"Wembley"

Sisters Jeffrey, Vos, Fakatou, Navarro, Parsons, Robbins & Myers 

05/09/12

Transferring Missionaries 

05/09/12

(Monday September 10 2012)

We had transfers on Wednesday and we moved into our flat in Wembley. It’s nice and it's an actual apartment in an apartment building. It’s the first time I’ve lived in a flat and I’m still getting used to the noise around me from other flats. The area book was a complete mess and all over the apartment. Teaching records had not been updated since January 2012 when the last sister missionaries were in Wembley.

President Lindsay was really nice and drove us to our flat, as there was no transport for us. As he was driving he told us in passing how the elders, just in our area, had been threatened by a man with a gun, telling them if they were Jehovah’s Witnesses, he would have shot them. ... Thanks President. From stalker creepy man to gun man. And we're pretty sure we've already met another creepy man in our area.

 I don't really want anything for my birthday.  I bought a recipe book full of whoopie pies, cookies, and macaroon recipes:] that can be my present :)

Today we will be having a district activity in King's Park in the city. We're having a barbeque and some activities.

There is a nice "gourmet pizza" shop near our house. We had no food in the house because of transfers so we ate there the other night. Soooooo good! I ate a smoked salmon, roast pumpkin, cream cheese and some other stuff pizza. I thought of Aliyah :)

Our zone leaders are doing a cool thing for us all. They asked us to all take photos of ourselves this morning and email them to them so they could make them into an "I’m a Mormon" card. It’s for our whole zone. It’s going to be awesome!

love Sister Parsons

"Alma 18"

 

Back Row - 

 Sisters Mason (Aus), Parsons (Aus), Elder Daniels (NZ), Sister Robbins (Aus), 

Elder Wright (USA), Sister Myers (USA)

Front Row -

 Elders Jordan (USA), Naruo (Guam), Thomson (Canada), Ford (Aus)

(Monday September 3 2012)

Yes, I did mean to put Aliyah's name as "Aliyah Parsons". I also sent a letter to Kate once only addressed as "The Master". Unfortunately they can't do it to me in return, otherwise I won't get my mail :)

So how did I see Claudia? And how did I see Brody Watson or Jen Tongi? There is a family who moved into Leschenault Ward not too long ago called the Tongi family. Josh and Nadea moved over from Sydney. Josh grew up in Mt Druitt, his parents are Brother and Sister Tongi in Mt Druitt Ward. Their oldest son Zedekiah had his baptism on Saturday so all the family had arrived for it. I saw Jen Tongi on Wednesday night and she told me Claudia was coming for the baptism too. So that's how we met up. Then at the baptism I saw Brody! He had moved over to Perth.

Aw! I miss typo so much!

Things have been going up and down. I haven't made my diary recordings all transfer.

We also gained a new investigator on Saturday! His name is Shaun and he thought it was really nice that we would give him a Book of Mormon and he said he would read it. I was so proud of myself, I was able to teach him right there on his driveway. He said he believed in a "great spirit" and I immediately had Alma 18 come to mind when Ammon teaches King Lamoni that the "great spirit" he believes in is in fact God. Never have I had this experience on my mission!

We got told this morning what is happening with transfers. So there are a massive amount of missionaries leaving from Bunbury Zone. First let me explain who is here now:

Busselton - Elders Wright and Jordan

North Bunbury - Elders Ford and Naruo (Zone Leaders)

South Bunbury - Sisters Mason and Robbins

Australind - Elders Daniels and Thomson (District Leader)

Leschenault - Sisters Parsons and Myers

  

So all of the Sisters in the Bunbury Zone are being moved out and it will be a complete Elders Zone. I wonder what our ward members will think. "What did we do?" ha-ha. They got 4 new missionaries in the Leschenault ward at the start of this transfer and 3 out of 4 are leaving. Devastating.

So where are we going?

Busselton - Elders Jordan and Duke

North Bunbury - Elders Ford and Naruo (Zone Leaders)

South Bunbury - Elders Richmond and Marshall

Australind - Elders Daniels (District Leader) and Askeroth

Leschenault - is being given to the Australind Elders to work in.

There were surprising and massive changes again. Elder Thomson is going Zone leader in Warwick Zone with Elder Martin... but they won't be companions. They are sharing a 4 man flat and are both training new missionaries. Elder Wright has only been out 6 months, and has been in Busselton the entire time and he is now going straight to Zone Leader in Rockingham Zone (he has never been district leader!)

Sister Mason is going with Sister Manu in Norandah (that's the Dianella Zone Leaders area, so I don't know where the Zoneys are now?) and Sister Myers and I are staying together and are being doubled in to Wembley in Dianella Zone. So at the end of this transfer, I will have been out for 9 months and in that time had 3 companions and 3 areas and 2 out of 3 (we'll see what happens at the end of this transfer) areas I have been doubled into and out of! On the other hand I am Sister Myers 9th Companion and she has been out about a year. I can't remember how many areas she has had but it's a lot.

YESSSSSSS. BACK TO CIVILISATION. On the downside, it's another elder's flat we're going in to.

It’s been pouring rain this entire time I’ve been emailing. We’re going to play capture the flag in the park but I think it might be water sports.

And now the dilemma. How are we going to get 4 sisters with all their luggage to transfers on Wednesday in 1 car? Do we have a Tetris pro anywhere near?

Love Sister Parsons

p.s Mum, there is a site you can go on, something about "mission mums" and you can talk with other mums whose children are serving missions and you can talk to the mums of missionaries in my mission. You should try and find the site and talk with Sister Robbins mum or Sister Myers. They said their mums found each other on the site and were chatting.

"Endure to the End = Enjoy to the End!"

 Sister Parsons, Ella and Jake 

25/8/12

(Monday August 27 2012)

So nothing much has happened this week. We still tract doors all day with very little success. On the up side, the Elders in our ward have 3 baptismal dates set. As Elder Hamular said at his recent visit, when we pray every night to find people to teach, we are praying for our whole mission, not just for our area. So when things don't happen in our area, doesn't mean it's not working.

Elder Hamular came to visit our mission and everyone got to go hear him speak - except for us in Bunbury Zone because we were too far away to bring in for the meeting. I understand someone has to sacrifice sometimes but I would feel a little better if I thought my efforts were showing. Like, "we're too busy to attend the meeting, we're too busy setting baptismal dates!" I feel like our efforts are wasted here in Leschenault. We get weekly lesson totals of 4 lessons for a whole week and half of them are less active/recent convert lessons. I didn't come on my mission to waste my time over and over again with no one who will listen. I have to keep reminding myself that no effort is wasted in the Lord's eyes. Even though I think I’m wasting my time and could be doing something more worthwhile, trying to save souls is the most important thing I will have done so far in my life.

"Every finding effort is honourable"

We also had the privilege of missing out on attending the temple this transfer. Again, we're too far away.

I’m glad you bumped into Lizzie. I wanted to write a letter to Alexis but I don't know her address and I don't know how you would get the letter to her. She sms’d me the night before I left but I had no credit to reply. Lizzie and Alexis were so busy with everything else that for a long time before I left they didn't have any time for me, that i gave up.

We have transfers next week so can you not send me anything until I email you next Monday please? If I get moved, I don't want mail stuck in Leschenault while I’m elsewhere. When people mail us, it goes to the office, then the office "mails" it again sending it to our flats. It can take up to 2 weeks to get a letter and a bit longer for packages.

We had a cool experience this week. tracting, and when people say "not interested" we always ask if they know of any family or friends that would be interested. Never in Sister Myers or my mission so far has anyone ever said yes. We knocked on a door, a girl named Cecilia answered and said she was too busy to hear our message. We asked if she knew anyone who would be interested and she said "uuuh-yes." She then gave us the address for her boyfriend and his mother who live in the same house in Australind, the elders area. I was pretty stoked. First time that had ever worked! She was genuine and even said she would message her boyfriend and let him know we were coming. We gave the referral to the elders and a few days later they gave us a call and said they had contacted the boyfriend and mother. The amazing thing was is that they were the brother and mother of a girl who the elders were teaching and already had a baptismal date with! They all lived in the same house!

We love going to a part member family's home and teaching the children. Jake and Ella are only young but they are very bright! They love to see us, and are all over us, and love learning about the gospel. We taught them about the 5 parts of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the last part is to "endure to the end" we asked them to repeat what each step was and would give them hints. When it came to endure we said "starts with e..." to which Ella enthusiastically answered, "ENJOY to the end!" it made my day. So that is what I will be trying to do more.

"Find joy in the journey" - Thomas S. Monson

"Enjoy to the end!" - Ella

Enjoying to the end!

Sister Parsons

 Sister Parsons and Sister Myers 

25/8/12

"Faith, Prayers, Hard-work = Success"

(Monday August 20 2012)

Your jewelry stuff sounds cool. Sorry I don't have a lot of time to type today, we really need to try and stick to an hour on the computers today and I had a lot to tell President Lindsay in my email to him.

Have you considered doing the jewelry photos on a "live model"? You can display them on people's arms or around their necks. a lot of people do that on Etsy. That way you can see how they hang etc. just an idea.

I think the colour on the window frames thing is a great idea, except; I don't think you'll find a colour that would look nice. You’ve got a blue roof so that really limits things. And I don't think that blue window frames would look nice. But that's all from my memory and you never know what you'll find unless you look.

We’ve been talking about Costco a lot over here. Well, I have. I was even talking about it last night at a members house.

When I started reading about the paddleboat, I thought dad had gone and bought it. I could see him doing that. I could then see him and India taking it down to Bent's Basin and paddling it around for hours. We should go to Bent's Basin in the summer when I get back and take the blow up boats too :)

My leg is doing better I guess. It still hurts a lot and my scars are going to be pretty ugly. I bought some calendula and some more bandages. Riding my bike has been making it worse some days and some days we have to come home early because I can't ride.

Sisters Myers got her Australian stuff on Wednesday, thank you a lot. Y U SPEND SO MUCH? Sister Myers is an accountant in training remember?! She was very thankful and so surprised that you sent so much. She loves it all and says it is perfect; it was exactly what she was after.

I also got my two packages, thank you. Thank you so much for the photo album full of photos! And thank you for the mini unicorn pillow pet, it is awesome! I got Gabi’s letter, and I just got a letter from Aliyah today! Please tell Gabi not to send my usb with the music until she gets this letter I am sending now. I thought of some more music for her to put on it. I will be trying to write India a letter this week.

HAHA you're going to send Sister Liu panda stuff? I’m sure she'll appreciate it but she likes other stuff other than pandas. When we went to go see kangaroos when we were together and I said I wasn't fussed to see kangaroos she said, "I know how you feel about seeing kangaroos. That’s how I am with pandas." AHAHAHA

The elders you are sending the packages to are Elder Mata and Elder Ballard. I’ve sent a picture of them before. They are in one of the zone photos I’ve sent before. Elder Ballard is from Utah and is white, tall and skinny, with brown eyes and hair and Elder Mata is shorter but stockier, he is poly and is from New Zealand. I asked them ages ago when I last saw them what they wanted and they said anything edible. So I’m sure American candy would go down a treat, especially with Elder Ballard.

I haven't heard from the Trinder’s or Karen since being here, but I wouldn't be too concerned. The Trinder’s are reeeeeeally busy. When I was there, Maddy did mention that you emailed her. So I know she gets them.

We have been blessed to find two new separate investigators this week. We found them through the potentials sheet in our area book from the previous missionaries and had been trying to contact them since we have been in the area, but were never able to meet with them. Through persistence on our part and lots of praying, The Lord has blesses us to not only meet them, but also has softened their hearts, that they are open to the gospel we bring. We will be seeing them this coming week. Their names are Cherie and Amy. Sister Myers has taught me that it doesn't matter if they drop us a million times, if they didn't say no, we keep trying! Some people just don't even know the treasure that we want to share with them.

On Sunday we were able to go up to Collie with Elder Thomson and Elder Daniels to participate in a Sacrament Meeting for the Collie members. There were about 16 people there and the Spirit was beautiful. The Sacrament Meetings are not going to be a regular thing, so we are trying to think of ways to encourage and motivate the members to drive the 40 minutes to church in Bunbury on Sundays. It doesn't seem to be that transport is an issue at all, so we are trying to look at different avenues to help them come to Church.

I am proud of myself that I have been able to memorise a scripture that is one of my favourites. I'm not very good at remembering scriptures. It brings me a lot of comfort:

Doctrine & Covenants 50:40-42

"Behold, ye are little children and ye cannot bear all things now; ye must grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth.

Fear not, little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath given me;

And none of them that my Father hath given me shall be lost."

Love, Sister Parsons

"Bumps, Bruises, Scrapes & Tokyo Drift"

Rainbow Cupcakes from Kate - 25/07/2012

My leg 15 minutes after the accident - 11/08/2012

My Study Wall Collage

I'd like more photos to add, so if friends & family have photos of anything of themselves, 

PLEASE - send them so I can add them to my collection!

(Monday August 13 2012)

Sounds like everything is coming to life while I’m not home! I don't recall us having much of a relationship with any of our neighbours, except Dennis and Melissa and Tommy, I guess. You should all take this opportunity to fellowship new neighbours and introduce the gospel to them.

You can download for free "preach my gospel" from lds.org and is a great resource for everyone, not just missionaries.

http://www.lds.org/languages/additionalmanuals/preachgospel/PreachMyGospel___00_00_Complete__36617_eng_.pdf

On page 155 is a great section about how we can find people to teach. Did you know that it is actually the members’ responsibility to find people for the missionaries to teach? Our job is to teach.  On page 162 there is a box called "ideas for helping members" which might also be useful.

These are a few ideas that we use for finding through members (btw, member referred investigators have the highest rate of baptism).

1.     Show a temple pass along card and ask members what they think of when they think of the temple. (happy feelings, eternal marriage etc)

Read Isaiah 2:2 -

Elaborate and explain, tie card and scripture together.

Ask members whom they want to see inside the temple with them, who they want to see participating in those "happy feelings" they just mentioned.

Effective at least in making members think in a new way.

This is what we call doing 12minute BOMs, because we do it in 12 min or less :)

2.     Get a Book of Mormon.

Read D&C 29:6 –

Pray in unity (as a family) asking Heavenly Father to inspire you with a name of someone who you can share the Book of Mormon with. In this way, you are "putting the responsibility" of "finding" someone to share the gospel with, in Heavenly Father's hands. You can also be assured that when you receive a spiritual prompting you don't need to doubt. Because God knows who is ready. If God wants you to do something, he will provide a way! (1 Nephi 17:50-51.  I like this scripture even more than 1 Nephi 3:7). The prayer may not be answered immediately but it will soon! I have had member experience relate this to me that it truly works!

Write testimony/message/favourite scripture/scripture that can relate to person.

Give Book of Mormon to that person! p.s Heavenly Father will also provide situations for you to give the Book of Mormon away. Keep your eyes open for these opportunities and follow the spirit's promptings!

In the spirit of being a missionary I extend a few commitments to my family. Are you listening? Ok!

Will you do a 12min BOM amongst our family?

Will you have the missionaries around for dinner at least once a month?

Will you be supportive and offer to help the missionaries wherever possible?

Will you encourage more member help in our ward?

Will you invite people to church activities - even to church?

A few things to remember:

We can be so busy already, but the Lord's work is the most important thing. And if we try, God will make it possible to strengthen us (Ether 12:27)

When you turn down a missionary - YOU'RE TURNING DOWN JESUS.

  

Yesterday before church Sister Myers caught a big spider in a Pringles can. We named him Beezy. Short for Beelzebub. :]

So, when I was in Ellenbrook, not once did I fall off my bike. I came close to it, but never had an actual accident. On Saturday afternoon, 11th august, I had an accident AGAIN. I was riding on the footpath then went off the footpath on the road to go around a couple walking on the footpath, then went to go up on to the footpath again but didn't go over the curb properly and came off my bike. The side of my chest underneath my arm on the right side is reeeeally sore and my right leg is pretty yucky. My knee and down my shin has really bad grazes and part of my knee pretty much had all the skin taken off. It really hurts and the bandages keep sticking to it so when I go to change them, it just opens the wound up again. I’m going to get a priesthood blessing from the elders today. I included a photo of my leg :) luckily it happened a 10-minute walk from home.

Yesterday I gave my talk at church and it went really well! I had to sit on the stand with my companion and as bishop stood up and announced me as the last speaker he said "our last speaker will be Sister Parsons, a full time missionary in our ward" then he turned and looked at me strangely then continued, "you could sing it if you want. You have a beautiful voice. I was sitting there and I could hear you singing. It was amazing!"

HOW EMBARRASSING. But nice, at the same time.

So anyway, the talk went really well. I spoke about using the Atonement in our lives everyday and recognising it in our lives and how we need it. 

I spoke about the 4 powers of the atonement:

1. Healing

2. Strengthening

3. Redeeming

4. Resurrection.

I used a few personal experiences about how I used the Atonement in my life including being sick and being healed by the power of prayer (happened when I was going to sing for the musical fireside last month in Ballajura), and also the power of healing and strengthening using the Atonement in hard times in our life.  I spoke briefly about Aunty Kerry's death and the effect it had on me etc. I also spoke about using the Atonement in forgiveness and when we are lonely. Two things that everybody will experience at some point in their life.

Thanks for the jewellry ideas. Send me photos then I can recommend stuff and pick and choose. Might be easier. I got the notebook package on Friday. Thank you! And thank you to India for giving me her notebook :)

Hopefully today we will get our other packages; the postman usually comes around 10am but hadn't come when we left for emails this morning.

I found a 15min, 5 ingredients cook book in our house so I am going to try eating healthier, using some recipes out of it. So I’ll go shopping for ingredients today.

Sister Myers really wants a pedicure today.  So depending on the price, I might get one. I might also get my eyebrows waxed.

I really need to buy some more bandages and ointment today. I hope I can ride my bike again soon otherwise we have no way of getting around our area. Sister Hurrell, a nice lady in our ward with a daughter serving in France at the moment, offered to take me to the doctors yesterday so I know I can ask if I need immediate help :)

We met a man in our ward called Robert Evans who had just come back from visiting his adopted family the Rouses in Mackay. He said he talked to his friend there after meeting me and told him to tell Nanna that I am in his ward :) His short, but humble testimony of gratitude for the gospel is heartwarming. It keeps me going even when you are getting doors slammed in your face 24/7.

Sounds like dad and India are having lots of fun. Aw! Drifting! I hope I get to go when I come back. Well, if it's any consolation for myself, Sister Liu's nickname was Tokyo Drift :) ah aha.

Love Sister Parsons.

"Charity Never Faileth"

(Monday August 6 2012)

We’ve had rain lately and on Wednesday 1st Aug. I finally had a "proper" bike accident. I gave better details in the letter I just wrote and posted to Gabi but basically I got bruises all up my right leg, my right knee got swollen and my left knee is grazed. Then the next few days after my muscles all on the left side of my body and across my shoulders feel like I’ve done some massive exercises. It felt like someone stomped on the left of my chest. But I’m feeling a lot better now. My bike's left handlebar is a little higher than the right after hitting the ground but it's still usable thank goodness. I keep praying asking Heavenly Father that my bike will last me for my whole mission. I do not want to only have 3 months left and I need a new bike!

We have no one to teach in our area. We go tracting ALOT. Nobody is interested. We got an sms from President Lindsay to all the missionaries asking that we all join him in a mission wide prayer each night this month at 10pm to ask Heavenly Father, in faith, to help us find more people to teach.

We’ve had some interesting times this past week. I pray a lot for charity and patience and I know it's possible because I prayed for charity with an elder a few months ago and it happened. He’s now an awesome elder to me! ha-ha. My patience has improved and I’m still working on my charity but it's hard. So I’m also praying that I will not feel so lonely as often. 

I’m sending a package to Aliyah today. it has a letter (novel) in it for her too. I really do miss my friends and family. It’s hard not having "friends" on my mission. It really makes me rely on the Lord a lot more.

Good news - I got my reading mojo back and I’ve got 3 chapters of Jesus The Christ left to read. Almost 700 pages done in a month :D

I also got asked a few nights ago to give a 20 minute talk on The Atonement this coming Sunday at church. argh! It’s not the talking part I’m a little worried about, it's just the "oh anything about The Atonement will do" topic assignment. It’s The Atonement. You can't just give me free reign on that - it's huge! 

I do have more money in my account now thank you. I also have more msf money too. I’m sorry I ran out of money. I got sick last month and had to use a lot of my msf for medicine and bandages. And I swear if you have a little bit of money left in your account towards the end of the month it disappears! The elders whose flat we went into, were delightful and left us nothing to eat but a little rotten food. So we had NO food so I kind of had to buy everything but because I didn't have any money Sister Myers was kind enough to cover me for a day or two then I paid her back.

Yes in WA everything is expensive. I don't even get haircuts because they're so expensive. And I don't get my eyebrows done or a pedicure because they are expensive too. But today Sister Myers and I are going to see how expensive pedicures are here in Bunbury and we might get one done. It’ll be my first since being on my mission!

I did get to say goodbye to Maddy and Chris and Sister Dale. We had dinner with them the night before we left. Maddy is pretty busy lately setting up her store. It’s not a scrap-booking store. Its address is: www.daisybugz.com.au if you want to check it out. The owl beanie - she's going to make one for Sister Liu and I and send it to us :D

I sent Gabi a letter asking her for a favour but I told her if she doesn't want to do it then to tell dad and/or India.

Well what's been happening on your end? I need something from home to distract me. I just got a letter from Courtney this morning. I’ll be writing to her soon!

Love Sister Parsons

"Peek-a-Boo, Where's Sister Myers?"

Sister Parsons & Sister Myers area in Australind W.A. 

(approx. 20 mins out of Bunbury & 2 hrs south of Perth) 

(Monday July 30 2012)

We got a phone call from Sister Lindsay yesterday afternoon just to see how Sister Myers and myself were going. She has such a bubbly personality. Church yesterday was good. A very small "ward" probably between 50-100 people there. Closer to 50 I'd say. Our area is a lot smaller than Ellenbrook. We are the lower missionary area of Leschenault and are called the "Leschenault" area. The Elders (Thomson from Canada, and Daniels from New Zealand) are called the "Australind" area. Our area was large with 6 suburbs including Collie an outlying area about 50km out of Australind but they gave that area plus Roelands and ? to the Elders because it apparently isn't a very nice area for Sisters to go visit. So because the Elders travel to the outlying towns they get the car and we ride our bikes. I don't mind except this area has a lot more hills than Ellenbrook!

So our house is on Lucy Victoria Avenue in Clifton Park, so we have to travel each day across the bridge down to our 2 other areas Eaton and Millbridge. We travel along Pratt Road, then cut onto Hamilton Road, but Hamilton Road is full of big hills so to get to Millbridge we decided to continue along Pratt because it goes all the way to Millbridge almost. Well, that's what it looked like on the map. The footpath disappeared soon and we didn't want to ride on the road especially when it was only two lanes and had islands all through the middle of it. So we found the footpath. It goes right next to the river edge and is like a dirt/gravel/bmx trail. It was pretty fun I won't deny it. But Sister Myers doesn't have any lights on the bike she had to borrow, so she was pretty brave following me as best she could. Especially when there is a drop off a ledge right next to you.

We went to follow up on a potential last night but I ended up standing outside of their house from 6.30-7.30pm in the cold waiting for Sister Myers while she rode her bike around in circles under a street light. I had no idea what was going on. We then had to go home. On the way home, I was leading and I went to go the way we had come and she disappeared from behind me! I waited where I had last seen her for 20 minutes but she didn't return. I was concerned, as I didn't know what to do when my companion leaves me. I know to call president immediately but I didn't have the phone, Sister Myers did. I prayed a lot then decided I had to go home. Soon along the path she came riding towards me, thinking I had gotten lost. She had decided to take a different way home but had forgotten to let me know and didn't check to see if I was behind her. We got home and I stood in front of the heater (it was freezing this whole time) and I asked her what had happened that evening, if I had done something to make her act weird and she said, "No, I was just thinking." She apologized for riding her bike in circles for an hour and said she had something happen recently which was still "fresh" and she was trying to get over it. After I found out she was ok, I was ok. Sister Myers is different to my other companions. She spends a lot of time alone and even talks differently which I am getting used to. But she is wonderful. She is from Sandy Utah and studies Accounting at Provo BYU. She has been out for 10 months.

At church yesterday we had an R.M from Rockingham ward speak. I can't remember his name but he was tall, white and skinny with dark hair and he had just finished serving his mission 7 weeks ago in Japan. I asked him if he knew an Elder Triffiit and he said yes :)

  

Australind only being 2 hours from Perth may sound like nothing, but it's not like Sydney. 2 hours out of Perth and it is country. I've seen cows, horses, kangaroos, camels, and seagulls so far. We are near the sea. But no beach or sand near our area. Our area tends to go a bit more inland.

Um... Elder Mata and Elder Ballard love food. Elder Ballard is from American Fork, Utah and Elder Mata is from NZ. It was Elder Ballard's birthday on transfer day (25th July) and I only found out in the car park at transfers so luckily I had just received rainbow cupcakes in the mail from Kate. BEST THING EVER. Plus it made it even better that I have a Tardis book to write in. I adore it.

So our mail in Bunbury gets sent to us directly in our mailbox but I won't actually give you my address because I could get moved or transferred then that would be a waste. So the office sends it on to us. I haven't gotten any mail since Wednesday at the office which was Kate's package. Karen Parish also sent me a beautiful card she had made telling me how much she appreciated what I had done for her. The last package I received from you was my scarf, ring and India’s picture etc. and a letter from dad with the picture of Gabi, Bree, Aliyah and Indai on the couch. I LOVE that picture! I cut it out and stuck it on my wall although I got a raindrop on Aliyah's head so it's a bit splotchy :(

I'm fine after my accident. It wasn't even really an accident. I just misjudged in the dark and tried to miss the pole. I'm ok honestly.

I did get a winter coat. It's a lovely burnt orange colour. It was originally $70 but I got it half price at Target. Only problem is it is slightly tight on my upper arms and pinches. I would say yes to you sending me a jacket, but the only problem is, it could be the right size for me, but my arms might be too fat, or it could be too tight across my shoulders so it would be a waste unfortunately.

Could I please have some more personal money? I don't have enough to change my license over. I'm out of MSF money until Wednesday (so next pday to buy food) and the elders were kind enough to leave us with not a lot of anything to eat. I got sick a few weeks ago and had to buy medicine so that chewed up all my MSF money. So my current bank balance is $0.88 haha. We're being fed 3 times this week by members, which is really nice though.

I have really been enjoying reading Jesus the Christ lately. It is really helping me to understand everything a lot better. And I'm finding answers to questions that people ask so it helps me have a better "perspective" on things.

Do Gabi and India get my emails? And did Gabi get my letter? I sent one to her a few weeks ago.

Love

Sister Parsons

"Australind - Here I Come!"

Back Row Centre - Sister Parsons (in red)

(Monday July 23 2012)

So we got transfer calls this morning.

Sister Liu is going to Joondalup in Warwick zone with Sister Irwin. She was screaming with excitement when she found out this morning that I had to shut the door on her with me on the other side.

I’m going down south to a place called Australind with Sister Meyers who is American.  Australind is near Bunbury. I just looked at an online map. It is apparently out in the middle of nowhere. Most likely we won't have a car and we have to be picked up to do emails and we do emails at an Internet Cafe that costs money to use. And it is freeeeeeeezing down there. Today I’m going to Kmart and am going to buy some thicker tights and possibly a winter jacket. I’m not sure how much personal money I have in my account because the local atm is out of order. So I hope I have enough. I need to get my bike brakes done; I’ve worn them out. And I kind of had an accident on my bike last night and my front wheel and handlebars are not connected properly. I came off my bike and my wheel can turn completely sideways to the handlebars. I twisted it back but I don't want it to get worse so I’ll get it checked out. And I sprained my wrist and have a nice massive bruise coming up on my right thigh.

Hey mum, could you do me a favour please? Could you send Elder Mata and Elder Ballard a small package please? They were my zone leaders until now and they are pretty awesome. Elder Mata is giving me over 500 songs on my USB stick so I have music to listen to mwahahahahahaha. Elder Mata is the elder you got the light up panda for. He says thank you, he loves it.

I may need to buy a map book too. I’m told they're hard to come by down south.

Sister Mohring is coming into Ellenbrook again. And Sister Uhi her companion is going with Sister Nolan and they will be in Rockingham zone with me. Sister Meyers my new companion was companion with Sister Salanoa until tomorrow night when Sister Salanoa goes home tomorrow night. So you'll most likely see her at church on Sunday.

This email is probably too late, but when you're in Parramatta, could you please pick me up some more typo notebooks? I desperately need more. Some A3 size ones and one or two A4 size would be great thank you. I’m running out of things to write on.

I’m so nervous to be going somewhere new. More the fact that it's going to be harder. I know I’ve been very blessed being in such a populated area with a car. I’m willing to go of course, but I know I’m going to suffer because it's so different. I’ve got the sick nervous feeling in my stomach again. urgh. Go away! I’m going to miss the missionaries around here too. I’ve become good friends with them. Now I have to go meet my new "brothers and sisters".

If I can grow in a place that I’m not familiar with, I’m not comfortable with, I wasn't excited about etc, I’ll be invincible if I can master it. If I can become strong in my weak state, in a place I didn't want to grow in, how much better will I be when I do go to other places that are "easier" for me?

So we're off soon to Morley so I can change my license over (money), buy a coat and stockings (money) and get my bike fixed (money) and buy a map book (money). So I hope I have enough. Could you put a little more in just in case please?

And I’m guessing my letters to everyone will become more frequent as I doubt there will be anything to do in Australind. I’ve still got my volleyball, but I doubt anyone will be playing sport with each other, especially as everyone is so far from each other. Public transport here I come.

I’m sorry I don't have much exciting stuff to share. Sister Liu and I have been struggling a lot in Ellenbrook so nothing out of the ordinary to share.

I just realised, there is a standard joke among the missionaries that if you're not being good, you get sent down south. The further down you go, the more you need to improve. I now realise why I’m going there. ha-ha. I knew not being a good trainer would come back to get me. Heavenly Father isn't "punishing me", he's just "not giving me blessings." oh well. I need to get into it. I’m trying so hard not to feel guilty.

Mosiah 2:38 -

“Therefore if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice do awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an unquenchable fire, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever.”

I feel like this scripture says! I know I can repent and my guilt will be gone but I am not repenting if I keep doing the same things over and over again! I need to improve everyday but I don't. I can't even open my mouth and talk to people on the street.

I know this is part of the reason I am being sent to Australind.

Here is one of my favourite talks by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland:

http://speeches.byu.edu/index.php?act=viewitem&id=795

And from that talk a comforting scripture:

Hebrews 10:35–36, 38–39 –

“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

For ye have need of patience that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 

Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”

A song I love right now:

"Daughter of a King" - Jenny Phillips

Well, I’m off to conquer my fears and try not to throw up. 

love Sister Parsons.