Hamilton Hill, W.A., Australia
Friday, 3 February 1989:
I’m here.
My new zone is Coastal Zone and my new area is Hamilton Hill and my new companion is Elder Gillespie.
We got in last night after the transfer meeting and did some shopping.
Then we came home and unpacked.
We are boarding with some lady we haven’t really met yet, so we’ll probably meet her some time today and learn all the new rules and everything.
Man, it’s really weird being transferred into a new area.
You don’t know anyone or whatever, so it’ll be lots of fun.
I hope that I adjust all right.
Sunday, 5 February 1989:
Well, I’m adjusting so far.
We don’t have bikes to ride.
My companion got hit by a van and totaled his bike, so he’ll need a new one real soon so we can get them going.
It looks like we have a few real choice people to work with, so we’ve got to get going.
Tuesday, 7 February 1989:
I’m starting to adjust a little better.
I still can’t believe I’m in Australia, almost totally by myself, thousands of miles away from home ON A MISSION.
That’s the hardest part, but here I am and I’ll make it through.
It was interesting yesterday.
While tracting two guys in a nice car came up and stopped us.
Started off by railing us for having short hair.
Then something about the Church changing it’s views about polygamy.
Then saying Joseph Smith was a fraud and the Book of Mormon was a bunch of rubbish.
It really made my day.
I couldn’t help but laugh at them.
They are praying for us so that was nice of them.
“Get out of that cult and come to Jesus” were his last words.
I KNOW THAT THE CHURCH IS TRUE, JOSEPH SMITH IS A PROPHET OF GOD, THE BOOK OF MORMON IS THE WORD OF GOD.
Friday, 10 February 1989:
Well, I’m adjusting a little better now than before.
Elder Gillespie is starting to see the error of our ways so far as motivation and happiness go, so I think that we will be doing better with it real soon.
Our zone leaders have decided that the zone needs 70 hours TPH, which will mean getting up at 5:30 a.m. and not eating as much and just not getting sleep.
I’m having a real hard time with this new program and I don’t know if we can do it.
Elder Gillespie is against it and he says we’ll follow the white handbook schedule as far as getting up at 6:30 a.m. and leading out at 9:30 a.m.
We’ll see what happens.
Serve the Lord with all your heart, might, mind and strength.
I don’t know if I’m doing that.
In fact, I know I’m not.
Monday, 13 February 1989:
Something is happening to me.
My mind is starting to ponder things of the Lord deeper and deeper.
I want to learn more each day, but most of all right now I want to know why I’m not satisfied with myself and my performance as a missionary.
I have just now prayed for guidance as I write, and also had a small conversation with Him through the Holy Ghost.
I need to plan and set goals more.
It’s me that’s dragging me down, not my companion.
I’m not using the Spirit enough in all my efforts.
I have the Holy Ghost — why not allow God to tell me the things I need to know throug the Holy Ghost?
I have beliefs that direcly correspond to my actions — I love my companion (so does everyone else).
The clothes that I wear should not have anything to do with the work that I am capable of doing (as far as not as nice as some people — stuff like that).
I have the potential to become like God; so does everyone else on this earth.
Why can’t I live up to that potential?
Maybe it’s because I don’t know how to take it one step at a time.
The only time you start from the top is when you’re digging a hole (Paul H. Dunn).
I am capable of becoming and being a great missionary.
I need to humble myself to the point where I look at myself and say, “Is your belief wrong?”
If it is, change it.
If your actions are wrong, it directly corresponds back to your most basic belief from that action.
I know with God’s help I can be the best I can be.
You can do anything you want, if you put your mind to it.
Just JUST DO IT!
Now it feels like I’ve said all that needs to be said at this time.
I feel I was guided by the Spirit while writing so at this time these are the things I needed to hear from Heavenly Father.
Thursday, 16 February 1989:
Yesterday was zone conference.
It was really good; I really enjoyed it.
I’m starting to feel a lot better about myself and my ability to do missionary work.
It’s all up to me.
My attitude is all mine, not my companion’s.
It’s up to me to be a leader when someone else isn’t going to be.
“Let’s just DO IT” is a good phrase to use as I go about my missionary work.
My attitude has changed a lot; I’m more excited about the work we have to do.
We have heaps of work with some choice investigators.
We can’t let them slip away.
We have to work our hardest.
Friday, 17 February 1989:
Yesterday was quite interesting.
We couldn’t find a ride to the fireside again, so we took the bus and train, then had to call Elders Ogden and Southwick, who came and got us from Hay Street.
Then after we got a ride home with Ogden and Roos.
And now my companion is quite sick, so I don’t know how much we will be doing today.
Tuesday, 28 February, 1989:
Well, it’s a beautiful morning and I’m happy to be alive.
The last while I haven’t been getting along.
He’s been treating me like his little brother — kind of the same [lack of] respect.
I think that that’s over with.
I’ll even tell him to stop, because I don’t like it.
He says all his other companions turn into Dags, so I better not.
He’s in a real happy mood today, so we’ll see.
It’s been raining the last while.
It’s kind of raining right now too.
This is rare for W[estern] A[ustralia] to be raining in February.
We got it off easy this February; it wasn’t so hot.
Boy, time is just flying by; my memory of the things I did is fleeting.
My comp[anion] is on a B[asket]-Ball team for the mission, which means a few practices during the week.
This cuts down on our Total Proselytizing Hours, which isn’t good.
Oh well, nothing I can do about it.
I hear old Davison is having a real hard time with his new comp.
I hope he works everything out OK.
Thursday, 2 March 1989:
Well, we’re into March.
It’s sure hard to believe it’s going by so fast.
I better get myself on the ball or it will go by and all of a sudden be gone.
Yesterday I got a tape from Andrea and it was blank.
I was crook.
I couldn’t believe it.
I’ll have to send a letter back rebuking her.
She’s doing a school project and she wants to get the Aussy accent on a tape; also know about social things they have here.
In my district we only have two No. Americans out of ten, so it will be a little harder than she thought.
We met a guy yesterday — the last house for the night.
His name was Roy Heart.
Oh, what an interesting man!
He told us a bunch of war stories and all these things he’s been through.
I was so impressed.
He was a real sand groper (Western Australian).
His wife was “Fairdinkem” as he put it — one in a thousand and, you know, I believe she was.
She was real nice and boy, I’m sure she’ll accept the gospel in the spirit world.
We finally got back on bikes.
I hadn’t noticed how hilly it is here until yesterday.
It was great to get back on the bikes again.
Saturday, 4 March 1989:
Happy Birthday, DAD; I LOVE YOU!
I need to work harder, do more work, get my companion to get motivated without him knowing about it.
Eternal Progression.
Tuesday, 7 March 1989:
Boy, there’s lots of problems around me.
My companion has heaps; our district has heaps; and I’m in the middle with a few.
We’ll probably be going to the office with my companion’s problems with the zone leader basically not getting along.
The district isn’t unified at all.
At these mtg’s (District Prayer mtg) there just isn’t any love.
Unity is the key.
I thought that I was having problems getting along with my companion, but it’s got better since he’s had worse problems and I’ve been able to try and help him with his, so it hasn’t been that bad.
It’s cooling off now.
I’ll work it out with help from the Lord.
No worry!
Wednesday, 8 March 1989:
Yesterday me and Elder Gillespie had a good long talk about how we could unify our companionship and help it to get better.
I’m going to really try to not do some of the things that he doesn’t like and maybe it will get better.
I’m sure a lot of our problems stem from me, so I’ll just swallow my pride and try to help him.
Thursday, 9 March 1989:
Yesterday was a good day.
We had a district development mtg and got excited about planning.
We had a planning mtg yesterday, so we’ll know what we’re doing today.
Today is going to be a great day, but we have to teach some people.
We haven’t taught anyone this week yet.
Me and my companion are getting along a lot better now.
We had a good talk about it Tuesday, before we led out.
It was good to know what he doesn’t like about me, so I’ll try and fix a few things and I’m sure we’ll get along better.
Thursday, 16 March 1989:
Today was a really good day.
We went to a Zone Development Mtg.
It was down by the river.
It was real good.
Then we went to the office and had a yawn with the President.
I guess it was more of a talk than a yawn.
Elder Gillespie got his problems worked out and President told me, “Be patient and help him through his problems.”
We figured out that the problem was, he was frustrated about his position right now and he was just basically taking it out on me.
But we are really working things out.
I found out that my dad wrote a letter to President Campbell and they were worried about me and didn’t want something happening like in my brother’s (James’) mission.
His comp got sent home.
Well, it won’t be happening with this bloke.
I’d like to expound a little to you.
I feel that humility is the key.
Remember the belief window: if you can constantly think, “is my belief window right?” you’ll be all right.
Also an important concept was made real to me.
That is , walk in the other guy’s moccasins for a few miles and see what it’s really like.
I need to work on that a little bit more.
Also, think about the outcome before you say something — will that person take offense if I say something that’s very important?
Saturday, 25 March 1989:
Well, I feel I must write about an investigator that we have.
Her name is Samantha Robson.
She’s about seventeen years old and a great daughter of God.
We just had a long talk on the phone and I calmed her down from her anger.
She was going to be baptized on Sunday (tomorrow).
I asked her last night.
Her mom is now dead set against it all, and they had a huge fight last night.
Then today she ran away about 8:00 p.m.
I convinced her to go home when she called me from the train station.
Then I prayed for her to call me when she got to (maybe her friends or home), wherever she decided to go.
Then we talked for quite some time — about an hour and fifteen minutes.
We talked about her feelings, what she needed to do and everything.
Apparently I’m really the only one that she really trusts.
We read some scriptures: D&C 18:15 also 121 about the gates of Hell, and descending that, also Enos, and INephi 37, and much, much more.
I felt the Spirit say, “Pray with her.”
So I said “We are going to have a prayer.”
We did and it really brought the Spirit in and we talked some more.
She said that she’s going to grow up a lot now.
She can’t be a child any more; she has to be an adult.
I helped her along and agreed with her.
I feel that she is going to be a very spiritual individual and go a long way.
I kept telling her over and over again, “God don’t make no junk; he didn’t make you to lose; he made you to win.
Be happy; Men are that they might have joy.” etc.
It was real good.
I really tried to stress her relationship with Christ and her Heavenly Father.
She’s going to go far.
I can see a lot in this girl.
Thursday, 30 March 1989:
Well, I’m getting transferred.
We found out on Wednesday (yesterday) morning and then packed yesterday and a little more today.
It’s amazing how much junk you accumulate over the months.
It’s been a hard two months here, but I learned heaps.
I’m glad I came here.
