Cessnock - The Town With the Highest Teen Pregnancy Rate in All of Australia

Good day mates and matesses! Life down under is rocking! This past week has been incredible. Very, very, very uplifting. One thing that crossed my mind this week was how much energy Australia would save if they were to turn off their televisions when they were not home. We knock on so many doors and almost everyones TV is on and they are either watching Malcolm in the Middle or the Simpsons. Malcolm in the Middle is like reality TV for Australians.

Mum! Thank you so much for the package. It came this past week and there is so much delicious little goodies in there. It was exactly what I wanted. The Swedish Fish and Reese's pieces are American as and the kids love it. Also, thank you so much for the cookie recipe. Thank you Morgan and Stephanie for the letters. I just love letters.

So this week has been good. A member made me pumpkin pie and it was actually good. Aussies hate the idea of having sweet pumpkin but I won't lie, I love it and this aussie Shela did a good job. So the pumpkin pie was one of the many highlights of the week. Yes, we did a lot of tracting or how President Scruggs called it Cessnocking, but I actually love tracting. It is getting fun... I think I might be losing it but I do enjoy it. Also I am learning how to play a digeredo? I don't think I spelled that right at all. It is pretty hard to play but a member let us borrow one so Elder Chan and I are practicing. I won't lie. They are a pretty neat little instrument and when you hit the right sound oh man it sends chills down my spine it sounds so cool. Between magic tricks, being able to fake an aussie accent and being able to play a digeredo I am going to win the heart of one pretty shelia when I get home. But that is something I will worry about in 18 months. Heartbreaker a little! I have already been out 6 months. Man, I am getting sad thinking about that. Let's change subjects.

So we had Zone Conference this week. It was so good. The spirit was so strong but it was also a very sobering one too, I think that is the right word, but a sister was riding her bike and she missed the bike ramp and flipped over a guardrail and she ended up breaking her neck so the whole mission has kind of been devastated so we held a fast for her as a mission. But that was the first thing that president Scruggs said so it put an interesting feel on the conference but the whole conference was focused on the atonement. I love the atonement. I seriously can't put it into words. I am so thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ and I know he lived and died for us so we may live! I know President Scruggs is an inspired man and I will miss him greatly!

Conference was so good! We spent the weekend at the Chapel and I just loved it! I felt a special spirit about it especially about the family and especially mothers. Mum, I won't lie I thought of you most of the time and I am so thankful for what you have done and taught me. I love our family and I am going to try and say this in the most humble way but our family is awesome! I just love our relationship that we have. I did miss waking up to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and wandering downstairs and watching conference as a family and then as a family all falling asleep. But that's not the point. We were falling asleep as a family. What a great bonding moment! But in all seriousness, I love you guys and miss you heaps but I know God lives and has restored his church to the earth so there is no other place I would rather be than this town in the country of Australia with a bunch of drunk pregnant teenagers because there are people who are ready to receive the restored gospel.

Speaking of which, Robert Murphey is getting baptized the 24th. The Word of Wisdom was not a problem at all and I feel he has had a personal witness of the restored gospel. He came to both sessions on Sunday, that's more than most of the members, and he took notes and he really enjoyed it. He has been prepared and I am so thankful that I was able to be part of his conversion process.

Well that's it from me. I love you all. Dalton I loved your email, you are hilarious! I am so glad to hear you are doing well. Tell everyone I say what's up and that Australia is so much cooler than America... for at least now. Well, I am off. There are some members who own a music store with instuments and stuff so we are going to go check that out. I love you all and know what I am doing is important.

Elder Landon Brough-The best missionary in Cessnock from America (Note from Nancy: He is the ONLY missionary in Cessnock from America)