No, I can't hug!

Talofa Lava!

'Ou te fa'afetai atu mo lenei avanoa e tusi nei tusi. E iai se vaiaso lelei i'inei!

It has been a great week! Honestly, I can already feel that I am going to enjoy this transfer thoroughly (the right way!).

Last P-day, I mentioned I was going to be up in Sydney. I stayed in Mortdale zone, and after emails and whatnot, because heaps of the trainers were staying in Mortdale, we had a massive touch rugby game, like 9-on-9 which was awesome! So much fun. Most of em were Americans, so this particular Fijian Elder (Tuitubou) and I took advantage of that by using some plays designed to beat a disorganized team. Haha that was so fun!

Make sure to stay busy, but don't be busy doing nothing

That evening, like last time, we had a trainers dinner/meeting at the mission home, which was really good! It was cool to catch up with Pres and Sis Back, as well as some other missionaries in the mission. Some of the things that I learned from the meeting were to make sure to stay busy, but don't be busy doing nothing. Or in other words, be effective. Also, to help my new companion, think back to how I felt as a new and inexperienced missionary, and go from there. That evening, Pres pulled me aside and asked me and Elder Janes to assist with picking up missionaries from the airport, which was a rare opportunity that I have never heard of happening before (where trainers are asked to assist). Normally, it's just Pres and Sis Back, and the AP's that go. And he chose us over 20+ other trainers! What a privilege! It was fun to see all of the greenies come down the aisle, and to be able to greet them as basically the first person they meet in Australia. And to get to drive the mission van around again, like the good 'ol Bankstown days was awesome!

Meet Elder Hayward

I got to meet Elder Cocker's cousin (well, "kiwi cousin", meaning really good mate), an Elder Harvey from Auckland. He is the man! He was one of the brand new missionaries that I got to meet. There were quite a few Americans. I also got to talk with a Samoan guy fresh from Samoa. It was hilarious because we were conversing in Samoan basically the whole time, and every time I would say something he would just crack up laughing, because he thought it was the funniest thing hearing me speak coherent sentences! hahahahaha

So, I got my new companion. He. Is. Awesome!! Straight from the MTC, his name is Elder Hayward! He is serving from Sandy, Utah (like 3 min. down the road from the Back's). He is tall, same height as me, played basketball for his high school, and is such a good guy! He is such a well-prepared missionary! Honestly, one of the most well prepared new missionaries I have met! Elder Hayward paid the price before the mission by studying and learning the gospel, and as a result of his preparation he will be a great leader in the future. He teaches powerfully. His confidence in teaching and his reliance on the Lord are very impressive for one so young in the mission. He is a great companion, easy to get along with, always good for a laugh, and overall just a great guy!

No, I can't hug!

Okay, so some laughing moments. M_ (investigator) and I managed to convince Elder Hayward that there are vicious drop-bears that attack you without warning, so you have to watch out when you walk under eucalyptus trees. Another funny moment was hearing people comment on how american my comp sounds. It's pretty funny.

The third funny was when we were teaching our Filipina investigator H_. As you know, she is like a 60 year old woman, so kind to us, so the first full day in the field, Elder Hayward and I went to teach her. We had a great lesson, teaching about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She accepted the invitation to come to church, said she will continue to think about baptism. She made us some nice Filipino food, some sort of stir fry stuff, and also baked us muffins! As we stood up to leave, H_ (who clearly forgot we don't hug) approached Elder Hayward with arms spread wide, just waiting for a hug, she approached and was probably about one foot away from E. Hayward before he realized what was going on and freaaaaaaaaked out, jumping up, and his arms flew towards his face to brace himself as he blurted out quickly "No, I can't hug!" Hahahahahhaha I couldn't burst out laughing because we were in her home, but I had a good laugh in the car!! Hahaha!

A baptismal date

Favorite teaching moment was with V_. We just had a simple lesson where we introduced lds.org to him. He has been coming to church regularly now, so we decided to set a baptismal date once again with him. He is so ready! He has been taught everything necessary to be prepared for baptism. He accepted the 12th of September as a baptismal date and asked if I could baptize him! How neat! That will be really cool! The ward is happy for his baptism, and after it was announced, many members took initiative to congratulate him and help him feel welcome. How exciting! I think it is really neat to see the difference between when I first began to teach him and now. Before he would struggle to commit to attending church, but as we encouraged him continually, taught the doctrine, and enlisted the help of the members of the ward, he has committed to live that particular commandment and to endure to the end after his baptism!! Woohoo!

Big news with M_

Big news with M_ (investigator); he is moving to Campbelltown in 4 weeks. He feels that he has been guided to this particular path, and has decided that he wants to be baptized in the ward he will move to. I think that will be good for him, because that way the ward will know for certain that he is a new member, and will be involved in helping him continue to grow in the gospel. It is a bit sad that I won't be able to see his baptism, but we agree that that is probably what is best under the given circumstances.

Zone leader confusion

The weirdest thing that happened this week is that I may be a zone leader? But I don't know. There is a story behind the confusion. So, Elder Canizales (one of our zone leaders) was called midweek to be an assistant, so they did a few emergency transfers for that. Okay great. That's fine and dandy. We all assumed that his replacement was going to be a zone leader as well. But apparently not. The one person that talked to pres (Canizales' last comp) lied about being the zone leader as a joke, took numbers and everything, then told Elder Janes that he lied, and laughed about it. So Elder Janes called the AP's, and because he apparently thought that I was in on this joke, and that I was called by Pres Back, they had a conversation and it was somehow brought up that I was a zone leader, which the AP's didn't deny? Ahhh..... We are all confused. Not that it matters that much, but I just want to know whether I should prepare a training for this week or not. I'll let you know next week, at any rate!

Okay, anyways! I gotta go now! I love you all so much!

Alofa atu!
Elder Loseni

PS Here is me and my new comp!

Elders Hayward and Larsen