chelsea after life

kiaora whanau!!

1st Happy Birthday Courtney! Happy bday Kalicia and Camry and everybody else under the sun.

Week 2 of the transfer is already behind us...time again, it just disappears. However it has been such a great week or two! Started off w/ the 12 APOSTLES and that set the tone for the rest of the week. #onpoint We were invited to go to a couple of the zone conferences that our sisters are in, therefore we were out of our area more but learnt so much at them and zone conferences always come w/ a good feed!

We got to see our LA (less active) Kylie. She is doing well. She has a goal for the temple soon! We went tracting and of course saw some miracles. We were asked by a LA (returned missionary who was married in the temple who is now LA) to tract on their street before our appt w/ them and so we did that and found heaps of people. Moral of the story, if you don't have any friends for the missionaries at least just give them a street name. One was Chinese, zero English so we called Jet, our ward mission leader, he speaks Chinese, and put him on speaker and he translated for us. We're seeing her this week haha.

The second guy was from the Philippines just moved from NZ where he used to meet w/ missionaries. He asked us to come back. Then Kirin...a mum w/ 1 baby invited us in and we had the coolest lesson w/ her. Spirit x1000, it made me remember why I LOVE so much being a missionary. She said that lots of JW's come around and she doesn't want to talk to them. She said "I really don't know why I let you in, I normally don't do this but I'm glad I did today" We're seeing her this week as well. (She is from India)

Like I said we had heaps of meetings this week so we decided to leave Sister Paulo in the area with another sister to get something done while we were away, She is the best. She did so well! Only been out 4 weeks and here 12 days and she's a gun! She sings like an angel and never stops smiling. Her 1st day we asked "do you miss your family?" and she said "NO! They don't need me! I'm needed HERE" and I think every missionary needs that attitude.

At all our meetings we've been focusing on "Becoming an Epistle of Jesus Christ his walking epistle. What does it mean? Epistle means "letter". A fancy word for it. We are Jesus Christ's letters to the world!

2 Corinthians 3:2-3 "written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in the fleshy tables of the heart". We are not a letter engraved in stone, it takes hard work to engrave in stone...and hard work and action for the spirit to engrave in our hearts.

If you were to stand in the front of the room and ask people to tell you what they see in you what are some things they would say? If they wrote and taped the attribute to you what would they see? Humble? Kind? Generous? Or would they see anger? Impatience and prideful?

At any moment, every moment we are portraying an emotion to other people...they get to know us through these emotions. What am I portraying? It takes hard work and conscious effort to engrave the doctrine of Christ in our hearts but when we do this our hearts are changed. Changed in such a way that Jesus Christ's image becomes engraven upon our countenances. We then become living epistles. Jesus Christs walking "letters" to the world. Portraying the emotions of Jesus Christ and in doing so, influencing others to do the same. Elder Hartley said "we cannot hide who we are becoming, whether it be an epistle of Christ or the opposite" And its true. It shows in your countenance the choices that you make. Slowly if making the wrong choices, the light begins to fade. However slowly, if making the correct choices, the light brightens.

We all know what is right and wrong. We all know what brings us closer to Christ and what moves us way. Who are you choosing to become? "You are what you Do, not what you say you'll do." Just like the analogy we can say all we want we can speak inspiring words, but until written down (engraven) they will only last a moment. We can say all we want, "I want to be a better example" etc..but until you ACT..they are just words and wishes. Once you ACT you begin the engraving in your hearts.

Choose to be like Jesus Christ, choose to have his image engraven upon your countenance. People will/do follow your example regardless of what example it is. Choose to be the good example, choose to follow the Son. That is the only place we will find peace and real happiness.

Pres/Sis Maxwell went to a mission pres seminar & Elder Russell M Nelson said that the 12 are praying for the 2nd coming. Isn't that reason enough to decide now to change? He's coming and we all know what team is going to win. Choose to be on the winning team! Choose to be His living epistles to the world. It was just so inspiring for me. Its something I've wanted my whole mission to be a person that really does represent Christ by who I am, still working on it.

Man I just love being a missionary, especially here in Australia. Its a special place w/ special people. The trees are starting to change, the blossoms are coming out and the flowers are blooming. 20º C every day, spring is here! I can't believe its here again.

Anyway I think we're having a BBQ @ the park near our flat today. I'm keen as, TTYL peeps.

Still love my companions...hohana.

Fase fua

Ofa atu xxx

Q&A

Have you ever been in a discussion/debate with a companion that got heated? Na I don't have debates with people. All of my companions have been good as and we just all get along really well all the time.

What was the happiest thing that happened this week? The happiest thing that happened this week was when we were able to find a lady who is home alone with her baby all the time and she invited us in (not knowing why) and said that she is happy she did. I shared the first vision with her and felt as if I was Joseph, full of love and excitement and hope! It made me love being a missionary. Everything does but that was a special moment, just like any other time we share the first vision, its true!

Do people ask to see pictures of your family and friends from back home? Ya people ask to see photos, I have a small homemade book with a few pictures in it.

What are some myths investigators have about mormons? Mmmmm not many people here in Australia have heard of the church before so we haven't come across any of the myths that I can think of. I'll let you know when we do.

How are your prayers different now than before you left for your mission? My prayers are conversations now rather than just words coming from an empty heart. They are meaningful and full of questions and hope and light and love and gratitude. They are different.