I got some really neat news this morning. I called the office about some stuff and they said, “Why are you worrying about [it,] that you’re not zone leader up there. Let Elder Chlarson take care of it.” So there you go. I’m not the zone leader up here any more. I really wish they would have told me on the day I got transferred. It would have made things a lot easier. It’s really neat to be released from that calling and I can get down to just doing the work. It should be a great last month. Elder Simmonds is great. He’s only got four months left, so he really wants to work diligently as well. The Saturday we planned to have a ZDM with everyone and I was planning it and everything — Elder Chlarson wants to just continue on with what we had planned already. I’m going to like being down here in Tom Price: lots of good things are starting to happen. I’m starting to get over this Sister Long thing. I only think about her once in a while now, so it’s lots better. I wonder how she’s doing?
Elder Watson has changed quite a bit. I don’t think I like him any more that much. He seems to be very cocky and making light of things. So things have changed, which, I suppose, I should expect. As we get a change of leadership, the zone will change. I don’t know if I like not being in charge. I guess I just need to humble myself and figure out that, “hey, it’s time to let someone else take charge and I’ve got to do a mighty work somewhere else.” I really do love my mission.
This afternoon we wasted by playing some video games. It was terrible; what a waste of time! Not much time left now. I’ve got to do better at being able to teach these people of Tom Price. I really can see that this community has some potential and I want more than anything to bring that out and help the folks here see how great being a member of the Church is. A terrific member from Port Hedland will be coming down tomorrow and going to be staying here. Her name is Janis Hamilton; she’s great. Hopefully she can really help us to find people to teach and BAPTIZE.
This week has honestly been one of the neatest weeks that we’ve had. We have been able to talk to just about everyone, plus, each day we have been blessed to be in a teaching situation with one day we taught three discussions. We have a few people that we are working with that are some hopefuls for the future. Through my experience as a missionary I’ve noticed that the hardest thing for me has been teaching Second Discussions — actually progressing people to a stage where they feel thay can learn some more.
I suppose the biggest challenge that I’m facing right now would have to be the fact of my keeping my mind on my mission, keeping my mind on the work. I really have a desire to serve the Lord all the way to the end and never give up. I was thinking this morning a little about career and family, wife and children, your basic things. And I thought, “What am I doing? I don’t have to worry about any of that for another three weeks, so what am I worried about?” I’ve really got to do something to keep my mind on the work and simply do and think and talk and walk and speak and act and everything missionary work for the next three weeks. We’ve got just under two weeks left here in Tom Price. I really want to baptize. I have a strong desire to do better. I really need to improve and do the best I can; magnify my calling, you might say.
Tomorrow we’ll have church with Redette and us two, and that’s all, because the others, Liz (mum), Ben (son) Devine are out of town. They went camping with Liz’s husband Geoff and Roger, a friend. Today we were able to finally teach this one fellow that Elder Simmonds found ages ago and it looks like because of work and what-not it will be hard to teach him more. We should be able to teach the Second. He really seems prepared and ready to accept the gospel. The Spirit was really good and strong over there while we were teaching him, plus, he even prayed for help to accept the things we taught him.
I’m really trying so very hard to keep my mind on my mission instead of thinking of what it’s going to be like back home, or what I’m going to do first and that sort of thing, although I am looking forward to going home and it will be wonderful. I got my flight plans the other day from the office. I leave on Wednesday the 7th at 7:00 a.m. and arrive in Salt Lake City on Wednesday the 7th at 3:30 p.m. I guess it’s the extra-fast direct flight — or maybe I cross the international date line. Anyhow, it’ll be great to go home. But I can wait and I want to wait. I want to finish my mission right to the end — serve right to the end. Now that I’m on my own, it’s a lot different. It’s good to have the support of others, but I’m glad I get to finish off out in the Bush. It’s great; I love it out here. Well, time for sleep. [smiley face]
Today was really good. This fellow that we live with, Jeff Devine (we are renting his caravan), he took us out to see a few sights. First place was this large bridge for the train that goes between Paraburdoo–Tom Price–Dampier (Karratha). After that he took us down to see a neat little place that had some absolutely breathtaking scenery, plus, it also had heaps of aboriginal rock carvings, which I got lots of photos of. I really have a great love for the aboriginal people. I’m so glad I’ve been able to spend some time with them (including Sister Long). I really love that people — especially the little brown babies.
I patched up my shoe today with some lino (linoleum) and superglue. We’ll see tomorrow how it works for a sole.
Today went pretty well. It is starting to get quite hot now. We’ve got the air cooler on and I feel cold with just the air and water cooler on, but during the day it’s getting quite hot. I think I got a bit sunburned today. I got a letter from home this last week dated 7th of October. My Mum said that they turned on the furnace. So it’s getting cold now and I’m roasting over here.
I’m just looking at my feet right now. My left one is nice and white, but my right one is all dirty and red. It comes from my right shoe. I seem to have worn a hole in the sole right out the big toe and all the dust from walking gets in and gets me all dirty. Only problem with it is my socks get holes in the toe from walking on it. My first shoes that I bought lasted 19 months and these ones about four months. Of course, they were used by another missionary who played basketball in them and wore a hole in them already — just not all the way through; it has different layers.
I really love Australia. It’s a very beautiful country — especially the Pilbara.
And Heavenly Father, I feel, really helped me today to see a lot of the things that I need to improve in. Basically, “Sprint.” I haven’t been sprinting. I’ve got to work better. “Don’t look back,” [the] president said. Down in Bridgetown Dad wrote a letter about not looking back and it stuck with me all the way through with a bit of reminders here and there. I’m glad it did, because it’s so important to look forward — what there is yet to do.
We were finally able to sit down with this one lady named Debbie. Ever since I’ve been up here in the Northwest, I’ve developed a great love for the aboriginal people of Australia. I’m really glad I was able to serve up here. Here in Tom Price there are very few aboriginal people. Debbie is one, and it was really good to be able to sit down and talk with her. First, we went around and her husband was there and we chatted with him and his mate for a while. Then Debbie finally came home and joined in the conversation; it was really good. They even had a little kangaroo that she showed us; let it hop around the room a bit. I really love the aboriginal people and wish I could learn more about their great culture. I’m thinking of coming back for a visit and seeing Darwin and also the east coast. I’ve got a really food friend in Darwin; her name is Sister Josephine Long. I might have mentioned her. She’s one of those eternal friends — the kind you don’t want to lose. I promised I would send her a photo of my wife as soon as I get one. There’s lots left to do here in Tom Price before I start figuring all that out.
We finally taught a Second Discussion. The first one Tom Price has had for who knows how long. This fellow named Ross Dodds; he needs some time to really ponder about it. He’s a very humble guy, very nice, willing to learn.
We stopped by to see Debbie and she had some friends over, so we couldn’t go in or anything, but she invited us over for tea this next Wednesday. I was wrapped [rapt?]. She’s so neat. I hope so much that I can help her to get baptized.
Today we’ll be going to Mount Nameless. It should be exciting. We got our bus tickets today. It’s really hard to think I’ve got one week left, basically. I’m trying so hard to think about the work more than anything else. It’s hard, but I know it’s important for me to keep my mind on the work and to do the right things. We’ll see how the day goes; it should be a good P-day.
Haloween today and all these children got dressed up in costumes and went trick-or-treating, and got heaps of candy and junk. I’ve never seen anyone down here in Australia go trick-or-treating; this was the first time. I guess it’s starting to rub off; all the silly American traditions.
Yesterday was my favorite day from my whole mission. I’ve been writing a lot about Debbie and her family. Yesterday, like I said, we went over to teach her. It was interesting when we got there the first thing she said was, “I read your book.” She was sitting out front with a friend. After we sat and talked for too long, we finally went inside for the discussion. About 4:30 or 5:00 p.m. this lady named Anabel came up and was talking with us all (Debbie, Liz [a neighbor], elder Simmonds, me). Anabel is a well known Born-again and we both were hoping that she would leave. I need to learn to heed to the prompting of the Spirit. Listen, the Spirit kept telling me, “Well, how about this discussion; it’s OK if Anabel’s here,” and stuff like that. But it took me about ½ hour to finally say, “Let’s teach.” Well, we finally got inside; there was a really neat feel about it. We had an opening prayer and Elder Simmonds started us out with a Holy Ghost Dialogue — telling her about the Holy Ghost. Basically, he just made her aware of what the Holy Ghost felt like and identified it with her experiences: like when the elders blessed her home in Perth, and the like. Also, she told us about how last night she had read the Book, but it didn’ really sink in. So in the morning she sat out in the front amongst all the pot-plants and read. While she read, she explained that she felt kind of weird and eerie and a bit unusual. It wasn’t a bad feeling. She felt quite peaceful, but really different. She ended up by saying that she felt someone was standing behind her reading with her. We explained that those feelings were the Holy Ghost. After that the discussion went really well. I don’t know when I’ve been able to teach someone with more love in my heart and more clarity and just spot-on. The Lord made my efforts that afternoon multiply 100-fold; it was terrific. The subject of baptism came up and Anabel shared how she felt when she was baptized and Debbie expressed that she would like to be baptized. Elder Simmonds, near the end of the discussion, said, “We hope that when you feel this is true, you would want to be baptized.” All through the discussion the Spirit was telling me to give her a challenge using 2Nephi 31:4–7. So I stepped up and worked my way through it and said finally, “Will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone with the proper priesthood authority?” And she said — what then Anabel blurted out, “Will you be baptized?” And she said, “Yes.” And you couldn’t believe how great I felt; I really felt terrific. Then she said, “When I get down to Perth where I can go to church and learn more about how to be a Mormon and how to follow in this way, is when I’ll be baptized.” All throughout the discussion as I looked at Debbie and her daughter Bambi, I felt this ever-increasing love and desire to help them. I can’t remember when the Spirit testified to both me and an investigator so strongly. We taught the whole family how to pray and they all agreed to follow these four steps in their prayers; it was so wonderful. We’ll teach them again this afternoon a Second and maybe even a Third, who knows? I’d like to see if we could get a joint teach there as well to help out. Then Debbie could go to Relief Society and the like. Aren’t missions great? Well, time to start packing again.
They had to go to BMX for some racing, but said they’d try and come down and see us. As the bus was leaving we saw Bambi on her bike coming down. We tried to wave at her, but I don’t know if she saw us. The bus trip down wasn’t too terrible. I got a little bit more of Jesus the Christ read. Only thing is I kept falling asleep on it. And as I read the Book of Mormon: all the way down on the bus I had this feeling to give the book to this one girl. But I didn’t follow the impression. I really hope she can get one another way. Pretty slack, eh?
Saturday we got into town about 2:30–3:00 p.m. and got all unloaded and stuff. We waited for a ride, and since no one came, we called up to try and find a lift here. We are now staying in the assistants’ flat, which is right next to the chapel and office. Last night we went to the Priesthood Session, which I enjoyed. They had a few things that were very pertinent to me going home. We finally got home at 9:30 p.m. and I got to talk to a few people and say goodbye. Some missionaries went up to McDonalds and so I had them get me some burgers and fries before bed time — fasting today, so that should be interesting. I found out that both Sisters Kennedy and Long are getting transferred this Tuesday. I don’t know if I’ll see them, because I might be already on my way home when they get here. I would like to see them before I go. It would be nice; if not, then too bad.
You know, I’m starting to get more worried about going home. I’ve really got to watch myself; I guess my hormones are catching up with me. I saw this one sister missionary. She looked like she was from New Zealand and I was really awestruck. I really thought she was a pretty girl and I couldn’t get my mind of her the whole time I was there. Good thing [that] I’m too scared to go up and shake here hand and say G-day, otherwise, I might think about coming back and marrying her. I’ve really got to wait and take my time with getting married. The way I’ve gone on my mission with girls, I’ve really got to be careful. The only thing is, these feelings are natural. And after a few days I won’t have to (because of rules) chase them away any more.
After church I went around to a few places to try and see if I could get to see some people that I have been working with before. But no luck; everyone has all moved away, so no one was there. So we went south of the river and went to a conference down there. At it (the Sunday afternoon session of General Conference) I saw a few more people and said goodbye. After that I went to Gavyn Jarvinen and her husband John. We had worked with her a little bit and John who is still not a member (“yet” he says). We had some good quality time with them. Then we went to Glen Gideon — perhaps someone who has had possibly the most powerful effect on my life next to President Innis, when I was serving in South Perth in July of '89. She was in my area. She really taught me a lot about the Spirit and communicating with Heavenly Father. Our visit went really well and she told me about her trip to the States and all sorts of things. She’ll be moving back one day, she says. She really loved it there. She told me that she wasn’t supposed to come back to Australia, but did anyway. And Heavenly Father really rebuked her for not having enough faith; another lesson learned.
Halfway through the visit we got a visit from her sister; she was really nice. When it was time for us to go, the Spirit gently told me and Elder Simmonds and Sister Gideon to have a prayer. But, because of our reluctance — and I really feel bad about not following the prompting (I don’t know who it came to the strongest, but I would assume me) — but in my weakness, once again, I failed to heed. We said our goodbyes and had a prayer with her sister not there, which was very spiritual and I really enjoyed it. I remember every time we would go to her place, there would always be a neat Spirit in the home; still the same one now.
After that me and Elder Stubbs went in to the Mission Home. We were supposed to be there between 7:00–8:00 p.m., but got ther about 9:15 p.m., just a little late; no big drama though. We had some good talks with [the] president first, then at about 10:40 p.m. with Sister Innis till 11 something. It was really good to speak with her. She’s a great lady.
Monday I spent the morning doing some errands and I got my watch fixed and closed my account at the bank; stuff like that. Then, about 12 o’clock Elder Soloai came up to pick us (Simmonds, Iau, me) up to go to play some basketball, where I saw some of my mates, like Elders Lauaki and Ngati and Bates. After that shower and spend the rest of the night with the office boys. At about 5:00 p.m. we all (about ten of us) went down to Pizza Hut, where we had this all-you-can-eat pan pizza for five dollars per person. We had a little competition to see who could eat the most. I didn’t win: the lowest was seven; the highest was 16. I had 13, which is a family-size pizza. One of my pieces counted as two, because it was so big; only three of us got that honor.
About 9:30 p.m. the assistants dropped me off up here at the Mission Home, where I spent the night. The funny thing is, when they dropped me off they just took off and left me. All the lights were on, so obviously someone had to be home. Well, I got to the door and no one was home, so I got to sit outside quietly and just read the Book of Mormon. Then they got home and all was well. we meandered around for a little while, then I went to bed. I really felt ill; I couldn’t move; I was so sick. Actually, I’m still full right now and its about 8:00 a.m. in the morning. I hope I can remember the pizza experience and remember not to eat that much again.
