Tuesday 22 September 2015

Blue Tongues



G'day Family and Friends!
It has been a reaaaaally long week. Quite eventful as well.
We had arrivers training for Sister Rooarii, it was a long meeting. 5 hours. They gave us lunch though so that made it okay. I love listening to President Parker, I always learn so much from him. It was a good experience for Sister R too though. They emphasized obedience about a billion times but that is very important! Obedience brings blessings, but exact obedience brings miracles! I want miracles.

We also had Zone training, we were challenged to have a baptism in the next 6 weeks. We will see how that goes..

We had a few really cool experiences this week.

We went to visit an investigator who isn't really progressing very much. She expressed before how she doesn't want to come to our church or be Mormon but she likes us so we can keep visiting. Anyways, we went to see her and she pulled out her Book of Mormon and said she has been reading it and studying it. Last time we saw her I shared Alma 7:11-13 with her. She went and found it in hers and marked it, then proceeded to read all the chapters around it, then went back to 1 Nephi and read all of that too, marking all the scriptures she liked along the way. She said she loves the Book of Mormon, that she feels like it was "made" for "people like her". She said it helps her with the things she struggles with and it has been a blessing and believes it is the word of God. I was sitting there estatic that she was able to recognize it as the word of God and that her testimony has been built through the Book of Mormon. I finished the Book of Mormon for the 3rd time this past week and for the 1st time on my mission. I LOVE it. This book is magical, I invite everyone to read it and see for yourself. The Book of Mormon completes the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, it goes hand in hand with the Bible. They support eachother and both testify that Jesus is the Christ. 


We also saw another investigator who isn't progressing much either. We went and saw her and she read the whole Plan of Salvation pamphlet and said it just makes sense. She comes from a religious background and is quite involved in the church she is in now. She said that the Plan of Salvation answered questions she has always had. It was a beautiful lesson. It is a blessing to have a knowledge of the Plan of Salvation. We can be with our families forever in joy and happiness. There is nothing more beautiful than the simple truth of eternal families. We will see our deceased loved ones again, we will be able to enjoy life with them again. This parting is only temporary. 
This week we biked a lot. Poor Sister Rooarii, I felt so mean dragging her up and down many hills for hours a few days this week. Needless to say we are both sore, but there is something about biking that makes you feel accomplished. I have become more skilled at biking in a skirt, I think it is definitely a skill and talent and should be included on resumes.
We had dinner at a members house where the Father brought out a blue tongued skink, and was holding it at the dinner table! I pet it a bit then he told me it was wild, that he found it in the backyard. I wasn't as keen to touch it anymore knowing it wasn't a pet and probably isn't okay with being held. Apparently those lizards are native to Australia and they are everywhere. I was forced to hold it :-( I was so scared it would bite me! When you see the picture, my smile is only there to cover my terror. I laugh when I am nervous or scared. We went to the eye doctor about my vampire eyes and they had to put numbing drops in my eyes and touch my eyes with utensils and I had to stay very still. I was laughing the whole time! My companion said, "You reallt seemed to enjoy that!" I really did not enjoy it, I was actually scared but for some weird reason my body's reaction to fear is laughter. 

Thank you to everyone who has been sending me hand written letters, that is the nicest thing ever!
I love you all so much and I miss you!
Sister Coultrup

--
Sister Bethany Victoria Coultrup
Australia Adelaide Mission
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

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