week 41: australia style

teaching tiffany

Gday mum!!!

Well this week was really crazy!  So to start things off Steve didnt end up getting baptised this week, he had troubles with smoking about half way through the week.  But that is ok, because we have put him on a stop smoking program, and he is doing really well.  Today is day 3 of the program and he is clean still!!  I am so happy for him, he has such a great desire to get baptised and to get off of the smokes.  So his baptismal date was pushed back a week, which was his original date.  So we are planning for this Saturday for him, I have faith that it will go through!  I am really excited!

We also taught Tiffany this week which went really well!  We had the opportunity to teach her in one of our members home, and she gets on so well with her fellowship it is awesome to see!  She is really excited to get baptised on the 14th of June!  It was cool because we taught her the first half of the Plan of Salvation, and Elder Wheeler and I really wanted to focus on the Atonement with her, so everyone that came to the lesson as a fellowship bore their testimony of the Atonement in their lives.  My companion and I also had the opportunity to share our testimonies, and man...  The spirit was so strong!!!  She definitely felt it, and I could tell.  We are seeing her again today and teaching her in the same members home, I am so excited.

We managed to set 2 more baptismal dates this week, one of them was with a lady named Sue.  Sue was a former investigator that we felt prompted to go see, and she is struggling a little bit, and we talked to her about how the Gospel can help relieve problems and challenges in our lives.  She accepted a date for the 28th of June!!  We also set a date with a man from Ethiopia named Fugo, I met him at the train station yesterday.  It was way cool because he wasnt planning on getting on the train, but just because he was interested in the message.  Unfortunately he didnt have a bus card and I did not know that and guess what??  The train police just happened to come onto our train and he got a ticket.  He didnt care though, and I set a date with him on the train.  His date is for the 28th of June as well.  I reckon that is a huge miracle!!

We are seeing such huge miracles in Eltham and I am really enjoying my time here.  My companion and I have been exactly obedient this transfer, and we have seen some amazing miracles happen!  I have seen amazing growth in both myself and my companion.  My comp. is really starting to come out of his shell and it is really cool to see!!  I am so thankful to be a missionary and to serve the Lord.  I am so thankful for his sacrifice in my life!

Gday mum!!!  How are you going??  Sounds like you have had a full on week, geez that is no good about mimi and papa's place.  They are in my prayers, I hope everything works out.  It was cool to see the video of Zac too, seems like ages since I have seen what he looks like!  He is awesome!!  Far out...  You have seen heaps of people this week from times past, I had to really think when you said you talked to Thayne.  It has been ages since I have seen that guy, he is way cool.  My week has been really good, I was proud of myself that I didnt let myself get down when we heard about Steve smoking.  He is such a great guy, and I am so thankful for meeting him!  I cant believe that people are graduating already, I cant believe I have almost been out for a year!!  It has flown!  Soon enough it will be me going down the escalator mum, but until then I need to work my heart out!  This work is really changing me.  Thank you for your continual example to me, you and dad are the best mum and dad out there!! I love you guys so much!!  YOU are a rockstar!  I hope yous have a good time at zac's homecoming say that I say hello!!  Have an awesome week mum!  Love you!  Cheers!

Love, Elder Richins

aka: CMONEYLOVE