Week 17: Transferred to Doncaster / Box Hill

Kangaroo Crossing

So I have been transferred to a really interesting zone called Doncaster / Box Hill. 

Besides Tasmania, I am now in the only Chinese zone outside of the city. I am also in a tripanionship now. I like this new area and my new companions a lot. One of my new companions I actually met in the MTC. His name is Elder Nelson. He is from Bountiful Utah, he is very good at piano, and he has been out for 3 months (in the field). My other comp is Elder Lan. He is also the district leader, so we will get to go on a lot of exchanges. He is from SiChuan China. He can cook really good SiChuan food. He has more experience than the both of us, and he is a very good missionary.

Missionary Cooking

Outside of the city, everything is different. We are now in a ward (not a small branch) and in a church building (not a rented office building level). It feels a lot more like home here because there are a lot of members and families. It is right next to the mission office and temple. They do a lot more lessons here and a lot less finding. We teach lessons almost everyday. I think you can see the fruits of your labor a lot more easily when you are teaching lessons than compared to finding.  The first day I got here, we went on splits with members and visited less actives. Yesterday was fast Sunday. Elder Lan and I bore our testimonies. It was a great church meeting. 4 people signed up to feed us next week, more than I have had on my whole mission so far.

This area has a few good investigators. One is named Bless. We had a good lesson with him this week. We reviewed the history of the Book of Mormon. He asks a lot of deep questions. One issue is that he works for a moving company, and they call him in when they need him, so it is hard to schedule things with him. But he is super cool. Since he moves furniture, he is a pretty big guy.

We had an interesting experience the other day. This area has a car, and apparently I am the "designated driver". We were in the car. I leaned back in my seat (while driving) and I felt a sharp pain on my back. Then a bee flew from my seat, and around the car. Then it flew out the window. So I got a bee sting in the car. I was a little scared because in Australia people say "everything is poisonous". But luckily it was just a regular bee. 

We had dinner at a Colombian family's house yesterday night. The Narvez family made us some delicious Columbia food. They also brought a friend and we watched the new LDS Easter video (which is super cool), and shared a message about the story of Jesus Christ. It was a very good lesson. And their friend will come to church on Easter Sunday!

Elder Lan, my comp from China, is a convert. When he bore his testimony, I found out that the first time he came to church was when his friend invited him to attend on Easter Sunday. I think that testimony may lead the members to invite their friends next Sunday. 

We also got to go to the baptism of a new member, sister Narval. I can't say I really know her since I just moved in here, but I always like going to baptisms. We sang a musical number for her.

My old companion Elder Bassett finished his mission. I wish him good luck.

Oh yea, and this week I officially hit my 6 month mark. 

With the Sister City Missionaries

Found in our apartment