Melbourne
Mission Moments
21!
Woohoo! Can you believe it? I can't really. That's because it doesn't feel like
my birthday at all. Usually it's snowy and freezing and yucky weather on my
birthday-- well today the sun is shining and it is BEAUTIFUL! I think I like
birthdays in Australia a lot better, except for the fact that I can't
be with all of you.
This
past week just flew by. Time goes so fast. I hate it. I wish I could just put
the brakes on. I have been serving for nearly 10 months now which is just
crazy.
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| Kangaroos! |
Monday
we got to go to the Melbourne Zoo which was so fun! It was a good zoo! We got
to see a lot of animals and take lots of pictures and it was fun to spend time
with the other sisters. The best part of the Zoo was the Australian animals. I
have seen them before but not so up close. It was awesome. And, I GOT TO PET A
KANGAROO! It was so cool! The Kangaroos are not fenced in so they can just roam
and they are not afraid of people so they will just let you touch them. It was
amazing. I feel like I've truly experienced Australia now! Haha. And it turns out that kangaroos are super
soft. After the zoo we had dinner with an awesome family that actually kind of
remind me of home because they have a daughter and 2 sons living at home and
the way they act with each other is a lot how my relationship with Phillip and
McKay is. They are an awesome family who really make us feel loved. And
mum, you will die at this--Sister D never makes a recipe more than once! For 6
years they have had something different for dinner every single night! She just
buys cook books and cooking magazines and makes her way through them. Cool
huh?! Way too much work though. Haha. I could never do that.
Tuesday
morning in our district meeting our district leader gave training about why it
is that we choose to serve missions. It got me thinking a lot about why it is
that I am here. I think my reasons for serving have been added upon and grown
as I have been here. There are so many reasons why I am here. Before I came I
think my main motivation was because I knew that Heavenly Father wanted me to
and I loved the gospel and wanted to share it with others. While those are
still reasons that I am here, there are so many more. I am here to grow, to
change, to become the person that I want to be and that I know my Heavenly
Father wants me to be. I am here to prepare for my future responsibilities as a
wife and a mother. Let's pause for a second on that. There have been so many
times on the mission that I have felt that so overwhelmingly. I was reading my
patriarchal blessing this week and it hit me stronger than ever that I am going
to be blessed to be a mother and the way the world is, my children are going to
need me to be strong. I feel like this time as a missionary has helped me
strengthen and solidify my foundation so that I can be that strong mother that
my children need. I am on a mission to experience the atonement in a way that I
haven't before. I am so blessed to be able to see the atonement work every
single day in my life here. I am on a mission to meet wonderful people who I
can help and who can help me in return. I am on a mission because I love the
Lord. I am so grateful for this opportunity. While there are hard times and
times when it's not necessarily fun or enjoyable, I LOVE being a missionary. I
love Australia and its people.
After
our district meeting we went out to do some finding together as a district. It
was really cool to all focus on finding for one hour, together. I think it
really helped to build the unity in our district. And we saw miracles in that
hour. We met 4 people who live in our area who were willing to have us come
back! Tuesday night we had dinner with such a wonderful family! They haven't
been in the ward for very long and Brother A was a bishop in the ward they came
from. If anyone is clicked on about member missionary work, it's them. I am
excited to work with them to bring others unto Christ. Working with members is
the best!
Wednesday
we spent a lot of the afternoon finding. While we were talking to people in the
park we met a guy. We ended up being able to teach him a lesson right there in
the park. It went perfectly and the spirit was so strong. I honestly haven't
felt the spirit that strong in a lesson in a long time. The spirit definitely
guided my words as we taught him and we were able to invite him to be baptized
and he said yes! We asked him when we could meet again and he asked if we could
meet Thursday. He is so prepared.
We had
everything all worked out to meet with him on Thursday at Bishop's house but
unfortunately he never showed up. :( We haven't been able to contact him at all
which really stinks. But I know that we will be able to see him. He is so
prepared. Heavenly Father will help us to be able to get in contact with him.
Satan works hard on people who are so prepared so we just have to work harder.
Friday
morning we had a lesson with a recent convert at another member's home which
was really good. We were also able to drop off cupcakes to the Elders in our
ward because it was Elder H's birthday. That afternoon we tracted for a couple
of hours. It was a really warm day and I was LOVING it. I love the sun and it
hasn't been overly warm yet so I was rejoicing in the sun! My companion
however, thought she was going to die. She has never really been in hot weather
so she didn't handle it too well. This week is supposed to be really hot, like
40̊ C+ (104-108̊ F), so
we'll see how she goes with it. I will probably just love it.
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| Making cupcakes--just call me Sister BAKER! |
Saturday
we had exchanges with the Sister Training leaders. I was with Sister F in their
area which was fun because I was back at the flat that seems like home to me.
She took me out to lunch for my birthday which was really awesome. We had some
good lessons that day. Sister Foster and I were able to talk a lot and it was
good to be able to just talk things out. I've been a little bit overwhelmed
lately with feeling like I have to know exactly what is going on, where we are
going, who we have/haven't met in the ward, etc., all while trying my best to
train my companion and help her. It was nice to be able to just talk about it. Don’t
read in to this too much and think that I'm struggling. I am doing great and I
love my area. Just have felt a little stressed. But honestly, I have the best
leaders ever so I don't even have to worry about it. Our district leader is the
best ever. And our zone leaders and sister training leaders are great too!
Yesterday
at church we had a miracle of a less active father coming to church with his
family and we also had a woman's non-member husband come so he could sit with
his wife! We had dinner last night a young couple in the ward who are so
awesome! :)
This
week I've been trying to remember to pray for opportunities to serve each
morning and we have been blessed with many opportunities. On Thurday we were in
a parking lot at the grocery store and we saw a lady with her arm in a brace
struggling to get her groceries into the car and we were able to help her. Then
on Saturday while I was with Sister F, a man's car broke down in middle of the
road. We were able to get out and help him push it through the intersection over
to the side of the road. Opportunities to serve are everywhere, we just have to
look for them.
Thank
you so much for the birthday package! It got here on Wednesday last week. I
waited to open it until this morning. I LOVE everything. Thank you so much! My
family is the best! I got Grandpa Baker's birthday card in the mail last week
which was so sweet of him. This morning I got birthday cards from the Elders in
our district, Lexie, and Sister Ricks. I am feeling loved today! We are having
our zone p-day today so we are going to have a barbeque and then going
laser-tagging! It should be a lot of fun! Tonight we are going to Bishop's
house for dinner. Sister B told them that it's my birthday so they said they
are going to do a birthday cake. :)
One
thing that I've been working on this week is practicing smiling more. Haha,
apparently sometimes I don't look very happy even though I am. So I'm
strengthening my cheek muscles and smiling more! Haha
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| I love HP :) |
I love
you all so much! Celebrate for my birthday!
Love ya
HEAPS!
Sister
Baker xxx
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