I really can't be bothered thinking of anything to put here

I am so sorry, we don't really have time to email today...the computers in Northam were booked so we have a couple minutes at the other sisters' library.

This was an incredible week!!  We were blessed to meet so many people who are open to the gospel and so ready.  Heavenly Father really wants things to happen here in Northam.  More info next week ha. Also pictures next week (sorry Mum).  Oh and pday will be Wed or Thur because we get to go to the Temple on Monday!!!

We had a mission conference and Elder Pearson came to see us.  He and his wife are amazing and rebuked us so lovingly haha.  I'll tell you mmore about it next week ha. 

Sister Tukuafu has only two more weeks so I'm trying to learn as much as I can before then.  It's getting hotter and there are tons of fliesssss in Northam.

Have a wonderful week!!  Be safe, be smart, Love you all!!

Love,

Sister Formica

ab;skjdhf;o

This last week felt like it was soo long.  I think of things that happened last Monday and it seems like it was at least 3 weeks ago.  But now that I'm sitting here, it feels like it was the blink of an eye and I can't remember what happened...maybe by the end of my mission I'll learn to write things down haha.

The only thing I wrote down to tell you is that our Branch President looks EXACTLY like an older Tyler Rasmussen (everyone from the elms).  

Belinda and Nick are doing really well!  So totally humble.  

Ok, more is coming back to me ha.   This was a really good week!!  

We had dinner with a family who hasn't been to church in years.  He is a butcher by trade (score), and they are soo sweet!!  And really funny.  The dad's ancestors were some of the first members here in WA and donated the land for the first chapel to be built.  They have just had some trials and challenges in the last couple of years.  We were in the middle of dessert when she got a call from her son saying that he got pulled over for speeding and it had just happened recently and he doesn't have a license and all this jazz, and they were really upset and worried.  There wasn't anything we could do to help,so we left so they could get it sorted out, but first we said a prayer with them.  She called us later that night saying that he had been released without anything at all, and that they were coming to church on Sunday!  On Saturday they were still set on it. They didn't quite make it there Sunday morning, but they will be there next week!  

It was just a reminder to me that the spirit prompts us to choose the right.  No matter what we say, it's what  the spirit says that really matters.  And sometimes it takes lots of promptings before we act, but as we are persistent and loving in extending invitations, the spirit will have an opportunity to work with them.

We also had zone conference this week, which was amazing!!  I LOVE President and Sister Fife.  They are inspired and so loving.  President Fife has a really strong vision of what the Lord wants to accomplish here.  

Church all the youth from Ellenbrook came up 

There were a lot of miracles.  This week, a man we had met on the street texted us out of the blue asking if we could meet him the next day.  His brother was murdered last year, and he is really lost.  He feels like he has wasted 15 years of his life and doesn't know what to do or where to go.  He is involved in drugs and alcohol and that whole scene, and is struggling.  The gospel of Jesus Christ truly is the answer to all of his questions and problems.  I know that God has a plan for him and for each of us and we can put our trust in him, we don't have to feel lost.  

We also met a man from North Carolina named Ernest and his wife Rebecca who love missionaries.  They used to feed them all the time and study with them. They have such great faith in Christ.  And they live 3 minutes from the chapel!  Perfect hey?  I'll keep you updated.

Anyways, I have to go, but I am doing really really well and am so happy here.  The church is true, that is confirmed to me everyday when I study the scriptures and when I see the impact the gospel has on people's lives, including my own.  I love you all! Have a wonderful week!!

Love,

Sister Formica

Second week down!!

Coma esta?

The secret to starting a conversation with anyone from a different country is saying hello in their language.  We were biking and this Filipino boy rode past and Sister Tukuafu just said "como esta?"  And he almost fell over looking back at us haha.

Oh also HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!!  Yesterday was Father's Day over here.

This week was CRAZY.  But really really good at the same time.  We have been so blessed already here in Northam.  

A couple of the crazy things that happened this week:

One of our former investigators, this elderly lady called us Tuesday morning and accused us of stealing her cds...she went off about how she was so upset and she was going to make things really hard for us and put it in the newspapers and on tv, etc. We went straight there to talk to her and help her find them because she is old and most likely misplaced them (I'm 20 and I misplace things all the time, usually the car keys).  Her brother was there and is supposedly a police man, but she met us at the door and wouldn't listen to anything we had to say--wouldn't let us help her look for them or talk to her brother or anything, and after we told her we didn't take them, she just said, "if you find them bring them back."  A bit hard when you don't have them...but we just keep praying that she will find them and know we didn't steal them.

Also church was a bit crazy yesterday.  Our stake president and his family went to be with his mum on father's day, so that's 7 gone.  Our ward clerk was at home and didn't have transport to church, and neither did another sister who usually comes with the Penstones.  So we had a couple who comes from about an hour away and Nick and Belinda, and a less active woman and her two daughters that we invited.  That was it...and so we didn't have enough priesthood holders to bless and pass the sacrament :( So no sacrament, just testimony meeting.  And only 6 people to bear testimonies.  Luckily the piano plays the hymns on it's own, all I had to do was press the key to start it.  It was the strangest Sunday ever.  Sunday school and sacrament was all done in 1 1/2 hours and that's just because we started a bit late.  

On Saturday we drove sooo far to visit all these people on the lists.  It was a bit of a wild goose chase with some of the names and addresses...apparently they changed the addresses and lot numbers, and so some of them are different, some of them are lot numbers but only the addresses are listed.  We couldn't find a couple people.  And we didn't have any reception the whole time.  But we drove through beautiful areas--green hills and canola fields! Which are pretty cool but smell a bit weird.

Wow, I spent too long telling you about the crazy stuff, not the miracles...but next week I'll tell you about Danny! 

We met some really cool people yesterday--a man and his partner named Rebecca!  He doesn't believe in Jesus Christ, but he has so much real intent.  He said if he did know that it was all true, he would love and serve the Saviour for the rest of his life.  He met with some people from another religion and read the Bible and lots of things, but never had any personal spiritual experiences.  We are so excited to teach him, but they are only free on Sundays and not for another 2 weeks.  That is AGES in mission life.  But for them it's nothing ha.  It's all good.  In the Lord's timing...

I love you all!  I love Northam!!  Hope you have an incredible week!

Love,

Sister Formica

NORTHAM!!!

Wow....so much to share, and so little time...there are two computers in the library and you can only reserve them for half an hour. 

 

I am literally in love with Northam!!  It is beautiful and it reminds me of small towns "back in the day".  Not sure what "day" that refers to, but oh well ha.

 

Our branch has 14 members when everyone is there.  Everyone.  But there are some single sisters who aren't able to make it every week because of health issues and what not and also some couples who travel a bit.  Our Branch President's family is half of the ward--He has 5 kids, one girl and 4 boys from ages 12 to 5.  They are the cutest and funniest kids I have ever met!!!  And the most hyper.  The littlest, Oscar, always comes up to us when we leave their house or church or anything and says "I miss you..."  Haha.  I'll try to get a picture next week.  The members are so excited to have missionaries here. It's been a long time since they have had any. 

 

We went to a small town about 20 or 30 minutes from Northam last night that doesn't have any house numbers because they don't have a mailing system...and the lights were so dim, we were soo lost.  Don't worry, we finally found the family we were looking for. 

 

We received a referral when we got here for the cutest/funniest couple.  He is less active and she isn't a member, but she wants to be married and baptized.  They have been to church here in Northam twice, and they were attending in Dianella before that.  She has to get divorced from her husband before they can get married, so that's holding them up a bit.  They hope to have it figured out in September.  She has a 3 year old daughter who is adorable too.

The members here are so excited to have missionaries and they are eager to do missionary work.  I love the enthusiasm they have.  It makes me think of Alma 4:4 when they talk about establishing the church more fully.  It is on everyone's mind, and they are excited to share the gospel and build up and strengthen the branch.  We have the cutest meeting house, it is so small, but it's got everything.  Oh, we only have church for two hours though because they don't have enough relief society sisters and priesthood to split up for the third hour.  So the two classes are primary (the Penstone's family) and the adult Sunday School class.   

We have been biking and walking all week and have been able to meet many amazing people!  The people are pretty open, and most of them have a belief in God already.  Many of them have heard about the church and know where it is and possibly have friends who are members.  Most of the rest have never met missionaries at all and are curious about what we do!  We have seen so many miracles in the last 5 days!  Heavenly Father truly has a plan for this area.
We are trying to be out in the community and establish good relationships with the people of Northam--most everyone , even if they aren't interested in the gospel currently, have accepted a card with our phone number and said they would call us if they meet anyone who is interested or who needs help.

There is a hot air balloon festival going on in Northam currently, which is so cool!

 

I gotta go but I love you all!!!  Have a wonderful week!

 

I feel so good about the things that are happening here and that are going to happen here. 

Big Changes!

We had a really amazing week--but then again, they all are.  Especially in hindsight.  Best part about not writing in your journal is not remembering the trials of the week, so you look at everything with rose coloured lenses ha.  No I know that it's bad not to write and I am working on it. Turning over a new leaf this next transfer!  Keep me accountable please!  

There was a lot of big news this week and we have some big changes coming up.  

We just found out that our ward mission leader is moving to France in a couple weeks, and we have no ward mission plan, no elders quorum president, a mia young mens president (3 month holiday), brand spanking new young women president and pretty new relief society president and pretty new ysa rep.  Silver Lining: While it might take a little while to get on their feet, they'll have energy and new ideas.  

But that'll be another sister's job to handle, because Sister De Vera and I are both getting transferred.  Crazy hey?  She is going down South to Bunbury, which is gorgeous.  And I am going to open a new area in Northam.  Apparently it's a really small town--our friend at the library just told me it's the beginning of the outback--probably about 300 ks away on the other side of the Jarra forest (who knows what that is).  I'm going with Sister Tukuafu and it's her last transfer.  It's a branch there, so that'll be interesting and fun!  I'm really excited, but it's always bitter sweet, because I feel like I've made another family here and I hate saying goodbye!  

Mum: last Sunday we did have a missionary moment, but I thought we were going to be shot for taking time from the lesson...even though we had talked to the relief society president and figured it all out ahead of time.  So our ward mission leader came in this week to explain why we do it, etc. and he did such a great job and really invited the spirit, and then he still got flack...so the new sister's will just have to persevere with it, because it really will be good.  They've had some amazing moments to share so far.

We had a service activity with a woman who is so sweet!  We arranged/organized their outdoor furniture because their house flooded and they had to take everything out and they are pretty old.  Their son-in-law came out and talked to us for a bit--he was interested in the history of the church, not really the gospel, but knows a bit.  He was also interested in Hemet and went and researched the origin of the name.  He said it was Danish or Swedish or something like that, but I can't remember anything else he said.  What's the population of Hemet?  Just curious.  I probably should know but I have no clue and I feel a tad dumb when people ask and I can't tell them.  

I don't remember if we told you about the artist that we met, but we gave him a plan of salvation pamphlet, and he hasn't read it, so we asked him to paint a picture of it for us so that we can teach it to him ha.  He is a really spiritual guy and has great faith, and he and Dwayne get along really well, so we are excited about that.

Anyways, Dwayne is doing really well!  He looks so happy!  He got the priesthood on Sunday!!  After a lesson with him, Sister De Vera and I were discussing that he looks brighter or something...something looks different.  We had him come to a lesson with one of our other investigators, and he did such a good job!  He's a man of few words, but we felt so proud of him!  

We had breakfast with this Iranian family who joined the church last year (well the parents did, the daughter didn't) and while we were sharing a message with them, their 17 year old daughter who isn't a member came out and asked if she could go with us for the day--even on bikes.  We love her!  But then her friend came over so that was put on hold, and we had been planning on going to visit an Iranian sister with them that day anyway but we had to move it to the night time, so we came back in the evening, thinking that we would leave our bikes there and drive with them, but we got there and they had 3 bikes out--so the mum, daughter and her friend who live across the street were all going to come with us to visit this sister.  Good thing it was close, because it took us ages to get there.  They were so cute though.  We had a good visit with the other sister--our main goal was to introduce them so they could become friends and she would feel more comfortable coming to church.  The two girls who weren't members seemed like they had a lot of fun. The ride there and back was the most comical thing I've seen--I kind of felt like a mother duck the whole time with this strand of people following me.  The daughter kept getting frustrated with her bike and getting off and running with it, so we would do it with her and it was so much fun.  We are hoping to get her and her friend involved in young women's activities. 

Oh and earlier that day we were contacting this man, and after we said goodbye, I turned and walked straight into a tree and yelled "WOW!!!" super loudly.  He thought I was a bit crazy but Sister De Vera and I were just cracking up.  It was awkward as.  I swear there wasn't a tree there when we first walked up...

Bit of a random email--all over the place, but that's how my brain is right now :) 

I have to go, lots to do, but I love you all!!!  Thanks for your emails!  Have a wonderful week!!!  Enjoy every moment.

Love,

Sister Formica