So we got transfer calls last night! I will be staying in Prairiewood and Elder Kowallis will be going to the City! Probably finish his last 2 transfers there, he's super excited. He's been here for 7 months or so, so he needs a change of scenery. What a place to finish though!! Opera house, Darling Harbor, city, thats the place to be. My new companion is Elder Grant, who I've heard is also from AZ. Then I got a phone call from my mission president, and I will be one of the Zone Leaders for the Prairiewood Zone, watching over the missionaries in the Prairiewood Stake and then my companion Zone Leader will be watching over things in the Liverpool Stake. Usually Zone Leaders are companions but for our zone they are split. So things are going to get hectic. I was only District Leader for 1 transfer and was hoping to get another chance to do better, but now I get another chance but on the zone level... So gotta figure out how to do that, then lead the area since Elder Grant is coming into the area. I haven't even met all the members yet and it's just a very busy and a lot going on. Then still keep up with my Korean studies... Pray for me haha.
So this week we've been doing HEAPS of missionary work and it's AWESOME. Not that we havent before but we're in a stage of missionary work where we're finding people to teach, working with members and actually teaching!! This week I taught the Restoration for the first time in my mission. I've done recent convert lessons in Port Stephens, but besides that I have next to no teaching experience. It was great, I love teaching. Then I said the First Vision account for the first time too, in SPANISH! (I'll be honest, in the MTC I learned in the First Vision in Korean. Not English. I know it in English but not to recite it off the top of my head... i know I'm a bad missionary, but I haven't had any opportunities before, so I read it off the pamphlet in Spanish for Maria. Sorry all you Returned missionaries, I'll repent).
We are teaching Maria now. She is from Nicaragua that we met at the park (miracle: she was really struggling and had went to the park. She was praying that God would send help, then all of a sudden Elder Kowallis and Aloi - on tradeoffs for the day - come walking up to her. Isn't that crazy?!?) We came by and did some MAJOR backyard renovation. I'm talking 5ft grass, large tree removal, heaps of rubbish removal (like 3 shopping carts lost in the grass), etc. It's been a lot of work and all for FREE. She loves the church though. She's eagerly come for the past 3 weeks and just loves it. She was raised Catholic and has a love for the Savior. This weekend we had General Conference and she came to a session and she just absolutely loved it! When President Nelson was speaking she leaned over to us and said "that man has power" (we didn't tell her anything about him either!). We told her that he was coming to Sydney next month and she said "we have to meet him! No matter what!" (Before she was talking about going to the US to meet him). So we'll see how that goes, but man she is the best. Love Maria, so funny and just the typical abuelita haha. I can definitely see her getting baptized. So pray for her and her health.
Wasnt General Conference incredible?! We watched it this past weekend in Australia. So many favorites and all my questions were answered. I sustain our Prophet and the Apostles. I know they are called of God. If you just listen to them speak, there is power. Do you hear it? Maria was able to feel it and she had never seen these men or knew they existed until this weekend. She's from Nicaragua, lived in Japan for 5 years and now living in Australia. If she can feel their power then surely we can too. Their words are inspired and point us to the Savior. It is through the Savior that all things are possible. I'm so grateful for living Prophets and apostles who lead and guide us during these perilous times. I know The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints contains the authority and FULNESS of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is through the Gospel of Jesus Christ that we gain Salvation. Through the mercy, the grace and merits of the Messiah. How wonderful the Atonement is. It is not only intended to pay the price of sin and satisfy the demands of justice, but has the power to heal all wounds, to help us change and eventually become even as our Heavenly Father is. I know these things are true. Have a wonderful week! 좋은 주 보내세요!
Elder Brandon Escamilla
에스카미야 장로
Australia Sydney Mission
호주 스다니 선교부
Dinner with Alikies Alexanders
Maria and her amigos!
This is only half of the tree. We cut the other half last week and this tree is now gone. Also this whole yard was legit full of 5ft grass. LOTS of work, but it's been fun.
여러분, 안녕하세요!!
이 지난 주가 재밌어요!! 많이 했어요!! Alright first off, we were able to take part in volunteering for the Sydney Korean Festival in Darling Harbour!! It was AWESOME!! I felt like I was in Korea and used my Korean a lot! We talked to a lot of people (mainly the other volunteers) and introduced the church to many of them, showed them how normal we are and were called the Kimchi Boys! (김치 소년들)!! We were also MODELS of traditional Korean clothing (한복)! I was a part of the "royal family" and the only Non Korean in that group Haha! It was sweet AZ!!
Isnt General Conference great!! Here in Australia, we watch it next week. But as missionaries we can't wait and this is our super bowl, so we woke up at 3am Sunday to try to watch the first session, but the live stream didn't work, so we were pretty sad. From what I've been able to see, man, what incredible counsel. How blessed are we to receive continuing counsel and revelation from Living Prophets and Apostles!?!?
So a little insight from a missionary: So working with a large ward is much different than working in a small branch. It's HEAPS of fun and we get fed a lot, which is great (but not since I'm definitely getting fat... Samoans...), however, something that would really help us missionaries more than getting fed is MINISTERING. The way a ward ministers directly affects the missionaries. If there are members or recent converts that struggle, then a lot of our time is spent with them, answering their concerns, fellowshipping them, being the only people who visit them or talk to them from church, etc. However, if ministering is great in a ward, these people are visited regularly, have friends in the ward, are welcomed on Sunday, etc. Then we are able to focus on our role of teaching. Good ministering in a ward is also SO CRUCIAL when we bring new people to church. If people can feel the love of the members (hopefully almost overwhelming them with love), then it makes our job SO much easier. A lot of our time is spent visiting less active members, recent converts, etc. Which is fine, I love these people, but they would benefit so much more from fellowshipping of the members because eventually we missionaries leave. Our community should be a family that welcomes all people and supports all within, not a family that is closed off and supports those who are most convenient for them to support.
So my challenge for you (let me know how it goes) is to find someone in your ward or church community (whatever denomination) that you don't know and go and get to know them. Befriend them. If there is someone new at church, PLEASE for goodness sake reach out to them and say hi. Almost 8 years ago, my family and I decided to go to church. I was curious and wanted to learn more. If we had not received that overwhelming love and support that first Sunday, I probably wouldn't be here. However the immediate, sincere friendship and love that was extended confirmed what I felt when I first walked into the Chapel that Sunday - that I was HOME. Even more beautiful was that the opening hymn was "Love at Home", and indeed I was home and I felt God's love. That love and friendship kept coming, continually. My home ward became my family and I'll be forever grateful for them. So please reach out to others with sincere, ceaseless love and friendship. Have a great week!
Elder Brandon Escamilla
에스카미야 장로
Australia Sydney Mission
호주 스다니 선교부
Hey just make sure to "Put Australia First" on travel destinations!
My outfit, trying to be Korean
The 6 other missionaries who volunteered at the festival, 4 of us are Korean speaking (my first trainer Elder Scott, 2nd from the right)
All the people who took part in the 한복 show and parade (yes we modeled on a runway and walked around the city in a little parade)
The "Royal Family" and I'm the only Non-Korean there (far right side, back row)
Friends we made while volunteering
Beautiful Darling Harbour
More Darling Harbour
Gotta love downtown Sydney
형제 자매 여러분! G'Day!
So crazy busy week this week. My companion is one of the Zone Leaders and I'm the District Leaders. As a part of our responsibilities, we do tradeoffs with the missionaries in our zone/districts. So, between the 2 of us, we have done 6 tradeoffs within the past 2 weeks and it's been crazy busy. During tradeoffs, my companion met a lady while working in our area. This older lady is Maria, and she is from Nicaragua! So yes, we became temporary Spanish speaking missionaries using our high school Spanish to talk with her. She is loca, in a good way, haha. Just a typical abuelita and really made me miss Mexican food (P.S. we've actually had to explain what a taco or burrito is to some people. I know, crazy). We did a lot A LOT of service in her backyard. We're going back tomorrow to finish up, and she also came to church! I think she had a good experience as we sat with her throughout and translated some stuff or explained other stuff. It was awesome!
So the miracle I mentioned last week. It's really more something that meant a lot to me than the miracle that many of you think of. Anyways, I was on tradeoffs last week with Elder Lewis (from New Zealand, Samoan speaking) in his area. We were visiting some people when all of sudden I needed to use the toilet. Yup, I know. So I ask Elder Lewis where the nearest Maccas (McDonalds) is so I can go. So we drive over to Maccas, when we get there we happen to run into the other missionaries (my companion with Elder Lewis' companion, and our flat mates). They were just finishing up with lunch and were heading out. So we go in, I go in and do my business and come out to my Elder Lewis having just ordered a meal. I was surprised b/c we planned to just skip lunch so we could have more time to visit members. Little did I know, Elder Lewis' companion's Aunt is the manager at this Maccas! So every time missionaries come in, she always feeds them. So we sit down, eat, and the aunt comes over and sits with us. We start talking, she starts guessing who I am (add Nepalese to the list) and I tell who my ethnicity. After saying, American Indian, her eyes go wide and just starts tearing up! She didn't know why she was, but she talked about the connection she feels she has since she Maori (native islander to New Zealand). She asked me what it was like being American Indian in America, and she started going off on the history of white people throughout the world and the typical stuff you hear from colored people.
It was at this time that I shared my thoughts regarding this. Yes, a lot of bad things have happened in the past. People still hate people like Columbus, Custer, Andrew Jackson, etc, for the things they did. Unfortunately this hate still exists among Native Americans. I'll admit, I used to have some of this animosity in my youth. It wasn't until I was investigating this church and I was trying to understand the Book of Mormon that my views changed and animosity disappeared. One day, I was reading in 1 Nephi 15 and it spoke about my people:
"After my seed and the seed of my brethren shall have dwindled in unbelief... been smitten by the Gentiles... after the Lord God shall have camped against them... have laid siege against them... raised forts against them... after they shall have been brought down low in the dust... (1 Ne. 26:15)
"... then shall the fulness of the Gospel of the Messiah come unto the Gentiles, and from the Gentiles unto the remnant of our seed... And at that day shall the remnant of our seed know that they are of the house of Israel, and that they are a covenant people of the Lord; and then shall they come to the knowledge of their Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come unto him and be saved.
"And then at that day will they not rejoice and give praise unto their everlasting God, their rock and salvation? Yea, at that day, willl they not receive the strength and nourishment from the true vine? Yea, will they not come unto the true fold of God? (1 Ne. 15:14-15)"
After reading this, everything went away. These horrible events had to take place among my people and people throughout the world in order for them to eventually receive the thing of greatest value to me - the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It needed to take place in order for me and my family to come "to the knowledge of [our] Redeemer... that [we] may know how to come unto him and be saved..."
So I shared these things with her. I shared her my gratitude for the the Plan of Salvation. Because of my knowledge of this, I am comforted from the loss of my Uncle and Grandpa this past year, and I know where they are. I know they are learning and free from worldly pressures, physical limitations, and pain. I testified and shared my gratitude for this Gospel. As I spoke, it was powerful, it came from my heart and was carried by the Spirit to me and the others. So far in my mission, I feel that this has been the most power I've felt testifying. It was... Incredible. (Afterwards, Elder Lewis would say the same things. That it was powerful, I was full of the Spirit and I said everything he tried to say but couldn't as if I read his mind. He was so blown away that he started going crazy and saying crazy stuff like "I wouldn't be surprised if you were the next Zone Leader or AP" "You are so full of the Spirit!" He's a funny guy and is too kind and really crazy saying this. So after this, she was moved. You could see it. Then, we continued talking, and she made a small comment saying that she wasn't a member....... My stomach dropped at this point.... I was testifying and talking to her as if she was a member and I had absolutely no idea... We continued our conversation and ended on good terms. While driving away, Elder Lewis kept asking how I knew we should go to Maccas, to "teach" this Aunt. I said it was my bowels... my bowels told me I needed to go to Maccas and use the toilet. We were just both shocked with how everything worked out and the opportunity we had to powerfully testify to this Aunt who was also touched (and how I probably wouldn't have testified or said what I said had I known she wasn't a member. Elder Lewis knew though, but never told me and was probably why he wasn't able to say the things he wanted to say. He said that I said everything he would've said anyways though). Then the greatest miracle of how my "bowels were full of mercy" that day. Have a great week!
Elder Brandon Escamilla
에스카미야 장로
Australia Sydney Mission
호주 스다니 선교부
I'm basically in Vietnam, so gotta play the part with the Vietnamese hat! Next language to learn, Vietnamese!
Zone conference, Elder Li and I (one of my old companion's, Elder Neas, favorite missionaries
Us walking down the street with Maria
Tradeoffs with Elder Kapa (from Vanuatu), biking all over for the day
