Tuesday, 26 April 2016

Ian is amazing...



So yesterday was ANZAC day, so we are emailing today!!

Ian got baptised! And it was amazing! We went by his place at 10am to remind him to pack a towel, and he was already dressed, and excited to go! He got there at 3pm, which left lots of time for pictures!!! He was dunked a total of 3 times, but he told us that someone knew about his mischievous past, and understood he needed an extra couple of cleans! He was confirmed on Sunday, and oh wow is he loved! There was so much food after the baptism! Sister Ballif made her cookies, they where veryyyyy popular!

We have a few super cool investigators progressing super well for the 13th and 14th of may, so prayers for Stephen,. Chris and Evelyn!

It has started to get colder, and a lot wetter. It is different from home, in that well its not quite as bad, but I have realised my clothing and shoe choices did not factor in this weather! Some I am going to have to buy some rain boots, if anyone knows where in Blacktown area sells cute Chelsea rainboots, help a sister out!! I also have failed to find any witchhazel blemish sticks.... Australia really struggles to keep me happy sometimes! But I wouldn't be anywhere else in the world right now!

Going to try and do a few personal replies today, sorry I am super bad at that part!!

Love you all, I am super grateful for all the support I have been given!!

Sister Dorman





Monday, 18 April 2016

Transfer One - COMPLETE!

We went to the Asian shop to try and find salad cream... and look at all these oreos?!?


Our feast for transfer calls... Sister Torres and Sister Apinearu! Our whole flat is staying!


Sister Training Leaders asked how I know my companion loves me... this... While I sit on my butt, she is making me chocolate chip cookies... because I said I liked the ones she made for conference weekend!? How lucky am I? This Sister is the real deal people!! The real deal!!!



So that is it guys, I have been in the field for a full transfer, for a whole 6 weeks!!! So crazy!!
So my week...
Monday - Charity shopping was a success!! I found some super cute skirts, that are a great length and really light! Perfect! And our district leader, Elder Lampipeti made us Otai, a Tongan drink, which is pretty great!!
Tuesday - Went back to visit Bev, fell out of a tree while cutting back her tree! My companion was not impressed, as she had warned me not to climb it! Oh well, SERVICE ROCKS!!
We went to visit Bishop, and sang some Tongan hymns to his mother in law Mele! Ofa tu Mele!!
Fell asleep during planning that night, apparently I just talked absolute rubbish for 20 mins! My mother my argue that is me awake!
Wednesday - District Training Meeting, it is a great chance to share miracles!
Ian in hospital. Baptism pushed back a week. S. Ballif and I both felt a lot of peace about this decision. Members have a lot of love for him!
Thursday - Took S. Ballif to Nando's after Weekly Planning - she is converted!! Amazing lesson with Stephanie, she is so ready and just amazing! Met with Bishop - 13 referrals... I think he trusts us! Eating with his family tonight, to teach his daughters boyfriend!
Friday - Trade offs. Because I am not sleeping right, we did just a day one. Was with Sister Wilson, Samoan, from New Zealand, one of 13(!!!!!) and wants to be a nurse. EVERYBODY heard that I was a) from Ireland b) a nurse and c) a convert! It was quite hilarious! Really relied on prayer that day! In fact every day I am here, I am on my knees, pleading to be given all I need! I know he listens and he answers! I am working hard!
Saturday - TRANSFER CALLS!! Epic day, so many great lessons, put a family of 7 on date for baptism!!! Such a powerful lesson using 'Because of Him' video (www.lds.org)
Best news: S. Spainhower is our new Sister Training Leader. She was S. Ballifs MTC Companion, and they are very important to each other!! It has been 11 months since they have seen each other!!
Sunday - love Sundays as a missionary!! The family all came to church, and had an amazing experience! The members engaged super well, and Bishop was really welcoming to them.
Ian unwell, called to see him after Sacrament. He is very keen to work towards Saturday, his faith is so humbling!!


Loving the work. Seeing all the blessings and miracles from obedience! It is so important!!!
So many wonderful experiences!

Love you all!!

Postal address -
Australia Sydney North Mission
756 Pennant Hills Rd
Carlingford
NSW 2118
Australia


Remember, we are all first and foremost Children of God. Our Divine Heritage should be our first alligence!!

Alma 32!! Read it!!!


S. Dorman xxxxxxxxxxxx

Monday, 11 April 2016

Week what...?!

Hello my beautiful people!!!
It is Monday again, and PDay is back on schedule, although beware Monday 25th of April is ANZAC Day, so it might affect our email time.

OK, so the week in brief!
Monday -
Interviews! Very grateful for my mission president and his wife, they are so good! And Sister Checketts makes amazing cookies!
An opportunity to do service, actually lots this week! Mosiah 2:17!!!

Tuesday -
PDay!!
Ok, so I love Australia, I really do! But there is a massive problem that I think might make these next months very difficult... Bagels!
For some reason, bagels seem to be a rarity in Australia!? When we find a bag, there is one bag of 4? And that does not last very long, when all you crave is a toasted bagel with TUNA!
So if any of my Australian contacts can let me know where they hide all the bagels, I would really appreciate it! My fabulous companion,
Sister Ballif would also like to know where they hide the pickles, but I am less concerned to know that information! Weird americans!
The chocolate in Australia? Like my plan to convince Sister Ballif that chocolate is nice is failing miserably, on the hunt for some nice dark chocolate!
Posted more letters on Tuesday!! Hope they all arrive safely!!
Robert Weir gave me a copy of the Testimony of Bill Carpenter! If anybody could send me a copy, I would really appreciate it! Also, if anybody could
send me his or diane's email address, I would also really appreciate it!!

Wednesday -
I got two hugs from Sister Ballif... She doesn't do hugs, which is actually really quite traumatising! But, every so often she feels guilty and gives me one. The thing is, she gives super good hugs!! It just makes me want one more! But don't tell her that, because she might not give me any more at all!





Exciting news! Ian is on date for this Saturday! So prayers everyone!!

We had a District Training Meeting, which ended with a testimony meeting – so powerful!!! Probably one of the most spiritual things to hear pure testimonys from a room of just missionaries! Love my District, although my District leader has a very strange love for me and my companion! All innocent, don’t worry! Just P. Checketts asked him to take care of the sisters!



Thursday –

Lessons fell through all morning, so a member took us to lunch! This lady is AMAZING! She is Tamal from Sri Lanka, and a convert at 17. She married in the Temple. Is a legal aid barrister, and completely fierce!

Everybody tried to give me their babies. Some woman on the bus asked me to hold the cutest little doll ever!!! The temptation to be disobedient was massive, but I resisted!! SO HARD!! Also a member just left her newborn with Sister Ballif and I as she went to get her car… the two of us where afraid to even move in case the little boy woke up, and we would have to do something!!! So funny… now!

We did more service on Thursday, some yard work! The Elders came to help! We needed some shears to cut back a tree, so we sent them to a members house nearby to borrow some. They came back with a pair of scissors!! And proceeded to cut the tree back with scissors, much to the little old ladies amusement!

Friday –

We asked Ian if we had anybody he wanted to preform the baptism. There has been amazing fellowship by a member, who returned to activity a few years ago. Brother Ruxton, at 80 years of age will preform his first baptism on Saturday! He was in tears! Blessings of member missionary work!



Saturday and Sunday!!! GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!

OH MY GOODNESS!!!! Firstly, it is really intense as a missionary, like every word is important! I absolutely loved every moment of it! The music, the talks, just the atmosphere of watching it in Hebersham,, with faithful saints who resisted the temptation to watch online for 1 week!! So they could watch it together as a stake!!

I had so many questions answered! I am so excited to read them back, and really study them out!

Donald L. Hallstorm


Father is His most prized title!

The world distracts us from the connection we have with God, the modern convience distracts us from spiritual enhancement!

We need to know our Heavenly Heritage!

Kevin R. Duncan


The Atonement softens us, and heals our soul… Justice is not tied to forgiveness. We should not be defined by the worst thing we have ever done.

Neil L. Anderson


God loves Children! The restored gospel continues to set the standard!

Our Spiritual DNA is perfect, because it knows our true identity as a child of God!

Bonnie L. Oscarson


Trust in Eternal Families, trust in the plan of a loving Heavenly Father.

We have the knowledge, but do we believe?

We can seek to have our hearts and very nature change, so we can more fully follow God.

EXAMINE AND PROCLAIM!


Some of you know that I have met Elder Kearon a few times, and he is as impressive in real life as this talk was! He is a selfless servant of the Lord, and his wife is just amazing!

Our church history is that of those who flee persecution today!

Serve!


These are children of God with unlimited potential – Heavenly Father sees them as beyond this event! We should too!

Jeffrey R. Holland


Hold on to heavenly moments!

Keep loving, keep trying and keep rusting! Tomorrow and every other day will be magnificent!

‘God giveth power to the faint…’

His love is enough!



Ok, so there are a heap more, but I am running out of time!! Go watch! I promise it will be an extremely edifying experience!

I love you all!!!





Write me!!


Sister Dorman

Tuesday, 5 April 2016

Temple Pday!!!

Hey everybody, because of Easter, Temple Pday and Interviews, our schedule changes a little at the moment, but hey I am here!!

Ok so...
Tuesday We went to the Temple, oh my goodness, It was amazing! It has been so weird to be around the Temple and not be able to go inside, so to go through was very much needed. Very peaceful!! I haven't been sleeping very well, so S. Ballif and I stayed for the night at the mission home. Oh it was like being a kid again, home cooked food, a bedtime! Haha, but I loved it! I love Sister Checketts, she makes such good food! And President Checketts, well he is just great!! So yeah, didn't really sort out my sleeping, but I got well fed!!!
On Wednesday I got home to a package from Helen Gilmour, and the Valiant Class in Portadown Ward! Oh my heck!! I was so excited!!! Thank you guys, I posted you a letter! Hopefully it gets there soon!!! It was lots of easter treats!!! Oh so much fun - no mini eggs though!! Haha
Thursday we had our first new member lesson with Thomas, awh that guy is great!! He would make a great missionary... (wink wink!)!! Teaching has been getting better, I am learning to recognise what is me, and what is the Spirit... It makes it wayyyy easier!! We had a great lesson with an investigator on Friday, hoping she will get an answer about a date pretty soon!!
On Saturday the Ward Council held a fast for missionary work! We all met together and ate before hand... Polynesian style! Got to love them people, they know what it is to serve missionaries!! Watched the General Womens Session that night in the Stake Centre, and got to see S. Watts - I need to figure out getting a picture with her... we just get talking and I forget!! Sunday, awh I love F&TM, its just an amazing feeling to be surrounded by such pure testimony's of the Gospel. Ian was able to come again, and is really progressing well! Still on date for a few week, prayers for him would be appreciated! The ward is really making him feel welcome and loved.
We had Interviews with President and Sister Checketts yesterday! I love them too!! We got more cookies... so good! I am just so grateful for their love and guidance. I am reminded daily how much they love and care for all of us! They really are the best! I spoke with President about how I am so grateful for S. Ballif and her example. She is super obedient, and I am learning from her! I am seeing the blessings and miracles from exact obedience.

What I love most about this area, apart from my companion? The bus drivers!! Lots are members, but even the ones who aren't, they know us, and are always so friendly!! You also meet the most interesting people on the buses!!!
Missing!! Terry's chocolate oranges... mint munchies.... and RAIN!! I swear that I am not lying when I say this! And yes people, I am wearing sunscreen!!

This week I have been studying the Plan of Salvation, wow studying as a missionary is super different! There is an article in the Ensign (July 2015, God's Plan For Families) and it reminds me of just what Heavenly Father wishes for us! Marriage and family relationships, made possible by the Creation and the Fall, are made eternal through the Atonement of Jesus Christ! The promises of D&C 132:19-20 IS PURE!! Those who marry in the Temple and remain faithful to their covenants are promised that they shall forever become like God, because they will enjoy the continuation of the family unit FOREVER. He never intended marriage to perish after death, he wants us all to have those eternal blessings!!

I love you all!!
I haven't read all emails this week, because we don't get to watch conference until next week... I don't want the spoilers!! But I have posted some letters! So hopefully they all arrive soon!

Letters are epic!!!

Lots of love!!
Sister Dorman




Sister Dorman,
Australia Sydney North Mission
756 Pennant Hills Rd,
Carlingford,
NSW 2118,
Australia






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No photos I am afraid...

Happy Easter everyone!!
So yes, my first major holiday on the mission is done, and what a great holiday to have!

It is still hot, very hot! Everybody promises it will cool down, but I don't think their idea of cool will match my desires or expectations.

We had a baptism this week, awh man it is so surreal to be on this side of the story. I never even considered how that would feel. It is exciting and scary all at once. Thomas got baptised on his birthday! And then confirmed on Easter Sunday, pretty cool hey?

So things I miss from home? Proper cadbury mini eggs, they have fake ones here! For reals!! The rain (I promise it is missable). The people... oh man, I have yet to hear a proper Irish accent, and I am really dreaming about that!! W