Week 47

Launceston, Tasmania: Nov 28 - Dec 4, 2016

The Christmas Spirit is up!  Sharing the #LightTheWorld initiative to all! 

Nov 28, Monday - Bringing our Christmas Spirit to Tamar Wetlands Center...

Free.. but watch out for..

We then visited the Wheeler family and shared a meal with them, as well as 1John 1:5-7 going with the #LighttheWorld initiative.  The family accepted the challenge to share the pass-along cards.  

Baby Eve Wheeler growing up so fast

Also visited and shared the #LightTheWorld with Amanda and her non-LDS husband Chris.

Nov 29, Tuesday- Brought our tree to the District Meeting; we also did a lot of role-playing on how to be bold but not overbearing and to invite more people to come unto Christ. 

L-R: Elder Nilsson (fr Nova Scotia), Elder Parone (fr Phils), Elder Symons (back of tree), Elder Morones, Elder Valenciano (blue suit), Elder Payne

We visited a former investigator, Tony, who appreciated our message about Heavenly Father's Plan of Happiness but he was not interested to have more lessons. Maybe next time he will be ready.

Then to the Challis home where the family invited their neighbor Sandra.  Sandra loved the #LightTheWorld video and very interested in family research.  She asked a lot of questions why we value family so much.  The Challis were very helpful in answering her questions. Such good member missionaries. Bro. Challis also cooked a lovely meal of BBQ chicken, porterhouse and salad.

We met Adam, a referral from the Say family, his wife Ali and the 3 kids.  This family recognized the great example set by the Say family.  Adam has been searching and learning different religions, had strong beliefs in God and his own set of beliefs.   His family had been taught by the missionaries before.  we shared the Restoration using the cups and he said he will read the Book of Mormon, which was good.  We set up another appointment with him this Saturday.

Nov 30, Wednesday - Today, we travelled to St. Helens, stopped by Falmouth to see Elizabeth.  She said she still believed but had not been in church, in her words "gone like Emma Smith."   She showed us her Nativity and Jesus as the focus of Christmas.  We then visited Peggy in Scamander, already shared the #LightTheWorld video, awesome!  She showed us her garden and played "Sweet Hour of Prayer" on her organ.  She told us about her parents, strong Catholics, that we could visit them, too.

We visited James, an investigator.  His friend Stan was with him.  A miracle, I would say, Stan used to live in NZ and was visited by missionaries, had lots of questions but not able to ask because he moved to Tasmania, then he met us. We shared about the Restoration and asked if we can meet again tomorrow before we go back to Launceston, and they said yes.

Yes, we got a chance to stop by Peggy's parents.  We met her mom, 2 brothers and a sister. We shared to her mom the video of #LightTheWorld and she loved it.  She showed to us a birthday gift of not so long ago, a Book of Mormon.  We asked her if she had read it and she answered "not yet."  We asked if she wanted to learn more about it and meet with us, sadly she said "No dear, I have my own beliefs."  It's okay...someday.

The Terry family - the kids were excited to show us their trampoline back flip skills.

Dec 1, Thurs - We met James (Stan did not make it) and shared more about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith and gave him church dvds before we proceeded back to Launceston.  We took the Scottsdale route which was the other way back to Launceston. 

In our search for an address of a referral, we drove through unpaved roads and got to a very steep scary muddy road.  We decided to turn back, did a 3-point turn, and prayed when we got to the bottom.  We both agreed to try another time because its raining and dangerous.  We continued to drive and reached Scottsdale, met McKlenan  family and the couple agreed to be part of the #LightTheWorld initiative. 

Dec 2, Friday- DLC, fundraising at the Ravenswood Community Center and a message to Sis. Gugliotti who used to take missionaries to far areas to do missionary work.  Now, she couldn't do it anymore because of health conditions.

We helped wrap the items for sale while the elders sold sausages.

Dec 3, Saturday - We sorted the breads into the bags for our bread run. (Yesterday, Brother Pawson from the bishopric brought the breads in behalf of Bro. Peri who was in Hobart.)

Some of the kids to whom we gave bread gave us roses in return.  We also taught a few people and got return appointments.

Dec 4, Sunday - We met Brother Victor Phillips from Utah who was in Tasmania for a business trip. He took a video of us and told us that he would send a copy to our families. He asked if there was anything he could do to help.  Such great faith!

We visited Bev as well LA, and she came to church today.  We shared a meal with Bishop Rogers family as well.

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