Melbourne Zoo Time with the District

What the heck, this week went by so quickly. Like seriously what the heck, it seems like just yesterday I was sitting here emailing you. When my dad said the last year of the mission goes by faster than "lightning on grease" he definitely wasn't lying. But this week although it has been fast-as it has been busy. But this week has been fast and raining ALL THE TOIME!!! So yeah, last Monday we went to the Melbourne Zoo which was pretty cool and I took about 200 photos and videos. Don't expect to be getting them all. But it was tons of fun, and there were a lot of animals. For some reason they have a lot of posters telling you to recycle your toilet paper, and they have like all these poop-themed jokes everywhere. I dunno, Aussies man.

Not certain why the facination

Australian Red Panda

Tuesday we had District Meeting and exchanges, and I went with Elder Swenson. There are two Swenson's in this district which makes things confusing, but I went with the one that's NOT the Zone Leader and one I knew in Moe. That was pretty fun, and we went to the Coomber family for dinner. They challenge ALL new coming missionaries to this food challenge, which is basically these two MASSIVE pancakes with about a gallon of ice cream and three cups of chocolate topping and a packet of chocolate chips. I wasn't an idiot in trying to actually finish it all, so I only ate about 1/4 of it. WAY too much sugar in one sitting, but it was a fun experience. They have seven kids under the age of 16, five of which are autistic, so whatever the missionaries DON'T finish the kids attack it like flies on... yeah, it's sufficient to say they went ham on it when I was done.

Death by Chocolate Pancakes

Nah nah they've got it all wrong: it's supposed to be

the best two YEARS of your life, not the best two 

HOURS of your life. If they're gonna mock us,

 they better do it right"

Friday we went on exchanges as well, and I went with Elder Chen in Glenroy. He's been out for about 7 months and is from mainland China, but moved to America a few years ago to get a degree in financing. He said he always thought religion was dumb and that there was no God, but after meeting the missionaries and reading the restoration pamphlet he knew he had to be baptized and go on a mission. JUST THE PAMPHLET!!! And here he is, the diligent missionary man, serving a mission. The church is true. Since Glenroy is a city area there was lots of traffic and stuff, and it always surprises me on how many of those billboards for that "The Book of Mormon" musical I see. I would expect people to see us and think we were celebrities, but nah, they still hate us like usual. Dang it. But it was a good exchange, and I love being District Leader because I get to do these exchanges all the time. We had dinner at a member family that makes and sells kangaroo pelt scripture cases, so I obviously had to order one. I've heard of missionaries paying like $160.00 for one, but even though it cost a pretty penny of $80.00 it was worth it. Come on, how could I serve in Australia and NOT get one???

I want to talk about a miracle that happened on Saturday though. So we were down in Kilmore, the land of milk and honey about 40 k's away from Seymour, and we went to go visit Kris and her family. Sadly she never answered the door and I think she gave us a dodgy number, so that was pretty sad. BUT we decided that since we’re already there we would go tracting. We prayed on where we should go and went to a street that Cuenca decided. Literally in driving to that street we passed by another street, and when I saw the sign to it I just had the impression "We need to tract there today". After tracting that first street we went and tracted the street I felt impressed that we should. So we tracted that street for a while and met this lady in her 20's. SUPER nice to us and has two young sons with FLAME red hair. We ended up talking for about half an hour about God and she told us that she's always believed in God but really wants to know more. Long story short she is really keen, and I even asked her "If we come back, will you listen to what we know about God?" And she said that she would and that it'll really help her in her life. Sweet-as miracle led by the spirit!!! So awesome

Tiger at Melbourne Zoo

I say this every week and I know that it seems like every week is just a buildup to another letdown, but this is gonna be another really good week. It always is. And it'll go fast too! Lots of things have to be done here, like getting the branch to do their home and visiting teaching again (which hasn't been done in MONTHS and has never been instigated, but now the branch is really wanting it after we talked to a few of the members). I love this work and I love my mission and I love this gospel. I'm just glad that I keep a journal though, because holy heck there is not enough time to talk about it all during emails. I'll let y'alls read my journals when I come back, and MAN do I have some gnarly tales that none of you have heard about yet! I love you all, stay safe and stay faithful, and as always, God be with you till we meet again.

-Elder Landon Cook

Ponderize: Alma 29: 16-17

Cute Red Panda

dang platypus swam at about 100 mph. So hard to photograph

Don't ask me why?

Croc

Elder Jenson wrestling this poor animal

Me and this cute Giraffe

Cook looking turtles at the Melbourne Zoo

only finished 1/4 of this heart attack

going ham on it after I left and let them have it

eggs were on sale for some reason. We ate them all and they tasted fine

G'day mates hah ya gan'? Ye faire dinkum kabbah heaps-as grouse as mate. First of all, a small thank you and remembrance for the families who were affected during the bombing of 9/11. Here it's pretty crazy when it comes to the Isis threats, but it's nothing to take into serious consideration because they're just trying to stir people up into a fearful frenzy. But this week was pretty dang sweet, but not too much out of the ordinary has happened though. Last week for P-Day we went to this Vietnam war memorial thing that was cool and we took some pictures there, and we went to some nature walk to. We've also been able to pick up a few former investigators that have been taught ages ago, but they definitely fit the description in 2 Nephi 29, but we'll keep working with them. We did some work in this suburb in our area called Kilmore, and that's apparently where all the work is everyone says. While we were there we were threatened a couple of times, and after I said to the guy "Have a nice day!" in literally the nicest way possible (because everyone deserves a good day and to be happy) he opens the door and says "Wanna be a smart-ash? I smash your firetruck head with a baseball bat!!! Firetruck off!!" Oh well, people like that seriously don't even bug me anymore because I know they're just full of bluffs: they won't REALLY kill me, just threaten to because they've got nothing better to do with their lives.

But while down there (and Kilmore is about 20 miles south of Seymour) we prayed where Heavenly Father wanted us to tract before we even started tracting so that way we can be tools in his hand as to where he wants us to be. We then took out the map and chose a street to tract, and when we chose the street we decided that we'd start on the hidden butt end of the street. There were a few people who were rude to us, and some lady yelled at us saying that nobody on this street would EVER be interested in our religion before slamming the door. I've never had a stronger "water off a ducks back" moment in my life. LITERALLY the next house we tracted into, so this lady's neighbor, was super nice to us and we talked to her for like half an hour, and even though she's not religious she was really keen for us to teach her and her three daughters about eternal families. She invited us inside but because she's divorced and there's no man in the home we wouldn't go in, so we said that we could come back later next week (which would be this upcoming Saturday) and we could bring a few members of the church with us to meet so there'd be a male in the home. She said that'd be great because she homeschools her daughters and doesn't really know a lot of people in Kilmore and would want to get some local friends, so we plan on seeing her this Saturday. FEETCHING MIRACLES!!!!

But the missionaries in this branch in the past have been less than exemplary because they broke rules A LOT, especially when it comes to going in the home without a member of the same gender in the home, so the branch kinda looks at us like "Wow, look at these stuck-up rule keeping missionaries." It's pretty frustrating, especially since those disobedient missionaries baptized quite a few people while they were here, and in the branch's mind that confirms to them "Yay for dodgy!" But I don't care and neither does Cuenca: we're going to keep working our hardest here in the branch whether they're on our side or not. I'd prefer that they helped us, but if not then that's their problem because I have no problem with members turning a few cold shoulders for us doing what we should be doing. Can't help but love them though. The work will continue, and I can tell you this that the reception of people here is WAY better than that in Eltham, so that makes me happy.

As for this week we've got about five bajillion things going on: District Meeting, DLC (a type of missionary meeting for Zone and District Leaders), and I've got to go on TWO exchanges with different companionships. So as for the work in Seymour, it might slow down a bit because we'll be out of the area quite a lot, and it'll probably be that way for the rest of the transfer because we're so busy, but that's okay because that's what makes the time on the mission so fast and enjoyable. Love you all, and as always, God be with you till we meet again.

-Elder Landon Cook

Ponderize: Alma 29:4

So for this week's email I only want to talk a little about what I actually did, and spend more time on what I learned.

So this week was pretty good, and it's fun being DL over a full sized District instead of just another area. I get to go on exchanges every week with missionaries and that's pretty great. ALL of the Elders in the District are top notch and obedient, so that means I don't have to deal with any problem children anymore which is pretty sweet biscuits. We spent most of last P-Day just cleaning the flatt because the missionary before me was pretty nastay, but all good because Cuenca's a clean missionary. Throughout the week not much has happened, but there are a few people we are going to start working with throughout this week. And I think this week we'll have a LOT of service going on: with members and non-members.

Elder Wheeler's and mine's exchange (made some gnarly

burgers for dinner, I did. God bless America).

Friday/Saturday I went on exchanges with Elder Wheeler, the Zone Leader who's in our District. We
 had a good exchange but I don't think he likes me very much. Oh well, not a big deal since our other ZL is Elder Swenson whom I knew back in Moe.

So as far as what I learned, and it only took  500 days to learn it (I literally had this revelatory study on day 500 on my mission). So I was reading in Alma 24, and the study of the life changing conversion of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies has been the core of my study for the past week, and I tell you what it has been amazing to study everything that they gave up in order to not only accept the gospel into their lives but to become stronger followers of Christ and avoid sin at all cost. But as I studied I pondered the kind of person that my mission has molded me into, and even though my awesome personality is still the same, there has been a lot of dirt and grit refined out of me through a stronger application of the gospel, and for the past 16 months I've been loving it. I thought about the kind of person I was back home, wondering what I would do to keep this kind of spiritual strength that I've had on my mission and continuously build upon it. Because there are many missionaries who go out in the field, work valiantly, change themselves entirely, and then return home and are quickly swept back into old habits, I want to avoid that trend. I don't want that to happen to me because I love who I've become. I wondered on not only the person I was back home in whom I will avoid entirely, but WHY I was that person and exactly WHAT was it that caused me to behave in such a way.

I kid you not and exaggerate nothing when I say that the windows of heaven were opened to me and the Lord revealed to me the answer. And to my parents who read this I am sure that this revelation, almost a vision, has been an answer to many of your prayers. But let me get back to what I studied. These Anti-Nephi-Lehite converts buried their weapons of war. Why? They USED to be a kind of people amongst the Lamanites who desired in bloodshed, then left that group to pursue the Gospel. When the Lamanites, who were only once their brothers and friends, took up arms against them and they were going to go to war, the Anti-Nephi-Lehies went and buried their weapons of war to prevent them from shedding further blood. They would not even come close to RISKING killing lest they again find desire and joy in bloodshed. Would defending themselves against the wicked be considered wrong? Of course not: the Nephites did it all the time and the Lord blessed them! But they buried their weapons of war so they could accept physical death, but retain for themselves eternal life in the life to come. They knew fully of the Plan of Salvation, and would not risk coming close to spoiling their chances of the atonement, especially since they've already been forgiven one of all their murders.

So where am I going with this? I'll explain my own personal weapons of war which caused me to desire in my own spiritual bloodshed that I NEED to get rid of. Like the Anti-Nephi-Lehies my weapons are not necessarily bad when used correctly and with control, but they didn't want to risk going back to old ways. And neither do I. It was literally revealed to me that my own weapons of spiritual death back home are electronic games, computer games, and some TV shows. Those are weapons of spiritual warfare that are not all necessarily bad, but I know that if I were to pick them up again after my mission, I will undoubtedly revert back to old ways and old habits of unchristlike characteristics that I have recently come to hate. I can't risk that. I just have to get rid of them. They didn't put their weapons of war on the shelf for a "just in case" moment, but they got rid of them to an extent that even if they DID want to use them, they wouldn't be able to, so instead of just keeping them in my closet for a "just in case" moment, I'm going to sell them when I get home.

I've learned that I must get rid of those video games once and for all and never pick them up again. Ever. The risk to lose everything that the mission has made me to become is too great. I want to secure for myself a happy and successful marriage, more time for scripture and secular study, skills and talents, time for a developing family, and all around success in all that I do. Video games, even in a small proportion, will strongly prohibit me from those things. I can't risk it, and I won't. The eternities are so much of a greater reward.

Elder Cuenca and I have a car, AND bikes!

Nothing in the world did I think could separate me from video and electronic games. I loved them back home and always looked forward to getting reacquainted with them again, but recently, like the Anti-Nephi-Lehies, I've found something that's much greater. I don't want to sound all "Born-Again Christian", but dang what that chapter of the Book of Mormon, literally that one chapter, has completely changed the direction of my life. I love this Gospel so much. Love you all, and as always, God be with you till we meet again.

-Elder Landon Cook

Ponderize: Alma 24: 16-17

PS: Mom and dad, don't get too happy with my email and sell all my stuff underneath my nose, because in order for this to work entirely I need to sell my stuff myself when I get home. The Anti-Nephi-Lehies didn't have someone else bury their weapons: they did it themselves.

Elder Cuenca and I

Not certain what Elder Cuenca is doing with the lamp Shade

Pictures taken from a video I took of Cuenca and Wheeler wrestling.

They REALLY like to wrestle WWE style whenever they get together and I'm not sure why.

It's pretty funny though because they barely even hit each other 

but the recoil reaction is priceless, hence the (WWE style)

Completely smashed my right toe doing in a game 

of soccer with Elder Wheeler and Elder Swenson. 

I don't think it's broken, but underneath the toenail is

pretty close to black