******* LANDON J. COOK ******* Melbourne, Australia Mission April 2015

Well first off, let's start by talking about what we did last P-Day! The Winfields took us to the Queen Victoria Markets which was amazing, and with so many cool things there and heaps of awesome

Spending an amazing day in Melbourne with the Winfields ♥

souvenirs to get my little American heart went haywire like a kid in a candy shop. Had an awesome day with them. but I'll just skim by it, along with a few other things throughout the week, because I really want to have enough time to write about the spiritual experiences we've had throughout the week, so I'll just skim by everything else. But yes, we had an amazing time with them that Tuesday, and we were more than happy that we were able to get that permission from President Maxwell to go with them.

Wednesday nothing really much happened because after our studies we had to drive two hours towards Melbourne because Elder Holt is still having problems with his back and we went to go see Santos Martinez, who is the physiotherapist for the Melbourne Storm rugby team, who also happens to be a member. Driving back was ridiculous and basically knocked out the rest of our day because traffic was horrible and it was rainy: took us almost four hours to get home. UGH!!!! We also saw Ozzi and Rawry, and they haven't been to church in the past month or so, including this week, and that's basically because their dad is being very difficult and is practically encouraging the both of them not to go to church. It's really frustrating, but there's not much we can do about it. We try to encourage the ward members to help out, but considering most of them live half an hour away and a majority of the ones here in Moe don't really see the need to help it's a bit of a burden. But hey, we've done our part to the max, and

Wiped out after the day of driving for ages

hopefully things will turn around in the future!

Thursday, again, we had to spend outside of our area, and that's because I had to again go to the eye doctor because my right eye is acting up again and was really sensitive towards light. The doctor said it's weird since it's been about two months, but for now I'm basically completely off contact lenses until further notice. I have another appointment with him this Friday, so yeah, it kinda sucks, especially since the new eye drops I have to use feel like hand sanitizer in my eye, but it gets rid of the light sensitivity!

Friday we had our exchanges, and Elder Johnson and I went together. When we went to go visit some less active members. There was this one family, the Donoghues, that are really nice, but this time was really different because as soon as Sister Donoghue saw us she let us in and we just made casual talk with them for a bit. They had recently gone to Costco a few days prior, and they gave Johnson and I each a can of sweet American nectar that they call A&W Root Beer. Aw, it was great! And plus, they even gave us four to take home as well!! Aw yiss!!! But what was strange was how open they were to having us inside, so hopefully we'll be able to make some leeway with them in the future. Johnson and I went to go see Ian as well with our ward mission leader Bazil Rawiri. So Ian has really been digressing in spiritual sensitivity, so that night was a bit about him and was in the sense of a spiritual intervention. At first he said he forgot to cancel with us for a different night because his footie team was on, but I wasn't in any mood to turn around so he could watch TV. We basically ignored his comment entirely and went to the table to talk with him. As we talked at first Ian kept his full attention on the TV and faced towards it, but calmly I asked if he could turn the TV off, and after a bit of hesitation he reluctantly did so. He turned off the TV himself, which was a step in the right direction in realizing this was more important that whatever was on, even if his team WAS playing. Carefully and spiritually Johnson and I analyzed the situation, and I recounted to Ian the allegory of the olive tree in Jacob 5, and to my surprise Ian could recount the story, from the Lord and the servants of the vineyard, they good and bad branches, and the calling forth of more servants, but he admitted that he didn't know what any of it really meant. Since that chapter has been the huge portion of my studies over the past weeks, and that I had finished it the morning of, I told him the servants represent members of the church, especially us as missionaries, and that the world was the vineyard, specifically in this instant, HE was. I told Ian that in recent times, Holt and I have worked diligently for his sake and progression to bear fruit, but in recent times his branches have become wild and fruit bitter, leaving Holt and I to wonder "What could I have done more for my vineyard?". The answer was simple: nothing. Bluntly, yet full of the spirit I told Ian it was his own pride that he was no longer producing fruit. Looking straight into his eyes I told him that we honestly considered dropping him, and that really shook him up yet got the message across. There was a wonderful spirit in the room when I related to him that each choice has one of two outcomes: moving closer to God for further away from him. The message was received, and Bazil bore a strong testimony of his personal love for the Savior and how if Ian does the right thing he can come over this trail. Ian got the message loud and clear: he needs to use his own agency for good, whether he's motivated to or not, and we can't do that for him. He was amazed at his new understanding of that chapter and how it really applied to him, because when he first read that chapter months ago it made no sense to him, but now it was everything to him! There was a strong feeling of love in the room that night, and we all exchanged hugs and left, leaving Ian with a recognition for a love of the scriptures and motivation to keep pressing forward. The spirit was SO strong in that moment, and it's reasons like that that I love my mission.

Saturday was the dreaded 11-hour challenge: no lunch breaks, no dinner breaks, no teaching appointments, nothing. Just. Straight. Tracting. It was one heck of a challenge, especially during the night when absolutely no one wants to see you, but we were determined to do it. Tracting during the night is definitely the best way to find the Lords elect and prepared. Sure everyone who isn't prepared is mad to see you, but that doesn't matter, because EVERYONE is home during the night hours, and if they are prepared, then they will let you in and it will all be worth it. We got about half a dozen new contacts, but even with 11 hours of straight tracting we were really hopefully to get heaps more, but I guess that's alright because we worked through it at all. Ask any other missionary of their opinion of tracting literally all day long with no breaks and their faces will go pale, but we did it, and even though our feet were severely sore we got it all done. It was awesome!!!

Melbourne with Elder Holt and Winfields

Yesterday was great too, because church was fantastic. Julie, Ian, and Manoa all came, and Julie really seemed to like church. Manoa is going to get baptized this Saturday for sure unless something drastic happens (again), but that's what I said last time, so this time I'm making sure to keep my guards up for disappointment. Hopefully not though. After church we had our Soup Sunday, which is always nice for getting together with the ward in fellowship. After that we went to go teach a few less active families then headed out to Warragul to do some work there, and we taught a few other less active families and part member families out there.

So, Sunday night tho. We taught Julie again, and long story short the spirit was overwhelmingly powerful, and we basically recounted to her that she had HAD her spiritual experience about the church, and it was undeniable (referring to the first time we met and taught with her with Casil), and that with that witness she must ACT and not postpone!!! The spirit was so strong, and somehow I was able to liken her special witness to the gospel to the story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, how she has received her golden ticket (spiritual witness), and that in order to make it to the end of the tour and not carelessly fall off after each room (be baptized) she must follow the tour guide (us as missionaries) through the factory (doctrine of the church) in order to make it. It was spiritually powerful, and although she understood it she still hasn't grasped the IMPORTANCE of it, especially in keeping commitments, because she dedicated her time 100% to her children, hand and foot. I know she loves her children, but the best way for her to parent them is to lead by example, but again, it will come with time.

It has been a FANTASTIC week, and sadly this week will most likely be my last week in this blessed area and ward, as next week Sunday night is transfer news. I pray I stay to finish my training with Holt, but at the same time it doesn't look likely. Hopefully though. Love you all, and as always, God be with you till we meet again.

-Elder Landon Cook

Ponderize: Jacob 5: 70-72