SENIOR MISSIONARY CONFERENCE FEB 2014

WE LOVE OUR SENIOR MISSIONARIES!

There is something special about Senior Missionaries, they bring an unique perspective to our mission with their wisdom, life experiences, and rich testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We have an incredible group of Senior Missionaries and feel quite blessed that they would be making this sacrifice to devote their time and talents to this great work in the Australia Brisbane Mission. 

Elder & Sister Morgan: Service Missionaries/Temple Tours & Grounds from Brisbane

Elder & Sister Orth: Service Missionaries/Fleet from Brisbane

Elder & Sister Montague: Australia Brisbane Mission/Office/PA from Bountiful, Utah

Elder & Sister Miles: Australia Brisbane Mission/Townsville & Office from Idaho Falls, Idaho

Elder & Sister Kuhn: Australia Brisbane Mission/Cains from Darwin, Australia

Elder & Sister Miller: Australia Brisbane Mission/Townsville from Rupert, Idaho

Elder & Sister Fenton: Australia Brisbane Mission/Gladstone from Cody, Wyoming

Elder & Sister Johnson: Australia Brisbane Mission/Atherton from Logan, Utah

Elder & Sister Hoskisson: Australia Brisbane Mission/Whit Sunday from Heber, Utah

We are excited for the calls that several more couples have received to serve in this great mission who will be arriving in the next six months!

*Missing is Elder & Sister Battye: Service Missionaries, Elder & Sister Stoton: Service Missionaries, Elder Prigoone and Elder Holzworth: Service Missionaries, Sister Reid: Senior Sister Missionary...all from Brisbane

We enjoyed a day of adventure at the Australia Zoo and drove past the pineapple fields and stopped for a pineapple crush, saw the fascinating Glass House Mountains, enjoyed a nice dinner on South Bank and rode on the river ferry to see the famous Story Bridge.  We spent a day together at the beautiful Brisbane Temple with President & Sister Pitman (Temple President and Matron).  We saw the missionaries (some enjoyed a reunion with the missionaries whom they served with in their areas who have since been transferred) as well as received instruction and training with each other and from each other.  There is nothing like enjoying a delicious Malany's Gelato treat for our last evening together!  

*You can become a Senior Missionary too:  Check out the information SENIOR MISSIONARY to find out more about your opportunities to serve a mission. 

We would love to have more Senior Missionaries serving with us in the Australia Brisbane Mission....

LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS A SENIOR MISSIONARY

NEW MISSIONARY ORIENTATION FEB 2014

A week after our missionaries arrive in the mission, we have them come for a two day training at Kangaroo Point.  We appreciate that it takes a few days to adjust after arriving in Australia and so they came more refreshed, experienced, and with a few more questions than that first day.  It is always good to see them again and spend time with them teaching, training and learning together.  

 February 11, 2014 Missionaries  

arriving from New Zealand, Philippines, United States, Canada, Iceland and Australia

A big welcome to our new Senior Couple, Elder & Sister Montague, from Heber City, Utah.  It was a long, waiting game as they were delayed with their visas for several months, but it was worth the wait and we are so grateful that they are here!

MISSION MIRACLE

ELDER FALEVAI & ELDER ALOFA'AE

On our way to our bikes after tracting one day, this young man stopped us by the road and asked us if we were the Mormon missionaries, without expecting anything we replied back YES.   He told us that he's been wanting to join the church. We were both amazed and thinking that our hair had fallen off;  we asked him if we could start teaching him. In our lesson with this great man we met his cousin who showed interest in the lessons. He expressed interest in the Plan of Salvation and was committed to baptism on the first visit along with his cousin.

MISSION MIRACLE

This is the baptism story for this wonderful young man who was baptized on the 26th of January. 
 It was a great day, a fantastic day! So he was found by tracting by Elder Tukukino and Elder Choi at the time, and he let us in from the very first time and as we asked him a few questions he said that he actually had a desire to be baptized. Funny story though, is that his mother walked in during the lesson, and we talked to her for a bit but then she had to leave. One thing that was also brought up was how his father unfortunately had cancer and didn't have long left. So for a long period, we didn't teach him, but visited him here and there to support him and offer any assistance or help, especially with the situation with his father. Eventually, we started teaching him, Elder Wilson and Elder Choi, and he was so receptive. Within only 3 weeks of teaching him he was baptized, he was ready for the gospel and he really wanted to be baptized. On his special day, he had a great big smile after the baptism, even though he was nervous beforehand, and he said he couldn't describe in words how he felt. It was an awesome experience, and his mother and sister came also, and they looked very happy for him. Hopefully we can see him progress and hopefully serve a mission of his own!

MISSION MIRACLE

ELDER WILSON & ELDER CHOI

So this wonderful convert had been taught the Gospel for just over 6 months, and wow the progression he made in the last two weeks approaching his baptism was amazing! So funny story, the 18th he actually set that date himself, as we had invited him to pray about baptism. When we followed up, he said that God told him to be baptized on the 18th of Dec. He said that he himself had no idea why that date, but that was what it was going to be.  Two wonderful things about this man is firstly he is a great man, secondly, the Spirit would be so strong with every lesson with him.  In our prayers for him, we felt good. We know that Heavenly Father would want ALL His children accepting the gospel, yet with Mark we felt strongly that it was a great time for him, and that Heavenly Father really wanted Him to be baptized.
Still, there were things that came up and so we talked to him really wanting to know what was holding him back. We invited him to pray again and seek answers. Upon following up, he told us that he had received all these answers, and they were EXACTLY what he needed! One of them being that he really felt that God would bless him for his efforts, and the more committed he was on the 18th of December the more God would bless him.  There was one question that was asked that probably helped a lot. We asked him, "with those answers you've received, what more do you feel like you need to commit?" He sat there for a good 10 seconds, just thinking, and eventually said, I don't think I do. So we committed him, and he had a great experience. On the day of his baptism, just before he went into the waters, Elder Wilson invited him to pray before being baptized that he would remember how he felt for the rest of his life.  That a powerful moment when he did, the Spirit was so strong as he prayed sincerely. He also said that when he was under the water, he saw a light, a bright light through his closed eyelids. As he was bearing his testimony he closed his eyes and said "see I can't see that light right now, but when i was under the water I saw it", and in concluding he said that it was a new beginning for him. It was such a great experience to be there.

MISSION MIRACLE

Elder Alofa'ae and Elder Kahuena and Elder Falevai
Elder Alofa'ae and Elder Falevai found this bright young man through contacting on our way to an appointment. Since we taught this young man he has been excited to come to church; with his excitement for church we invited him to be baptized.  We had a very Spiritual Baptism service where all of our young men and young women attended to support.  Not only that, but the Ward talked with his family and made them really feel welcomed. Our ward has supported this new convert and now his brother has been taking the lessons from the missionaries.

This photo was taken with his Family; brother on the right side is getting baptized on the 

8th of March, 2014

GOLDEN HARVESTER

THE GOLDEN HARVESTER VOLUME IV 
FEBRUARY 11, 2014
TRANSFER 7
An Australia Brisbane Mission Publication that is distributed every transfer to all the Missionaries.  

ARRIVING MISSIONARIES FEBRUARY 2014

The only consolation in sending home a group of missionaries is that the day after they depart we get to WELCOME more new missionaries to the field. It is another TRANSFER WEEK and there is a buzz in the mission that surrounds this amazing week. We are thrilled with the new missionaries who have arrived and can feel a spirit of hastening with their enthusiastic handshakes and smiles (even after some of them had been flying for over 14 hours and missed a day of their life).  

 They are prepared and ready....

These missionaries represent U.S.A., Australia, New Zealand, Canada, China, Philippines.....and we welcomed our first missionary from Iceland.

Elder Anderson arrived a day later because of flight delays in the states....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FAREWELL...FEBRUARY 2014

Another transfer where we said farewell to 13 wonderful missionaries...WE ARE GRATEFUL for your amazing dedication to the work of salvation here in the Australia Brisbane Mission.  You served valiantly with all your heart, might, mind and strength:  Elder Bingham Elder Olson, Elder Akroyd, Elder Mascarenas, Elder Kouno, Elder Hensley, Elder Blotter, Elder Davis AND to our beautiful Sister Touli, Sister Mafi, Sister Juresko-Krpina & Sister Ball.  

WE LOVE YOU!

MISSIONARIES UP NORTH

There is a well kept secret in the mission about serving in the beautiful Northern area of the Australia Brisbane Mission; it is an honor and blessing!  We have Senior Couples, Sisters and Elders serving in various areas in the North: Cairns, Atherton, Innesfail, Emerald, Mackay, Rockhampton, Witsunday, Townsville, Gladstone, and Mt. Isa.  These missionaries are trustworthy, hardworking, honest, and full of faith. Some of them are the only missionaries for kilometers and they don't get to be a part of all that is going on around Brisbane, but they don't care...they are too busy serving with all their heart, might, mind and strength!

 

MISSION MIRACLE

This new member was introduced to the church by her partner in Sydney and then moved up here and just came to church one day. We have been teaching her for 4 or 5 months now...

she was taught by Elders Harris, Parkinson and baptised by Elders Telford and Malifa.

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JIMBOOMBA

Jimboomba: Aboriginal name for "paradise on earth"....and it is a beautiful place.  We had very pleasant drive out to Jimboomba; it is more of a country setting with sprawling estates and beautiful trees, ponds, and grassy knolls.  We had a lovely dinner and lesson with a wonderful couple there, whose husband is from Germany.  President just loved speaking and hearing some German; the memories of his mission in Germany 37 years ago come flooding back.  
An extra fun twist to the night was turning on "Henderson" Road in Jimboomba to get to their home. 

INTERVIEWS & FLAT INSPECTIONS COMPLETE

A GREAT THREE WEEKS....

We completed our final interviews and flat inspections for the 10 Zones located within driving distance of the Mission Office.  (There were a few missionaries who had to meet with us at the church due to time constraints...but we know their flats were clean and organized?!???)   This was a great opportunity to visit with each missionary on a very personal level in their living environment; we have some upgrades to make, holes to fix, old furniture to clean out, chairs and desks to provide and some mattress covers to distribute, but overall it has been very satisfying to know the missionaries care about their flats and are taking care of what the mission provides for their living while in Australia.