I am so GRATEFUL! - 11/18/13

Melbourne Mission Moments 

Doesn't this sound good?

We had an absolutely wonderful week this past week! Numbers wise, it's probably the best week that I've had in Australia! 

On Monday after we got home from emailing and shopping we checked the mail and the USB with Christmas music on it came! Thank you so much for sending it! That is all that Sister S and I listen to and we love it! 

The first half of the week was super rainy and pretty cold here. We had 8 days straight of rain! It got really old! But having the colder weather made Christmas music seem more appropriate. Now that it has been warmer the last few days, Christmas music seems really funny. I feel like I'm kidding myself trying to pretend that it's almost Christmas. It's really nice today but not hot yet. Melbourne has definitely stayed cooler. It sounds like Perth is really hot but here it's definitely not to that point yet. Earlier in the week when it was raining, I was wearing a jumper [sweater], scarf, boots and my coat. Weird. 

Monday night we had dinner with a couple that live up in the hills in the most beautiful area! And their house… Oh my goodness. It is so cute! It looks like something out of a magazine. It's an old cottage that was built in the 1920s that they have fixed up and added on to. I felt like I was in a movie or something. She made the most beautiful dinner with an appetizer and dessert too. She's like a gourmet chef so that was really fun. I had fresh figs for the first time there. Ha, when I saw it on the plate I had no idea what it was and I honestly thought it looked gross but I LOVED it. So yummy! 

We are still getting up and going to the gym every morning and guess what? I love it. Seriously, it's the biggest blessing that they let us use it for free and that both Sister S and I like to get up early so we can go. 

On Tuesday we went to visit the cutest old lady in our ward who lives in a nursing home. She is so cute. Being there visiting her reminds me so much of work at Country Care. Haha I kind of miss it, kinda. After that we went with the Elders in another ward to meet a couple that they have been working with who just moved into our ward boundaries. We are really excited to work with them. They are both from Mauritius. (I didn't know that it even existed before the mission but I've met tons of people from there. I want to go someday.) He is a less active member and his wife is not a member. He has cancer and is undergoing chemo treatments right now. They are such kind and loving people. After that we went to teach our 12-year old. We taught her part of the plan of salvation and part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And guess what? She wants to get baptized! She is praying about a date and we will hopefully be setting a solid date tomorrow! We then visited the mother and son and had another lesson with them. Her son is SO excited for his baptism on the 8th of December. :)

One of our biggest miracles this week happened on Tuesday night when we went to see the family that was a referral from the Elders! They are from Egypt and have been living here for 3 years. It is a mom, dad, grandma, and two boys ages 10 and 6. They have a Christian background which is super awesome. The major obstacle though is that they speak Arabic and their English is not the greatest. And the grandma doesn't speak English at all. We were a little at a loss because it was hard to communicate but we felt like we should sing. We sang "Joseph Smith's First Prayer." As we sang the dad's eyes were filled with tears and the grandma was crying. After we finished singing the 6-year old translated for his grandma who said, "I felt like I knew the song and knew the words." Ha, I just started to cry. The spirit was so strong. There is truly power in music. They loved it and wanted us to come back that same week.

Wednesday we went up to the hospital to see our friend. She is doing well but you could tell that the surgery set her back a little bit again. But she has such a good attitude and keeps her sense of humor through everything. She is such a special girl. Yesterday we talked in ward council about the ward being a lot more involved in fellowshipping their family. I think it will be really good! There are several members who are really going to step up and help them.

So kind of funny, on Wednesday I got the hiccups off and on literally all day. It was crazy, and kind of annoying. Haha. I got them again before we went to bed and while we were praying I hiccupped SO loud. Both Sister S and I LOST it laughing. It was hilarious!

We had dinner with a family on Saturday. Oh how I love their family. They have us over once a week and it is such a blessing. We want to see them get sealed so badly.

Saturday night we got to teach the family from Egypt again. I love them so much! We taught them about the Godhead. They believe in one being and we were trying to help them understand that they are three separate beings but it is a little hard because of the language barrier. But they agreed to pray about it and wanted to come to church so that was good.

Our 12-year old investigator came to church which was wonderful. She already has made friends with several of the young women and loves coming! We were really sad when sacrament meeting started and the new family still wasn't there. But during Sunday school someone poked their head in and told us that they were there. They were late but they came! It made us so happy to see them! 

Last night we had dinner with another family in the ward. Ah, what wonderful people they are. They had the mother and the son that is going to be baptized over too which was really good. These ward members have really taken them under her wing. They even invited them to join their family for Christmas. It's so nice to see members really step up and fulfill their callings/ love those that we help come back to church.

We haven't been able to formally meet with the new sister we met this week because her partner doesn't want people from church in their house but we've been on the phone with her every day and she is so awesome! We fasted for her on Tuesday and later in the week she told us that she was fasting on Tuesday as well! We are praying so hard for a miracle. She is awesome though.

I love being a missionary so much! We see so many miracles every single day. I love the gospel. I am truly, truly converted. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that he did see Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I am so GRATEFUL to have a Heavenly Father who knows me, who hears my prayers, and who blesses me so unceasingly. 

Love y'all heaps!

Sister Baker xxx

P.S. I've been in this area for 6 months now. I'm hoping to not be transferred until after Christmas.

I got balloons on Friday since it was a year since Grandma Baker died and I sent them off to her.