Christmas Time

This past month, Emmalynn has had a Canberra Zone Conference, a Mission Christmas Conference, and we were able to Google Chat with her on Christmas Day.

            Sister Fotu, Sister Pace, and Sister Rollins: photo in her Christmas Card

Computer photo from Google Chat on Christmas Day

She liked the "12 Days of Christmas Gifts" we sent her:
1  Partridge in a Paper Christmas Tree (decorated with family picture ornaments, etc);
2  Pair of earrings
3  French Hen Eggs (chapsticks)
4  Christmas pictures from her nieces and nephews
5  Accessories
6  A Book of Mormon (with picture and testimony) for her investigators from all 6 of Garrett's family
7  Bags of Treats
8  Marking Pens
9  Toiletries
10 songs that Matthew and Jessica wrote--on a CD
11: 10 more songs on a CD of St. Martin in the Fields from London + 1 Harry Potter Journal from
       London
12  A 12- month family photo calendar for 2017

From her 12/18 email:  "Sister Fotu and I are getting so well fed lately. . . I love hearing your guys' missionary experiences.  It makes me feel more closely connected because we're doing the same thing. . . Sister Fotu. . . is the best.  She's so chill and patient, even when I get stressed about silly little things.  We are becoming more and more comfortable with each other too, so our days are more and more fun.  I know most of the missionaries in my zone pretty well. . . I have only seen Pres and Sister Back twice now but they are really cool and chill, but they are great leaders and they always know how to advise us. . . Most people here call themselves public servants.  I'm not really sure what that means but Canberra is different than the rest of Australia.  It's like Washington DC where it is its own state.  Many work in Civic, which is where the Australian museum, national library, and a lot of other city buildings are.  I am slowly getting to know everyone in our wards and they are cool."

Here are a couple pictures from the past few weeks that were posted on the Facebook page: "Parents of Missionaries in the Australia Sydney South Mission."  Emmalynn is in the center of the Christmas Conference photo; and on the top left of the Choir photo.  Looking forward to more news from her soon!

Merry Christmas Bedford Falls!

Sister Rollins left this week :( Now our trio's down to two as Timone says. We already miss her and it’s a little lonelier now but I think it will be better for teaching if there are just two of us because its less intimidating. It's also forcing me to have more one on one conversations with people and ward members so I am becoming better friends with them. She is actually coming back to Canberra today with her parents! so we get to meet them and we'll go see kangaroos later, yayyyy! I've only seen them from afar, pictures to come.

This week flew by. We had so many appointments which was good, and Sister Rollins wanted to say goodbye to some people. One of the week highlights was zone conference. Where our mission president and his wife came to teach us, along with their assistants. They taught on obedience and working with members. I liked the working with members part because it really is so much easier to find those who are prepared to receive the gospel and keep them strong in the church after baptism if they already have a support system and friend through a member. I encourage everyone to pray to know which of your friends/family members is prepared and then have the courage to invite them to come closer to Christ. It will bless their life so much as it has blessed yours!

This week I have really felt God's love for me and for everyone I have been able to meet. I know that he loves each one of us unconditionally because we are His children and He wants us back with Him after this life! That is why He has provided a Savior for us, to make up for all our mistakes or just all the yucky things that happen in life. When we turn to our Savior Jesus Christ, He will make us better and we will always be good enough.

I'm glad that we have this Christmas season to celebrate and build faith in Him and what He has done for us. Me and Sister Fotu jam out to our Christmas playlist 24/7 even though none of the songs are super jammy haha. I need some Mariah Carey in my life. I always want to yell "Merry Christmas Bedford Falls!" when we street contact but my companion has never seen "It's a Wonderful Life" so it doesn't seem right.

Our golden potential investigator Melanie from last week didn't come to church this week because I guess she found another church she wants to go to instead. we are a little confused because our lesson with her on Tuesday seemed to go really well. Hopefully she'll let us schedule another lesson with her still and we can find out what she needs. Her less active mom came though which is great. Besides that, we are mostly just trying to find more potential investigators because we usually work too much with less actives.

Well, I’m running out of time but I love you all and hope this week is a great one! I know it can be if you make it so!

Love,

Sister Pace

Photos:

1.  Canberra Zone, Australia Sydney South Mission

2 & 3- The Loney's are my favorite family in our wards. He's the ward mission leader and she's basically the assistant ward mission leader. These are their cute boys.

4- Wyman! Our miracle investigator we had to pass onto the Chinese Elders.

5- Melanie!

6. Sister Kickert is a congresswomen in Belconnen ward who always goes on splits with us.

 

Fun Week

Well we saw some miracles this week. Mostly with being able to get in contact with some less active members we have been trying to meet for a while. One of them was really cool. We went to a less active woman's home and she wasn't there but her daughter Melanie was. Apparently she had a bad experience with a man telling her that her mom was going to hell because she’s a Mormon. She was saying how religions shouldn't be that way to other religions. We had a good chat with her about how we agree and we are very supportive of all religions, that we only seek to add to people's faith not take away from it. She liked what we were saying and thought we were kind so she went to a ward party with us and then to church the next day too! She seemed to enjoy them both and we have our first lesson with her on Tuesday! Miracle.

The Tongans are making me fat! We eat with a lot of Tongan families because both my companions speak Tongan. They load up your plate and you feel obligated to eat all of it. It’s actually pretty easy for me which is bad. I was meant for this kind of life haha. They eat so much meat though. We had four different types of meat in one meal. It makes sense now why Sis. Fotu, my Tongan Companion, only ever wants to eat meat.

This week is Sis Rollins' last week :( Sister Fotu and I are "killing her" and she goes home to AZ soon. It will be different and probably kind of lonely with just one companion now. I will miss her.

Another funny experience this past week is that I have gotten flipped off while driving at least twice. One lady was crazy and evil looking! My companions and I laugh about it all the time now. I'm not that bad, I swear. Some people just can’t endure even a half second delay. It’s quite comical. Besides driving, I have found most people to be really nice here!

Well I’m running out of time but I love being on my mission. I love getting to share my testimony with lots of people every day. I know that Christ lives for us and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is his true church restored to the earth. Christmas is our special time to focus and learn about Him and why he was born. He lived and died for us and I am so grateful for that!

Love,

Sis. Pace

To answer your questions. I think that was a Huntsman spider. They aren't dangerous, they eat other spiders so I guess they're good but they still creep me out! Apparently they can get to the size of a dinner plate! It's gone now which is even scarier. I like knowing where it is. Both Sisters Rollins (Gilbert AZ) and Fotu (Tonga) are still my companions, but this is Sister Rollins' last week of her mission so it will just be Sister Fotu and I after that until the end of the transfer (Dec 24), and then I’m assuming we'll still be companions for at least another transfer because I’m still training. Our flat is in Scullin, as suburb or something of Canberra, and the chapel is in Lyneham. We travel a lot, especially being in two wards. Thank goodness for our car! Our district has four other companionships of Elders who serve in the same wards we do. The Canberra zone has two districts. I don't know the missionaries in the other district too well yet. The Elders in our's are cool though. two of them speak Chinese and one Samoan. The only one who was called just English speaking is the only one who is not white haha. He’s from the Philippines and we're the only ones who are just English speaking. Even both of my companions are Tongan speaking, so I’m picking up a few Tongan words. I love the companionship! They are so fun and patient with me.