A stormy fortnight and wet shoes

19th November

Hey!

This past week has been grand, it has stormed all week so it's been keeping the heat down a bit but today was a beautiful clear day so when the sun got up it was so hot. It's transfer P-Day today (why I'm emailing today) but all of us in the Collingwood Park flat are staying together, I'm glad as we are pretty tight and my companion and I are working really well together. We are seeing miracles, finding new people, seeing old potentials and getting people closer to Baptism and activity in the fullness of the Restored Gospel. One particular family are a seventh day adventist family who are wonderful people, one of the boys used to go to our church as the dad and his family are all mormon, so his uncle used to take him. He loves the church and reckon he will be the key to the family. They are so good. I Think the Lord has prepared this ward for a lot of real growth. We also received training on the Book of Mormon. It is such a special book and we've been issued an invitation to read it in 2 transfers (about 6.2 pages a day) sadly I only have the one transfer left so I'll continue to do it when I get home. I am so grateful for the book of Mormon, it is LOADED with spiritual and temporal instruction.

 

Sadly my time grows short on the computer and I would like to email others but I love you all and pray for you often.

 

Fa soi fua. Elder Kay x 

27th November

Hello all,

Today was another temple trip. I was blessed to do sealings.  It is such a blessing to be in a mission with a temple and it strengthens my testimony of the truthfulness of this work every time I go.

 

The last week was great we taught quite a lot of lessons and are finding many potentials, this area is really taking off and it can rise higher is we step it up, there is still so much I need to learn and it seems so little time to do it, sometimes I have to remember that there will be revelation and experiences after my mission but it just seems that it will be different. The Samoan guy we are teaching is awesome, he came to church on Sunday for the first time in a while and seemed to enjoy it, we would like to get his Father in law to be more involved in the fellowship as it will help him become more active, they are such a great family, we are teaching quite a few people and I am trying hard to refine my techniques so that we can follow up and get return appointments more solid with fellowship. It's a bit of a shame that most of the members work pretty crazy shift jobs or have families to care for as it means they can't help us with teaching very often. We don;t have many prospective Elders or Missionaries that can help us either but we are slowly getting there, they are seeing that we are working hard and so are gaining that desire to help. This week we were hit by the biggest storm we've had yet, the lightning was incredible. It was just like on those movies that look like it's done in a studio as the lightning is just random flashes, but it really does look like that because of the huge amount of rain. we were at am appointment at the time but my shoes were left out side when the storm hit, they were under the porch but it was just so heavy it all just bounced into my shoes -.- AAARRRGH! aah well, we got a lift home.

 

I hope you are all doing well 

 

LDK

 

Late email

Elder Kay was late emailing this week due to a visit to the temple http://www.lds.org/church/temples/brisbane-australia?lang=eng. Here's what he had to say

Hey!

This email is coming on a Wednesday as it was our temple day today - it was wonderful to go to the temple. I had the opportunity to do baptisms and confirmations, it was great. I can't remember much of last week, it all seeks to blend now so I'm not sure what was this week and last week and three weeks ago hahaha! It was a pretty good week as far as I remember, I think the thing I most remember was trade-offs with the District leader, it was great learning from him. He is from Niue. He is a great missionary and is very bold. We were blessed to find a less active part member family whose children were being taught by the missionaries in the past and then just didn't go back for some reason. We've been doing a lot of finding but we really need to change it up. We are finding people but it really isn't that effective. We have been able to be with a Fijian family though who we found a week or two ago. The Husband is a less active member with non member wife and children, they are awesome, we are going round for dinner and hopefully will be able to start teaching them, the wife had a lot of questions last time. I've found that as I get closer to the end of my mission, temptation has increased and I find I have to be constantly on the move focussing on the gospel and the people, this time will be a time of real growth. I am studying Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage at the mo, it has some amazing insights and incredible gospel truths. The miracles and the teachings of Christ are incredible to study and ponder and motivate us to be more like him, better teachers and disciples. I find myself just like Jeffrey R. Holland fascinated by the Apostles, they remind me of myself, so impetuous and unlearned in the ways of the Kingdom of God and things. Obviously they are no longer like that and have progressed beyond all that and those same blessings are available to us. I was also on trade-offs this week with our Zone Leader and learned some great things from him. We were talking about how there are so many things that testify the Gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ is true and than we began talking about how each person is a child of God and began pointing at the passing cars say "he's a child of God... he's a child of God... she's a child of God.... he can become a god, and he doesn't even know it" As we remember that these people are all children of God, our brothers and sisters, we WANT to share the gospel with them. I am so grateful for everything I have, my family, friends and all of you wonderful people who give me the support and love I need.

 

Keep strong Keep the faith 

 

Love LDK xxx

Exercising bodies and faith

Hey hey hey!

This week has been great, we now have a new work out that President Henderson put together with a personal trainer, there's a beginner's, intermediate and advanced exercise. The advanced is HARD but I hope to be able to do it by the time I go home. 

There is a lot of work to do still and we were blessed with miracles this week as we were diligent with the work. We found a less active part member family who live on the street we're always around as our area is tiny. It's so strange that there are so many people to work with in such a small area, it's because of all the Samoans. Some missionaries think it's like Utah here. We were also able to catch up with a family that we've been trying to contact for weeks and found out they were sort of messed about with the house they're in by their landlord so have to move. They would like to stay here in the Ward but they might not find a house here so we are praying for them, they are such a good family. There is a non member there who struggles with the English gospel terms so my companion has given me his Samoan Preach my Gospel and hopefully we can teach him, Elder T's Gospel Samoan isn't the best as he wasn't really around the church speaking Samoan a lot but he managed to teach the restoration last transfer, apparently with much effort. I'm only going to be learning Samoan in my spare time as I obviously wasn't called to a Samoan speaking mission so don't want to take it out of my study time.

 

We were blessed this week with 6 Baptisms in the Ward, 2 of them were from our area and it was such a wonderful event. I kind of wish I hadn't eaten Taro with the refreshments as it's really heavy and we had a dinner appointment an hour and a half later :/ I'll miss the Island food, I'll bring some koko Samoa for you all to try :D 

Our teaching pool is kinda dry at the moment after all the Baptisms but we are trying to find people and work with those we have. Lots of appointments fell through this past week but hey, it happens! There are so many great people here, if I get transferred to another area for my last I'll be disappointed, but I guess I'll be happy that the Lord has me where he needs me.

I love you all so much, strive to always be the best you can as we work together in becoming like our Heavenly Father. Help everyone you can. Have a great week.

 

LDK xxx

Skip 3 months

A friend messaged me on facebook to say she checked in on this blog and it hadn't been updated since July. Sorry to anyone who was following. Here is an excerpt from Elder Kay's latest email. He is now in a small area between Brisbane and Ipswich which has a large Samoan population. If anyone wants to catch up on the bit in between please let me know and I will update you in an email or facebook message. We haven't had any photos since July. Elder Kay will be leaving Australia on January 1st 2014, but we are not sure what time and which way he will fly home (via the Far East or via the USA) so he could arrive home on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd January - Elder Kay's mum

28th October 2013

Hey all you wonderful people, Brothers and Sisters.

This week has been such a blessing. A wonderful sister came to the waters of baptism this week and we are meeting many wonderful people, hopefully planting the seeds of the Gospel in their hearts. We have two more baptisms coming up this Saturday with 4 more from the other Elders area, some of the children of a family coming back to activity from the Aiga Samoa. [This was a breakaway church that formed due to misunderstanding and has now disbanded] They are both wonderful families. I am really learning how to love people whatever their situations, of course I'm not perfect yet but I am getting better, the key is listening. you realise that most people in this world nowadays don't REALLY listen and this is something the gospel teaches us to do because that is what the Saviour did. When we listen with love, we can really discern peoples'  problems and characters and are able to have a deeper understanding of who they really are, of course remembering that they are our Brother or Sister. We also had interviews training this week and it was great to be with President Henderson and receive instruction from our Assistants and leaders. We have some really great Assistants in the mission at the moment who really have a love for the missionaries and for the Lord. I am so grateful to be serving the Lord at this time, at the time where the Lord is hastening his work, and although my time here is growing short I am preparing for a life of service in the Gospel, I hope I can help the work move along when I return.

 

I must admit. at the start of this week, we struggled, it is getting really hot and humid here, and it's so important for us to drink LOTS of water. Isn't water incredible?!! it sustains life and gives our bodies so much. I think it incredible that such a simple molecule of Hydrogen and oxygen does so much. I marvel at what our Heavenly Father has given us. I am grateful for the mission at this time, there is exciting change happening, let me share a part of President Henderson's weekly email to illustrate our culture of Faith:

 

"We are creating a culture of faith in this mission. We know that faith comes by. . . . hearing . . the word of God (Romans 10:17). We are adding fuel to our faith every morning when we have focused and inspired personal and companion study. During this sacred time we are able to read inspired writings and have the Holy Ghost build our spirits. The Holy Scriptures strengthen our faith. In Helaman we read, “ . . . ye do know of yourselves, for ye have witnessed it, that as many of them as are brought to the knowledge of the truth, . . . are led to believe the holy scriptures, yea, the prophecies of the holy prophets, which are written, which leadeth them to faith on the Lord, and unto repentance, which faith and repentance bringeth a change of heart” (Helaman 15: 7,8). It is this mighty change of heart that is the focus of who we are becoming. When the change is permanent, all things around us begin to change. When things change because of faith, requests from God come with power to accomplish His designs. We find power to complete all that He requires of us." 

He is such an inspired man.

 

I love you all and hope you are all well. Keep Calm and Carry On!

 

LDK xxx

29th July 2013

This week our whole flat was sick so we were stuck in the flat for half the week. I wasn't too bad most of the time so I just traded off with the other Kenmore Elders to get work done in both areas. Things are starting to move here, we nearly matched last weeks numbers (apart from finding hours) even though we were sick and compared to last week we found heaps of potential investigators. At the moment we are teaching a guy that busks around Brisbane (he's really good and he said he can get 100$ from 4 hours :O I was like, I'm sooo moving here after my mission just to busk hahaha!)  It's weird being in a ward again, it's not as easy to get to know the members as there are so many. There are some awesome families here.

That church Pageant sounds really good, what's the program? you can up date me next week. There isn't really much to say due to being sick this week.

I hope everyone is good. If you're not good get good :P hahahaha. I can't believe your dying of heat over there while it's still cold here. During the day it's not too bad but at night it's yuk. anyhoo I'll love you and leave you.

LDK xxx

The photo was taken by the Crichton family who visited Elder Kay with birthday gifts and a cake for his 21st.

Back in Brisbane

Elder Kay had his 21st birthday last week. There are photos on his facebook page. Here are excerpts from his last 2 emails

17th July

Greetings all from the land of Oz,

I've been transferred from Warwick, I think I was ready to leave but I will miss the members a lot. We met our new mission President last week, he and his wife are awesome and I'm really excited to be working with them, I'll miss President and Sister Langeland.  President Henderson is excited to take the mission up a notch, he's a business man so he's pushing to get ipads and facebook proselyting etc. to the ABM soon and first in Australia. He's changing a few things and putting a lot of emphasis on Trainers (missionaries who train the new missionaries) which I think is great because it will help the mission be more obedient from the word go.

I've been transferred to an area called Kenmore, in Brisbane Zone (Stake) our area actually borders the boundaries of the next stake.

My companions name is Elder Gross, he's from Arizona, USA and he's the trainee of one of my previous companions, he is a great guy.

Oh yeah I'm also District Leader again, I don't feel I did a good job last time so I want to try hard to do better, I'm realising that the mission is all about self mastery, preparing us for our life and then ultimately for the eternities. President Henderson said at transfers that District Leaders are going to have increased responsibilities so it will be interesting to see the new changes.

I'm really excited for this new Transfer. It's a new start. I think I learned what I can from Warwick and I'm ready to make this last 6 months count. I love you all so much, never give up, live your dreams and be faithful to our Lord and master who has given us all.

Love LDK xxx

22nd July

Greetings.

Hope everyone is well. This week has been pretty good, we've done a lot of finding. We taught a lesson to the young women who had brought along a couple of non member friends and it went really well, I really enjoy teaching a group I think it is way fun. Missionary work in Kenmore seems to be slow at the moment (seems to be the trend for me, being transferred into slow areas) but I hope we can pick it up, we did a lot of tracting this week but got hardly any potentials. I really want to help the members be better missionaries. There are a few good missionary families but the Ward can always improve so hopefully we can serve them and try to lift them up. We meet in a chapel that is actually in a different stake.

I did a couple of Baptismal interviews with the Kenmore 2 Elders' investigators, they are amazing people and will be a wonderful addition to the ward. There are some really nice people here and I think that things could take off eventually, maybe not in my time but hopefully I can lay a bit of groundwork.

The sisters flat flooded last night it was a bit crazy, all their stuff seemed to be ok though is what they told me. Now in the mission there are so many sisters that there are appointed Sister Trainer Leaders to go on Trade-off with the Sisters as DL/ZL's can't go with the sisters (for obvious reasons). It's incredible to be here to see so many changes in the mission, it's so weird, I'm the oldest in the Flat and it's strange being such an old guy, my companion is fairly new in the mission. 

New rules are being introduced by the new mission president to clean up missionaries language (many people adopt like the Polynesian slang and things) to help us be more like the Saviour. It's good, but a little difficult, but I guess it prepares us more for the eternities, We were sent here to become like Him. We truly are Children of God and I love the Plan of Salvation.

I'll probs have to buy some jeans or something when I get home (depends on how much weight I lose)  probs not a lot as there are quite a few Tongans in the Ward and they are great at feeding missionaries!

I love you all never give up and remember who you are.

LDK 

End of an era - change of Mission President

24th June

Hey everyone, Thanks for all of your support and prayers. Things are going well Elder Edwards and I are getting on like a house on fire. We are excited for the Baptism this week. It will be such a good experience. Things are going well here but we've been pretty busy this week we had special training and tradeoffs in Toowoomba and then we stayed in Stanthorpe for two days, there are some great members down there.
We're struggling to find new people to teach but we must keep going. President Langeland goes home this week, he will be greatly missed, It will be strange having a new mission president. Sorry I've not sent any photos in ages. 

1st July

Well this week was good we did alot of finding but it was topped off with a Baptism at the end of the week. On Sunday we also saw the World wide training meeting, it was brilliant! I'm excited for the new mission President arriving this week. Things are going well we will hopefully get the Branch inviting more of their friends to join in gospel related activities and eventually hear the discussions.

  

I love the book of Mormon I was reading in Alma and his wish that he was an angel to declare the Gospel to all the world, sometimes I echo that wish but I have learned that we must use the tools we have been given to do the things we can and the Lord will do the rest.

 

Sacrament meeting was about education on sunday it was really uiplifting and well... Educational hahahah. I'm still figuring out what I'm wanting to do when I come home.

 

Hope everyone is doing ok, if you're not, make it happen!