened off to him.  After I finished my little freak out moment I asked, "What are you doing right now?"  He just laughed and said, "I'm coming to meet you at the Greentree's to give them their baptismal interviews."  Sure enough we went to our flat and grabbed the records to fill out and met him at the Greentree's house to give them their interviews.  The kids were really cool with the whole thing.  We started with a prayer and then Elder Hereaka interviewed one by one while mum and I filled out the records.  It was a crazy moment.  After the interviews were completed Phil opened up with us and shared the full story of his accident up in the mines.  Here is a picture of the accident.

 Insert from Penny - I found the story online...

Rio Tinto reprimanded after mine haul truck hits 4WD, drags it 40 metres in Pilbara

By Gian De Poloni

Updated 31 Jul 2014, 5:48pmThu 31 Jul 2014, 5:48pm

Photo: The driver had to be radioed to stop after hitting the four wheel drive.

Map: Tom Price 6751

Rio Tinto has been reprimanded after a serious safety incident at one of its iron ore mines in Western Australia's Pilbara region.

It is understood a collision occurred between a haul truck and a four-wheel drive during nightshift in the early hours of Saturday morning at Brockman 4 iron ore mine, near Tom Price.
The ABC has been told the truck driver was unaware the vehicle had been hit.
It was dragged 40 metres before the two occupants radioed the driver, who pulled to a stop.
The Department of Mines and Petroleum said the four-wheel drive entered the bulking-in work area in the stockyards, without following access procedures.
It said the accident happened when the vehicle collided with the truck on a single lane access ramp while trying to exit the area.

Photo: The four-wheel-drive was dragged 40 metres by the haul truck.

In a statement, Rio said all those involved were able to exit their vehicles safely, however the company was conducting an in-depth investigation.
It said the incident was extremely rare and it was taking it very seriously to ensure it does not happen again at any of its sites.
The company said it was working closely with the department.

The department said it had issued Rio with an improvement notice regarding traffic management at the mine.

Topics: road, mining-industry, tom-price-6751

First posted 31 Jul 2014, 1:06pmThu 31 Jul 2014, 1:06pm

More stories from Western Australia

He was in the ute that is under the wheel of that truck.  He was on the passenger side as well which means that he was right under that wheel.  He said that the ute had been moved in order to get them out and this picture was a set up of what had happened so they could put it in the paper.  I wanted to throw up actually hearing the whole story.  He shouldn't be alive but Heavenly Father has a much greater plan for him.

Friday we had another lesson with the Greentree family.  We taught about service and missionary work by sharing the story of Ammon in the Book of Mormon.  It's always a popular story that gets everyone's attention when you share it.  Tia melted my heart with her prayer where she asked that "Sister Beckstrand won't forget her after she finishes her mission." That girl has a mighty big place in my heart.  We got a little distracted during the lesson with the excitement for the next day.  I asked each of the kids how they felt and I could tell that Tia wasn't super thrilled but that she was doing it because she knows it's right.  I had no idea to what magnitude of that feeling until the next day.

Saturday morning I got a text from Aeronny asking me how Tia was feeling about her baptism.  I told her that I could tell something was up but didn't know what.  Well Aeronny being the incredible Young Womens leader she is she just talked with Tia over Facebook for a bit and then got back to us.  Aeronny felt that she really stood in need of a priesthood blessing for comfort if she was going to make it to her baptism that evening.  We texted Tash and asked if we could bring the Elders around to give them all a blessing of comfort and she readily accepted.  We called the Elders and set up a time to go around.  When we walked up we heard yelling inside and Phil stormed out of the house.  He said some choice words and said he was going for a walk.  The poor Elders and Aeronny were probably freaking out about what was going on.  Sister Tomaki and I walked right in the house and into Tia's room where she was in tears.  I just sat on the floor next to her and pulled her into a hug where she continued to cry it all out.  To make a long story short her friends at school have been making fun of her for joining the church.  She was bullied a lot growing up and having it all come back because of something she knew was right was really eating at her.  When dad found out he was mad.  Not at Tia but at her friends.  Since her friends weren't there his voice was raised at her.  Aeronny came into her room and we all had a nice chat.  When we got her calmed down we went out to meet the Elders to give the kids and Tash a blessing.  Aeronny opened with a beautiful prayer and Elder Teuira explained the priesthood a little bit and what a priesthood blessing is.  Then he proceeded to give Tia a blessing.  Phil came back from his walk right in the middle of Tia's prayer.  Just hearing him coming down the hall I knew he was mad.  He heard that we were praying and walked back out into the front room.  After Tia's blessing she gave me another huge hug.  Georgia went next.  We took a little break after Georgia and Tia turned to me and asked, "Will you stand up with me today as I bare my testimony at my baptism?"  I choked back tears and said, "Of course."  Tash came back into the room and asked Tia for her phone.  As Tia left the room Tash said, "I don't think she is going to be baptized tonight.  Phil is really mad."  I looked at her and said, "Can I go talk to him?"  She responded, "He is out in the front.  You are welcome if you like but I really don't think it's going to make a difference."  I stood straight away and walked into the front yard.  I pulled up a chair and faced Phil.   I started with, "What is going on?"  He just spilled everything out on the table and we talked about it all.  I have to admit that I came at him in the "you know you need to knock off that attitude and get your butt in gear" tactic but I didn't think anything else would work.  After about a 20 minute conversation with him he had finally cooled down and could see that he was actually being a big problem.  We talked about the adversary and how he will try to do literally everything in his power to bring us down.  Especially on days that are of utmost importance.  I told Phil that he needed to ask the Elders for a blessing as well.  We went inside and he excused us and sat and talked with the Elders.  I wish I had words to describe how much I love and appreciate having Elders who are always worthy and willing to help us in any way they can.  It's the greatest blessing to a sister missionary.  We left their house with just enough time to go get ready for the baptism and book it to the chapel to make sure that we had enough baptismal whites and what have you so that everything would run smoothly. 

Baptisms are really really stressful.  I went and saw Dr. Mutu on Friday and before she even started adjusting my back she said, "You are stressed aren't you?"  It's amazing what your body can tell you. Anyway about 10 minutes after we showed up so did the Greentrees.  We got them all changed.  Along with the Mandurah Elder's investigator Lesley and the Halls Head Elder's investigator Payam who were all baptized at the same service.  Of course we all got their early enough to take pictures.  I just want you to get an idea of how amazing the Mandurah ward is.  Our building is currently under construction and we don't have a baptismal font which means we all have to travel up to Rockingham chapel for a baptism.  We had easily 100+ members show up to this baptism.  It was absolutely incredible.  The YW did a musical item where Lesley sang her favorite hymn, I Know That my Redeemer Lives.  It was great.  The baptisms were beautiful.  I cried and cried through the whole thing.  This whole week has been emotionally draining.  After the baptisms Alex, Nikau, and Jordy sang a song.  I had heard the song the night before and I just bawled my eyes out when I first heard it.  It's one of my new favorite songs.  I've been singing it every day since.  Tia did go up and bare her testimony with me right by her side.  Moments like that shape my mission.  I just teared up in the library just thinking about it.  These children are remarkable!  I can't explain my love for each of them.  At church on Sunday all 5 new members were confirmed the newest members of the Mandurah Ward in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day  Saints :) What an incredible experience.  Kian met with Bishop Mandin before church on Sunday to be interviewed to receive the Aaronic Priesthood.  He was not only confirmed a member on Sunday but was also given the Priesthood.  Bishop told Phil that once he and Tash are married that he too can get the Aaronic Priesthood and then in turn baptize Tash :)  It just brings so much joy to my heart to be a small part of the change and blessings of this families life.  I'm incredible humbled to have met them.  There are definitely friendships that will last a lifetime.  Phil told me that he will purchase my ticket back here to see their family be sealed together in the temple.  That will be a day I will never forget.  Much like this last Saturday.  I'm grateful for the Spirit guiding Aeronny to have Tia and the others get a blessing.  Without that blessing her baptism wouldn't have happened.  Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways but His way is always the best.  I'm so grateful to be a missionary here in the Mandurah Ward. 

We just received transfer calls this week and I will be finishing my mission here in the Golden Bay area.  I'm so happy.  I'm absolutely gutted that I am losing Sister Tomaki.  I'm not coping very well with that but I know she is needed elsewhere and that she will be a spiritual powerhouse wherever the Lord needs her.  I'm also super sad that we are losing 3 of our Elders in our district.  This district really was like my family.  We were so unified we had prayer together every night via phone calls.  I'm going to miss them all heaps but I know I'll see them again.  That's the beautiful thing about technology :)  My new companion is Sister Faivakimoana.  I don't know much about her except that we go home together.  I'll have more info on her next week.  I hope you are all surviving your first week of school!   Work hard and remember to invite the Spirit to be with you always.  We need that constant companionship of the Holy Ghost in order to get by.  I love you all and miss you heaps! 

Much love,

Sister Shayne  

Kangaroo :)
 

Sunset


 
SHAYNE STREET!  My other happiest moment of the week was finding this street while tracting in the Elders area :)  

Family

 

 
Us

Brother Timms

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elder Teuira baptized Lesley and Elder Wihongi made sure the baptism all ran smoothly!  These are the greatest Elders I've ever met.  I'm gutted that they are both being transferred.

 Us and Lesley 

Lesley, Tia, and Aeronny

Baptism selfies :)  haha

 A photo of people taking a baptism selfie :)

These are the lyrics to the song "He will carry you"  that the Mutu's sang.

There is no problem too big
God cannot solve it
There is no mountain too tall
God cannot move it

There is no storm too dark
God cannot calm it
There is no sorrow too deep
He cannot soothe it

Oh, if He carries the weight of the world upon His shoulders
I know my brother that He will carry you
Oh, if He carries the weight of the world upon His shoulders
I know my sister that He will carry you

He said, "Come on to me all who are weary
And I will give you rest, rest, rest, rest"

There is no problem too big
God cannot solve it
There is no mountain too tall
He cannot move it

There is no storm too dark
God cannot calm it
There is no sorrow too deep
He cannot soothe it

Oh, if He carries the weight of the world upon His shoulders
Oh, I know my brother that He will carry you
Oh, if He carries the weight of the world upon His shoulders
Oh, I know my sister that He will carry you
I know my brother and I know my sister that He will carry you