"OUT of Training - IN to Training"

(Monday April 30 2012)

On Anzac day we had permission to go to the city and watch the Anzac parade and the service. So we watched the hour-long parade and I saw Auntie Sheri! She was under the "Airforce Dog Squad" banner right in the middle of her line. I didn't call out to her and she didn't see me but I didn't recognise her until she had passed me and then I quickly pointed her out to Sister Mohring.

   

We got our transfer calls this morning. Over the last week everyone is like "I wonder where you'll be going?" and it just gets annoying. Sister Mohring on Wednesday, said "I really hope you have to train next transfer". Everyone kept joking around with me about it. She told me, that President Smibert actually calls you and tells you you're training on Sunday night (normally the district leader gives you a call during Monday). Last night we didn't get a call. HAHA I'M SAFE. So this morning Elder Wright our district leader called us to organise if we were picking him and Elder Gurney up for pday and part way through the conversation we got an incoming call from an unknown number. So I answered it and President Smibert was on the line! Sister Mohring started laughing and pointed at me silently. President has a different number and his name usually shows up! He said "Sister Parsons I want to ask you a few questions. Do you know and are you following the pattern of being exactly obedient? Do you feel you are ready to train?"

So I will be training Sister Liu. She is from Beijing but has lived for a period of time in Melbourne and can apparently speak English well. She is accomplished and has a uni degree. And apparently, she has a driver's license cos Ellenbrook is a car area and I don't have my license ha-ha. So on Wednesday I go to transfers and for a special trainer's meeting and then I am placed with Sister Liu on Thursday.

I’m excited but not at the same time. I am truly understanding that if I am proud of nothing else when I come off my mission, it will be that I learnt how to do simple things like a normal adult does.

  

So the good thing about me staying in Ellenbrook is that I will be able to skype you! Maddy and Chris have an apple and skype is on it obviously so we'll go to their house for mother's day. I don't know times or details yet but I’ll let you know.

I finally got a flat tire after accidentally riding through sand. They call the massive thorns "double gees" but we know them as rhino thorns at home. We don't have them a lot but I remember them in the backyard at our rental house near Parklea Markets. My bike is a lot better now after we went to a less active's house and got his help. Sister Gloria Butts is a wonderful older lady who has 3 children and 1 grandchild. One of her sons is really good at fixing things so he fixed my gears and my wheel too. oh yeah, I paid $40 for 2 new tubes for my wheels, they were expensive because they were the thick kind. And I bought a small repair kit which every missionary needs.

Liam is the grandson of sister butts and he turns 12 in October - he is a great boy. I love them a lot.

We go to the mission office on Mondays to play sport, then this Wednesday and Thursday I will be there. but usually every week it's only Mondays I go. Fridays we have district meeting at our chapel but our zone leaders are kind and sometimes detour to the office and grab our stuff.

I forgot to tell you all this time, the missionaries I was in the mtc with that came to Sydney to serve their missions. They are:

Elders:

Au

Welch

Delfin

Wan

Shim

T (he has a really long name but he's from Vanuatu)

Sister Vuetibau

And Elder Falevai is from Tonga and his visa just came through so a few weeks ago he arrived in Canberra! We email each other sometimes so I told him to keep an eye out for our family.

Mom, I don't know if you guys do already, but please, feed the missionaries! Just as I know you hope others take care of me, take care of someone else's sons or daughters. Feed them once a month, more if they need it and tell them that if they ever need anything or a place to stop by for a drink or a friendly smile, that they can do that at our house. It makes so much of a difference knowing that when everyone else in the world seems against you, you have a friendly face nearby you can turn to. When I come home, I know I’m going to offer help to the missionaries as much as I can.

I found some cool scriptures from Job this morning I might try and use some time:

Job 21: 3 & 5

"Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on."

"Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth."

(I don't care if you mock me, I'm speaking the truth and it is from God!)

"Hear the words I speak and be confounded!"

Love

Sister Parsons