SPIDERS AND SNAKES

Dear Family and friends, 

This week has been pretty neat. It's been super bipolar with the weather, really hot and  then really rainy and cold.

Monday- We went to Cloverdale chapel to play some ping pong with a few other elders. Fun, fun. Then we went back and changed to go to J's house. A guy from the ward was supposed to come to be a member present, but he never showed up!! We called him like 20 times and texted, but he never showed up!!

 We went to visit a few less actives. They weren't home, of course. We went to President W's house.  Awesome dude. He made us some grilled cheese sandwiches, and then we had a quick lesson with them and that was the night!

Tuesday- Loooong day, but awesome day! We had a lesson with his Maori girl we met on the street the other week. Her name is M. We had sister V come. We had an awesome lesson. We taught the plan of Salvation. She LOVED it. She really loved the spirit world part, because apparently the spirit world is something big in Maori religion. She committed to come to church (but didn't end up coming) 

We went to our ZLC meeting at the chapel. After the meeting, we went to our next lesson with Brother P. We taught R the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He looks like my cousin Patrick, but he is like Bob Wiley in personality. I love talking/ teaching him!! He said he'd read the Book of Mormon, and come to church ( he came! ) 

We went back to the flat, and the assistants dropped off Elder Macki's lost suit case, and a package for me from Morgan!! Then we had lunch, and then we went finding. We found like 4 solid potentials on this tiny street that came to mind as I prayed!  Half of them were Malaysian. 

Then we did a few potential follow ups and we went to D's house, but he wasn't home!   We tried a few other less actives, but they wouldn't let us in. We went to A's house, and we taught him and the Ks kids the Restoration.  A gave us HEAPS of feed back haha. Then we went on ward split offs. 

We tried to see this one phillipino less active, and he told us he wasn't a member.  We went by P's house and had a quick lesson with him and gave him a scripture study schedule.  Brother C dropped us back off at the chapel, and we rode home!

Wednesday-Super rainy on Wednesday. We had to go to the shops in the morning to get Elder Macki a jacket, because he didn't have one. His credit card didn't work, and I didn't have any money either, but luckily it wasn't too rainy for the rest of the day! 

Then we had lunch, then we went to a less active's house. She didn't let us in, so we went to Sister L's house. We shared a quick message and then our appointment fell through with his guy we met on the street the day before. 

We visited sister Bi in the rest home, and we had to put on all of this sanitary stuff, because they had a break out of gastro there! haha We looked like doctors! We shared a message with her.

 We went and dropped our bikes off and took the bus to a potential's house. He wasn't too interested. Then I realized that a former/ potential investigator lived pretty close, so we walked there and he was home! He let us in. His name Is J, he is from Singapore. He has been having some hardcore depression problems. We shared the Plan of Salvation trying to raise his spirits, but he was still down. He asked heaps of good questions though! We told him we would text him inspirational scriptures throughout the week! We walked to the C's and they weren't home. So we went to the Co's, and they fed us some dinner. It was Maori bread with tomatoes!! Sooooooooooooooooo gooooooooooooooddd!! I could eat that stuff for the rest of my life. We talked about the Book of Mormon for a long time there. It was such a good discussion. Then they gave us a ride home, and that was the night!

Thursday-We had weekly planning, so we didn't get out of the flat until 3:30... so long! 

Then we tried to visit a few potentials that we tracted into on Thursday, but they didn't let us in. 

We tried to see a chinese potential, and as soon as we got to the house, the girl's mom was walking out with these chinese doughnut things... haha so we asked if her daughter was home, she was, but she was studying, so her mom gave us a doughnut. We went by this other potential's house. It just so happened that it was another Singaporean named J. He is part of the Sikh religion. He let us come into his prayer room, and taught us about what he believes. We had to take our shoes off and cover our heads with this cloth thing!   Then he let us tell about our church after he talked about his. He thought the First Vision was super cool. He said we can come back any time to teach him! Nice! We  went to the P's for dinner. We shared a simple scripture and had a discussion. Then we went home for the night to prepare for zone conference!

Friday-The Zone Leaders picked us up at 6:30 to go to Zone Conference. We had a district leader training before the conference at 8. Then we had zone conference. Soooooooo so so good. It was centered around us as missionaries being worthy enough to be baptized again, and going into depth about the armour of God. Awesome. 

After zone conference, we went to the C's for dinner and a lesson. We had Pizza Hut with hot dog stuffed crust!!! So gooooooooood  We had a lesson about the sacrament, and prayers.Then we went to the M's. We talked about the importance of the Holy Ghost with them. Then we rode home and that was the night!

Saturday- Spider and snake day! Haha. We went to the church in the morning to give Sister C a blessing>

Then we went to this house and did heaps of weeding.The man ordered pizza. When he came out to help us, he was putting on his shoes, and there was a Red Back spider on his foot!!!! ( a Red Back is the equivalent of a >Black Widow, but since we are in Australia, it's super deadly!) 

It didn't bite him luckily! But yeah, scary. I saw it. I was freaking out just a bit.  

When we finally finished service, we went to go see this potential that lived ages away. On our way there I saw this snake in the middle of the side walk! It was huge! It was gray and black and had a yellow belly. I didn't get to get a picture of it because it slithered away too fast ;( it was cool though! We finally found his house, but he wasn't home. So we visited the assistant ward mission leader, Brother H. We had a lesson about the Book of Mormon. Then we rode home and called all of our investigators to come to church.

Sunday-It was madness at church. During MCM right before sacrament meeting, R called and said he needed a ride. So Brother P picked him up. We got out of the meeting right as sacrament meeting was about to start. There was no one playing any prelude, so I played until the organist came. The organ wasn't working, But I somehow ended up playing the opening hymn. haha 

We sat in the back with a less active. Then Elder Macki and I taught Gospel Principles. It was on the spirit world. We TOTALLY winged it!  It went decent though.  

After church we went to the zone leader's flat to borrow some umbrellas and jackets for Elder Macki. It was raining hard on Sunday. Then we had dinner and we went to this less active's house. She wasn't home but her partner was, so we had a spiritual thought with hime Nice! 

We went to J's house, and he was pulling out right when we got there. We will go by Tuesday.  We tried the N's and they weren't home. Then we got our bikes and tried a less active/ recent converts house, but we had the wrong address!  We biked home and I correlated and that was the night!

Things have been crazy here lately. Super super busy! So if any of you wrote me hand written letters, just know it will take me time to write back! In fact, it may take months. I love you all though! I keep you in my prayers :)

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my mission.  I've really come out of my shell with talking to people.  I think Dad would be proud of me with that.  I was in a room with my companion, 3 19 year old boys, and a 32 year old guy, and I was the ONLY one making conversation.  They were sitting back and being super awkward.  I have learned hot to not be shy.  I just go for it now!  HA! I embrace the awkward! I have noticed that I am getting better at articulating myself and relating with others.

Love,

Elder Beeson