Week 10

Dearest Family,

Happy Valentines Day in America!! I hope it is a really good day for you & I hope you can feel my love for you today & every day:) Yous mean the world to me! How I got so blessed I will never know.

What a week it was! There were definitely some ups and downs but my heart is so full of gratitude that Heavenly Father has allowed me this opportunity to be serving as a missionary. I LOVE LIFE! On our way back to the flat on Friday night I was thinking back on the day and how happy I was the entire time. Nothing too extraordinary happened but we got to visit with a couple less actives, rake one of the members yards & had dinner with her after. Doesn’t sound like too exciting of a day but my heart was so full. As I was driving down pacific highway with my dear companion I thought to myself, “So this is what it’s like to fall in love with your mission.” I have fallen in love with these people surrounding me. I have fallen in love with Australia itself and cannot believe I get to be in the most beautiful place on earth! I have fallen in love with The Gospel of Jesus Christ. When you fall in love with the gospel you can’t help but fall in love with life & everything that comes with it.

There is a movie that you have to watch! It changed my life. It’s called “Delivered By Hope” (I think it’s at Deseret Book) and I promise you will get a new outlook on life after watching it. Pleeeease watch it! It tells the story of an African woman who finds the gospel and eventually serves a mission. There’s much more to it but you will just have to watch it:) We are having an African Culture night this Saturday and we are so excited! There are so many refugees here and as I have heard their stories my heart has changed in ways I can’t explain. I’m learning about compassion, kindness, acceptance, gratitude, optimism, love… the list goes on, but what I’m really learning about is who the Savior was & what He has done for us. My favorite thing to share with people is the knowledge that there is someone who understands. There is someone who knows what they are going through and there is someone who can take away the pain of feeling alone. He makes everything right.

Some highlights of the week were heart attacking members in the branch. Sister Shelley and I thought we got away with all of them but when we got to church they all thanked us for their hearts. I think heart attacking is an American thing. Also I know I am speaking English but half the time I still need a translator! It is fun learning the Australian word for things though:) Also we got to sing in sacrament yesterday! It was a really fun time & I love this branch. They are some of the most amazing people I know. On Tuesday we were driving to an appointment when we saw a less active member walking in town. We turned around and parked a little further down the road so we could casually bump into him and we had a 5 minute conversation with him. Well later that day he called one of the members and asked if he could get a ride to church because he wants to come back. HE CAME! I have never been so happy. Heavenly Father does put people in our path & He is leading this work. Seeing His hand brings joy like none other.

I hope yous have an amazing week! I love you so much & I am so thankful for you. I love you HEAPS.

Love,
Your Sister Denney