And we're back

Hey everyone! I'm very sorry to all you who regularly read my emails and have been asking where my letters have gone - no, not dead, nor did I delete anyone off the list. Busy P Days for the last while and I've lacked the motivation to write well. But I've decided to pick it back up, so hopefully I get some consistent emails back home. We've had a lot of great adventures and met a lot of wonderful people in the last month or so. 

To start off, we had transfers last week. Elder Gao was moved out to a brand new area in the city with a golden Elder and I was given Elder Hansen, a hard working football player from Washington state. He likes football and baseball and working out at the gym and his mandarin is absolutely ridiculous for someone who has only been out a few months. We've been working hard for this last week or so. The first day he arrived he told me we'd be working out in the mornings, so on P Day we bought gym memberships. I virtually have my own personal trainer. I'm sore all the time. Love it.

With the end of Chinese New Year and the start of the new university semester for all of the schools in Melbourne, tons of new students are moving into the city and our teaching pool is growing. We have several excellent guys we've been teaching for the last few weeks and it is such a thrill to see them progressing. Ivan has only missed one Sunday of church in the last seven weeks. A Yang is working and studying and still makes time to meet with us. Ralph is excellent, Yanlin is progressing, and Fisher is going to the Book of Mormon to find answers to all of his struggles. It's such a blessing to be part of this work. 

We had an excellent meeting yesterday with a couple members of the Seventy. They emphasized the enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. On the way home, the other Chinese missionaries ditched us and made us take the train back to the city. Turns out to be a blessing as I get the chance to chat with a lady named Carol (Carrie? Something like that) and discuss the role Jesus Christ plays in our lives. I was able to testify of that power in my life - the power that comes from yielding our hearts to Christ. As we turn our hearts to Him, He will change us, He will comfort us. He can make us more than we ever could be on our own. We see that in the mission field. We strive to find that support because we can't do the work without. But the Lord hears us and answers us and if we're willing to listen, He'll change us into what He see we can be.

Love you all lots. I'll do better at writing, promise. Maybe I'll even throw some pictures in next week, we'll see how we're feeling. Talk to you all soon!

Elder Blackhurst

Still really hot

Hey everyone! Another couple solid weeks. Nothing new recently, just going to work!

Most of our investigators have been busy recently with summer courses. There are tons of international students who come into Melbourne who take intensive language courses for a month or two to prepare them for English university classes. Because the majority of the students in these classes are Chinese they just use their native language to chat whenever professors turn their backs, and very few of them practice outside of classes so it's still a little rough communicating in English. But we love practicing with them when  they come into church.

Besides that, not too much is new. We're working hard and loving these people. These next few weeks should be a blast with Chinese New Year so be prepared for some fun stories in the next few weeks!

Love you all!

Elder Blackhurst

Australian Open

G'day, everyone! I'm writing this from my seat at the Australian Open! It has been a great couple last weeks, we're happy and working.

Elder Gao and I have been spending every spare minute out on the streets and we're starting to have a really full teaching pool. Lots of new friends meeting with us regularly. Not much is better than meeting with an investigator who really studied the Book of Mormon during the previous week and is ready to learn more. We've been meeting with a pair named Emma and Zoe and they're the best. 

Elder Gao and I decided to get hair cuts last week. I played it safe and spent $10 dollars to get it cut at a barbershop near our own. Elder Gao decided to cut his himself. The clip fell off his razor as he took the first chunk off so there was a large bald spot. So he shaved the rest of it off. Elder Gao is now mostly bald. 

Right now in Australia it's really hot. I feel like I'm back home. Doesn't stop us from going out contacting all day every day. Hot and tired but happy - we're grateful to be here, doing the work of the Lord.

Love you all! Have a great week!

Elder Blackhurst

新年快乐

A happy new year everyone! We've had a wonderful time celebrating the 1st day of 2019 eighteen hours ahead of my American friends. It was an eventful week to say the least. Time is really short, so I'll share a thought and throw on some pictures and call it a week.

I've been thinking a lot recently about the spirit in the work. There are days without lessons where you just want to get to work, and you can get out without really even thinking about the Lord. Yes, we're thinking about God. But I'm at the point where I can go and do missionary work on my own, but if that's what I'm doing, what's the point? If we're relying on our own abilities, we will reach as far as we can reach. Jacob, in the Book of Mormon, teaches about relying on God in the 9th chapter of 2nd Nephi:

28 O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. 

With the Lord, we go so much further. So much further. I want His spirit to always be with me, guiding me, teaching me. If my friends I'm meeting out here can feel the spirit, my job is done. And honestly, it doesn't just apply to missionaries - that's everyone. We need to seek His will and put it first. 

I love you all and wish you the best for the new year. Set some goals, write them down, and counsel with the Lord in all you do! Happy 2019!

Elder Blackhurst

拽

Time is short but here are some pictures! Went to the Cricket game today, lots of fun. 

Miss you all! Merry Christmas!

Why does everything smell like Sichuan pepper?

Hello everyone! Sorry I've been slacking on my emails these few weeks, we've had a lot of busy p days in a row. We just finished playing basketball with a bunch of investigators and the Asians wrecked us all. Basketball is huge in China and they're all really fast. One other reason I love Melbourne, it is so multicultural. I had a game with a couple guys from Japan, Taiwan, Greece, Africa, Australia, America, and a bunch of Chinese. Good fun.

Transfers have come and gone, and Elder MacPherson is still in West Melbourne. I moved into City Center with Elder Gao.  He's a native, from Sichuan, Chengdu (that makes my third companion from that same city, for those of you counting). He likes spicy food, basketball, singing in the shower and vocal point's Nearer My God to Thee, so we're off to a good start. He's a seasoned missionary and ready to work, we're going to smash us. President told us that he's essentially calling us as "co district leaders" and is giving us a couple transfers just to go to work. I'm so excited. His name translates to Elder Happy, which is funny in both English and Chinese. 

Time is a little short but I hope you all have a merry Christmas! We'll have more stories and pictures next week. 

Love you all! 

Elder Blackhurst

December 4

A happy December to everyone back home, I hope these last couple weeks have been lovely. I apologize for missing last week's email, I know so many of you were eagerly awaiting my report. For you loyal readers who are still here, I'll make this week's especially good. It really has been a great last couple weeks - we're starting to pick up speed with some of our investigators. 

Elder MacPherson and I have been doing everything we can to use our time well this week. Lots of contacting in our spare minutes. Several of our investigators are really starting to progress. Sherrie accepted a baptismal date for next year. James Liu committed to ponder about the questions he wants answers to and to take them to the Book of Mormon. Tons of new contacts and friends. It's an exciting time. We were worried that so many of the Chinese were going home, we'd have no one to teach. But we're doing alright. 

Still plugging along in my Chinese Book of Mormon. I had my pride beaten down upon discovering that most of the other Americans are learning way faster than I am - no worries, just a reminder to work a little harder. It has been enlightening to study the scriptures in this new language. There are so many things that stand out just because it's in a new language. Love the studies, hoping we can stay on top of things.

Just as a tangent, I hope you all heard that Christmas devotional from a few days ago. The Australian brother who described a Christmas down under was pretty spot on, from the summer to the barbeques to the smell of mangoes in our flats. Christmas down here is very different than that back in the States, but the Spirit is the same. We love the feeling of doing good and serving our brothers and sisters. The Light the World campaign is in full swing and I hope you're all looking for ways to do good. I've heard some excellent ideas about how to help others, and I encourage you all to keep it up. 

Miss you all, I hope you're having a lovely winter. Have a great week, and we'll talk to you soon! 

Elder Blackhurst