1.4.15 news from the launie outlaws
Hey fam, sorry about not sending an email last week, I gave it a miss because I was so so busy. Its been the craziest 2 weeks! Lots has happened both happy and sad, but mostly happy. :)
The BEST thing that happened was on Saturday just after Christmas (while waiting to hear transfer news) I got a call from President Maxwell! On transfer week if pres calls that means you will be training or STL (sister training leader) or other stuff that transfer. Other than that the call just goes to everyone about if they will leave or not. Anyway I got a call, we were at dinner so I missed it and called back as soon as I saw it and didn't get him for ages! He finally answered and talked to me alone. Last week I sent an email asking him to consider leaving me here 1 more transfer...knowing he prob wouldn't but it was worth a shot. That was the first thing he said was about the email and my heart was racing. I was waiting for him to say he's sorry I was leaving but HE DIDN'T. He said @ the end of this transfer it would be 1/2 my mission so he might have to move me then but that he would like me to stay and train again! WHAT! BEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE, ha. I was so happy! Then he apologized for taking Gibby (Sister G) away from me. That made me sad but its okay. Really funny though because everyone was betting on me leaving. I kinda thought I would but hey, got my prayers answered and stayed. :)
I'll backtrack a little and tell about my Aussie Christmas experience. So RAD. On the week of Christmas...Tuesday we went caroling w/ Launie outlaws district to some of the families in our wards, we all had Christmas get up and even had a couple guitars and drums, it was so so good. Then Christmas eve Bishop R had us over for tea and a nativity! He talked to our parents (me & Gibby) to know our traditions to help us feel more at home. (best bishop ever!!) and it really was lovely. It felt like home especially w/ all the kids. Then CHRISTMAS DAY. We woke up and opened our prezzies (I wrapped Gibby's in my extra paper grafted together) and listened to Christmas music (mission approved) and drank hot milo. We woke to rain and it felt like home with the cool weather. Then we got dressed in our Christmas clothes (THANK YOU HEAPS FOR EVERYTHING) and went to S & S T (from my first area) and had the most amazing breakfast and got to talk to family! My favorite part of Christmas. Then to the the C's (G & P) for DINNER! (lunch) and it was like we were @ a 5 star restaurant, it was amazing! 3 course meal w/ all the best/fresh food. I sent pictures. Also the most delicious cherries. Its a tradition in Australia for them to have cherries @ Christmas. It was so warm outside and beautiful, perfect for summer fruit. And also tradition for "Christmas pudding" but its not American pudding its like a cake but boiled in fabric and hung in the window for months and boiled again. The most interesting food but delicious! I got a recipe for it, I will make it @ Christmas! (try) Then they danced for us and gave gifts, love them. Then to the R's (in elders ward), I love them too! They had heaps of food but we mostly just relaxed there, lots of people like @ home. Then us & the elders went to the H's for tea. (4 meals yes) We got to talk to their daughter D! (on a mission in Romania) and it was the perfect way to end Christmas. I loved it here. The members are like family. I love them all so much. I forget how blessed I am to be serving in such a special place w/ such special people, it really is a promised land. :) Did I ever tell you sister H reminds me of you mum? I think thats another reason why I love her so much. :)
The next day (Boxing Day) the feast continued and we went to breakfast @ the W's. It was so goood. Then to the J family for lunch, mmm, we had crepes w/ their raspberries from the garden and nutella and cream. AH SO GOOD (20 kg later). Saturday the elders had Erics baptism and we all sang. Me and Gibby & Nonoa & Chan-Tung. Elder Nonoa played and sang and we all had parts and it was really good. :) Then Elder Chan-Tung gave a talk in Chinese for him to understand and when he bore his testimony in Chinese I just felt the spirit so much. It was so cool because I couldn't understand but I still felt it, I know its real! For his baptism Elder Nonoa (doesn't speak Chinese) baptised him in his Samoan skirt but Elder Chan-Tung taught him the prayer in Chinese and Elder Nonoa did it and it happened again! I felt the spirit so so much. I could feel God's love for him too. The gospel is all about love really. I just feel so lucky to be apart of so much love.
They all thought that I would leave & we were going to go somewhere and eat but AC invited us all (she's gorgeous) but then we found out I was staying! We were so sad to know Gibby was leaving. :(
Sunday everybody was so surprised but happy I was staying. Sister H's reaction was the BEST. She was stoked - I love her! haha So happy to be staying.
Now this week....
Monday was our last day w/ Gibby so we had breakfast all together and then went to the trampoline place Airtime. Its not as good as jump street but still fun. That was really good! Then we went to the flat and packed her stuff into L's car and left to the airport! It was sad when she left. P was my companion and was w/ me the rest of the day then M (recent convert) stayed the night @ the flat and came out w/ me on Tuesday. We had a lot of fun and saw heaps of miracles! M is such a good missionary, it felt like she was one. She's the best! We visited some people and went finding and found some cool people! We invited someone to be baptised on the doorstep, she didn't accept but me and P came back the next day to her house and invited her little brother and he accepted. He has a date for the 24th! The only thing is a bit of a language barrier but we've got good fellowship for him so I think it will be right. He came to church and we've seen him every day, he is 12. He's a really cute Nepalese boy.
Then M stayed again and we cleaned and made a sign for my golden! Got everything ready and then LW showed up to take us to pick her up! I asked the elders to come too and we were all there when she came in. I loved her right when I saw her! Sister Plante (pronounced plont) is from France and is so sweet! She learned English @ the MTC for 2 months but we are still working on it together. Her English is really good and she is such a sincere missionary, its been a blast getting to know her and learning French. I'll be pretty good @ it by the time I get home I reckon! We took M out with us the next 2 days, she's amazing! Such a good missionary already, its sweet.
We saw so many miracles too. We found so many investigators and taught heaps of lessons and it was just good. Then Sunday was the 1st Sunday of the year and 9 am instead of 1pm! (2 wards in Launie) I never thought I'd make it to see church @ 9am here but I'm so glad to be here! It was really good. :) That night we and the elders went to the H's for tea. YUM. I love the H's.
Man it was fast Sunday and normally I'm okay but it was so hard yesterday! Its because it was so HOT. 30° celcius yesterday. It was just hard with no water but thats okay. I see the most miracles when fasting and its all worth it. :)
Ah and today we went to the east coast again for Pday with the elders and P (member) and it was beautiful. It looked like a place they would go on the bachelor. Seriously paradise! Elder Nonoa wrote a song in the car on the way home and now we're going to the W's.
Life is AWESOME, summer in Tas is a dream and the mission is fantastic. Thank you for all the support and love- sendin it straight back to yous!
The church is true & the book is blue. Give it a read, see what it means to you! (the world)
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
P.S. I saw 2015 1st..what!
Love,
Sister Hatch #1
