A baptism!

Hi there!

This week has been interesting. We had a great ending to it, though!

Transfers happened. Elder Fowdy and I are still in Leschenault together for another 6 weeks. Most of the district has changed around, though. We have a new Zone Leader and District Leader, among other shifts.

We've also discovered that it's the beginning of the Flu season. Unfortunately, Elder Fowdy came down with it, so we weren't able to get out much those days. It was good, though, it gave us an opportunity to plan for the weekend. Sunday was awesome! We had the baptism for Jake Watson! We were amazed at the support that the ward showed for his family. The chapel was filled, and afterwards there was a big potluck dinner. I found out afterwards from the bishop that the ward has been focusing on them for about 18 months. They're well on their way to full activity again, and we think Lee (her husband) may become a member soon as well. He's really become friendly towards the church in the past little while. Some of his friends are members too :)

This coming week will be good as well. We just found out this morning that there is a temple trip planned for the missionaries here! Also, in a couple of weeks we'll be having a zone conference up in Rockingham. I've been hearing from a couple of people that there was a really good church fireside on missionary work last week. It hasn't come here yet, but I think (I hope) it comes down here to Australia as well. It should.

We managed to get in touch with a couple of our missing investigators this week. Wendy is back in Bunbury, and we'll be able to meet with her again this Friday :) The work continues.

Love you all, and thanks for your prayers! Sorry this is another short email update.

-Elder Reeder

A report of a sort

Hey there :) How's everybody going? I hear it's getting very hot back home in Utah land?

This week is Transfers week- And again, nobody knows what's happening. I think we'll be finding out from now on on Tuesdays. Elder Fowdy's certain that he'll be staying here in Bunbury. I've no idea what I'll be doing. Probably staying here as well.

So this week has been a bit of a hard one as well, we're still trying to find new investigators. There hasn't been much success yet, but we had a tender mercy this week, in the form of a referral! The other missionaries down here have been teaching some people, and every time they go over, there seems to be a new person present as well. This time was a girl named Hagen. She's from New Zealand. She wasn't religious, but wants to learn about God, and Jesus Christ, and learn how to follow them. Turns out she lives in our area! We went over on Saturday and met her. She's very interested, and was asking all sorts of questions. We've set up an appointment to go over and start teaching her :)

Jake is ready for his baptism. however, we've been having some difficulties in meeting with them, and we need to make sure that the family is committed as well. I'm not sure what's going to happen, to be honest. We're trying to get things sorted out, so that the family is ready to go ahead with Jake.

We spent Tuesday up in Perth! It takes an incredible amount of time to travel by bus and train from Bunbury to Perth, and back again. Elder Fowdy had a doctor's appointment. We found some time to contact a few people up there as well :)

So everything is up in the air right now. Elder Fowdy and I are trying all that we can to keep the work moving up here :)

Love you all! and Happy Father's Day!

Love,

Elder Reeder

Move Out!

G'day, all! Elder Reeder here, with this week's news and events.

This week we witnessed something very much unexpected in our area. Suddenly, all but 2 of our investigators have moved away! I've never heard of this happening before. So Elder Fowdy and I have been brought back to the beginning of the pipeline again, trying to find find find.

On the plus side, it's been a very pleasant week, (albeit short) After a couple of VERY rainy days, it's cleared up and become nice and sunny again. ~18C.

This Saturday, the entire elder's quorum turned up at the Watson's home, to help them move to their new house. It was awesome, It was all put onto the truck, moved, and unloaded within 2 hours. Sis. Watson was happy, and Lee was blown away by the help that was given. He's grown really friendly towards the church lately. Also, we found out in the process that they're still in our area! So Elder Fowdy and I will still get to teach Jake and get him ready for his baptism. It'll be on June 16th.

We were out in Collie this last Thursday, and were able to meet several less-active members in the ward. They were very friendly, and welcoming. One thing that we're working with the ward on right now is to get some support for the members out there, in helping to bring them back to church :) We've found a few new potential investigators in Collie, too.

Sunday was really good- We had a missionary fireside! It was called "The Lord is My Shepherd." Some members bore their testimonies, and there were some Mormon Messages played, as well as some beautiful musical items by members and missionaries. (No, I didn't get to sing, they started before I got here.) It was really powerful, though, and everyone felt the spirit, I think. Elder Fowdy and I were really pleased when the Watsons showed up to it as well, along with Lee! They had a good experience. There were a lot of nonmembers that showed up to it, a really good turnout. One man, especially, liked the singing, and kept applauding after their performances. :)

Well, that's pretty much this week. We're getting ready for this weekend. We're hopeful that all goes well. It's the last week of the transfer, too! It's gone by fast.

I love you all! Have a good week!

Elder Reeder

Sunny days, wintery nights

Hi, everybody! It's me, Elder Reeder, here in Western Australia! Down in the city of Bunbury, where the last couple of nights the temperature has been 1C. Truly, it is chilly. Luckily, we're getting a new portable heater, so that's all good.

How's everyone's week been? Mine has been awesome. Monday was Western Australia Day (or Foundation Day), so everything was closed and our P-Day is today instead :)

Elder Fowdy and I have been doing a LOT of tracting lately. We've had some really good success from it so far, though, and have gotten many new potentials from it! Some of them are very keen to have us come back and share our message with them.

On Thursdays, we drive our car (yes, we actually have a car here!) out to the small town of Collie, about an hour away. This is a part of the ward, too! There are a few members who live out there, and some investigators as well! So we make a day of it, and get the work moving out there. It's been good so far. We're trying to help a couple of families out there as well, bringing them back to church. Our assistant ward mission leader lives out there as well. This past Thursday we had a cool opportunity to have a correlation meeting with the other elders and someone from the stake, over Skype! It was really cool.

Wendy, our investigator, is awesome! Elder Fowdy went on exchanges with her last week and taught her about the gospel of Jesus Christ. They committed her to baptism, too! June 22nd. We're excited for her, and we're doing all we can to help her make that date. She has a really strong faith.

Jake is doing great as well. He's been at church with his mum and sister the last couple of weeks. He's all set for the 16th, the week after his family moves house.

Yep, so we're all set for a good week down here. I'm hopeful that Elder Fowdy and I stay together for the next transfer (It's currently week 5 of this one.) We've had a pretty good time together.

In miscellaneous news, I just received a referral from someone who sent an email to the wrong address. How cool is that?

Love you all!

Elder Reeder

Moving Along!

Hi!

This week has been great :) I've been working a LOT with Elder Fowdy, my new companion. We've got some good things happening here in Leschenault. Elder Fowdy's from England. He's been out about 18 months, and he's very diligent.

We have/had a baptismal date! His name is Jake, and he's 9. His mom is a member who's been coming back to church. He's really cool. The family is very nice, too. They're moving to Australind, (about 10 minutes away) in 2 weeks. Still in the same ward, but it's in the other elder's area. Hahaha. It was great, his mom has committed herself to coming to church every week again. She's setting a good example for her son, and her husband as well. :)

We've also got a really cool investigator we just started teaching this last week! Her name is Wendy. We taught her about the Book of Mormon, and committed her to read it. She has a great faith, and wants to follow it. We had a good lesson with a member coming along as well, and the member invited her to church! She wants to come, and was willing, but she really wants to be able to bring her family along as well. So we're going to help her out. She's very friendly.

So, I've discovered that I already know several families in Leschenault ward! I've met family members from all over WA, including Karratha! Hahaha, it was so cool. I also ran into the Williams family, which was great. Cameron Williams was the mini-missionary that I spent a few days with last year. Sunday fun. We had a member from up in Heathridge (Perth) that was visiting, and asked to give the lesson in the Gospel Doctrine Class. He spoke a lot about member-missionary work. We had a good class with him, and I think he did a good job of encouraging the other members.

Well, I love you all! I hope you're all happy and such :) Happy Summer!

Oh wow, I just realised that it's almost summer vacation! And Graduation! :D

Love,

Elder Reeder

Bunbury Funbury!

Bunbury is Funbury! Or so they tell me :)

Hi, all! Sorry, this is going to be a bit of a short email, it's a busy day today.

Guess where I am? I'm not in Rockingham West anymore! Seeing as how Elder Moore is going home, I'm in need of a companion. Since the other missionary and their area has a lot of things going on right now, President Lindsay decided to send me down to Bunbury, with Elder Fowdy, from England. So one 3-hour bus ride later, I'm in a new city! It was a hectic week, getting packed, preparing the area book and area for the Rockingham East elders, Elder Iumalo and Elder Bennion, who will be taking care of the area for the next few weeks until some new missionaries can be transferred in.

It was quite a surprise, everyone, myself included, assumed I'd be staying here. But I'm going where I'm needed :) We got up at about 5:30 this morning, and went to the chapel with the rest of the district. The Zone Leaders wanted to play basketball with Elder Moore one last time before he leaves. It was fun :)

Elder Moore flies out tonight at 5 to midnight. He's staying the day with some other missionaries.

I love you all, and I hope you're all well!

Love,

Elder Reeder

How much can a koala bear?

G'day! Happy Mothers Day, to all you mothers out there! You are loved.

I got to call home today, and I was very glad to hear from the family :) Sorry I didn't get to talk to everyone. Sounds like a lot of excitement is going on, hahaha!

This week has been hectic! The weather's been a bit cloudy (read "pouring rain"), so we've been having some great adventures travelling in that. Out of it, though, We've got a couple of people we're hoping will become investigators this week. One is an older couple, from Scotland. Missionaries actually met them down south, and they said they'd be happy to have them come by their house sometime. They're a very friendly couple, and they seem to have great faith already.

In other news, I'm going to have a new companion quite soon! (Oh, I just remembered I hadn't told anything about transfers yet. Confusion.) Here's the surprising thing. Transfers happened Wednesday, I'm going to be with Elder Moore for his last 6 weeks. So that's all good. Elder Moore is really starting to get excited again about the work, really looking forward to the next 6 weeks, with teaching, finding, etc. Woot.

Thursday morning, we get a call. One of the missionaries that was supposed to come in, didn't, so there's a missionary without a companion. President asked if he would be willing to move his release date forward a few weeks. He thought about it, and eventually decided yes. When?

May 20.

So next monday, I'll be with another missionary. Where? Maybe here in Rockingham, maybe in the other area. We don't know who it is yet.

Elder Moore's now very excited to go home. We're still working hard, though. :)

We've been working with a member family, trying to help them share the gospel with others. They're inviting a friend to Family Home Evening tonight, and we'll be there as well. I'm really looking forward to it! Hopefully they'll have a good experience.

Well, I love you all! Have a good week!

Elder Reeder