Ugh! I am exhausted! This is the first time in the past week where I have been able to breath. Yeah, I know I failed to email last week but it was not the fact that I didn't want to but that I couldn't physically sit down long enough. Family, I am sorry for not writing! A lot has happened this week. We have missionaries who became homeless from gettting kicked out of their flat, another flat flooded and another was broken into and we had to prepare for a baptism. So it was the most hectic week of my life but I wont lie. I love it!
So let me begin with two weeks ago. So two weeks ago was Thanksgiving and even though I am a few thousand miles away I still was blessed to partake in the Thanksgiving spoils! There is a senior couple who are in the city right now who put on a Thanksgiving dinner for all the City missionaries and they invited us. It was neat, I really enjoyed it because you had quite a few missionaries who had never experienced an American Thanksgiving. Whether you were from Canada, Tonga or America it was enjoyed by all. And Thanksgiving would not be Thanksgiving without some sport so we played a bit of touch, basically two hand touch but for rugby. It was way fun and I really can't wait to play that with you guys.
We also had dinner at the beautiful home of Elder Vinson with the Lumsdens and we had a great lesson and they made it to church.
Those are the highlights that happened two weeks ago.
This past week was way good!
So first off we had a little trouble with a flat. Elder Tou and I have been working on closing a flat down in Liverpool. So the day of the move came and Elder Tou and I had everything figured out. All President had to do was meet the members who were going to rent a flat to the church and sign the lease. Well Elder Tou and the two elders we were moving were all ready to go over and unpack when President calls and said the members didn't show up. So Elder Tou and I scrambled around trying to figure out where we could put these two homeless missionaries and it was stressful! So now we are on the hunt for another flat to rent. Stressful stuff but I love being in the office.
We had a recent convert fireside this past week that was just incredible. I love being able to hear the testimonies of new converts and hear their life changing stories. I just love the gospel.
We had a neat fireside where Elder Tad R. Callister came with Elder Jensen who is a church historian and Brother Turley who is the assistant church historian along with Elder Vinson. So before I talk about the fireside Peter and Nikki wanted to buy their own white clothes, not just borrow them so they went to the distribution center and they happened to run into Elder Vinson and Elder Callister and they got to meet. So during the meeting Elder Jensen actually mentioned how they met a lovely family at the distribution center who was getting baptized this weekend. Elder Jensen turns to Elder Vinson, who has been helping us teach them and Elder Jensen asked who were the missionaries who taught them and Elder Vinson says Elder Tou and Elder Brough so Elder Jensen starts to look for us so I raise my hand and then he asked where is your companion, then to my horror I realize that Elder Tou sat on the opposite side of the room because there was not a chair where I sat down. So then Elder Jensen makes a few jokes on always staying with your companion. It was quite embarrassing but besides that it was a very good fireside.
So on to the baptism! Well to put it plainly it was incredible! We had a little bump at the baptismal interview but it was all a misunderstanding and it was all good. The ward showed their support and the spirit was there. It was such an incredible experience! They were so excited and I don't get why the Lord blesses me so much when I honestly feel like I have done so little. I can't wait to get to know the Lumsdens more. They are so excited about this and are so excited to be sealed in a years time, they talk about it everytime we come over. I am so thankful for my circumstances that I have had to face here in Australia. If not for them I would not have ended here where I was able to experience a wonderful miracle!
I love you all so much. Sorry it took me so long to write. I will do better next week. The Church is true and I love you all!
Elder Landon Brough
Thanksgiving Day Rugby
With Elder Vinson, Peter, Nikki, Sister Vinson, Elder Tou, Jackson and William
Elder Vinson, Peter and Nikki
