Sunday, February 18, 2018

January 21, 2018

It's been a while

How do I start this off? I started an email a few days ago, but got caught up doing other things and suddenly it was Sunday night. Quick recap of things over the last week or so. First off, Brad Wilcox, LDS speaker extraordinaire, visited the mission. He was actually in Brisbane for FSY (For the Strength of Youth, like EFY) but agreed to do a conference for the missionaries. It was great, he spoke about the house of Israel and what it means to be a part of it, and the birthright that comes with it. All the zones got pictures with him, but he was already late for his next appointment, and since we (the office elders and the assistants) were the ones trying to herd all the zones one after another to get a picture with him as quickly as possible, we didn't actually get a picture with him :(((((( But earlier in the day, while he was meeting and greeting the missionaries I got some pictures OF him. I think if I keep my secret people picture taking skills up I could become a private investigator. Anyways, I sat waaaay in the back of the chapel serving as the Keeper of the Technology. We webcast(ed?) the conference up north so I was making sure everything ran smoothly. We had a quick zone conference after.
Last Saturday we had a couple baptisms to go to. The first was at Redcliffe chapel, and I name that specifically because the Redcliffe chapel was where I had my first zone meeting on the mission. All the ones after that for my zone (in that particular zone) were at Burpengery chapel. I hadn't been to Redcliffe chapel since my second or third week on the mission. Needless to say there was a very introspective moment for me being there. We also helped a member move from our area down to the south side of the city, to one of my old areas (Park Ridge) and he even moved to a street I had door knocked. He was living in a van before so he's living the high life now in a shared flat. 
Monday we had dinner with the Amos', one of my favorite member families. Tuesday we went to district meeting, took the mission doctor to the airport for a medical emergency up north, we even got to go on splits with the Bunya Forest elders (one of my previous areas) and some members from that ward to go door knocking. We door knocked some streets me and my companion had knocked there. Ha! 
But we got a call earlier in the day that the Gympie elders' phone stopped working, and the only solution, was for us to drive all the way up there to give them a new one since we wouldn't otherwise be seeing them anytime soon. Let me clarify, Gympie's a 2 hour drive north of Brisbane. So we drove alllll the way up, and allll the way back down. I was practically falling asleep at the wheel so when we stopped to fill up at the gas station I asked my companion to buy me a caffinated drink, I thought he'd buy a coke or pepsi or something but he walked out with a Rockstar. I'm so sorry mom, please don't kill me! Luckily I didn't get addicted, because I've only had like 4 cans a day since then, just a totally normal amount. Ha jk, I haven't had another one. I'm off the can. 
Wednesday we had a FHE at the mission home with the Logan zone!
Thrusday we did some running around, taking supplies to interviews for the Chinese zone, buying some cables for the upcoming MLC, and that night we split with the Redland Bay elders (who cover two wards) for a meeting and a lesson since they didn't have anyone else to split with. I used to serve in Redland Bay but unfortunately I got roped into the meeting for the ward that the elders now cover but we didn't when I served in the area. Oh well, I got to spend time with Elder Santander who I've never known that well but he turned out to be really cool.
Friday I had to take me ol MTC mates, Elder Pierce and Elder Nemeth, to the police station to get fingerprinted for their visa extensions. Without those, they'd be going home a transfer before me. But now they'll be going home with me! MTC district mates to the end! (S/O to my MTC companion Elder Hanley in the Adelaide mission). 
Saturday (yesterday) there were soooo many baptisms. I split with Elder Hymas (previous companion I served with in Redland Bay, now an assistant) and we went to Raceviews baptism, the missionaries serving there being Elder Bullock (me son) and Elder Pierce (me ol MTC mate). Elder Hymas got a haircut at the most Polynesian barber I've ever been to, but they give missionaries free haircuts so it was good. A big New Zealander guy sat next to me and said he was a less active member. We had a good yarn while my companion-for-the-day was getting a haircut. We drove to a baptism in Nerang, where a mom and 4 of her kids got baptized. Then drove to Marsden for another baptism of a family. 
Today was good, normal church. A Columbian nonmember came to church out of the blue. He had a member friend back in Colombia who found our ward for him and told him over Facebook or something to come. We taught him a lesson and thank GOODNESS we have a couple native Spanish speakers in the ward from South America. We're not sure yet whether us or the sisters will teach him but we'll work that out. Oh yeah and I gave a talk in church about how the Savior changes us. Just a short 5 minute talk to fill some time. So maybe it wasn't actually "normal church." Yeah, there's my week. I need to take picures more often.




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