Dear family and friends,

We had such a great week with zone conference and trade-off's with the Wollongong sisters!

I got to do a trade-off with sister Pa'asi from Queensland, but originally Tonga. She came out the same time as Sister Parungo and is doing so well for only being here for 5 weeks! She is already such a natural at teaching and opening her mouth. We had a goal that day to follow the promptings of the Holy ghost 100% and not even let one pass us by. It was so cool to do. There were a few times when I had the thought, but we were already a little ways down the street before I decided that we needed to go back and talk to them. On one of these occasions, we met a really cool woman named Simone who seems prepared to receive the gospel and said the sisters can go back to teach her family! Sometimes it's exhausting, but I know now that as we follow EVERY prompting, Heavenly Father trusts us enough to put His elect in our path.

I also learned what I think Heavenly Father wanted me to learn from Zone Conference about humility, seeking a reward not here, but in Heaven, and about the Word of Wisdom and how I should nurture my body better. President and Sister Bingham are so inspired to know what Heavenly Father wants  me to know to help me become more successful.

It was a cool experience to hear Patrice speak at a recent convert fireside yesterday. It was actually a miracle because she has never spoken in church before, so  I was so impressed that she had the courage to speak in front of so many more than she is used to at our tiny Mittagong Branch. She said that she was feeling super nervous up until the time that she stood up to speak, but then "something else kicked in" She recognizes that it was the spirit so I think it was a testimony building experience for her:) I also got to see Sister Sumaribos there, which was a surprise for her. It was so fun!

We have a new investigator this week named Jessica! sometimes when planning for her, I will refer to her as Jethica or Jessenia, some of the nick names I have for my sister:) She seems solid. She has a young family of a husband and two little girls. They are really good people and you can tell that she really wants to know the truth, so we are excited  to see how she goes with the Book of Mormon.

Overall, it was a great week and the time is flying. I am excited to spend the entire week in our area with Sister Parungo this week. Especially if it is my last one here in Mittagong:( It will be interesting to see what transfers bring. Pray for president to continue to be inspired!

Have a great week! Love you all!

Sister Pace

Pictures above:  Kangaroos! / and Most of the Sisters in my zone at zone conference!

Trade-offs in Wollongong with Sister Pa'asi!

We met up with the other sisters for dinner after our trade-off, and a high school marching band started playing some jams behind us, which was cool.  I felt like I was back at Foothill again!

Kasama (companion) and I:

Tree climbin'

Recent Convert Fireside in Villawood!

Zone Conference with Sisters Parungo, Bingham, Yuson, and Pa'asi.  We had it next to a really pretty river in Nowra.

21 August 2017 Letter

Happy Anniversary mom and dad! 34 Years, you guys are my heroes! 

And happy actual wedding day for Charis and Jared! The pictures looked so nice, and Charis looked like a Disney Princess! Congrats! 

 We have had an awesome week with Patrice, a recent convert doing temple baptisms for the first time! One of the people she was baptized for was her great grandmother, and another member was baptized for one of her grandfathers,which was super cool for her to experience! She loved it and is excited to go again. Also,  I don't know if  I mentioned, but both Sister Snell and Patrice got their Patriarchal blessings last Sunday, which is super cool! They are both doing so well.

The weeks seem to fly by and sometimes it feels like there is not enough time to accomplish everything we would like to. We have decided to drop some of our investigators this upcoming week if we still can't set appointments with them to help them progress. It is time for a fresh start and to pick up some new investigators who will be ready to progress right now. We are continually striving to do all we can to follow the spirit and help our area reach the potential Heavenly Father has planned for it.

We also did trade-offs with the Dapto sisters this week, this time with Sister Chan form Malaysia. She is so fun! We came out together and have been serving in the same zone for 4 transfers now, so we had a lot of fun together. 

Yesterday, in sacrament meeting, us four missionaries sang the musical number. We sang "I am a child of God" and did the last verse in Samoan, with the help of Sister Parungo and Elder Slade, who both speak Samoan. A lot of members in the branch yesterday were commenting on how natural  I look and seem in the branch now. I take this as evidence that  I will definitely be transferred soon because  I am too comfortable here. Which is sad because I love this branch and area so so much! We still have two weeks left in the transfer so I want to do everything  I can to leave the area better than I found it.

We were finally able to have a lesson with our investigator,  Ingrid yesterday, and it went well, so hopefully we can help her to start progressing and keeping commitments.

Love,

Sister Pace

Photos #1-#3:  At the Sydney Australia Temple with companion, Sister Parungo; Patrice, a recent convert; and Sister Snell

#4-#6:  On exchanges with Sister Chan, from Dapto; and trading back companions at the Famous Robertson Pie Shop.

Hello family and friends!

I hope everyone has had a happy week. This week flew by for Sis Parungo and I.

This week we had several service opportunities for members. We did painting, decorating, speech lessons for Brother Jackson who had a stroke. As a result, we also received a few referrals! One of them is a family. The mom in Maori and the dad is Samoan. Sister Mackey wants us to visit them because they speak Samoan and so does my soa (companion), so hopefully they can bond. We hope for the best with these people. It is good that they will have an instant fellowship.

This week I also had the privileged of doing a trade-off with Sister La'akulu from Tonga. She is so wonderful and loving to all! I always learn a lot on trade-offs both from the sister I am working with, and re appreciating some of the strengths of my companion as well. Sister Parungo is still adjusting well, which is good to see.

This week, we might have to drop some of our investigators who are not progressing. Sister Parungo also had an inspired idea that we should try picking up some former investigators, so we are excited to try that this week. We are working hard to bring The Lord's miracles into our area.

Elder Kenworthy went home this week, which was sad, but we got a great new elder, Elder Slade, from Samoa.

Not too much more to report this week. Have another good week everyone!

Love,

Sister Pace

Pictures:  

1.  We met some cool people on the street yesterday riding their horses down the main road.  They stopped to let us pet them.

2.  Lunch after trade-offs with the Dapto Sisters. L-R:  Sisters Chan,k Parungo, Pace, and La'akulu.

3.  Oh, and then there's this picture, haha--Elder Kenworthy's dying picture.

4.  Heaps Close.

5.  I made Elder Kenworthy ice cream cookie sandwiches for his birthday on Tuesday.  Lots of B-days!

6-8.  Our Branch had a Winter Ball.  We helped out by doing activities with the kids.  There ended up only being one kid to entertain, Steffi.  We made sure she had fun though.  

9.  We helped out by doing activities with the kids, but we got to participate in the photo booth. :)

7 August 2017 Letter

Hi President and Sister Bingham!

This week has been a miraculous one yet again with finding new investigators. I pray that we can be adequate teachers and inviters of the spirit for those that we have had the blessing of finding. We have had trouble lately with helping our investigators to really keep commitments we extend to them. This morning, I was reading about how Aaron taught Lamoni's father and Lamoni's father, in prayer, asks God to make himself manifest to him, then he will give up everything to know Him. I realized that many of our investigators probably are not actually sure that there is a God, therefore they don't have much motivation to do the things that He has asked us to do. I think we need to focus on going back to the basics and helping them understand that there IS a loving Heavenly Father for all of us. Hopefully, as we strive to be more consecrated and humble and diligent this week like you both have said, we can figure out how to help these individuals.

I am impressed by how well Sister Parungo picks up on all the different aspects of missionary work. She is doing great and makes life so fun for me!

I also had the chance to go on a trade-off with Sister ZoBell this week and I was really impressed by the progress she has made in just one transfer of being out. She is so diligent and positive. She is a blessing to our zone! Thanks for giving me the opportunity to work with such wonderful people, especially here in the Mittagong Branch. I love you both, have a great week!

Love,

Sister Pace

Well  I have no time, but I will send a lot of pictures from yesterday. I got so spoiled for my bday. I got two cakes(one from the Elders one from Sister Mckeown), A decorated car from the youth in the branch, flowers from Sister Sullivan, a spaghetti dinner from Sister Parungo, my birthday got announced in sacrament meeting and mentioned several times in testimony meeting #onlyinabranch, a package of clothes from Lyndsi, another gift and balloons from the elders, and so much more love. My heart is overflowing with love and gratitude. I love the Mittagong Branch! Besides that, we had a good Missionary Leadership Council this week and trade-offs with the Ulladulla sisters(They live on the beach, so that was a beautiful drive). We have a couple new investigators this week, so hopefully we can help them progress and keep commitments. Thank you all for the prayers and happy birthday wishes! I have THE BEST family and friends! Have a great week everyone!

Love,

Sister Pace

The Elders banged on our door right at 6:30 a.m. yesterday with this ice-cream cake and poster!:

Some of the Murrin kids who helped destroy our car.  I love them!:

A compilation of all the love throughout the day.  So much love!:

Part of our beautiful 2 hour drive to Ulladulla for trade-offs.  Our South Coast Zone is so huge.  Sometimes I feel like I have been called to the Australia Sydney South driving mission.  The good news is:  Sister Parungo got driving certified this week so we can trade-off now!  WooHOoo!:

DTM throwing up our Dapttagong signs:

Fitzroy Falls: