I love my Savior Jesus Christ. He and his teachings have changed my life. But it's not just the teachings that have changed my life, but the application of the teachings. I love you, I love this church, I love my mission and everything that these two years has shaped me to be

Well, um, I guess my mission's pretty much all wrapped up. It doesn't feel as weird as I thought it would, but wow I have to admit that I couldn't restrain ALL the thoughts of coming home and all the things I'm excited to do and see when I get back, but in no way or shape did that restrain me from the work. In fact, like I've said over the past couple of weeks I didn't really have an option to fizzle out of the last week of my mission even if I wanted to: too many responsibilities. BUT it was all worth it, and now that my mission is over I can begin the transition from Missionary to Member. But that won't stop me from sharing the Gospel wherever I go. Seriously, I want to do it when I get home, but of course not to some crazy extent. But anyways, on with my week.

All the attendees at our last family home evening

So Monday we were at Strike with the Gippsland Zone for my last P-Day, and that was a ton of fun. I can talk about it when I get home though. Monday night was awesome too because we had our every-other-week Family Home Evening at the Stake center, and considering we only had five people show up to our last one, look at the amount of people that came this time! Literally all through word of mouth. We had people from other Stakes coming as well, it was awesome!!

We also had the chance to have one of the members, William Lelenoa, take us to a place

Lunch with William Lelenoa. It was soo dang good!

called Hog's Breath Cafe, and it was really good but holy crud! It was $40.00 per person. I could have NEVER taken myself there, so shout out to Will for doing that for us. It was so good! We went on exchanges with the Elders in Springvale and I went with Elder Marshall, the only other American Elder in the Zone. He goes home in three months but is pretty jealous I get to come home to America: we both love the country we're from and really miss it. But hey, just three days! I'm glad that I have a full time job set up for me, and schooling's all taken care of. I've got plans and I'm really grateful for that.

This week has basically just been preparing for impact with the mini-mission this last weekend, which was a GREAT way to end the mission. Seriously, and to think that it almost got cancelled. It was so amazing, but holy moly the planning that had to go into it was absolutely nuts! I've never planned for a wedding before, but I can go ahead and assume that planning for this weekend might've been pretty similar. It was stressful. But the missionaries and the mini-missionaries all had a great time and especially for the youngsters their testimonies in missionary work were strengthened. It was totally worth the stress of planning and constantly getting together with Stake leaders to get it figured out. But because of it I haven't been able to pack, and we haven't even been able to figure out transfers or how to get missionaries from one Zone to another. It's ridiculous, and this P-Day will barely even be a P-Day at all. But as far as transfers even go, obviously I'm dying and a missionary named Elder Wiser will be taking my place. He's awesome, and I'm jealous of Carroll for being able to serve with him because I've always wanted to serve with Elder Wiser. But that was a good choice by President Vidmar because Carroll really respects Wiser as a leader, and so that'll be good for Carroll. But today'll kinda stink because it'll just be planning for transfers (we've had zero time to do that this weekend because of the mini-missionary weekend), packing for ages and figuring out what I do and don't want to bring home, cleaning the flatt because we had six other Elders spend the night with us for three days, and you can only imagine what the mess after that was like, and other things. It's not gonna be fun, but hey, I come home soon and things like this will no longer be on my plate. I'll have bigger fish to fry so to say.

I'm excited for home, I really am. I can't wait to go home and progress in ways that I

One last goodbye to the wonderful Haymes family the Sunday before I leave

couldn't do on my mission. People hear that I'm excited for home and they kinda get a judgmental look on their face like "Ah, he doesn't love his mission". No, that's not the case at all. If you go to an all you can eat restaurant and eat until you're full and satisfied, then you'll have no problem leaving and getting on with the rest of life. Sure the food was great and chances are you'll end up coming back, but when you're full, you're full. The guy who needs to leave but didn't eat all he wanted is the one who doesn't want to leave, and he was the one who didn't use the time for what he had. In other words, I'm full. I absolutely love my mission and am glad for the voluminous records I've kept to keep the memories alive, but I'm ready to move on. Faith points forwards. It always has, and it always will. I love this Gospel so much and this church is great. I love this church and everything that it has to offer, and I love my Savior Jesus Christ. He and his teachings have changed my life. But it's not just the teachings that have changed my life, but the application of the teachings. I love you, I love this church, I love my mission and everything that these two years has shaped me to be, and I will see you all in a few days. And as always, as it ever will be, and for the last time as a full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.....may God be with you till we meet again.

Me and Sister Rach Haymes

-Elder Landon Cook
Ponderize: 2 Timothy 4:7

Headed to Lunch with William Lelenoa

One final goodbye to the amazing Haymes family

Love Sister Haymes fun personality ♥

All the while Brother Haymes keeps a very serious face :)


Sister Marlowe and Sister Ete

Oh yeah, and this morning we had the morningside devotional at Cape Schanck again. It was pretty awesome but because winter is on its way it was pretty cold and windy. We had Sister Marlowe and Sister Ete come back from Maroondah Zone for it because we got permission for it, but it was pretty dang fun. At least we did SOMETHING fun this morning!