Can you believe that I've been out for 6 months now?? - 9/30/13

September 30, 2013

First of all, can you believe that I've been out for 6 months now?? It's CRAZY how fast time flies on the mission. Knowing that I only have a year left now makes me that much more motivated to work hard and see miracles happen here.

Last Monday my Sister H and I went to the city. It was really fun! We went to the Eureka Tower which was so fun! It was 88 floors up and it was beautiful! You could see all of the city of Melbourne. The edge box was really cool. I wasn't scared at all. It was just so cool to be hanging out over the city only on glass. Really fun day. 

On Tuesday morning we got up early to get ready to go to the temple. All of the departing missionaries go to the temple Tuesday morning before transfer meeting. Sister T asked President Maxwell if Sister H and I could come as well and he said yes so we got to be there. It was so wonderful to be in the temple again. Such a blessing from Heavenly Father! After the meeting they had transfer meeting which was great. At transfer meeting they have all of the departing missionaries bear their testimonies and then they have them all stand at the front while we sing the closing song, "God Be With You Till We Meet Again." I was crying like a baby. It was really sad to see Sister T leave. She made a huge impact in my life and I learned a lot from her. Sister Fs new companion is Sister W from my district at the MTC so it is fun to have her in our flat!!

A ward sister went to visit a recent convert in the ward that has been struggling with her testimony on Monday and had a really good talk with her and mentioned that Sister H was being transferred and would like to say goodbye. She said we could come over so we went there on Tuesday night. We were with her for awhile and had a really good talk. We were able to talk about testimonies and faith and how sometimes our faith is tried and we were able to help her realize that she does have a testimony. It went really well and I think that she felt a lot better. I'm just praying really hard that we will know how to help her. The ward members are helping us a lot and I really feel peace and hope. Mom, I loved your notes about hope. I got a really nice email from aunt Sherrie. She reminded me that one of Satan's biggest tools is discouragement and she is right. I know that as I stay faithful and hopeful, everything will work out. Heavenly Father knows his children. Thank you for fasting for me and my companion to be able to find people to teach and for fasting for the people here. I really appreciate it. 

Wednesday we picked up our new missionaries! My companion is  just came straight from the MTC! She is from Texas and just finished a year of school at BYU. I love her so much! She is so full of faith and has such a strong testimony. I know that this transfer is going to be wonderful and that we are going to see miracles occur in our area! Also, crazy but guess what! She has been reading my blog for the last 4 months. Apparently it's one of the first things that come up if you google "Australia Melbourne Mission." Small world!

Me & my new companion

We did a lot of finding the second half of this week and we were blessed to find some people who seem really keen. The one I'm most excited about is a man from Curitiba, Brazil. He has been in Australia for about 4 years and he is so humble and kind. I really have faith that he is going to get baptized!

While we find some people with some potential as we are tracting, the bottom line is that missionaries cannot have as much success without the members giving us referrals. My companion and I are really focusing on increasing our faith and really helping the members to increase their faith and invite their friends to meet with the missionaries. 

In the whole Melbourne mission they are doing something this next week which I am really excited about. They are calling it "Come and See." Everyone will be having a special fast next week on Fast Sunday that they will know who it is that they know that they can invite to learn more about the gospel. They are supposed to invite them to come to church on October 27th. On that day they are going to be having special sacrament meetings in each ward geared towards non-members. The goal is to have 125 people invited to every ward in hopes that 25 of those that are invited will actually come. I am really excited about this. I know that it is an opportunity for a miracle to occur here in the Australia Melbourne Mission.

I am emailing later than usual today because earlier we went with some members in our ward to Phillip Island to see Koalas! It was cool. We saw about 15 Koalas! It was a lot of fun.

At Phillip Island
(there's a koala in the tree behind us.

The koalas are so cute!

Give the missionaries your love and support. Ask them what you can to do to help/who you can fellowship/GIVE THEM REFERRALS. I know that there is someone that you could invite to meet with the missionaries. Our responsibility as members is to invite others to learn about the gospel. I know that if you really pray about it that a name will come to mind of someone who can benefit from meeting with the missionaries. Have the faith that you will be able to give them a referral. There are so many people who need to learn about the gospel and it is our responsibility to invite them so that the door to the celestial kingdom can be opened. Try to capture the attitude of the sons of Mosiah 28:3. 

Enjoy General Conference this weekend. It is such a wonderful opportunity to hear from our prophet and receive personal revelation. Take a question to conference and I know you will receive an answer. Because of the time difference, we get to watch general conference here on October 12 and 13, so a week later than you guys. Also, we get to watch the RS broadcast this Friday.

Thanks for your notes about hope. I loved that. Hope is such an important attribute to have. I love the pictures of the missionaries [Sister Baker and five cousins] from Grandma and Grandpa's house. :) I love that we are all having the wonderful opportunity of serving at the same time.

Phillip- they smash eggs on people heads for their birthdays? That's weird. I'm glad you are loving the work there. I pray for you every day and that you will be able to find success in the work and in the language. It sounds like the language is slowly getting better so that's good! Your kitchen is crazy! Hardly can call it a kitchen. Makes me feel really grateful for how much we have here and at home.

My favorite food here is Pumpkin Soup. It is so good!! :) I also really love a drink called Milo. It's kind of like hot chocolate but better! 

Well, I love you all! Hope you have a great week. I am so grateful to be a missionary. I know that this church is true and we are so blessed to know it.

See you in a YEAR! (crazy!!)

Love you HEAPS!

Sister Baker