Manoa's Baptism!!! Bazil Rawiri was 

the man to baptize her, it was great

Transfers were here, and we have our news. But so for this week not really much has happened besides the few REALLY big things. Manoa's baptism happened on Saturday and was really great and spiritual, and there were a few tears shed there, and yesterday at church she was confirmed. With the help of her uncle Bazil and Michael there, she will definitely make an awesome member of the church. She already has such a great testimony of the church and is so grateful for her new knowledge of Jesus Christ and the prophet Joseph Smith and Thomas S. Monson. The ward has been such a huge help in this endeavor. After she was baptized her and her 11 year old cousin Ava went up to sing a primary church song about Jesus Christ, but the spirit was really strong and that, mixed with a bit of stage fright, left them in tears and unable to sing because they were crying too hard. Ava gave a talk earlier and did well, so I know that it wasn't stage fright that caused that to happen, The sprit was very strong in that instance, and it was one of the most spiritual baptisms I've been blessed to take a part in. I love this gospel.

Ian doesn't seem to be progressing at all and is sitting in still water when it comes to spiritual progression, especially since his ex has moved back in with him and is refusing to leave, and she completely sucks him dry of all his resources, even though he barely has enough to scrape by. When it comes to his community service he just flat out doesn't go because he "slept in" or just bluntly tells us "I didn't want to go today" (he's just been sitting around his flat day in and day out just listening to music and watching TV). Heavenly Father has given all of us our agency to use correctly or incorrectly towards progression, and I know that he has the right goal in mind, but his path to get there has been very hazed as of lately.

Thursday I again went to the eye doctor, and he said that everything is looking fine again, it's just really weird that it would flare up again all of a sudden after two months, but that I need to see him again in six weeks or so. I haven't worn contact lenses in the past two or three weeks, but I still hate wearing glasses and plan on going back to contact lenses when I get the okay, it's just that I need to take better care of them from here on out.

So as for transfer news: Holt is staying, and I'm leaving. I was really hoping that I

Our awesome mid-air high five

would be able to stay in this blessed area of Moe for one more transfer, especially with such a gun companion as Elder Holt, but it really does seem like the great companionships never really last long around here. Worsencroft, Vaiouga, Holt, ALL of them were only one transfer. That gets REALLY frustrating sometimes that that happens, but hey, it's up to what the Lord wants me to learn, not what I want. My new area is in some place called Eltham or something like that in Heidelberg Zone, which is from what I've been told is really close to Melbourne, so I'm no longer a bush ranger missionary and am headed very close to the city. My new companion is Elder Chen or Ching or Ping or something like that, I couldn't really hear over the phone, but the last name is definitely Chinese, and if he is Chinese then he's most likely a hard working missionary, because rarely do you find lazy Chinese missionaries. I thought I would be all "boohoo" for leaving here and shed a few tears or so, but nah! I mean, I am gutted to leave this area and ward especially since it's been so great to me, but I just look at is as "This is part of the mission to have your heart ripped out multiple times over and over again", so I've just gotten really used to it at this point. And plus, I've always wanted to serve close to the city, so this'll be a really different experience for me. Wish me luck!

Doing de Zoosh face w/the Winfields (Don't mind my shoes)

I'm so grateful to have served here in Moe. It has been so amazing to have fallen in love with this area, and especially with this ward. I plan fully on returning, but then again, ALL missionaries say that and rarely does it happen, especially when it's an overseas mission. And plus, we lose President Maxwell in a month. It's been really great knowing him, and I'm sad to see him leave, but I am also excited to see what President Peter Vidmar has in store for this mission. From what I've heard he should be able and willing to purge this mission of a LOT of disobedience, and for that I sure am hopeful for. I love you all, and as always, God be with you till we meet again.

-Elder Landon Cook

Ponderize: Mosiah 4: 16-21

pictures of lunch at Bazil Rawiri's place after the baptism

pictures of lunch at Bazil Rawiri's place after the baptism

pictures of lunch at Bazil Rawiri's place after the baptism

pictures of lunch at Bazil Rawiri's place after the baptism

Effective study times with Elder Holt

With David, Dianne, and Tamzyn Smith

Me and Callan and Catherine Brooks

With the Gilbert family, who is moving out of the ward
overseas themselves in about two or three weeks time

With the Perry's

With the Pollards and Adrianna

Someone had this actually sitting in their front yard :)