Hurrah for Israel!

Aiga! Heaps have happened this week, but don't worry mom and dad, a long as letter is in the works for yous. 

I've learned this week to not be hard on yourself. In my personal study I read about the story of Alma the Younger. When he went about destroying the church, an angel appeared to him and gave him a wake up call to change otherwise you'll face destruction and live in sin forever. So of course, Alma makes a complete 180 and turns into being one of the greatest missionaries in the Book of Mormon! Later in Alma 8, in the midst of his mission, after traveling to many cities and baptizing hundreds, he travels to the land of Ammonihah where he is rejected hard out. Nobody wants to listen to him (kind of feels like Sydney). Finally, in verse 14, "after being weighed down with sorrow" the same angel that appears to him when he was destroying the church, appears AGAIN in this moment and says to Alma in verse 15, "Lift up thy head...for thou hast GREAT cause to rejoice! For thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which thou receivedts thy first message!" How quick we are to forget the accomplishments we've made, and focus on the negative things. Alma is a spirit giant! And forgotten how much he's grown since the last time the angel appeared to him! This message from our loving Heavenly Father reminded me to not quit, "keep trying, keep trusting, keep believing, keep growing, heaven is cheering us all on today tomorrow, and forever". My beautiful family, don't be too quick to forget the many miracles that has happened in your life so far and the growth you've made just because of one little set back or trial. Or in my case, if nobody wants to listen to His message. I love you all and I'm so grateful for this eternal work that I get to be apart of. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Sister Beck

-Bankstown District

-Yep, we're officially 13 yr olds #thedab

-I actually like fish here!

Mas pictures

-Found a street in Oz with mama's name! Crack up!

-We had a water fight with our zone last Pday sooooooo fun! We're having another one today!

-President Back thought'd it be a good idea to climb the top of this pyramid. Haha! I swear he's a big kid.

-The crew!

-Stake Breakfast for Australia Day with all of the missionaries

-Major photo bomb, our Elders are pretty crack up.

Dinky Di Aussie

- Tradeoffs with my Soa Sister Mariner! She's in the Samoan ward and we went to a Samoan Birthday party at the church building. Soooo fun. Oh my. One day President will let Sister Mariner train me in the Samoan program. They also made me eat heaps because I was the only palagi in the room haha. Elder U (From Thailand, don't know how to spell his name) and Elder Foa'i (from Samoa)

-Our less active's son Sempre. Half Indian, half Filipino. He is a monkey! We were teaching his mom in the middle of a lesson and next  thing I know he's on top of my head hahah. He calls me Tita Becky, Tita is auntie in Tagalog. 

-Finally he would do a nice picture with me. You should see the other 50 tries. 

-My soa made me try Balot, I almost vomitted. If I look scared out of my mind, you are correct. It's a premature baby chick. I've repented since.

So it's Australia Day this week and boy am I PUMPED. Dinky di Aussie is a phrase the Aussies say which means like "Die hard Australian" or "Forever an Aussie" or "I would die for Australia" you get the picture. Everyone everywhere has been sporting their Australian flag and apparel, it's awesome. 

Yesterday in sacrament, one of the speakers spoke about my favourite movie 42, which is about Jackie Robinson in 1947. They watched it as a family and the little girls had heaps of questions for their parents. Like why they kept picking on Jackie and such. But that was 1947, fast forward to 2017 and look at us now. How lucky are we to live in such a time as this in a place where freedom prevails and we have great opportunities to serve our Heavenly Father. I read my patriarchal blessing this morning and those beautiful words stood out to me as I pondered about this great country that I'm living in where there's a big blend of many different cultures living peacefully together. It's unbelievable. We come across heaps of refugees and immigrants who tell us their stories about their lack of freedoms in their homeland. They are the most humble and happy people I've ever met. And it's because they aren't taking this freedom they've been given for granted. So take some time today and appreciate all of your many blessings, and exercise your freedom by sharing the gospel today :)

Love you all! 

Sister Beck

-So fetchin hot it's been 43 degrees Celcius all this week which is like 108 F?

-Not allowed to swim as a missionary...I don't even like swimming but in this heat, never have I felt more tempted to swim haha

-My soa is so cute I could just eat her up :)

-Our investigator's grandkids from Vietnam, they're sooooo cute

A crack up week

We had some crazies this week. A few of our male investigators we've had to pass on to the Elders ahem..'nuff said. Kind of sad though because they're way keen. But all is well. 

We have another female investigator who thinks she has the priesthood authority of God and believes she's a chosen one like Harry Potter or something haha. Nahh all goods. I love these people. They're just kind of crazy :D lol.

Strength and Honor

Sister Beck

 -In case you didn't believe I was driving in Australia..

-Left side of the road mate

-Getting ready for Australia Day!

-Gotta love that self timer haha

-More like islander's in general ;) jokes jokes haha

-Covering up the beer haha

-These tan lines are just after 2 weeks in Sydney!

-Preaching to the birds! (Comp study in the park) They kept coming closer to us to listen in haha.

-Drinking straight from a coconut, the Samoan sisters insisted on my trying it haha

Have a good week and I love you all!

The Lord's Mission

I'm going to steal my Soa's title of her weekly email because it was so inspiring. Shout out to my Afi! 

This week we went through heaps of struggles haha. But when we do the Lord's work, and we keep going, despite the rejection or trials, it shows our commitment to the Lord. Whenever we door knock and face rejection my Soa says, "ONE MORE KNOCK FOR JESUS CHRIST!" 

Despite the hard times of a mission, I've never felt closer to my Heavenly Father. I've never felt more converted unto Christ. Every time I bare testimony of the Book of Mormon, the Plan of Salvation, the Atonement or the Prophet Joseph Smith my testimony grows deeper and I'm more sure than ever that this is the Lord's kingdom, this is his true church. It's because of Joseph's simple question of 'which church is true' is why I am a receiver of so many blessings and apart of Jesus Christ's church. I'm so grateful for him!!

Hurrah for Israel! I am on the Lord's errand family! How cool is that?!

Love,
Sister Beck

P.s. Everyone here thinks I'm either an Aussie or Maori. They think I sound different then the other American Elders here! #solid #funfact

-So the white handbook missionary schedule is changing completely! And straight from the First Presidency too! You'll find out about it on the 25th of January I believe, but our mission president loved the changes so much we are already doing them. So this is us having Companion and Language study outside in the park haha. Sooo fun because we got to watch a soccer game while doing it hehe. Made my life. 

-Love my Soa :) this was right after our lesson with Ted who is from Fiji and is playing Pro rugby here in Oz. Afterwards he treated us to some drinks and while he bought some cigs and me and my soa were like "oooooohp!" haha crack up, we're on it don't worry ;) and then we started walking towards his house and he said, "where did you guys park?" and we said back at the park and he said, "so you're walking me home, making sure I make it home safe? That's what i'm suppose to do!" Haha crack up.

-"Their uniforms are the color of my highlighter!" Sister Villanueva 

- Our Less Active just had a baby and we went to visit her. She had to go to the toilet so she asked us to watch her baby, then of course the baby started crying bloody murder and we're not allowed to hold babies. So this is me trying to soothe her without holding her hahah, I'm so awkward.

-The struggle.

-Can you say baby hungry?

More pics!

1. Our Less Active gave us 8 orders of Macca's for dinner for just the two of us haha so crack up.

2. Our view from the our Balcony :) Oh and on New Year's we set alarm for 11:58pmto watch the fireworks...such a good view from our balcony!

3. We FINALLY got to go to the temple and work the temple lights and Jesus Christ exhibit! Don't mind the bird poop on the top right haha. 

4. Afi :)

5. My momma! Sister Uelese :)

6. MTC intake reunion

7. Saying goodbye to the Oo clan, we made them nametags for their Christmas presents, they are horribly hand made haha. 

In the big city!

Malo family!! I got transferred to Bankstown, Sydney the busiest area in our mission! My soa, Sister Mariner is with me and got transferred to the Samoan ward so Canberra is getting shot gunned! Those sisters are amazing though, Woden ward is in good hands. My new Soa is Sister Villanueva from Phillipines and she is actually quite adorable haha. Bankstown is also known as the sketchiest area and most crime rate..so we got a Palangi American and a 4 foot Filipino leading the area haha. Nahh don't be scared mom, only joking ;) 

Bankstown is sooooo different with so many people! I miss my dear family back in Canberra (the other day I accidentally referred it to my home ward, oops) but the Lord has called me to these people "for such a time as this" I know that the Lord has people prepared here for us so here we go! This past week had so many highs and so many lows but the members here are great and ready to do missionary work with the new year and their new year's resolutions. We also picked up 4 new investigators, Joseph, Julius, Kenney and Benjamen from Kenya, Africa. They're very bible oriented as you can tell by their names and so ready to hear the restored gospel. They asked so many questions when we taught them the First Vision as the spirit led and guided the lesson and their hearts to listen. Stay tuned for these guys, we are going to commit them to baptism hopefully this week :)

Well I love you all, time is short but I have heaps of pictures. Have a happy new year!!!!!!!

Alofa atu!

Sister Beck

1. Trio with Sister Toame who died and went home and Sister Villanueva my soa!!

2. We both love donuts so don't be surpised if we gain a few Kilos

3. Tracked into a house that has giant bears just randomly all over the house..wut? Your guess is as good as mine

4. We got lost and found a nice little swing set to chill at haha..it's really easy to get lost

5. Christmas Conference (where the whole mission got together) and MY BEAUTIFUL AFI!!! She is now training in the Coast!

6. We got to watch Lion King on Christmas! So blessed.

7. Our graffti wall outside our flat back in Canberra, had to snag one last pic before I left. 

8. And then  there's us trying to do Dragon Ball Z...shame.