Week 2(continued)

Hey Everyone!

This week was good! We had some good times teaching investigators.

My companionship is assigned to the Sunny Bank Branch. It is a Chinese branch and has about 105 members but only 25 active. There is so much work to do! Lately we have been having branch councils to help with attendance. I get excited when I think about visiting and fellowshipping less active members. Since most investigators come from members. We are coming up with a plan to have members send us referrals. I'm glad that we are able to meet with the branch to help people come back to church and feel the joy of living the gospel.

That's all for this week!

Elder Westbrook

Saw my first Wallaby at a Buddhist Temple.

  

Week 2

Hey everyone!

The plane ride here wasn't that bad, I just slept a ton. I was relieved when I found another Elder(Elder Smoot) at the airport that was boarding my same flight, or else I would have been traveling alone. He had a temporary transfer in Mesa, Arizona while waiting for his visa. I could tell he is a hard worker and will be a great missionary. 

Right as I got off the plane, we went GQing at the bus stop. GQ stands for Golden Question. Our mission president explained to me that you have to use the hints that people on the street give you to ask the "Golden Question". We have to be guided by the spirit to know what that might be. It is so hard to know what the GQ is since everyone is different and you have to use different approaches. In Zoey's(recent convert that was found while GQing) case, the question was "have you met with the missionaries before?" As simple as it sounds, it is hard to find the ones that are ready to receive the gospel and ask the Golden Question. We are teaching her about the commandments now and I can tell that she is a willing person. She asked heaps of questions and is willing to live the commandments. My prayer was also answered. While GQing, my companions made a goal to contact 35 people and have 2 potentials. We had 1 potential and had one more to go with 15 more minutes. I said a simple prayer asking Heavenly Father to gives us one more potential. Then I just walked up to a person and shared the restoration after getting to know her a little. I imagine it was a little awkward for her, but I guess it is pretty rare to have someone actually stop to talk to you. Then Elder Li comes up and just says a closing prayer haha. He's a great missionary!

Today's my second day in Australia and I got to go to the temple! I was more lucky than most missionaries because they usually wait a transfer before they go. I guess I'm just that special haha. I have two new companions: Elder Li and Elder Keliiliki. Elder Li is from Taiwan and has been here for 4 months and Elder Keliiliki is from Arkansas. I found out that Keliiliki knows the Vissors and Bayles'! It sure is a small world! 

IMG 1: Elder Smoot and I at the airport

#2 My companions and Mission President and his wife.

#3 Companions after a session at the Brisbane Temple

Last week at MTC

It's been a great experience! I will be leaving this Monday. I have learned so much in a short time, and I'm excited to finally be useful to the Lord. 

My companion and I taught a volunteer at the MTC. We knew she was a member, but we could feel the spirit so strong in our meeting. I hope the spirit will be just as if not stronger when teaching real investigators. I have learned to love searching in the scriptures. I never knew the Index could be so useful! 

 0525: Elder Okeson lived in China too. He knew Brother Sam Curtis.

0556: Our District in Temple Square.

0596: Met a lady on the train that had really cool stories and also knew my mission president!

Week 1

Dear Friends and Family

First week of the MTC was awesome! My testimony has grown so much in just this week I've been here. I met great missionaries here that have such strong testimonies. My companion is Elder Thompson. He is half and half like me and from Taiwan. He's really quiet but has a strong testimony of this gospel. Which also makes it easier to work with him. My favorite part of the MTC are the devotionals. We have devotionals Sunday night and Tuesday night. Their talks are so uplifting and motivational. I am always refueled by the end of the devotionals for the coming week. I love all the learning and spiritual growth, but I just want to get out in the field and start teaching real investigators. I am so excited to finally leave to Australia! Time is short so I gotta go but great hearing from all of you! 

Elder Westbrook

Attached are some photos taken of my district from this week.