Staying in Murray Bridge

 G'day,

I don't have too much to say, since I only emailed a few days ago. It has been a miraculous week. Everyone says, "Sixth week sprint, sixth week sprint, sixth week sprint!" (Chant). But every week six something has happened to slow us down, I get sick or my companion gets sick or no one wants to see us. But it was a great week. We found 4 new investigators. 3 of which are a family of 6, but most of the children are under the age of eight so they don't count as new investigators. It is an African family. We expected just to teach the mother, but she called all of her children into the living room and they all gathered around us as we taught the restoration and testified of prophets. It was a lovely experience, it kind of felt like a family home evening.

We received news last night about transfers. Both Sister Freitas and I will be remaining in Murray Bridge for the next transfer. Which is very exciting because we have a wedding of our investigator this week then she will be getting baptized the week following, so neither of us wanted to miss it. This transfer will be a short 4 week transfer so that they can realign the transfers with the MTC transfers, because at the moment we are two weeks ahead. So this transfer is going to fly by, even quicker than the last.

  

Every Sunday after church we are invited to the Samoan family's house, everyone from their extended family in the ward gathers there and they have a massive Sabbath feast. We are always invited to partake of this feast. (I am not exaggerating when I say feast, the whole table from end to end is full of meat, curries and salads). Then afterwards we have a lesson with our recent converts from that family and a lesson with our investigator who is getting married this weekend.

This week I have noticed the blessings that come from biking. God really places people in our paths. When we are in the car we drive by those who are prepared. We also drive by many funny experiences like people yelling at you and telling you to get a real job. It is pretty fun. Anyways, President has decided that the whole mission needs to bike more and is lowering the K allotment for each companionship so we don't drive as much.

Hope everyone is doing well. Here's to a new transfer!

Sister Coultrup

#MurrayBridgeBunyips 

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Sister Bethany Victoria Coultrup

Australia Adelaide Mission

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Many Meetings and Temple Visit

G'day!

Pday changed this week because we were able to go to the temple today! (Thursday) I have not been in so long, it was a great experience. I really missed it.

These past two weeks have gone by so quick. This Monday is transfers, so I will find out what is happening. I have a feeling something might change, but I just got here to Murray Bridge so I think it could be Sister Freitas leaving.

Last week we had Zone Training which was awesome. I always learn so much and get excited to go back out and do the work. On the way there the district stopped on the top of Mt. Lofty and took a picture, you can see all of Adelaide to the Ocean, it is beautiful.

We then went on tradies and I got to be with my ex companion Sister Vaitaiki again! Wow that was the best ever. We had a really great time, she is such a laugh I forgot how funny she is. I was hoping I would get to go back to Happy Valley on tradies but I stayed in Murray Bridge, which was a little more than disappointing because I really wanted to see some of my old investigators and recent converts.

We found a new investigator last week. She is 20 years old, like me! She is very cool (like me again) and is studying video game design. She has committed to come to church and we had a great first lesson with her. We will see where things go.

We visited a less active and did some service for her. She also taught us how to make sushi and a fancy cake in 15 minutes. It was awesome.

We having been biking heaps because we basically have no ks left because we have been going to Adelaide for lots of meetings and interviews. I got a flat tire and the Elders came to the rescue and patched it. Sister Freitas' chain fell off and I thanked my Dad in my mind for basically raising me on a bike and teaching me how to re-attach a chain. My hands were all greasy and black afterwards but that is okay, it's war paint. We have been biking in above 35 degrees weather and it is painful, but I should stop complaining, I am lucky I even have a bike! Some miseries don't!

In District Meeting yesterday, our District Leader got up and said:

"Alright, you are all dying today at 3pm. What would you do with your final hours as a missionary on Earth? Are there people back home you wished you had shared the gospel with? Well here is a piece of paper, you have ten minutes to share with them everything that you want them to know."

I took that piece of paper and put my whole heart on it!!! I was so excited to send it because it was the best letter ever. Then he started talking about how in week 6 (which is this week) lots of missionaries slack off because they think, "ahh it is the last week and we can start all over again next week." He then took all of our letters and said "when you do this you are wasting your time and the Lords time. You are wasting your testimony, you are basically doing this..." THEN HE TOOK OUR LETTERS AND RIPPED THEM ALL APART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so upset! I put everything into that letter. But, he had a good point and it really shocked all of us.

I love you all. Don't waste your time, you could die today at 3pm. Who do you know that needs the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Who do you know that you have been meaning to share your testimony with but have been putting it off? Go and do it today!

Love

Sister Coultrup

Ps. I drew that Plan of Salvation during a lesson.

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Sister Bethany Victoria Coultrup

Australia Adelaide Mission

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Saved More Than Once

G'day,

Last week P-day we went 10 pin bowling. I love bowling and I was so excited! I did okay, my skills have gotten a little rusty, I used to be very good. Not so much anymore.

We went to Tailem Bend this week and decided to drop by this less active family in the area book. Sister Freitas said she has never visited them before and doesn't know when the last time they were visited. We were immediately let in. The first thing the Dad said was that they have not been to church or associated with the church in over 20 years. The wife isn't a member and their two daughters, near my age, were not taught about a Father in Heaven. We were able to develop a relationship. I saw on the shelf all 9 seasons of the X-Files so it was pretty easy to build a friendship. I asked if they would be comfortable for us to share a scripture with them, they said yes, so we did. When it was time to go we asked if we could say a prayer, they said yes and that their daughters have never even heard a prayer before. We left in shock but also so pleased we were able to meet that family and hopefully remind them of the joy that comes from following Christ and prayer. It was a great experience for me to be a part of that, and to also introduce this side of life to the daughters.

We had dinner with the Bishops family which was great, afterwards one of the daughters brought out this massive leaf bug that is indigenous to Queensland. It is her "pet" named Bugsy. I was terrified, it was reaching out with its leafy arms for someone to climb on. I was brave and HELD IT. They took it from me as soon and I began to squeal because it was so creepy.

We had a day where nothing was working. No one was home, the referrals the Elders gave us were the wrong addresses... Everything was rough that day. We decided to follow up with one more person the Elders told us to visit, expecting it was another dodgy referral. When she opened the door she was so happy to see us and friendly and invited us back. She said she has always wanted to know more about this side of life as she never grew up with it. That one moment of the whole day made everything worth it. Heavenly Father knows where He is sending us and He knows how hard the days are, so when He sends us little miracles like that, I know He is mindful.

We were having a lesson with an investigator. As we were talking about the Book of Mormon, she tells me to shush and looks alert like she is listening. She says, "wait, an argument." She sneaks off to the back and watches out the back door. Her sons were having this massive argument with the neighbours. They were threatening to come in and beat them and their mum up. Everything suddenly got very scary and I did not feel safe. I felt the urge to run (fight or flight). Our investigator came back to us looking very worried and said, I am so glad you are here, If you weren't here I would be hiding. She sat down and I offered to say a prayer to protect us. We prayed and asked for protection and comfort. Immediately my heart settled and felt calm. I sat there knowing that everyone would be allright. The sons were able to get the scary people away and they got us out of the house safely and kept saying, "Sorry Mormons, sorry Mormons."

We went to go door knock a very Rural  area. One was a small farm. We were just walking through the gate when Sister Freitas asked what the weird vent thing was on the ground. I said those are for cattle so they don't escape because they cannot go over it. As we walked over it I looked up to the porch and saw this massive black guard dog, (with what seemed like evil red eyes) staring us down. As soon as we both went silent and stared back at it, it began to charge, barking and coming right at us. Sister Freitas yelled, "don't run!" I ran anyway... stupid. But as soon as I crossed the barrier vent on the ground I felt safe. The dog could not cross just like the cattle. We were so lucky. It was a massive evil dog.

We went to a missionary fireside last night with our investigator and her boyfriend (who is a member). They plan on getting married at the end of this month and her baptism is the following week. She went up to the Stake President and Mission President and personally invited them both to her wedding and baptism. She was so excited! I can't wait. Lots of good things are happening.

Hope you all have a really great week.

Love you

Sister Coultrup

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Sister Bethany Victoria Coultrup

Australia Adelaide Mission

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Chasing the Clouds

G'day Mates.

It has been a really good week! I received news from one of our recent converts back in Onkaparinga that she will be staying with her Aunty up in Murray Bridge and she wanted to see me. So we got to take her out teaching with us which was really cool, and she came to church.

 

 My companion got sick this week which was too bad so we stayed in the flat for most of Tuesday so she could recover.

On Thursday we had what we call "Specialized Training" where the Mission President and his Wife an the assistants come up and give us a training basically. It was awesome! I really loved it. I learned so many new things. They also announced that the mission is going to eat a lot healthier from now on and shared the story about Daniel from the bible. Where he refused to eat the Kings meats and sweet wines because if he did he would be breaking his covenants. So they said after ten days of us eating grains instead of meats and wines see how our countenances are compared to the other boys. In the end Daniel and his people were more in tune with the Spirit and more susceptible to receiving revelation. So the mission is going on a diet, they are sending out a message to the members soon asking them to feed us healthy food. We also have a new exercise routine. It is a DVD filmed by the assistants showing us how to do certain exercise movements and things. It is actually pretty funny, but I think it will help a lot of people in the mission.

We also talked a lot about "we teach repentance and we baptize converts". Through true repentance (which is change, changing our hearts and aligning our will to God's will) will bring true conversion. So we were reminded on how importance repentance is. Which some people think is a scary thing, but it is actually a happy time. When we repent we are drawing closer to Christ.

This week we did a lot of biking again, which I am not complaining about because I know some missions are not blessed with cars like we are. We were returning from an appointment which was about a 30 minute ride from our flat. When we came out of the appointment we noticed that the air felt damper and out in the distance were some heavy grey clouds. We looked at each other in our t-shirts and thought: "Uh oh." We jumped on our bikes going as fast as we could back to the flat with the ever encroaching clouds behind us. We knew that if we stopped we would definitely get poured on. We kept going and going with burning legs and we made it back to the flat. As soon as we got into our car minutes later the rain fell. As I think about it I think this relates a lot to us as members of the church. We have many dark things that are encroaching on us at all times. If we do not push forward with faith we can get caught in a messy downpour of sin and trial. We need to endure (enjoy) to the end! Keep the commandments, trust in the Lord and the things he asks us to do and it will keep us ahead of the storm.

We had a lesson with a lady that is studying to be a pastor. She is lovely and a great friend to us. We taught the restoration to her and her daughters and the whole time she would not even look at us. When I started to bear my testimony about prophets I said: "If God loved His people thousands of years ago and sent them Prophets to lead and guide the people toward the light, why when we say He loves us still, would he not send us a prophet today?" As soon as I said that she looked me straight in the eye and I saw the Spirit pierce her heart as it did mine in that moment. I felt the Spirit all that lesson that it even caused me to shed tears a little as I recounted Joseph Smiths sacred and precious experience in a grove of trees.

I love the gospel, I am so grateful to have it in my life, it has blessed my family and I. No greater joy have I had than in my service to the Lord.

Yours in the work,

Sister Coultrup

Here are pictures of the literal Murray Bridge which my Dad asked for.
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Sister Bethany Victoria Coultrup

Australia Adelaide Mission

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints