The new year is in full swing - we worked two hours on Christmas, full day on Boxing Day, regular day on News Years (that was transfer day), 4 hours on Saturday, (pday) and two hours on Sunday just so we could face Monday. Over half the missionaries were transferred (exactly 250 now) and each missionary has to have a letter of residency letter to be able to get a library card in their area so they can use the computers for their email. Not only are we too tired to write on our blog we don't have anything fun to write.
We do have some amazing missionaries serving here and we did an all time high for baptisms since we have been in the office. One elder that just went home was from Thailand, he had gone to US as an exchange student his senior year in high school (something he had wanted to do for 3 years) when his parents finally gave permission he was sent to an LDS family in American Fork. His family was Buddist but he attended church and was warmly embraced by 20 young men in his Ward. He talked of attending college in the US but returned home at the end of his year with no definite plans. Soon after getting back home to Thailand he called his host family with the decision that he wanted to return and go to BYU. He had also made the decision to be baptised. His parents gave blessing if that made him happy. He also made the decision that he wanted to serve a mission - his parents were not too thrilled about that, they wanted him to stay in school. During the time while he was waiting for their approval, his mother ran into missionaries at the grocery store and was able to see them as good, hardworking young men and so she gave her blessing and approval for him to serve.
He got his call to Brisbane, did not get visa in a timely manner and was able to serve 3 months in Thailand where he was able to teach parents. ( they did not choose to join) but gained an understanding of what he would be doing. After he was baptized a couple from his ward in American Fork were serving here in Brisbane and were teaching a Woman from Thailand and they asked Ekder K. To send a Book of Mormon with his testimony, which he did. Elder K. Was transferred to the city and was at a bus stop one day and ended up talking with a woman from Thailand who said she was a member and that she had received a Book of Mormon with a testimony in it from a Young man from Utah. Those are staggering odds, not only that he would serve in the right area and be at the exact bus stop at the same time to meet this woman.
Elder K finished his mission with a great deal of excitement - he wanted to return to BYU, got his paper work in November, had us keep it in the safe for his return home. About 2 weeks before he was to leave, his mother notified him he did not have a US visa - this required a visit to the embassy in Sydney, he did all the paperwork, scheduled an appointment with embassy, first available was Jan 2, two days after he was to fly home to US, applied for emergency appointment, turned down but said they were doing some appointments December 23, got scheduled , booked flight, made arrangements with Sydney mission President to pick him up and take him to appointment (it took 5 minutes). They promise visa, Monday 30th - his ticket for the 31st. There were two holidays and a weekend during that time. No visa came on Monday, we cannot put him on a plane to US without it. Talked to church travel, could wait until 9 Tuesday morning to cancel ticket - canceled ticket - 9:15 visa arrived by a delivery man, Enoch signs for delivery while I get back on phone to Travel to rebook him - got him back on same flight to LA, different one to SLC, other missionaries had already left for airport, get Elder K on the phone to be on the curb at mission home - Enoch and I jump in car race over and pick him and another elder (who had a later flight to UK) up and drive as fast as possible to airport for 11:30 flight - I ran in with him to make sure bags made weight etc, able to catch up with other Elders at the ticket counter, get back to office to recall family - he will be there after all. And that's just one missionary story! This is what we do! Oh, by the way, the letter we had been keeping safe since early Nivember - it contained all the paperwork and letter saying you need a new US visa! This Elder had been serving in the Ward we attend and had amazing success, he touched many lives, brought many to a knowledge of the truth - it was all worth it!
Everyday has a surprise - about half of the missionaries coming to Brusbane do not get visas on time and have to serve somewhere else temporary at least 1 transfer, of the last 11 that arrived 3 had short visas - that means we have to renew here and that's another story ! Have a great day!
