Just preparing the morning shower

So, this week has been an interesting one definitely. I got transferred out to Eltham in Heidelberg which was fun, but this week has been a real challenge for me. Traveling on the train with two heavy as suitcases, a large bag with my bedding, and a heavy carry on was fun, and walking from the train station to the chapel 10 minutes away really stinks. Our car here is pretty junky too, like the stereo is dodgy-as and stops playing every time we hit a bump which also stinks, and also one of the doors doesn't lock. And plus, we haven't had hot water in our flatt for the past four days, so to take a hot "shower" we heat up water on the stove and sponge bath it. It's not something I've had to do on my mission before, but I think we might call the Mission office to see if they can do anything about it. It's fun.

Not too happy to leave Moe and Elder Holt

Elder Ching is really an awesome missionary, and he's from Hong Kong China and has only been out about six months but is a really hard worker. He fumbles with his English a little bit every now and again, but he is SUPER humble about it all and is really glad that I have him as a companion to help him out. Getting to the flatt and unpacking my bags left me really depressed about leaving Moe and all the awesome members and such a great companionship. I really had a hard time coping the past few days because it felt like I was leaving family, an amazing companionship, and such an awesome ward. It took me a few days to get back up on my feet from the complete shock from such a big change, but I've learned to cope with it and am doing well again.

The work here is a bit different because here is one of those areas where you stand out at the busy street section and try to talk to people. I've never done that in a realistic sense in my mission life and neither has Ching, so we just kinda stand there looking like a bunch of dorks trying to talk to people and have a conversation. Many Elders are great at it and have found HEAPS of people doing it, but for the next few weeks it's just going to be Elder Ching and I stepping WAY out of our comfort zones doing something we have never done before. I'm sure, like with tracting, I'll get good at it with practice, but we really have no idea what we're doing haha.

 MAH WINFIELD CARE PACKAGE!!! 

(I think Elder Ching might be a little envious, 

but he's super happy for the love that I get. 

Don't worry, I share it all with him)

Elder Ching has had a LOT of tough companions to work with in the past, so right now it really feels like him and I are doubling in the area because we don't have any investigators nor do we really know the part member families or less active members to work on. Yeah, it really feels like when I had to double into Moe with Elder Vaiouga. Oh boy. Well, we'll just have to work on that here as well!! Not much to talk about this week, but we are really trying to stress having member lessons to see if they know anybody who wants to learn about the church, because let's face it, missionaries finding through their own means is close to useless. Granted, it does lead people to baptisms, but out of the over 300 people who were baptized as converts last year, less than 10% of them were from tracting and other methods of missionary finding. Yesterday was pretty cool though because I got to see the Perry family from Moe for a baby blessing that happened this Sunday, and they gave me a massive package from the Winfields which was awesome, full of stuff to make me fatboy slim all over again (it's an inside joke with them, you wouldn't get it).

Not too sure what fun P-Day activities there are over here, but there is this MASSIVE shopping center that really reminds me of the Meadows Mall back in Vegas, so I think today we might go and check that out

A picture of me next to a really big and red tree.. just because

And also something I might mention: I've decided that since I'm in a new area with a new companionship and no one knows me, I've decided to start working hard on my Australian accent. Austin, you ask me HEAPS if I've gotten one yet, so next time we Skype, you'll definitely hear it. It isn't really my accent JUST yet, and I have to concentrate and fake it hard out, but the term "fake it till ya make it" comes into play. But hey, I've been able to fool quite a few people in the ward, some asking me "So what part of Australia are you from?". Teeheehee. Of course, some people can see that I've still got my Yankee accent, some think I'm British or from Europe, and then some hear a mosh-posh of everything and can't tell where the heck I'm from. It's really entertaining to say the least. But that's it from Elder Cook's side of the show, and I've got a really interesting transfer ahead of me. Lots to do, lots to clean up around here, but I'm sure that's why President Maxwell has sent me hear. Even though I was torn to leave Moe, I can now appreciate that Heavenly Father needs me here for some purpose that I don't know: and I accept. Love you all so much, have fun and work hard in whatever you're doing, and as always, God be with you till we meet again.

-Elder Landon Cook

Ponderize: Alma 41:11

PACKAGE FROM THE FAMILY!!!!

Mother..Father.. YES!!! AMERICAN Q-TIPS!!!!

(Australian ones are trash)