yay
Ok yeah so we didn't email yesterday because it was a public holiday...again. It was anzac day on sunday which i think celebrates when the first ships left to go fight in world war I, i think, or something like that. It was also the first dawn church service in either WA or Australia. So that was on sunday and then monday is just a public holiday to give people a day off since the actual holiday was on sunday.
but the "yay" in the subject line is there cause we got to see conference on saturday and sunday. we started the saturday sessions at 12 with only an hour break in between (which the branch president took us out for lunch and then a snack during those breaks) and so it felt like 8 hrs of conference straight but it sure was good. and then on sunday we started at 10 and finished at about 2:30 and haha oh man the branch president was just lying asleep on the floor by the end of it, it was funny. He is one of the funniest guys ever. he's pretty cool. but like on saturday there weren't very many people in the chapel just like the branch presidency and their wives and then us, and a senior missionary couple (we found out last week that the mission president was going to send down a senior couple and we didn't know what that meant for us cause like a year and a half ago there only used to be a senior couple down here and we didn't know if that meant we were going to get transferred and it was pretty funny cause we were freaking out but it looks like we'll be staying for the time being) but back to conference, so later one like 4-5 people showed up for the saturday sessions and then there was only like 8-9 of us for priesthood and then sunday there was about 15-20 people, which is quite a bit less than a normal sunday. Anywho this new senior couple (they're from queensland by the way, Elder and Sister Orth) is mostly going to work with the branch and the less active and part member couples in the branch and a bit of proselyting while we can now completely focus on finding new people to teach because that is what we are really struggling with right now is finding people. We only really have like 3 consistent but not necessarily progressing investigators. but the zone leaders are coming tonight on a 6 hour bus ride for exchanges so we could really use their help. Then we have zone conference on friday in bunbury which is the zone leaders area so we'll drive them back and stay with them on thursday. then stay in bridgetown friday night and come back saturday...pretty busy week.
before i forget, tell grandma and grandpa that i've got their letters and sorry that i haven't written back to them yet but i'm getting to it.
Jenn thanks for the update...all i have to say to you is keep it real.
AHHH i almost forgot to mention that i got the package and letter from austin and thank you thank you thank you again as always it is mucho appreciated. I did send a letter to utah but seems like you might miss it. And why doesn't cody email? i much prefer to email than write letters. Good to hear it is warm and sunny there. It is pretty dang cold here in albany and its only going to get colder cause its only fall, ahhh!
Well just about out of time and sorry i haven't written you back yet dad but thanks for writing and for the info and encouragement and updates (especially with the jazz). but I love you all and hope you all take care.
Elder Salakielu
Monday, April 26, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
hello
Good morning family, or should i say good evening...yeah, i'll say good evening. well last week for pday we went to the gap, and no not the clothing store. its this place on the coast where there is just like cliffs and there is a big gap from one side to the other and its like super high. also there is like a giant rock bridge thing and so i have some pictures of that. also pictures of a frog we caught and elder wilkey doing a wheelie on his bike.
The branch is good, we had about 40 people there again at church yesterday. Oh and yes this is the only branch for all of albany and we are the only missionaries for albany. the closest missionaries are in esperance and bridgetown and they are each like 4 hours away. technically our areas are huge and with bridgetown our areas meet halfway so a two hour drive for them towards us and a two hour drive for us towards them and that would be our areas but that is being technical when really they are just giant grey areas that no one really goes to.
I don't know if there is a major religion here. I'd say there is a mixture cause there are definitely like 20 other chapels in town like baptist, weslyan, catholic, free reformed, JW, uniting church of australia, salvation army, and a bunch more but i don't really know how many people go to any of them, my guess would be very few...at least now a days, i'm sure back in the day people were more church going and there are a bunch of chapels here because albany was the first settlement in Western Australia. Oh but we did tract into a free reformed church family who looked mormon and acted mormon and even had 6 kids but they were pretty far off the mark and didn't believe in modern day prophets and personal revelation and only believed in the bible and nothing else and that nothing can be added or taken away from it and i was just like wow people actually believe that, they didn't just make that up in the mtc. But anyways we were just battling with them for like an hour and elder wilkey was just smashing them with his bible bashing skills and they didn't even want to believe it or change or even consider it for a moment, it was just so frustrating...ok so it wasn't that contentious but it sounds better and funnier that way, but really it was a pretty friendly discussion. and we offered them a book of mormon and they were just like horrified and disgusted that we would do such a thing and then we accpeted their bible and so they took a book of mormon. and actually it was their sons bible so now we have a reason to go back.
As for the geneology i don't know which line we traced it back through exactly. I was going back through every ones parents and then that was taking forever. did that for like an hour and it was still going and like it was zoomed out way back and the print was like super small and i couldn't really tell from which line, but bro. james was expecting it to slow down and stop somewhere. but then we started going back through just one line and then we had to go and so bro. james took over and went from there, and i don't remember the name we went through.
Jenn that was quite the interesting email...but it was sooooooo funny. crazy people are the best. there is this guy here in albany who walks around wearing a white suit and hat and has a cane and he has a pretty awesome beard but he thinks he's jesus. he doesn't quite match up to the weirdo in hawaii. pretty funny though. and about the perfume ..hahaha oh man thats classic...classic dad. Good times.
Well (dad) it still sounds like work is good so no problem there. Like you always say the Big Guy Upstairs is really looking out for us and we are very blessed and i'm grateful for you (dad) and everyone else...jk everyone else being mom, randy, meliss, jenn, and mele and many more and i love you all.
Anywho things are alright. i'm fine, eating good, the branch takes care of us, even less actives and non members. elder wilkey can cook and usually does but yeah we're good. well time to go shopping for some food after we pick up the car from getting serviced, and then we don't know what else we are going to do today. Well take care everyone, love ya.
Elder Salakielu
Good morning family, or should i say good evening...yeah, i'll say good evening. well last week for pday we went to the gap, and no not the clothing store. its this place on the coast where there is just like cliffs and there is a big gap from one side to the other and its like super high. also there is like a giant rock bridge thing and so i have some pictures of that. also pictures of a frog we caught and elder wilkey doing a wheelie on his bike.
The branch is good, we had about 40 people there again at church yesterday. Oh and yes this is the only branch for all of albany and we are the only missionaries for albany. the closest missionaries are in esperance and bridgetown and they are each like 4 hours away. technically our areas are huge and with bridgetown our areas meet halfway so a two hour drive for them towards us and a two hour drive for us towards them and that would be our areas but that is being technical when really they are just giant grey areas that no one really goes to.
I don't know if there is a major religion here. I'd say there is a mixture cause there are definitely like 20 other chapels in town like baptist, weslyan, catholic, free reformed, JW, uniting church of australia, salvation army, and a bunch more but i don't really know how many people go to any of them, my guess would be very few...at least now a days, i'm sure back in the day people were more church going and there are a bunch of chapels here because albany was the first settlement in Western Australia. Oh but we did tract into a free reformed church family who looked mormon and acted mormon and even had 6 kids but they were pretty far off the mark and didn't believe in modern day prophets and personal revelation and only believed in the bible and nothing else and that nothing can be added or taken away from it and i was just like wow people actually believe that, they didn't just make that up in the mtc. But anyways we were just battling with them for like an hour and elder wilkey was just smashing them with his bible bashing skills and they didn't even want to believe it or change or even consider it for a moment, it was just so frustrating...ok so it wasn't that contentious but it sounds better and funnier that way, but really it was a pretty friendly discussion. and we offered them a book of mormon and they were just like horrified and disgusted that we would do such a thing and then we accpeted their bible and so they took a book of mormon. and actually it was their sons bible so now we have a reason to go back.
As for the geneology i don't know which line we traced it back through exactly. I was going back through every ones parents and then that was taking forever. did that for like an hour and it was still going and like it was zoomed out way back and the print was like super small and i couldn't really tell from which line, but bro. james was expecting it to slow down and stop somewhere. but then we started going back through just one line and then we had to go and so bro. james took over and went from there, and i don't remember the name we went through.
Jenn that was quite the interesting email...but it was sooooooo funny. crazy people are the best. there is this guy here in albany who walks around wearing a white suit and hat and has a cane and he has a pretty awesome beard but he thinks he's jesus. he doesn't quite match up to the weirdo in hawaii. pretty funny though. and about the perfume ..hahaha oh man thats classic...classic dad. Good times.
Well (dad) it still sounds like work is good so no problem there. Like you always say the Big Guy Upstairs is really looking out for us and we are very blessed and i'm grateful for you (dad) and everyone else...jk everyone else being mom, randy, meliss, jenn, and mele and many more and i love you all.
Anywho things are alright. i'm fine, eating good, the branch takes care of us, even less actives and non members. elder wilkey can cook and usually does but yeah we're good. well time to go shopping for some food after we pick up the car from getting serviced, and then we don't know what else we are going to do today. Well take care everyone, love ya.
Elder Salakielu
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Albs (albany)
So Albany is awesome. I really like it here. The area is huge and covers like 1.5-2 hours drive in any given direction, but we mostly stay within the major part of the city. So transfers were last tuesday and I got sent here and Elder Leota got sent to Bridgetown, which is also a country area and it is on the way to Albany. So we drove to Bridgetown which was like 2 to 2-1/2 hours drive from Perth and we stayed the night at Bridgetown where our companions were waiting for us. My new companion is Elder Wilkey, he is from Orem and he is the companion I have the most in common with so far, he's pretty cool. Then Wed. morning we made the 4 hour drive to Albany and got here in the afternoon. The landscape is amazing and there are lots of hills. The weather is a lot cooler and it is acually cold most of the time because it is winter still. It's been cloudy a lot and has rained at least once a day sometimes just small light showers though. The population of Albany is about 30,000 but most of the people are old. This is where all the retired people come and it reminds me a lot of Choteau. It has the feel of a small town even though is not that small...our apartment is pretty small though. There are only two rooms this time...the last house had 4. Only one shower and the fridge and pantry/cupboards are smaller and we have to share a desk for studying when last time I had 2 desks to myself...pretty lame. Oh well what can you do.
So I mentioned that there are a lot of old people here, well the branch is like 90% old people...old, but awesome. And we really hope to find a family to start teaching. We have about 3 individuals we are teaching. But there are about 40 members in the branch that come consistently and they are some of the coolests old people. They pretty much all love family history and doing geneology and the second day I was here we went to the chapel cause they do family history every thurs. morning and sometimes investigators come, and so they wanted to see how far back my family tree went and so I sat there clicking going back through the generations forever and only got to like 935 A.D. before we had to go and Bro. James (the family history guy) was just amazed and wanted to see how far back it went. Anyways, so we left and then yesterday in church he was giving a talk about family history and he said that he was still clicking through mine and got all the way back to Adam. I didn't know that much work had been done. I didn't even think that was possible to trace that but he said that there are a bunch of kings and stuff, like King Louis IV and so once you hit royalty its smooth sailing cause like people back then actually kept track of stuff and so anyways everyone is like super amazed with that cause they all love family history work and Bro. James, whenever he walks by me always like pretend bows and worships and I'm just like well, we all have lineage of the hightest royalty...Heavenly Father. Did you know that that much work had been done?
So I said that we would get conference last week (yesterday and the day before) well it turns out that the far away branches don't get conference till two weeks after the live broadcast, but it looks like we won't be getting it this coming saturday or sunday either, but next , its a shame.
Elder Wilkey told me this and I don't know if its true or not, but it probably is, but he said that the Albany Branch Chapel is the farthest chapel away from Salt lake City...pretty cool huh?
Well I really hope I get the package you sent. The mission office usually just forwards the mail out to us since we don't see the mission president or zone leaders or any other missionaries for like 6 weeks at a time, or until zone conference which is in like two and a half weeks. Also, the socks...don't worry about them, but if you do look for them, not just any socks, but the ones I described earlier, like they should be in my drawer and they're going to look really small.
Anywho, Jenn i know you were only emailing me cause you were being a slacker and didn't want to do any work, but that's ok...an emails and email....lol conner's gay...jk not really though.
Sorry, there is more I wanted to say but we have to leave right now to go to a funeral. Take care and love you all.
Elder Salakielu
So Albany is awesome. I really like it here. The area is huge and covers like 1.5-2 hours drive in any given direction, but we mostly stay within the major part of the city. So transfers were last tuesday and I got sent here and Elder Leota got sent to Bridgetown, which is also a country area and it is on the way to Albany. So we drove to Bridgetown which was like 2 to 2-1/2 hours drive from Perth and we stayed the night at Bridgetown where our companions were waiting for us. My new companion is Elder Wilkey, he is from Orem and he is the companion I have the most in common with so far, he's pretty cool. Then Wed. morning we made the 4 hour drive to Albany and got here in the afternoon. The landscape is amazing and there are lots of hills. The weather is a lot cooler and it is acually cold most of the time because it is winter still. It's been cloudy a lot and has rained at least once a day sometimes just small light showers though. The population of Albany is about 30,000 but most of the people are old. This is where all the retired people come and it reminds me a lot of Choteau. It has the feel of a small town even though is not that small...our apartment is pretty small though. There are only two rooms this time...the last house had 4. Only one shower and the fridge and pantry/cupboards are smaller and we have to share a desk for studying when last time I had 2 desks to myself...pretty lame. Oh well what can you do.
So I mentioned that there are a lot of old people here, well the branch is like 90% old people...old, but awesome. And we really hope to find a family to start teaching. We have about 3 individuals we are teaching. But there are about 40 members in the branch that come consistently and they are some of the coolests old people. They pretty much all love family history and doing geneology and the second day I was here we went to the chapel cause they do family history every thurs. morning and sometimes investigators come, and so they wanted to see how far back my family tree went and so I sat there clicking going back through the generations forever and only got to like 935 A.D. before we had to go and Bro. James (the family history guy) was just amazed and wanted to see how far back it went. Anyways, so we left and then yesterday in church he was giving a talk about family history and he said that he was still clicking through mine and got all the way back to Adam. I didn't know that much work had been done. I didn't even think that was possible to trace that but he said that there are a bunch of kings and stuff, like King Louis IV and so once you hit royalty its smooth sailing cause like people back then actually kept track of stuff and so anyways everyone is like super amazed with that cause they all love family history work and Bro. James, whenever he walks by me always like pretend bows and worships and I'm just like well, we all have lineage of the hightest royalty...Heavenly Father. Did you know that that much work had been done?
So I said that we would get conference last week (yesterday and the day before) well it turns out that the far away branches don't get conference till two weeks after the live broadcast, but it looks like we won't be getting it this coming saturday or sunday either, but next , its a shame.
Elder Wilkey told me this and I don't know if its true or not, but it probably is, but he said that the Albany Branch Chapel is the farthest chapel away from Salt lake City...pretty cool huh?
Well I really hope I get the package you sent. The mission office usually just forwards the mail out to us since we don't see the mission president or zone leaders or any other missionaries for like 6 weeks at a time, or until zone conference which is in like two and a half weeks. Also, the socks...don't worry about them, but if you do look for them, not just any socks, but the ones I described earlier, like they should be in my drawer and they're going to look really small.
Anywho, Jenn i know you were only emailing me cause you were being a slacker and didn't want to do any work, but that's ok...an emails and email....lol conner's gay...jk not really though.
Sorry, there is more I wanted to say but we have to leave right now to go to a funeral. Take care and love you all.
Elder Salakielu
Saturday, April 10, 2010
bleh
Monday, April 5, 2010 7:59 PM
Well hello fams, sorry this is on tuesday and not yesterday and that i didn't tell you last week, but monday was a public holiday so pday is today. It is also transfer day. Don't know where i'm going yet, i'll find that out later today, but we get the call to know if we are staying or going on the saturday before. Also i forgot to mention last week that we are getting a new mission pres. in like 2 transfers i think in july it is. He's from canada and is like a dentist or something, or so i hear.
Well it was good to get a plethura of emails to read this time and i thoroughly enjoyed all of them they made me laugh. Jenn thanks swallowing your pride and helpin a brotha out...jk i don't actually talk like that. If you want to know how to be wise with money and can tell you what not to do, go on a mission. Lots of missionaries out here aren't to smart with their money and are like out of money by the middle of the month....so basically what i'm trying to say is don't be stupid...jk. And Mels, finally good to hear from you and i can totally see dad doing that during conference, also he's still late for leaving for the airport i see. Anywho conference is over now and we didn't get to watch any of it...because that's what this saturday and sunday are for and they show it at stake centers also they make the times all weird and there is only a 1 hour break in between sessions, but whatever, so i'm looking forward to that this week.
So on friday (good friday) we were having our district meeting in the chapel and we were the only ones there and then this african lady came walking in asking if we have church today, looking for a good friday service. We said no but invited her to come on sunday and she said yeah and we asked if we could come teach her and she said yeah and so we got her address and then the next day we went over and taught her and her husband a lesson and then on sunday she came to church. They're both pretty keen and its too bad i'm leaving, but i guess thats the life of a missionary.
I added some photos not many though and they are just from saying goodbye to adam and ana last night. they are still awesome and i'm gonna miss them. they really want to come to the U.S. sometime and go on vacation there. Ana is just like amazed with american stuff and mostly because she watches all these tv shows there like the one about the family with little people for parents (don't want to be offending anyone)john and kate plus 8 and the hills and i'm like my sister/s watch all of those. Also they are big fans of Lost. But they are thinking about going to hawaii in May next year and going through the temple and doing touristy stuff there and maybe yous could catch up with them so just keep that in mind.
well sorry this letter seemed to be all over the place but I still have to pack a little bit and can't really think so still have to do that after this and then its off to transfer meeting. i'll be sure to let you guys know where i went next week and i love you all and take care.
Elder Salakielu
p.s. i will see what i can do about pineapple lumps, they usually only sell them in a store called the kiwi shop since they are from new zealand and i've only seemed them once elsewhere, but i'll remember that. hows my usb memory drive/stick thing coming along, did you find it yet? cause no ones really gotten back to me yet and i don't really care if you can't find it just let me know so i can stop bugging you about it...sweet, love you, bye.
Monday, April 5, 2010 7:59 PM
Well hello fams, sorry this is on tuesday and not yesterday and that i didn't tell you last week, but monday was a public holiday so pday is today. It is also transfer day. Don't know where i'm going yet, i'll find that out later today, but we get the call to know if we are staying or going on the saturday before. Also i forgot to mention last week that we are getting a new mission pres. in like 2 transfers i think in july it is. He's from canada and is like a dentist or something, or so i hear.
Well it was good to get a plethura of emails to read this time and i thoroughly enjoyed all of them they made me laugh. Jenn thanks swallowing your pride and helpin a brotha out...jk i don't actually talk like that. If you want to know how to be wise with money and can tell you what not to do, go on a mission. Lots of missionaries out here aren't to smart with their money and are like out of money by the middle of the month....so basically what i'm trying to say is don't be stupid...jk. And Mels, finally good to hear from you and i can totally see dad doing that during conference, also he's still late for leaving for the airport i see. Anywho conference is over now and we didn't get to watch any of it...because that's what this saturday and sunday are for and they show it at stake centers also they make the times all weird and there is only a 1 hour break in between sessions, but whatever, so i'm looking forward to that this week.
So on friday (good friday) we were having our district meeting in the chapel and we were the only ones there and then this african lady came walking in asking if we have church today, looking for a good friday service. We said no but invited her to come on sunday and she said yeah and we asked if we could come teach her and she said yeah and so we got her address and then the next day we went over and taught her and her husband a lesson and then on sunday she came to church. They're both pretty keen and its too bad i'm leaving, but i guess thats the life of a missionary.
I added some photos not many though and they are just from saying goodbye to adam and ana last night. they are still awesome and i'm gonna miss them. they really want to come to the U.S. sometime and go on vacation there. Ana is just like amazed with american stuff and mostly because she watches all these tv shows there like the one about the family with little people for parents (don't want to be offending anyone)john and kate plus 8 and the hills and i'm like my sister/s watch all of those. Also they are big fans of Lost. But they are thinking about going to hawaii in May next year and going through the temple and doing touristy stuff there and maybe yous could catch up with them so just keep that in mind.
well sorry this letter seemed to be all over the place but I still have to pack a little bit and can't really think so still have to do that after this and then its off to transfer meeting. i'll be sure to let you guys know where i went next week and i love you all and take care.
Elder Salakielu
p.s. i will see what i can do about pineapple lumps, they usually only sell them in a store called the kiwi shop since they are from new zealand and i've only seemed them once elsewhere, but i'll remember that. hows my usb memory drive/stick thing coming along, did you find it yet? cause no ones really gotten back to me yet and i don't really care if you can't find it just let me know so i can stop bugging you about it...sweet, love you, bye.
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