Today, while the sun shines.

Good morning to everybody out there in the states! Actually, I suppose it's getting to be evening for the rest of yous :)

This week has been pretty good, not too much going on.

President Lindsay comes into Perth next week! It's going to be really exciting. We had a recent zone conference down in Rockingham last Friday, and President Smibert came and spoke with Sister Smibert. He's been a great mission president and everyone is going to miss him. He really helped to turn the mission around and get it going where it is now. We got a chance to see President Lindsay's retirement from KSL as well. Impressive!

Tautiana's baptism did not happen this past Saturday. Haha, ironically, Monday night, when we went over to teach the family, we found that she was really hoping for her mother to be there at her baptism, and her mother won't be around until mid July. So, we still have a baptismal date, just not set yet. Sometime in July. She's still really excited, though! As for Zach Jenner, we haven't been able to see him for a while, due to an ear infection. Ouch.

Something really cool that's happened this week, is that we have 4 new investigators! I think that's some sort of record for a while. One is a former investigator, named Stephen Wai. He was introduced to the missionaries several years ago, through basketball (?) and learned a bit about the gospel. We finally managed to contact him this week, and taught him about the restoration. He was really accepting it, and said that he'd love to hear more, along with his family. YES. Also, we ran into a few people on the street, outside their houses, washing their cars, etc. and they said "yes, come back and tell us your message!" And then they ran around waving their arms in excitement. Not really, but we were doing that inside. You've just got to talk to the people!

So this morning, we got up at just before 5. Why, Elder Reeder? Why would you do such a crazy thing? I will tell you.

Elder Naruo organized a sunrise devotional. The whole district travelled to Lesmurdie's area, and went on a short hike to a ridge on a member's property. We had a small fire, and had a cool little testimony meeting/fireside up there. And then we roasted marshmallows. It was really fun, and we had some good testimonies given. And ironically, we never saw the sun. it was cloudy. Haha.

So yeah, another week in Perth! :)

I love you all!

Elder Reeder

3, 2, 1, Contact!

Transfer 3, Week 2, Day 1.

A Lot of changes around here. Elder Naruo is pretty cool, he's actually nearly finished with his mission. This is also his first time being district leader as well. (I seem to be getting a lot of district leaders with me). He REALLY likes his chicken and rice.)

Elder Kerr had a ~7 hour drive to Kalgoorlie. Whee! He was really excited for it, though.

We've had some great lessons and contacting experiences. Currently we are trying to set up a temple trip for David Stokes. I've taken him around the area, getting to know everybody. He's a really good teacher. He's introduced me more to contacting, which I've decided is infinitely more enjoyable and productive than tracting.

(Tracting is knocking on door after door. Contacting is talking to people waiting at train stations, walking around, sitting, etc.) We left a Book of Mormon with someone last night. Woot. Also yesterday, while biking to an appointment, we got stopped by a guy who yelled and swore right in his face. Real friendly-like. Ironically, we'd met him before...

Elder Naruo is also Very insistent on things done a certain way.

Friday, we went out of our area so Elder Naruo could conduct a baptismal interview for an investigator by another companionship. First time I've been anywhere besides Armadale or Downtown Perth. It was fun.

Saturday, the assistants called up-Exchanges! Wow, that was fun. Elder Webley went with Elder Naruo in our area. They had an interesting time finding their way around, but saw a lot of people that we've been trying for a LOOONG time to get ahold of!

Elder Robertson and I went to downtown Perth, to do some city contacting. The city is really fun! We got out of the car, and then rather than go out contacting, someone contacts Us! They had been living in the middle east, and had been taught by missionaries there. Then they'd moved, and wanted to find the chapel in the area. Boo yah! In total, we met 4 people who'd been in contact with missionaries before. And a lot of other people who were ok to talk about religion. I saw a lot of really funny stuff in the city, too. Like two hippies Elder Robertson had met before. They began playing Digeridoos right on the sidewalk. YES.

We've got a baptism coming up this Saturday! I'm going crazy trying to figure everything out. Tautiana's family missed an appointment, so we haven't been able to finish teaching her yet. We're getting it sorted, slowly. We have a lesson with them tonight. I can't wait :D

So, that's pretty much my week in a nutshell. Until next week!

Elder Reeder

Australia's built on Sand.

And the rains came tumbling down, and the floods came up, and apparently tornadoes are mentioned in that song, Somewhere, because there was a tornado in Morley (way north). But seriously, IT RAINED. Did I ever tell you all that it rains here during winter? Holy Cow, we're all still amazed at this rain. Thursday, especially. Elder Kerr and I had the car, lucky us. But we actually had to pull over, because it was Impossible to see anything. And lightning. And then suddenly, BAM, clear skies. Our minds were blown. And then it rained some more. The power skipped a couple of times, and a bus station seems to have gone missing (but that probably happens all the time ;) )

So yeah, it's been an interesting week! And overall, pretty fun. David, a long-time investigator, is totally a member of the church now, except for the baptism part. He wants to bear his testimony this fast sunday. Cool! And he has a friend in the same housing complex named Ian. Ian was given a book of mormon 10 years ago while on a train. He has just started reading it, and has a lot of questions for us. So we may have a new investigator :)

Sunday was pretty incredible too. We had Zach Jenner and Tautiana Hunia at sacrament meeting, which is great in itself, but then David showed up, and a man named Joshua too! Joshua has been investigating the church for quite a while too, but we haven't been able to see him much because of work schedules. But Joshua really wants to become a member of the church. He really enjoys the fellowship and support from other members. The only thing is, he doesn't want to be baptised yet, until he feels that he's ready to make that commitment. So we're going to try and figure things out with the bishop with him.

It's Transfers week! I'm staying here. Elders Evans and Miller are staying in Armadale. Elder Kerr is being transferred to Kalgoorlie! Waaaay out in the middle of Nowhere. My new companion will be Elder Nauro, and he will be the district leader here. Elder Nauro is from Guam, and has been on his mission for a little over a year. He's a great missionary (from what I hear), and was Elder Evans' previous companion. He likes Rice?

Just to clarify last week's email, a "Kiwi" is what aussies call people from New Zealand. A "Kiwifruit" is the little green thing. It's not derogatory or anything.

Saturday night, we decided that Westfield Road is the safest road in the whole world. (And by that I am in every way being sarcastic.) A car drove by our little complex doing about 130 km/h. And then 2 police cars, lights flashing. And then a couple choppers began circling nearby, with a searchlight. More sirens. Miscellaneous screaming. It continued from about 9-11PM. Wooo!

You know there's problems when you have a DRIVE-THRU liquor shop across the street, right next to the tavern. :D Don't worry, Grandma Roberts, we're being safe.

All right! That's my week! How's yours been? Good luck with your tests, Scott, and everyone have fun in Oregon, at Girls Camp, in Alaska, and all those other fun places! Apparently it got to 98F in Utah? Wow. Here, right now, it's getting to about... uh... 23C... No idea what that is in Fahrenheit. But it's nice and cool.

Love you all!

Elder Reeder