Tuesday 30 June 2015

Week 27 Prompted to teach about Prayer

Week 27 Prompted to teach about Prayer

How are we familia!

Its a beautiful day here in the zAAM! We are no longer on bikes haha, we finally got a car, because the Zone Leaders cant drive so the office gave us the car lol. But it should be good, hopefully dont put on too much weight aye haha. Its been pretty amazing seeing all the photos of home, especially your time with the lucky Missionaries. They're lucky I miss your cooking hahaha. Algoods hope everything is going well, was awesome to see some pictures of Kiki (: She looks heaps bigger aye!

Got a few emails from the family, which is awesome! Its funny people are starting to ask questions, the most common one is "How is the mission going?" -_- That is one of the hardest questions ever haha! There is so much that I can say and not enough words to describe it. But what I can say is that its been one big experience. An amazing experience, and yes I have had my struggles, emotional, spiritual, physical, temporal and all the above, but without that there is no learning and growing. Without us being able to access the atonement I have no idea how we can progress eternally. Maybe each week when you email me you can come up with some questions? It makes it easier to email back haha, because its hard emailing, too many thoughts going through my head and trying to organise my thoughts and such. Been really good lately though, just working so close with the members, setting appointments and things, had some pretty cool miracles with members. Monday night we went to see our investigator but this time we took a member, we were able to enter the home and have a little sit down, we felt prompted to teach about prayer, what a great inspirtation that was, it touched his heart and he had tear filled eyes as he closed with a prayer. That moment, from the experiences and testimony born by the member we invited, he was able to touch our investigators heart. Its amazing how much of an impact members can truly have, they dont even know it untill they go out and find out for themselves! And thats what i cant wait to do when i come home, but before i even think about coming home my focus is on the people here, the people i serve, that we serve and help bring closer to Christ.

Yesterday we witnessed one of the boys here in Mildura opening his mission call. He was called to serve in the Phlipines Naga mission! Leaves August 14, awesome experience, his twin brother is currently serving in PNG! To great boys, To amazing missionaries. The work is hastening alot in mildura and we are working to keep it progressing (: Hoping, Praying and Fasting for the best.

Oh I met a couple from Brisbane yesterday too! Its a return missionary who was the AP in this mission before. He finished Decemeber last year so when i came he finished. Him and his wife came and visited mildura, and guess what, they are in Marsden Ward. And also the wife did your hair a few times haha. Had a good chat and catch up with them and it was cool to see some people that I sort of knew lol. She updated me on some of the boys back home that have left or leaving on missions so cant wait to hear more about that (':

It was great to hear how you are all doing. We have a busy week ahead of us. Thank you all for writing and emailing me, I'm so grateful. Love you all, always for all time and eternity.

Elder Makai
ZAAM!!!






Monday 22 June 2015

Week 26 Another Miracle!!

Week 26. Another Miracle!!!

Hey its me! Just emailing a bit late because this morning we went and did a service, just helped a neighbour move house so it was pretty cool. Got heaps new missionaries in the zone which is great. Met another Elder named Elder Togia who is also from Brisbane lol. We know alot of the same people and just getting closer together as well as working harder than ever! 

Really weird week this week, So many different things happened, things just escalated real quick but its no worries we still have alot of work to do. Ended up being a good week though, we found someone tracting who wanted to be baptised! LIKE SERIOUS THATS A MIRACLE! When do you ever knock on someones door and they want to be baptised!? Here is the story behind it:

Elder Togia and I were tracting (door knocking) on this one street, it was literally the first house. Funny thing about this one street is that for so long we have planned to tract there, yet something else always seemed to take us a different way and we didnt know, yet the other day we just manned up and went to the street. Then the first door we knocked and a lady came out and was talking to us, out of the blue just an impression came to mind about baptism (By the way we werent talking anything about baptism before) and i was going to bring it up but hesitated and spoke about something else. Then again the same feeling came and i just asked the question "Have you been baptised before?" in the middle of a conversation, honestly it was random as! But she looked at us and replied "No, but I want to be..." We paused for some time and allowed the spirit to work on her, but really we were just shocked with the response. We told her abit about ourselves and what we do and invited her to take discussions or to learn more and understand about our unique message to the world (': It was a great experience from tracting and cannot wait to see how many other people the Lord is preparing for us.

I love you all, with my heart and soul. Families are certainly Forever Mum!!


Elder Makai
ZAAM!

Monday 15 June 2015

Week 25 It's been Tough

Week 25

Sorry about last week! Its been really tough lately. The work is hard atm, people not progressing and so forth. Transfers up, im staying in Mildura for another 6weeks, with Elder Martineau again, we are getting 3 new missionaries and plus 2 new areas are being opened up in our zone, so we will have quite a large zone now (: 

Its been a rough few weeks aye haha. My companion has been sick for the past 2weeks so i was stuck in the flat which was absolutley horrible >.< I tried to use the time productively, so I studied as much as I could. I did not want to sleep during the day because I didnt want to be up all night, and though it was really difficult i got through. May not sound like one of the hardest times on a mission, staying in the flat for 2weeks straight, like people would think thats a mean holiday. But its honestly its real hard... especially for missionaries. Throughout the 2weeks my companion slept basically, I was awake, by myself, in the flat.. doing all i could to stay sane. Temptation always crept, thoughts always came to mind, and I could tell he was playing around with me. It really tested me but I got through it mum I got through it, I really dislike  staying in the flat, I just am eager to go out and work, always am always have been, its funny at home I would rather stay indoors and play games all day, yet now im eager to be out, doing something productive! 

I hate to sound like im complaining but yeah its been really tough lately, but im still standing strong! Our zone leader Elder Flinders is being transferred, one of my favourite missionaries, he is the man! But im looking forward to the new transfer, I cannot wait, just have to really knuckle down and get to work, do everything that I can, letters and emails from you and the family have always been encouragement, motivation etc. It honestly is one of the highlights when being a missionary, seeing a package or letter that is for you :L Seriously it is! :L Like this morning i got a package from Marcia Crichton, sent some cool things as a birthday gift.  Please thank them so much!!!(:

During the time that I was in the flat I had alot of time to think... back on the past, on things i have done, things i have been taught and also lessons i learned. Looking back ive been a pretty selfish person, haha. I remember alot of times I would get compliments from other people back then saying how humble i was, but looking through my past, there have been alot that I have done. Lol its only 19years but that was alot of things. Its been a big rollercoaster but there have been unique moments in my life that have helped me along the way. You and dad play the major role in my life, as parents and best friends. I will forever be grateful for that. The scriptures say alot, but I cant explain it to be honest, i dont want to go too deep on things I have learned, but though im like so drained it has been an awesome experience! Sorry not been, it IS an awesome experience, I only have 18months left and thats crazy, time has flown by so fast! 

Its funny I had this experience that I dont think I shared with you before. It was the end of my first transfer (First 6weeks) in the mission. I told my companion I want to go home, he was very suprised to hear that lol but it wasnt for the reason that he was thinking. My first 6weeks were tough but great. I told him that I wanted to go home and teach my family and everyone about everything that I have learned so far. Then i thought about how much more I can learn. Its not the fact that I want to come home, its the fact that from what I have learned, I want to share it with others. Not just over an email, a blog or a computer. But to be there, to expound all things, to share, to testify, to nurutre and to love. I cannot turn my back, not after the past 6months, not even after the 2years. Its not a 2year service, but its the beginning of a change, so many uplifting moments, though we get dragged down. So many spiritual highlights, even when we are tested hard. The love and kindness of our saviour is perfect, the mercy is granted under a condition. "Go and sin no more..." 1Nephi 1:1 - "...and i was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father..." We can learn alot from our father in heaven. If we have the eyes to see, the ears to hear and the heart to feel, we can BECOM

I love you alL
Elder Makai ZAAM