Gladstone for at least 6 more weeks.

Hello family!!

This week was grand of course! Sister Kyaw and i are staying together in GLADSTONE for another six weeks! Raise the roof, six more weeks of full time bikes! Actually we might split the area and go half and half with the car but who knows? That means i would be driving again, woot! Hurray for round a bouts the size of a small island.

Soooooo on tuesday we had a District Meeting! For the first time in Gladstone. Which is funny because out DL wasnt even there. The STLs (Sister Training Leader) conducted it and trained us. Meetings arent usually my favorite thing in the world but it was good. I think the way we can tell if a meeting is effective is if we are inspired to do something and then after, we actually do it, so its not all just talk. "Now if ye believe these things...see that ye do them."

Wednesday we were legitimately persecuted! This lady gave it to us big time. Me and Sister Kyaw just walked away crying and this guy stopped his truck and asked us if we were okay haha :) Then we got over it. I cant imagine being a pioneer and being chased out by mobs and persecuted all the time...they're awesome! We are seeing Celeste every week and teaching her the Gospel. I love when it gets to a point that the investigator is like leading the meeting. Investigator: "Hi sisters how are you?" chatting....Investigator "All right should we start with a prayer?" You betcha! I love Celeste, Mom she kinda reminds me of you. In a small way :) She sketched me a picture of Jesus Christ, my favorite one from the lesson 3 pamphlet.

On Thursday we had weekly planning and we also went to see Sam and Jack, two children that we teach on Thursdays. They are cute with good questions. Usually the mom listens too. Planting seeds! We went to see Adell and Jian and Jian has to quit the communist party before he can get baptized, and his family is freaking out right now. We assured him that we could still teach him and he could still come to church while he tries to figure out his problems. So many times i would excuse investigators if i could--when they're faced with seemingly insurmountable hurdles they must pass through to make it to baptism and confirmation and continued activity in the church--but this is not Sister Schaelling's work, its the Lords. And the Lord will wait and work with us and He is patient, but He does require that we consecrate all to enter His Kingdom, even our very culture at times. But the blessings far out weigh the hardship!

Friday was deep cleaning so we deep cleaned our lovely little flat. I also made a couch for us out of pillows and a comforter. We went and saw Dilys and i corrected her entrance essay for a school program she is trying to get into. We had dinner with this random potential investigator and his wife and their friends! They loved Sister Kyaw :) We were able to share a message about our loving Heavenly Father and sang to them at the end. It was good. Craig, our potential and his wife are so nice and just welcomed us into their homes without even knowing us. It was great. To find Aussie people that nice is kind of a rarity!

Phillip had a rough week this past week and is dealing with a lot of hard stuff. We went over and Elder Fenton gave him a blessing. We sang to him. Also the next day we called Phillip and left him a voice message of us singing "My Heavenly Father Loves me."  He was laughing with us on Sunday about it. He is soooo humble and showed up to church in a white shirt and slacks with his new scriptures. He asked elder Fenton to teach him how to tie a tie :) He is amazing! I will always be grateful for Phillip's example!!

Saturday we saw Arnelson again and set a new baptism date. His struggle is W.o.W and sabbath day holy. He wants to be baptized, i think next week we are just going to bike over their and bang the door down so he will come to church :) He is genuine. Bro Glen Porteous had us over for a bbq with some other RC and it was great...transfer calls came and Sister Wulfenstein is going down to Brisbane! We are getting Sister Russel from South Africa who has been an STL for the past six months! She will be comps with Lealii E'e.  We also got a new Samoan family in the branch and laughing and joking with them reminded me how much i miss Polys!!

I do believe that is all for this week!

Love you all!

Sister Schaelling

May, 2013  Carly's farewell talk Sunday, with cousin Kenna

Ken got baptized!

Hello Family!

So Ken got baptized this morning at 11 a.m., it was wonderful. The elders that taught him in chinese were on skype with us and there were talks in chinese :) The other sisters and i sang a musical number after he was baptized by Elder Fenton. Sitting with Ken after his baptism i asked him how he felt and he just said "Peace." That sums it up!!

 

So this week the STLs (sister training leaders)  Sisters Moran and Tautuiaki flew down from Townsville to go on trade-offs with us! They stayed for a week (theyre leaving tomorrow back to their area) and it has been wonderful. Sister Kyaw and i camped out in our living room/study room and i forgot that sleeping on the floor is fun! We also found some yummy australian sized cockroaches in our flat...like three inches long. And they fly. But thats okay we just smash them burmese style

So on Wednesday sister Kyaw and i had a rediculous day and we found out that there is this one street that everyone just doesnt like us! Except our two investigators that live there that is. On Thursday i went on trade offs with Sister Moran who is just adorable, i was leading the area for the first time here in Gladstone. It was fun, Sister Moran is really positive all day and patient with me as i study the map and try to find where we are. (our area is not really that big i just am direction challenged even after two transfers) we tracted and taught and i love teaching with different missionaries and learning their skills. Friday we were with Sister Moran as a 3 way and we just planned and planned (weekly planning) and then brought our investigator Celeste (snake lady) with us to go work out at Mark and Tabitha's place and have a lesson. We taught the Word of Wisdom, Celeste made it to church on Sunday too, she is doing so good. 

Saturday was good, we saw Arnelson who fell off the radar for a little while. He is still struggling with drinking but really wants to be baptized. We need to send missionaries to his wife and kids in the Phillipines. He wants to be sealed in the temple. He spoke to us about how he can't sleep at night especially if he was arguing with his wife on the phone or if he forgets to pray. He works long hours and needs his sleep but it doesn't come...we committed him to pray and read from the book of Mormon every night before he goes to bed. We promised that if he did the Lord would help him rest. 

 

We were so blessed this week in finding. We found heaps of potentials just at lessons, our investigators friends, on the street, out tracting....so exciting! We are following up with all of them this week. I realized sometimes the Lord blesses us with people to teach, but having lots of people to teach doesnt necesarily make you a good missionary. When it comes to numbers that we add up, there are some numbers that are totally up to the agency of others, like investigators at church, and some that are up to us and our own agency, like hours finding (we report that) and contacts. I like having something to do that will always be up to me. I can always go talk to people or go knock doors, its whether they accept or not thats up to them. Does that make sense at all? Any who.  Also this is the last week before transfers and im pretty sure Sister Kyaw is going down to Brisbane but who knows? I do feel some sort of a change coming. I realize i've always been in just "normal" missionary situations, Jr companion in a developed area. Its kindof nice! I talk to a bunch of sisters that white wash and train and open areas and it seems so stressful. Me and Sister Kyaw we just do our thing :) 

Im so happy Ken got baptized. It was fun to have the STLs here! and i just got kicked off my computer!

 

love you

SIster Schaelling 

Great Goodly Gladstone

Hello Father and Mother and family!!! and friends.

So we didnt baptize anyone this week. :(   But thats okay! :)   And Dad, Sister Fenton just shared it on her page, but i can ask her to message it to you.

Sounds like all is well on the Utah front! We had some cloudy days this week which was a nice break from the piercing Australian sun. The temperature is starting to rise....last week it hit 39 celcius...whatever that is, its hot! And its not summer yet apparently! Bring it on sun. Im just glad we get a nice breeze from the ocean. 

Enough about the weather! This week we taught Ken with the chinese elders as per usual, he is preparing for his baptism on the 11th. We actually just taught him this morning as well, hes doing great! He says he doesnt know everything yet but he just wants to be baptized! Amen Ken, we can make that happen. We taught him "My Heavenly Father Loves Me" in english and sang it together. It was cute. :) We also saw Joann and read the Book of Mormon with her. That book changes people! I cant believe i didnt read it more before the mish! Its amazing

We also had FHE with our RC Mark and Tabitha. I love them :) I was conducting and it was so cool to have fhe with people who had never had it before in their life. We sang and had star of the week and all of that (when you are the "star of the week" everybody else says something nice about you) . Im glad we always had fhe at home. Prophets are pretty inspired I'd say! Wednesday we did service at Bree's house like we always do. She is going through a little bit of a hard time right now. We cleaned her car and i was vacuuming it out and it was parked outside right in the sun, the sweat was dripping off my face onto the ground in the car! Nastay! Dont worry i carry around a sock in the basket of my bike to wipe my face with when we make it to appointments. :) Really though.

We taught some investigators we havent seen for a while so it was good to follow up with them. We also taught Joann the ten commandments and law of chastity. She took it all in very well. Her and Nino actually met in Japan while they were both living there. She made us udon noodles they were so yummy! She worked as a Japanese translator when she moved back to the phillipines. Sometimes she teaches me Japanese. 

On thursday we had a miracle. We were about to bike out to Gondoon street which is across town. Then i discovered i left my helmet in the other sisters car....so we just started walking....then this old couple pulled over and gave us a ride! We were so happy because that would have been a long walk :) We said a prayer of thanks after they dropped us off and contiued the work. We teach one of our potential investigators children about the gospel because she wants them to learn about God ;) i love teaching kids. 

On friday we went and saw Dilys and her mother Stella who is a non member and her father Peter who is RC. We taught Plan of Salvation...who doesnt just love this lesson? How wonderful that God has a plan, a way, a path for us to follow so that we can return to live with him again. How vast, how wondrous, how complete, redemptions grand design. Where justice, love and mercy meet, in harmony divine.... As Eliza Snow says. Dilys is doing great and feels so happy all the time.

Also on friday we worked out with RC Mark and Tabitha and Dilys and Laureen (the Fentons taught and baptized her a few months ago, shes awesome) and put on boxing gloves and punched each other. I was sooooo sore the next day!! Good grief!

On Saturday i held a snake! It was so pretty. This was at Celeste's house, (investigator) she has two snakes they are both over six feet long...i didnt know i loved snakes! They are so soft. I had it all wrapped around me and was petting its head. I think ill get a snake when i come home :)  Except you have to feed it live rats which is kind of disturbing to watch ill have you know. Poor little fella! 

Sunday was lovely, we went to church and Darral came. He needs some serious help in his life and we are trying to give it to him. He always reeks of alcohol and nicotine but has sincerity in his eyes. Im so thankful for the word of wisdom!!!

Family i love you all :) Transfer calls are in two weeks!! Eeek Sister Kyaw might fly back to Brisbane. who knows? Transfers are exciting :) 

love you all,

Sister Schaelling