Sunday, April 10, 2011

"I want to travel the world someday but I need to start on my own country. "

Hello from Adelaide!

We had a good week. We found the most total new investigators this week than any other since I have been in Paralowie Ward. There are also a handful of good potential investigators still awaiting further follow up. Overall on the mission I haven’t been great with taking photos but I have gotten better than the beginning of my mission. We taught a pretty good amount of lessons this week, above average of what we have done so far in this area. The area has greatly improved since Elder Latu and I got flushed into the area together. But there still haven’t been any baptisms yet, not yet. One investigator we found but moved recently to a different ward is going to be baptized in a couple of weeks. We caught up with that investigator on Saturday so that was cool.



I watched conference this weekend. I missed the Saturday afternoon session but I heard the prophet speak so that is most important. We had a district companionship study briefly in-between one of the sessions. We shared what stood out to us and what we learned. I have been out on my mission the longest in the zone. They were joking with me about getting married. Everything goes round circle; I did the same to older missionaries in their last stretch of their mission. The talk of marriage also stood out to me while I was listening to conference, the speakers did mention it a couple of times didn’t they. I will marry when I am ready to be married. Rushing into anything is not wise. There is a balance to everything.

On my flight plan home I should of just told the office to fly me to South Dakota and then to Indiana and then make my way to Arizona. I probably wouldn’t be able to pull it off. It is pretty dishonest anyways. I told them the best way to get me home. I am excited to visit my siblings out of state. I haven’t been to either of those states I believe. One ice breaker I use when contacting with people is that I let them know I am American, if they couldn’t catch my accent. So many Australians talk about how they visited there and visited here in the states. Many of them have been to places I haven’t even been to!

I want to travel the world someday but I need to start on my own country.

I am excited to hear Fort Collins, Colorado is going to have a temple built there. I wouldn’t mind moving to Fort Collins eventually in my life. I wouldn’t mind living with you mom for while if things don’t work out with Tanner and I. I know some of my friends talked about everyone chipping in to rent a house, the same situation that Dan did when he was in Phoenix. But you know how I do like to save money. I probably have changed on my mission, but not that, I think. I can’t remember if I answered one of your questions about my shoes. But to answer, I am doing fine on shoes. There is a member who owns a clothes shop. And he hooks up missionaries with free shoes. The echoes are long gone; I haven’t even worn the other shoes I brought with me on my mission, still brand new.

It is amazing everyone is coming home this summer, the weeks are flying by. I remember being nervous and not too excited about sacrificing two years of my life. I remember looking back the previous two years and thinking about how much happened in that time span. I wish I still had 6 more months added to my mission. People tell me they are going on holiday and they will be back in August and I think to myself, man I won’t even be here when they get back.

That is exciting Jarom will receive his endowment. I definitely want to attend the temple often in the future. Going to the temple last month which was the first time in a year for me is not enough. There is power in the temple.

Even though you will all be in Phoenix, will I be able to speak in 2nd ward in Yuma? I want to speak to my home ward.

I will send a little box to you. It has some souviners and stuff in it, and a Sd Card. I should of sent this ages ago but i get to busy on P-day. I can't beleive i am almost 21.
I think we will have a district Barbie today.
Going to go now. Love you heaps
-Elder Montgomery

Sunday, April 3, 2011

"I can’t wait to hear from the prophet and hear what he has to say to us."

Hello from Brahma Lodge!

It is good to hear from you mom. Glad to hear the family is doing well. We have Conference Weekend this coming Saturday and Sunday. I can’t wait to hear from the prophet and hear what he has to say to us.

Elder Latu is from Tonga, He is probably related to that Elder who hurt his knee. Everyone on the Pacific Islands is related to each other, they are all “cousins”. What is that Elders name?

We are going to set a baptism date hopefully this week for Til Chen’s son whose name is Tecorum. Til Chen has a baptism date for the end of April.

That sounds pretty wise renting out the house. I am just interested how much you are going to rent it for. I wonder how the market and economy back home are going, actually not so much me but many Australians. The Australian dollar is better than the American as of now. This is good for me when I convert a bit of money back into American.

We had a Zone Conference this week. I got heaps out of it. Some very good training. I like the direction the mission is working towards. We are much more Preach My Gospel and more obedient than the beginning of my mission or from the traditions from the previous Mission Presidents era. President Poulton is an amazing man.

From the people we have contacted this week I am not sure who will progress and who will go on by the way side. We found a family from Liberia, they seem to be the most promising. I reckon Africans from Liberia have the most potential.

We had a Missionary Fireside in Modbury Chapel. I saw some members from my previous areas and old friends. We had a handful of investigators show up to that so that is good.

Today we are going to have a barbie with the Modbury Elders. And then we will play basketball at the chapel. Clean the flat and shop for tucker.

I want some Reeses.

Love you heaps

-Elder Montgomery