G'day!
It has been another amazing week! But very busy! For Pday we
got to go the Temple as a City Zone! I am so grateful for the eternal blessings
that we receive from the Temple. I especially love the Adelaide Australia Temple
:)
On Friday evening we organized a ward activity. It was a
potluck dinner and Auslan night. Now that Tanya is a member, we need to get
serious about looking after her. We already had two members that could speak
some sort of sign language and other members have been learning very little
over the time she has been coming to church. So we organized this activity for
the ward to come together and learn some basic Auslan! We had a lovely dinner
then split into groups where my companion and I taught different basic
communication signs. Like introducing yourself, finger spelling, everyday small
talk, etc. It was a great success and at the end of the night everyone was
introducing themselves to Tanya and she was so happy! She was just beaming.
Whenever someone signs to her she lights up. Something I have learned on my
mission is how important communication is, which is something we all take to
granted. Try to talk to Chinese people with very limited English is
frustrating, so I have tried to pick up some basic Chinese so they can
understand the nature of our message. Not being able to communicate with Tanya
was difficult as well, but as I progressed in learning her language it was such
a blessing for the both of us! It was wonderful to see the ward getting on top
of missionary work and fellow-shipping new members.
On Saturday we had a Zone Specialty training with President
and Sister Parker and the Assistants. But we had two back to back PVC events in
the afternoon so we only got to attend the morning of the training :( Which was
amazing! All about integrity and member work, in which President invited my
companion and I to share what happened with our Auslan activity and also the
upcoming PVC stake events we were going to do to encourage members to
participate in missionary work.
The first event that evening was a baptism down in
Onkaparinga of a family that I taught the first 6 months of my mission... They
requested I be there, and I feel so blessed that I was! Many tears of joy.
We also attended the baptism of one of the assistants
investigators back in Firle, and did a presentation during the intermission of
the baptism.
On Sunday Sister Townsend and I were double booked, the
Stake President requested that we do a PVC presentation in the wards on Sunday.
A combined whole third hour presentation. Last Sunday we did it in Morialta
ward together and it went really well, the ward was really excited for
missionary work and we had many members approach us saying they want to help or
how they can do certain things. But yesterday we had to do two wards at the
same time. So we went on splits and both had to give the presentation on our
own to the whole ward for 45 minutes. I was so nervous, even though I had done
it before, I had never not done it without a companion. I was with another
Sister but she didn't have any experience with what we have been doing.
Nevertheless, the presentation went really well and the stake president
complimented me afterwards.
That evening was also a multi-stake missionary fireside. We
had all the PVC's up there and it was wonderful. I got to see people from all
my old areas. It really made me happy. There were also some very spiritual
moments with investigators that attended and we were able to teach them and use
the PVC as a resource.
Something I forgot to mention last week, was that when we
took Dana through the temple, with two other Recent Converts as well, it was at
the time of the Pacific Area's Mission Presidents Seminar. Which had all 16
MP's with their wives, the Pacific Area Presidency and Elder Ballard was
supposed to be there but couldn't come. We just so happened to rock up to the
temple at the end of the Mission Presidents Seminary Temple session. They all
filed out and we got to meet everyone, it was overwhelming for myself but also
for Dana. And I was kind of freaking out thinking we just did something really
wrong interupting this. But President was really pleased Dana was going to the
Temple. Then we met the whole Area Presidency! And even got a Picture with
President Nielsen and his wife and President and Sister Parker! :) That was
great.
I hope you all have a fantastic week. Love you all so very much!
Love from down under,
Sister Coultrup
--
Sister Bethany Victoria Coultrup
Australia Adelaide Mission
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
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