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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