Family!!,
Ok sorry i can't hold back form writing you cause my joy is full this week, I'm being truly blessed for Enduring so well to the end, i know i said that last week was my last email but i really want to tell you about Stephen. So you all remember Jesse, who just got Baptized last weekend, and you all remember Carrol, the rough around the edges lady we've been teaching, well her son was over at her house when we popped around and he was a bumbling mad man, pretty drunk, and we just said hello, and i had no intentions of ever teaching him, but he Came to Jesse's Baptism and loved it we then taught a mad first discussion and he was so excited about. we gave him reading in the Book of Mormon and he read that and beyond. He has also quit smoking drugs and drinking and he is on fire, never have i ever seen an investigator so thoroughly energized by the spirit of God. He is full on into everything, and man i have nothing but pure love for him and the enormous effort he is making, Also Jesse got the Aaronic Priesthood this sunday past and he will be the one performing the saving ordinance of baptizm for Stephen. I'm so Excited for the future of these three Y.S.A (Bree, Jesse, Stephen) This ward has really taken them in and themselve are a power of missionary force to be reckoned with, I can only put my trust in god that they'll be able to progress in the gosple with the love and support of mornington ward. I'm very excited to Come home but dreading saying goodbye, love you all... especially you.
Cheers,
Elder Wesley Ballard
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
November 21, 2010 Last Email...we'll see!
G'day Family,
So as you have been previously told this will be my last Email, well lets say my last "Full Detail" email depicting my triumphs over the adversary during the week. I know it will be tough but it's something i think would be fun to do, and although almost all of you can't stand the fact I'm doing this makes me smile hahahaha, if you have any urgent of pressing enquiries, please still ask them and i will respond also i still want to know how every one's doing, but as for me you'll just have to wait a couple of weeks. Ok, So, this week was so good, We spent the greater part of the week with Jesse, to help him and protect him from the JW so they wouldn't come and get him. and on Wednesday straight after his Baptismal interview he got a call from his Nan and they bought him a car to lure him home, but they had no idea he was planning on getting baptised this time but they still tried to take him away but he figured it out and was able to continue on throughout the week, really cool experience happened with him too, so on Thursday we spent the day With him and he was going good, then we left and did some work for the rest of the day but i had promised to call him that evening to just have a chat. and we got super flat out at night with something and it was past lights out time it was like 11:30pm and I Just had the thought to call him. and my companion told me not to cause we needed to be in bed and it wouldn't be that good if he knew we weren't keeping the rules but I disregarded him and called anyways and right when i call he was debating with Bree, weather to call or not cause they knew we were probably sleeping but they wanted to call us cause one of the older house mates had gotten drunk and was literally the devil himself it was crazy i heard it over the phone and it was crazy. but i was able to give them some comfort and got them out of their house and they went to Bree's mum's house, and I thought nothing much i hung up the phone and we prayed form them straight away. and the next day Jesse and Bree were going on and on about how perfect that call was, just when they needed it, it came, Jesse was pretty blown away by it, he gain a testimony that day on how we are true servants of God, and also Bree said as soon as they hung up they felt the spirit comfort them and protect them the rest of the night, and Bree said "right when that happened, I told Jesse, Yup! Elder Ballard just prayed for us!" hahaha it thought was so cool, cause I'm sure throughout our mission things happen like that but we never really know we just continue throughout our work, but it's pretty Great to hear that you're doing your job and bringing other to know the power of Heavenly Father. After that Fiasco not much else Happened and he came and got baptised with out a hitch, and yesterday I bestowed the Gift of the Holy Ghost upon him and he was glowing at church everyone was commenting on him, he's gonna be a great member, and were hoping next year sometime we can get this kid out on him Mission, he's off to great start. other than that, my week was routine, we slacked on our other people cause we focused a lot on Jesse this week, but We hope to have two more baptism my last Saturday as a missionary. Were working hard all the way until the end, I love you all and Hope your as excited to see me as i am to see you all. I hope all goes well these next couple weeks. I Love you all thank you so much for your support. Be good, and We'll see you soon. Cheers
-Elder Wesley Bryan Ballard
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
October 31, 2010
G'day Family,
Big news new this week, after all the stress and worry about were we will spend the rest of our missions and who it will be with, transfers new finally came last night and Sadly for my companion he will be leaving mornington and i will be staying. I could be happier that i get to finish here in this awesome area, and although i would have loved to finish with Fenochietti, he was a bit to far on the trunkie side, so my hope is to get a fun companion who will help me endure to the end... i'll get on tomorrow and tell you all about him when i get him. but as for our week it went really well, first off we met this lady, her name is Carol, and she is a month older than mum, but due to life decisions of substance abuse she look a lot older than she is, but at first her appearance gave me the impression of one who is less than interested but as we got to know her and taught her, she is great i really like her, she has strong faith and a good thirst for the truth. so we taught her the Restoration and set a baptismal date for the 27th of November, funny thing is the JW's have been visiting her for 20 years now and nothing came of it but get the real servants of the lord and give us twenty minutes and we get the job done hahaha, then also we were teaching these other people and they were friends to this member, and we just taught them a little bit and they hadn't been taught about church and this member who isn't all together brought them anyways and they had no idea what to expect, and they just were miserable and didn't get anything i felt bad, it may be hard to get them to Church in the future, but that was about it for the week, hope some good stuff will happen this week. but i start my last transfer today it's pretty intense. but just gotta keep rolling. love you all.
-Elder Ballard
Big news new this week, after all the stress and worry about were we will spend the rest of our missions and who it will be with, transfers new finally came last night and Sadly for my companion he will be leaving mornington and i will be staying. I could be happier that i get to finish here in this awesome area, and although i would have loved to finish with Fenochietti, he was a bit to far on the trunkie side, so my hope is to get a fun companion who will help me endure to the end... i'll get on tomorrow and tell you all about him when i get him. but as for our week it went really well, first off we met this lady, her name is Carol, and she is a month older than mum, but due to life decisions of substance abuse she look a lot older than she is, but at first her appearance gave me the impression of one who is less than interested but as we got to know her and taught her, she is great i really like her, she has strong faith and a good thirst for the truth. so we taught her the Restoration and set a baptismal date for the 27th of November, funny thing is the JW's have been visiting her for 20 years now and nothing came of it but get the real servants of the lord and give us twenty minutes and we get the job done hahaha, then also we were teaching these other people and they were friends to this member, and we just taught them a little bit and they hadn't been taught about church and this member who isn't all together brought them anyways and they had no idea what to expect, and they just were miserable and didn't get anything i felt bad, it may be hard to get them to Church in the future, but that was about it for the week, hope some good stuff will happen this week. but i start my last transfer today it's pretty intense. but just gotta keep rolling. love you all.
-Elder Ballard
November 16, 2010...Last Email?!?!
G'day
Family, I apologize for getting you a late email but eh it's OK,I'm thinking of next week being my last email to you all anyways just to make the homecoming that much better, you can and must still write to me but don't expect a weekly update... but if it's dire then I'll respond. so Ya yesterday was busy as and as well of this whole previous week, We me the Area Presidency and Seventy Elder Brent Neilson and had a zone conference he was secretly interviewing all; the dodgy missionaries and I know what conclusion you are all jumping to "oh then he totally interviewed Wes." well as a matter of fact he certainly did not. hahah but we had a good chat his training and President Lifferth's and their wives were very good i love the stuff they had to say to help us be better missionaries. But my Companion is keeping me working hard the whole week in the missionary aspect and I myself am keeping him working hard in the Physical aspect, I dragged him along to our first handful of boot camp sessions this week and although looks may disagree I am in better shape and he's been doggin behind but it's super fun the Personal Trainers Hayden + Nicky are so Great they are so fun and also we got to teach them this week and they are basically dry Mormons they're holding back only cause they're not too sure whats on the other side but we just gotta let them realize it's far greener and they don't have to change much. but they're a longer term project but I'll sink my sickle in while i have the time to harvest. But their morning boot camp work out has been kicking my butt, i love it i only wish it was more often than three times a week. But the best part of the week has been the resurfacing of the formerly taught Jesse, he was the kid that we had two days before baptism his JW Grandparents threw him in the back of a car or something and drove him off to the whoop whoop to get these foolish prophet notions out of his head, we a month and a half later he came back had a read of the book of Mormon prayed about it and got his answer more powerful than before, so we are setting up for his baptism this weekend at 6:30pm on Saturday, I'm so excited he is freshly 19 and want to serve a mission and do great things I'm pretty pumped for that he is the man. so this whole week we'll be seeing him everyday. but other than that, it's supposed to be summer her but it rained all week, but the sun's out today. but that's about it for me family, so you only get one more email, hahahaha your all gonna go nuts without um, well i hope, cause in my mind, my emails are the best part of your weeks and you can't live without them... ya that's probably a myth, well love you all and i hope your safe!!
-Elder Ballard
Family, I apologize for getting you a late email but eh it's OK,I'm thinking of next week being my last email to you all anyways just to make the homecoming that much better, you can and must still write to me but don't expect a weekly update... but if it's dire then I'll respond. so Ya yesterday was busy as and as well of this whole previous week, We me the Area Presidency and Seventy Elder Brent Neilson and had a zone conference he was secretly interviewing all; the dodgy missionaries and I know what conclusion you are all jumping to "oh then he totally interviewed Wes." well as a matter of fact he certainly did not. hahah but we had a good chat his training and President Lifferth's and their wives were very good i love the stuff they had to say to help us be better missionaries. But my Companion is keeping me working hard the whole week in the missionary aspect and I myself am keeping him working hard in the Physical aspect, I dragged him along to our first handful of boot camp sessions this week and although looks may disagree I am in better shape and he's been doggin behind but it's super fun the Personal Trainers Hayden + Nicky are so Great they are so fun and also we got to teach them this week and they are basically dry Mormons they're holding back only cause they're not too sure whats on the other side but we just gotta let them realize it's far greener and they don't have to change much. but they're a longer term project but I'll sink my sickle in while i have the time to harvest. But their morning boot camp work out has been kicking my butt, i love it i only wish it was more often than three times a week. But the best part of the week has been the resurfacing of the formerly taught Jesse, he was the kid that we had two days before baptism his JW Grandparents threw him in the back of a car or something and drove him off to the whoop whoop to get these foolish prophet notions out of his head, we a month and a half later he came back had a read of the book of Mormon prayed about it and got his answer more powerful than before, so we are setting up for his baptism this weekend at 6:30pm on Saturday, I'm so excited he is freshly 19 and want to serve a mission and do great things I'm pretty pumped for that he is the man. so this whole week we'll be seeing him everyday. but other than that, it's supposed to be summer her but it rained all week, but the sun's out today. but that's about it for me family, so you only get one more email, hahahaha your all gonna go nuts without um, well i hope, cause in my mind, my emails are the best part of your weeks and you can't live without them... ya that's probably a myth, well love you all and i hope your safe!!
-Elder Ballard
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Release Date!!
We Finally have received Elder Ballard's Itinerary for arriving home! He will arrive in Salt Lake City on December 15th !! We are so looking forward to his homecoming!
November 7, 2010
G'day family,
So this week was hectic As!! we did so much and it feels like it went by so slow but at this stage of the mission i don't mind it too much. So i have my new companion, he is from the east Side Mission his name is Elder Cody Lara from Arizona City AZ, he has been out 17 months and he actually started his mission here in mornington so he has come back to redeem his poor efforts from the last time around. he's pretty fun we work had but I'm currently trying to unwind this fool, he's a good kid but to hard on himself and his teaching and I'm trying to make him love everything a bit more. he so fun I'm glad i have him to bust my butt until i go home, this is my enduring stage and i think I'll be going till the end. I keep catching myself thinking of the work and how we'll find a whole heap and teach a lot this transfer and next transfer we'll be baptising up a storm, but then i sadly remember there will be no next transfer. :( As for this week for my birthday we had so much fun so The Kannar family and the Tennant Family took us to this national park Called the Dandenong Ranges, where they have this this called "The 1000 Steps" and there are over 1000 steps to the top of a mountain, and so before going i Spoke with Brittany Kannar and we agreed on a race to the top, she willingly said yes cause she is very fit and runs all the time and i Defiantly look less than athletic. so when we got there i saw everyone else but Britt was gone, so when i asked they said she had taken of five minutes previous, What!!! CHEATER!!! so i just was stirred up but decided to just walk with the family, but then i just decided to go for it and try to catch up with her to i started up the stairs at a very quick pace, after about five hundred steps i caught up to her friend Asha and she said that Britt was so far ahead, and i was already super tired so i sorta gave up and just strolled with Asha, but after about a minute something grew inside of me and I Wanted to have another go, so i really pushed my fatigued muscles and went hard the rest of the was and then around the next corner i see her!! so i bolt up those stairs and around people like Emmit Smith and i pass her with only fifteen stairs to go, caught and passed by surprise she grabbed my short for a last fighting effort but i Shook her and beat her by a few steps. it was glorious, she was acting like i didn't win but she was cut so deep that i beats her even when she cheated best birthday race ever!!! and family make sure you rub salt in this wound when she is at our house in a few weeks, that would be legendary, and i love it when i tell this story to people they all say at the beginning that Britt will smash me cause she is so fit but no sir not that day hahahha. then for the rest of the day we walked the national parks and fed giant white Cockatoo's there as big as eagles so intense. then i had cake at these other people's house over all it was a great birthday. the rest of the week we tried to teach people but our appointments kept falling through. but we found this great couple they are personal trainers and they own this boot camp thingy and they are letting us do it for free 6:00am every morning, I'm pumped for that so i can get even more fit before I'm home. they're great I'll tell you how their teaching goes later. we have a lot going on this week so I'm excited for it, but as for me I'm happy having a great time. Love you all family and i hope your getting ready to party this Christmas!!!
Love,
Elder Ballard
So this week was hectic As!! we did so much and it feels like it went by so slow but at this stage of the mission i don't mind it too much. So i have my new companion, he is from the east Side Mission his name is Elder Cody Lara from Arizona City AZ, he has been out 17 months and he actually started his mission here in mornington so he has come back to redeem his poor efforts from the last time around. he's pretty fun we work had but I'm currently trying to unwind this fool, he's a good kid but to hard on himself and his teaching and I'm trying to make him love everything a bit more. he so fun I'm glad i have him to bust my butt until i go home, this is my enduring stage and i think I'll be going till the end. I keep catching myself thinking of the work and how we'll find a whole heap and teach a lot this transfer and next transfer we'll be baptising up a storm, but then i sadly remember there will be no next transfer. :( As for this week for my birthday we had so much fun so The Kannar family and the Tennant Family took us to this national park Called the Dandenong Ranges, where they have this this called "The 1000 Steps" and there are over 1000 steps to the top of a mountain, and so before going i Spoke with Brittany Kannar and we agreed on a race to the top, she willingly said yes cause she is very fit and runs all the time and i Defiantly look less than athletic. so when we got there i saw everyone else but Britt was gone, so when i asked they said she had taken of five minutes previous, What!!! CHEATER!!! so i just was stirred up but decided to just walk with the family, but then i just decided to go for it and try to catch up with her to i started up the stairs at a very quick pace, after about five hundred steps i caught up to her friend Asha and she said that Britt was so far ahead, and i was already super tired so i sorta gave up and just strolled with Asha, but after about a minute something grew inside of me and I Wanted to have another go, so i really pushed my fatigued muscles and went hard the rest of the was and then around the next corner i see her!! so i bolt up those stairs and around people like Emmit Smith and i pass her with only fifteen stairs to go, caught and passed by surprise she grabbed my short for a last fighting effort but i Shook her and beat her by a few steps. it was glorious, she was acting like i didn't win but she was cut so deep that i beats her even when she cheated best birthday race ever!!! and family make sure you rub salt in this wound when she is at our house in a few weeks, that would be legendary, and i love it when i tell this story to people they all say at the beginning that Britt will smash me cause she is so fit but no sir not that day hahahha. then for the rest of the day we walked the national parks and fed giant white Cockatoo's there as big as eagles so intense. then i had cake at these other people's house over all it was a great birthday. the rest of the week we tried to teach people but our appointments kept falling through. but we found this great couple they are personal trainers and they own this boot camp thingy and they are letting us do it for free 6:00am every morning, I'm pumped for that so i can get even more fit before I'm home. they're great I'll tell you how their teaching goes later. we have a lot going on this week so I'm excited for it, but as for me I'm happy having a great time. Love you all family and i hope your getting ready to party this Christmas!!!
Love,
Elder Ballard
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
October 17, 2010
G'day family...
Man this week was so boring, honestly nothing happened. we work really really hard and nothing came of it. I had a new missionary in my area for a few days and i wanted to show him some good effective hard working missionary and it was just a no fest. but eh it happens, but I'm definitely making sure i finish with nothing left, and sometime i think I'll finish up short. i never thought it would be this much of a struggle to continue to have a burning desire all the way until the end. but i guess it's probably cause nothing happened this week, usually when we find someone great and they're progressing it's like a re boost that's all we've gotta do. But of them seem to be duds and not wanting to do much or being just yanked from us at the worst times. But other than a bugger week, I'll happy as always. everything is going great and this week is packed with fun stuff like meeting Julie B Beck, the Relief General President and the Daughter of the Patriarch that gave me my blessing. and we have president interviews my second one since the new guy and my last one for my mission until the final interview. but they'll be included next week. be good Family love you all.!!!
Man this week was so boring, honestly nothing happened. we work really really hard and nothing came of it. I had a new missionary in my area for a few days and i wanted to show him some good effective hard working missionary and it was just a no fest. but eh it happens, but I'm definitely making sure i finish with nothing left, and sometime i think I'll finish up short. i never thought it would be this much of a struggle to continue to have a burning desire all the way until the end. but i guess it's probably cause nothing happened this week, usually when we find someone great and they're progressing it's like a re boost that's all we've gotta do. But of them seem to be duds and not wanting to do much or being just yanked from us at the worst times. But other than a bugger week, I'll happy as always. everything is going great and this week is packed with fun stuff like meeting Julie B Beck, the Relief General President and the Daughter of the Patriarch that gave me my blessing. and we have president interviews my second one since the new guy and my last one for my mission until the final interview. but they'll be included next week. be good Family love you all.!!!
October 10, 2010
G'day family,
This week was pretty dang good, mostly cause we got to watch conference this weekend. i love just sitting there for ten hours over two days and just get spiritually fed, for yourself, cause we worry so much about what everyone else needs and how we can best help them but during conference you have the opportunity to look and yourself and find the weak part and decide to act and make them strong. The big message that i got form conference was LISTEN to the living prophet, he's critical right now, and also They hammered the gift of Agency into us, our righteousness is all on us and we need to make good decisions always, so great that we get to have that every six months. something sad that happened this week is that young girl who was gonna be baptised this week, well here mom wasn't informed of her recent investigating and choice to be baptised and she chucked a whobbly (tantrum) and forbid her from seeing us and breathed out threatening to her friends in the church who were assisting in her teaching, we're still assessing the situation and we hope some things can be reconciled. Also this week we finally went to COSTCO it was the best, so exact like the ones there, except mostly aussie brands but there was some unique American stuff man it was so fun, felt like i was home. And i finally discovered one thing i am allergic to. we did some service for this older lady and she wanted me to mulch this plant with massive green leaves so i did and right in the middle of handling them my hand felt like it was on fire, like there was a billion micro cuts all over my hand it was highly painful i tried to wash it off but this invisible mini ninja continued to hack up my hand. it sucked but I'm over it and now i know I'm not immune to everything, bummer, but as for my week thats about it, i have nine weeks Left oh boy oh boy!!! love you all hepas and actually email me next week... except for Christy she did well. hahaha.
-Elder Ballard
This week was pretty dang good, mostly cause we got to watch conference this weekend. i love just sitting there for ten hours over two days and just get spiritually fed, for yourself, cause we worry so much about what everyone else needs and how we can best help them but during conference you have the opportunity to look and yourself and find the weak part and decide to act and make them strong. The big message that i got form conference was LISTEN to the living prophet, he's critical right now, and also They hammered the gift of Agency into us, our righteousness is all on us and we need to make good decisions always, so great that we get to have that every six months. something sad that happened this week is that young girl who was gonna be baptised this week, well here mom wasn't informed of her recent investigating and choice to be baptised and she chucked a whobbly (tantrum) and forbid her from seeing us and breathed out threatening to her friends in the church who were assisting in her teaching, we're still assessing the situation and we hope some things can be reconciled. Also this week we finally went to COSTCO it was the best, so exact like the ones there, except mostly aussie brands but there was some unique American stuff man it was so fun, felt like i was home. And i finally discovered one thing i am allergic to. we did some service for this older lady and she wanted me to mulch this plant with massive green leaves so i did and right in the middle of handling them my hand felt like it was on fire, like there was a billion micro cuts all over my hand it was highly painful i tried to wash it off but this invisible mini ninja continued to hack up my hand. it sucked but I'm over it and now i know I'm not immune to everything, bummer, but as for my week thats about it, i have nine weeks Left oh boy oh boy!!! love you all hepas and actually email me next week... except for Christy she did well. hahaha.
-Elder Ballard
October 3, 2010
G'day family.
This week was pretty good we worked way hard and got quite a bit done and the blessings are pouring in. so update on Jesse so two days before his baptism he was all set and going so great and all of the sudden his Nan and Pop (g-parents) drugged him threw him in a burlap sack and tossed him in the boot of their car and drove to New South Whales to brain wash him back to the JW faith. OK so it may have not happened that way but i read between the line of what i was being told. so ya he did up and go to his grandparents who are JW's and i do reckon they will have something to say about his up and coming baptism. but I'm sure he'll be fine he has a good testimony, and when he gets back we'll have to suss it out. But as one door closes another one opens so this last week we found Danielle, she is a friend of a members and we had dinner with them and taught her this week. we taught the Restoration and challenged her to pray, though she has no previous knowledge of god or anything, but that night we got a call from he and she was all excited she told us we were right and she did get her answer just like we promised, she said she prayed for time and it worked every time, she was at church yesterday and she was able to witness a baptism as well, and she is now preparing for her own baptism. so that's the best news from the week, we also have heaps of appointments this week with new people we hope to help progress in the gospel, so Also this weekend was the first time the sun actually came out in the two months I've been here,and oh man it was wonderful, it was probably 75-80 the whole weekend and the beaches were packed and there were hundreds of boats and jet ski's it felt like i was in the Bahamas with the turquoise water. i'm pretty sure by the time summer is in full swing i won't come home. but all it well family, only 10 weeks left thats ages so don't get too excited. i lvoe you all and be good.
Elder Ballard
This week was pretty good we worked way hard and got quite a bit done and the blessings are pouring in. so update on Jesse so two days before his baptism he was all set and going so great and all of the sudden his Nan and Pop (g-parents) drugged him threw him in a burlap sack and tossed him in the boot of their car and drove to New South Whales to brain wash him back to the JW faith. OK so it may have not happened that way but i read between the line of what i was being told. so ya he did up and go to his grandparents who are JW's and i do reckon they will have something to say about his up and coming baptism. but I'm sure he'll be fine he has a good testimony, and when he gets back we'll have to suss it out. But as one door closes another one opens so this last week we found Danielle, she is a friend of a members and we had dinner with them and taught her this week. we taught the Restoration and challenged her to pray, though she has no previous knowledge of god or anything, but that night we got a call from he and she was all excited she told us we were right and she did get her answer just like we promised, she said she prayed for time and it worked every time, she was at church yesterday and she was able to witness a baptism as well, and she is now preparing for her own baptism. so that's the best news from the week, we also have heaps of appointments this week with new people we hope to help progress in the gospel, so Also this weekend was the first time the sun actually came out in the two months I've been here,and oh man it was wonderful, it was probably 75-80 the whole weekend and the beaches were packed and there were hundreds of boats and jet ski's it felt like i was in the Bahamas with the turquoise water. i'm pretty sure by the time summer is in full swing i won't come home. but all it well family, only 10 weeks left thats ages so don't get too excited. i lvoe you all and be good.
Elder Ballard
September 26, 2010
G'day Family,
This week Was great! it went pretty quick but we are making a lot of progress with the people we are teaching so this one young man i've talked about before, if he doesn't smoke form now til saturday he'll be able to get baptised and men he's so pumped it's something he wants to do really bad and he's 19 so he wants to thuink about a mission maybe, and thats would honestly be the best for him, so were helping him make that journey. and then we have Anne, a mum of five and she is great we helped clean her yard the other day, her whole family wants to be baptised but she soen't feel like she should go to church but after a lot of the ward nmembers helped her last week she had a change of heart and she told us she wants to come and she is very excited about it. she said she doesn't want to miss one week ever. so we'll get her there finish up teaching her and help her and her children recieve baptism. Another awesome thing this week was it was the "Australian Football League" Grand final... so basically their super bowl. and we got to watch it and manit was so fun it's such a completwly different sport, but so fun to play anf watch but it was so back and forth such a good match, anf it ended in a draw the teams tied exactly. and so they have to have another grand final next week, so funny for the 100,000+ people who pay'd hundreds for their tickets hahahaha they don't get to go next week hahah but it was really cool. i can't wait to watch all the games with you guys when i'm back but the season starts next april so i'll fill you all in. other than that our week was great, went fast and the end is drawing nigh. i love you all be good
Elder Ballard
This week Was great! it went pretty quick but we are making a lot of progress with the people we are teaching so this one young man i've talked about before, if he doesn't smoke form now til saturday he'll be able to get baptised and men he's so pumped it's something he wants to do really bad and he's 19 so he wants to thuink about a mission maybe, and thats would honestly be the best for him, so were helping him make that journey. and then we have Anne, a mum of five and she is great we helped clean her yard the other day, her whole family wants to be baptised but she soen't feel like she should go to church but after a lot of the ward nmembers helped her last week she had a change of heart and she told us she wants to come and she is very excited about it. she said she doesn't want to miss one week ever. so we'll get her there finish up teaching her and help her and her children recieve baptism. Another awesome thing this week was it was the "Australian Football League" Grand final... so basically their super bowl. and we got to watch it and manit was so fun it's such a completwly different sport, but so fun to play anf watch but it was so back and forth such a good match, anf it ended in a draw the teams tied exactly. and so they have to have another grand final next week, so funny for the 100,000+ people who pay'd hundreds for their tickets hahahaha they don't get to go next week hahah but it was really cool. i can't wait to watch all the games with you guys when i'm back but the season starts next april so i'll fill you all in. other than that our week was great, went fast and the end is drawing nigh. i love you all be good
Elder Ballard
September 19, 2010
G'day Family,
This week was a bit differnet than the lasts, because this one felt like an eternity but it was still pretty good none the less. first off i guess i'll tell you all tranfer news.... after much fasting a prayers Elder Fenochietti and myslef will be staying in the mornington area and we couldn't be more jazzed about that. we really really really hope we can die here (that means finish you mission) But as for our week We are Hammered as, due to fatigue. man we did so much this week. so One of the highlights/ worst part about the week was on friday we decided it would be a wonderful idea to hop on our push bikes and ride them all the way to end of the penninsula. wich was a 55 kilometer ride but hey what the heck mostly flat and along the beach the whole way and we were gonna visit some people along the way. man we got 20 kilometers into the trip and we were finished, already climbed like three huge mountains and then when we got to the flat beach paert we had a 35kmh headwind that stopped our progression it wqas ridiculous but after many tears and a lot of sweat we made it to the end of the penninsula dn it was amazing in the Bass straight there was a swell with like 25 foot waves it was mouthwatering hahaha and there was the coolest cliffs and old army barracks and man it was fun but the whole time our aching bodies knew we had to eventually ride back but we actually did the alternative and just hucked our bikes in the bushes to collect later and we hopped on a buss and took the hour trip home. but still completely woth it. but we were so sore and the next day we got up early and did soem yard service for our investagator, then we went to the kannar's house and mulched sticks for three more hours, if it was for anybody else i probably would have passed but they're the best so we trudgged on.... by the end of the day we were fnished, spent zero energy. and my body just gave up and at our tea appointment my nose just started pouring blood it was yuck but i servived and lived to type about it. thats about it for my week. starting my 2nd to last transfer today, thants crazy but fun to think about it. love you all be good and play safe.
Elder Ballard
This week was a bit differnet than the lasts, because this one felt like an eternity but it was still pretty good none the less. first off i guess i'll tell you all tranfer news.... after much fasting a prayers Elder Fenochietti and myslef will be staying in the mornington area and we couldn't be more jazzed about that. we really really really hope we can die here (that means finish you mission) But as for our week We are Hammered as, due to fatigue. man we did so much this week. so One of the highlights/ worst part about the week was on friday we decided it would be a wonderful idea to hop on our push bikes and ride them all the way to end of the penninsula. wich was a 55 kilometer ride but hey what the heck mostly flat and along the beach the whole way and we were gonna visit some people along the way. man we got 20 kilometers into the trip and we were finished, already climbed like three huge mountains and then when we got to the flat beach paert we had a 35kmh headwind that stopped our progression it wqas ridiculous but after many tears and a lot of sweat we made it to the end of the penninsula dn it was amazing in the Bass straight there was a swell with like 25 foot waves it was mouthwatering hahaha and there was the coolest cliffs and old army barracks and man it was fun but the whole time our aching bodies knew we had to eventually ride back but we actually did the alternative and just hucked our bikes in the bushes to collect later and we hopped on a buss and took the hour trip home. but still completely woth it. but we were so sore and the next day we got up early and did soem yard service for our investagator, then we went to the kannar's house and mulched sticks for three more hours, if it was for anybody else i probably would have passed but they're the best so we trudgged on.... by the end of the day we were fnished, spent zero energy. and my body just gave up and at our tea appointment my nose just started pouring blood it was yuck but i servived and lived to type about it. thats about it for my week. starting my 2nd to last transfer today, thants crazy but fun to think about it. love you all be good and play safe.
Elder Ballard
September 12, 2010-
G'day family!
This week.... hmmm honeslty nothing happened it feels like it was just a flash. we did do something pretty cool, we got to go the temple and the better part was we got to see some people from Tasmania, that was awesome i havn't seen them in ages but it was great to see a few of them,i also saw Elder Don Carlos Leota he was there with the Tazzy people, that hoon went back to tazzy were me and him served and picked up some Palagi (white) girl. hahaha it was wya nice to see him. We also got to teach these two pretty great families, one is a Mum with four kids and she is keen as, her and her kids have been taught before and they said they all wanted to be baptised when we got there and thats good to hear but were teaching the lessons over and it's gonna be a pretty fun time teaching them, then i was on exchange but Fenochietti finally got to teach the Hispanic family and they are "golden" and i 'm so excited to see them this week. things are great i love this ward, they are the coolest... transfers are next week pray hard that i stay cause if i move i'll die. hahaha love you family be good and take care.
Elder Balllard
This week.... hmmm honeslty nothing happened it feels like it was just a flash. we did do something pretty cool, we got to go the temple and the better part was we got to see some people from Tasmania, that was awesome i havn't seen them in ages but it was great to see a few of them,i also saw Elder Don Carlos Leota he was there with the Tazzy people, that hoon went back to tazzy were me and him served and picked up some Palagi (white) girl. hahaha it was wya nice to see him. We also got to teach these two pretty great families, one is a Mum with four kids and she is keen as, her and her kids have been taught before and they said they all wanted to be baptised when we got there and thats good to hear but were teaching the lessons over and it's gonna be a pretty fun time teaching them, then i was on exchange but Fenochietti finally got to teach the Hispanic family and they are "golden" and i 'm so excited to see them this week. things are great i love this ward, they are the coolest... transfers are next week pray hard that i stay cause if i move i'll die. hahaha love you family be good and take care.
Elder Balllard
August 29, 2010
G'day Familia
This week could not have gone faster, man it feel like i was just one this computer tell you about my week, but another one (week) bites the dust, and there are only a handful of these weeks i have left but we''l make the best of them. this week was actually a good one, we have some success coming up in this area. So on Friday we went all the way to the polar opposite of the peninsula to go and see this member named Bree, some call her Breesus, and it fits cause this girl is on the ball about missionary work, we went to her house and she had a friend there and his name is Jesse he's 18 and way into the lesson his grandparents are JW's and have been pestering him to join but he's confused so we taught the Plan of salvation and committed him to baptism and he's be baptized on September 11th which is way cool he's solid and the best this is Breesus has more friends we went through a list of nine of her friends that want the missionary discussions, so that;ll be a gold mine and it'll be fun going down there all the time. Also this week, I Went on exchanges wich a samoan Edler that was way fun he is F.O.B. as! (fresh off the boat) but way cool i feel like a greenie missionary cause we are surrounded by East Side boys, some are lame but most are very cool. but the weather is warming up and the Beach go'ers are coming out and this place is getting pretty busy, i'm so glad spring is here but i want it to be hot. soon it will come. I'm pretty sure i decided that i could quite possibly move here this place is so great. but as for anything else exciting this week there was none, but i love you all and be good.
-Elder Ballard
This week could not have gone faster, man it feel like i was just one this computer tell you about my week, but another one (week) bites the dust, and there are only a handful of these weeks i have left but we''l make the best of them. this week was actually a good one, we have some success coming up in this area. So on Friday we went all the way to the polar opposite of the peninsula to go and see this member named Bree, some call her Breesus, and it fits cause this girl is on the ball about missionary work, we went to her house and she had a friend there and his name is Jesse he's 18 and way into the lesson his grandparents are JW's and have been pestering him to join but he's confused so we taught the Plan of salvation and committed him to baptism and he's be baptized on September 11th which is way cool he's solid and the best this is Breesus has more friends we went through a list of nine of her friends that want the missionary discussions, so that;ll be a gold mine and it'll be fun going down there all the time. Also this week, I Went on exchanges wich a samoan Edler that was way fun he is F.O.B. as! (fresh off the boat) but way cool i feel like a greenie missionary cause we are surrounded by East Side boys, some are lame but most are very cool. but the weather is warming up and the Beach go'ers are coming out and this place is getting pretty busy, i'm so glad spring is here but i want it to be hot. soon it will come. I'm pretty sure i decided that i could quite possibly move here this place is so great. but as for anything else exciting this week there was none, but i love you all and be good.
-Elder Ballard
August 22, 2010
G'day Family,
Man this week went fast they all seem to be going faster and faster. one thing i forgot to tell you last week is we got a call from the office and i'm talking to the office sister, and she asks me what airport i'll be going home to and who will come pick me up because she has just purchased my flight home and i will be home in utah on December 15th 2010, I hung up the phone looked at Elder Fenochietti who just had the same conversation moments before me and i just said "That was Scay!" it made it feel so close, uh oh it's soon but at the same time i have ages to go so don't get trunkie family cause i'll probably never get trunkie (read further to find out why not). So i really like my area but this week my companion had Strep throat and so we took it really easy, but we still found a few people to teach and it's going alright, a bit slow but i have no worries this ward is picking up and will fill our teaching pool in no time. But we met this super Awesome family in the ward this week it's the Kannar family. we went over on saturday to remove "a small little stump" said sister kannar but we got there and is was seven medium size stumps and one massive gum tree stump with four tree waiting to be planted hahaha, it was a big job but it was so fun to help them out they're way funny filled with that dry Aussie humor. They are so fun and We were having lunch with them and just talking about austrlaia and our mission and i just was hit by a trunkie wave, not homesick or anything but irealized i'm gonna hate leaving this place, i love australia no matter how weird these people are, it's just the best, and i just want to make the best of it. but as for that nothing bug happened this week, we have a potential familia of five from mexico to teach soon and i really really really hope we get to teach and baptise them it would be a dream come tru hahaha but i'll continue to make it out here, thatnks famiyl for all your help love you all heaps!!
-Elder Ballard
Man this week went fast they all seem to be going faster and faster. one thing i forgot to tell you last week is we got a call from the office and i'm talking to the office sister, and she asks me what airport i'll be going home to and who will come pick me up because she has just purchased my flight home and i will be home in utah on December 15th 2010, I hung up the phone looked at Elder Fenochietti who just had the same conversation moments before me and i just said "That was Scay!" it made it feel so close, uh oh it's soon but at the same time i have ages to go so don't get trunkie family cause i'll probably never get trunkie (read further to find out why not). So i really like my area but this week my companion had Strep throat and so we took it really easy, but we still found a few people to teach and it's going alright, a bit slow but i have no worries this ward is picking up and will fill our teaching pool in no time. But we met this super Awesome family in the ward this week it's the Kannar family. we went over on saturday to remove "a small little stump" said sister kannar but we got there and is was seven medium size stumps and one massive gum tree stump with four tree waiting to be planted hahaha, it was a big job but it was so fun to help them out they're way funny filled with that dry Aussie humor. They are so fun and We were having lunch with them and just talking about austrlaia and our mission and i just was hit by a trunkie wave, not homesick or anything but irealized i'm gonna hate leaving this place, i love australia no matter how weird these people are, it's just the best, and i just want to make the best of it. but as for that nothing bug happened this week, we have a potential familia of five from mexico to teach soon and i really really really hope we get to teach and baptise them it would be a dream come tru hahaha but i'll continue to make it out here, thatnks famiyl for all your help love you all heaps!!
-Elder Ballard
August 15, 2010
G'day family,
This week has been crazy, man my new area is crazy i'll tell you about it in a minute, but my last day in Glenroy was so awesome, i got to see all my recent converts, and man, it made my whole mission worth it i was basically surrounded the whole day with people who i had grown to love and also i have pointed towards eternal life with heavely father, it was so nice to see all of them one last time before the ned of my mission. So were so cut that i was going and so am I but I like my new Area it seems so cool. So I have moved over to the east mission or the east side of the city, i was really hoping to go to some town out in the woop woop and die (as a missionary) out in the country, but i am in a place called Mornington penninsula, it is a thumb hanging off of melbourne, and it is so cool we can the ocean all the time i love it and my new companion is the coolest, It's Edler Fenochietti from the MTC were just as close as Zabriskie, man i've served with everyone form my intake except Elder Feller but he is my Zone leader so i see him lots. but As for my ward my ward is way awesome, there are so many white people!!! hahaha its fun as! they are so excited to have us around. Also there are Hispanics and some somoans so i can get weened from Glenroys onslaught of Tarro (yuck samoan potato thing) There hasn't been a day that has gone by where i havn't seen the ocean. We really don't have much going on in the way of work though there is this one guy who came to church his name is Phil, he's a talker man he goes for ages, but he's way smart, and pretty cool guy, he used to be gay, but now knows better and he's the coolest, we had an hour appoinmtent and it went two hours and i bearely said anything, but i'll let you know on his progress a little later on. Our Area is massive and we have to drive at least half hour to get anywhere it seem, but i got a little bimbed this week that i only get to be here maximum four months, i want to be here longer but it i die (finish) here i'd be happy its way awesome, except it's raining 24/7 i want summer!!
Love you all be good.
Elder B
This week has been crazy, man my new area is crazy i'll tell you about it in a minute, but my last day in Glenroy was so awesome, i got to see all my recent converts, and man, it made my whole mission worth it i was basically surrounded the whole day with people who i had grown to love and also i have pointed towards eternal life with heavely father, it was so nice to see all of them one last time before the ned of my mission. So were so cut that i was going and so am I but I like my new Area it seems so cool. So I have moved over to the east mission or the east side of the city, i was really hoping to go to some town out in the woop woop and die (as a missionary) out in the country, but i am in a place called Mornington penninsula, it is a thumb hanging off of melbourne, and it is so cool we can the ocean all the time i love it and my new companion is the coolest, It's Edler Fenochietti from the MTC were just as close as Zabriskie, man i've served with everyone form my intake except Elder Feller but he is my Zone leader so i see him lots. but As for my ward my ward is way awesome, there are so many white people!!! hahaha its fun as! they are so excited to have us around. Also there are Hispanics and some somoans so i can get weened from Glenroys onslaught of Tarro (yuck samoan potato thing) There hasn't been a day that has gone by where i havn't seen the ocean. We really don't have much going on in the way of work though there is this one guy who came to church his name is Phil, he's a talker man he goes for ages, but he's way smart, and pretty cool guy, he used to be gay, but now knows better and he's the coolest, we had an hour appoinmtent and it went two hours and i bearely said anything, but i'll let you know on his progress a little later on. Our Area is massive and we have to drive at least half hour to get anywhere it seem, but i got a little bimbed this week that i only get to be here maximum four months, i want to be here longer but it i die (finish) here i'd be happy its way awesome, except it's raining 24/7 i want summer!!
Love you all be good.
Elder B
Sunday, August 15, 2010
August 8, 2010
G'day Family
So this Week I am "moving on up, to the East sy-hide" hahahaha maybe. so last night i got the Call that my 7 and 1/2 month sabaticle has come to an end I am being transfered, i'm not sure were to, but I am gonza and super excited, i mean i was so done with this area, i squeezed the juice out of this area, like three months ago, I only love it so much cause of the awesome converts i have they were the only thing keeping me hapy and going but now i'm gonna get a fresh new area to blast it to pieces for the last few months i'm here. I'm glad i finished strong, we had heaps of success this week we still have three people set for baptism and we had them all there at church this week, i'm glad i'll leave this place actually rolling and not dead as. Joe Was sweet this week she's really keen,a dn sincere in her learning. and she is way genuine, when we schedule we know the appointmment will go through and if it doesn't she calls and tells us another time for us to come. we still go some things for her to get over but i hope the other Elders are in the right position and worthiness to bring her the blessings she deserves. Not much else happened this week, i kinda just mozied until transfer calls came, i got to see a lot of my converts and say goodbye. also i realy hope my next companion will actually want to run in the morning, i went from running like crazy to just trying to roll this mountain of a companion out of bed on time. so i'm pretty jazzed to get some one slightly physically active cause i've put on a few kgs this last nine weeks. um well thats about it for the week. i'll tell you all about my new companion and area next week. Oh and One more thing.... So this Week Our old Mission President, President Lee suffered a Serveir Heart attack and i Would just ask for you ghuys to remember him in your prayers. Thank you family i love you and and take care.
Elder Ballard
So this Week I am "moving on up, to the East sy-hide" hahahaha maybe. so last night i got the Call that my 7 and 1/2 month sabaticle has come to an end I am being transfered, i'm not sure were to, but I am gonza and super excited, i mean i was so done with this area, i squeezed the juice out of this area, like three months ago, I only love it so much cause of the awesome converts i have they were the only thing keeping me hapy and going but now i'm gonna get a fresh new area to blast it to pieces for the last few months i'm here. I'm glad i finished strong, we had heaps of success this week we still have three people set for baptism and we had them all there at church this week, i'm glad i'll leave this place actually rolling and not dead as. Joe Was sweet this week she's really keen,a dn sincere in her learning. and she is way genuine, when we schedule we know the appointmment will go through and if it doesn't she calls and tells us another time for us to come. we still go some things for her to get over but i hope the other Elders are in the right position and worthiness to bring her the blessings she deserves. Not much else happened this week, i kinda just mozied until transfer calls came, i got to see a lot of my converts and say goodbye. also i realy hope my next companion will actually want to run in the morning, i went from running like crazy to just trying to roll this mountain of a companion out of bed on time. so i'm pretty jazzed to get some one slightly physically active cause i've put on a few kgs this last nine weeks. um well thats about it for the week. i'll tell you all about my new companion and area next week. Oh and One more thing.... So this Week Our old Mission President, President Lee suffered a Serveir Heart attack and i Would just ask for you ghuys to remember him in your prayers. Thank you family i love you and and take care.
Elder Ballard
Monday, August 2, 2010
August 1, 2010
G'day
Family this week was slow and really good at the same time, we only had a few lessons with people but man did we make them count, We taught this Aussie lady 50 years old and we taught her last week it was Joe, you should know all about her but she is a heavy as smoker and we were concerned she wouldn't want to continue but when we taught her the gospel and also the plan of salvation she was so excited and we set a baptismal date for the coming weeks. she wasn;t able to make it to church but still she's wonderfull and it's nice to teach some people who speaks our lanuage. then we have Suman and his family we met him a few weeks ago he said he and his family will be bap't if we got him son in school so we did and no were rounding him and his friends family up its way good but they're pretty dodgy with our appoinments. but things are going good. Also we had our first President interviews and they were awesome i love our new president completely different than President Lee i loved him but man President Liffereth is the man. he's so cool, he loves my ragged shoes it shows that i work, i'm pretty weird as you guys know and he understands me perfectly hahaha, and laso they are such new missionaries we taught sister Liffert how to talk to people so funnny us teaching them. um thats about it i'm sure so many other things happened to me but thats all you guys get hahahaha, next week are transfers so emails might be llate, but don't fret i still love you all be good and pray always
Elder Ballard
Friday, July 23, 2010
July 18, 2010
This week Was good, but i'm having a minor time remembering anything that has happened this week. it flew by and not much has happened. Cool thing that happend this is we had Zone conference it was way good, we got to meet the President way more. we had a whole lot of awesome trainings. Um we taught quite a few of nepalese families which was pretty good. one thing thats pretty lame is i have 11 recent converts in this ward which i care for a lot and some of them are not getting the support from the ward that they need and i can't see all of them every week and it's getting really tough to keep thiem active, so i'm hounding the ward for some support and it's like kicking rocks but i gotta "kick against the pricks" as the scriptures say, someday they'll move. um i Wrote you all a long as letter this week i'll be sending it soon that fill you in on all that jazz ofthe mission. so not to sound repetative i'll save it and tell you all to wait. But the awesome thing of the week as well is WE GOT OUR CAR!!!! it was the best day ever. i'm so happy we can teach SO many more people. but other then that all is well i'm happy and Trying to fight off the trunkie. love you all be good. Hoo roo
_Ewlda Balodd
_Ewlda Balodd
Sunday, July 18, 2010
July 11, 2010
G'day Family.
This week was alright, it went so Fast. Partly because most of the missionaries in the area spent it sleeping. so on Tuesday my Comp got really sick so he slept then another missionary got sick so he satyed with my comp and i went out and worked, then i got sick (just a fever) on Thursday. and this carried us allt the way until saturday untill we were all back to the plate. We're all still coughing up storm but the worst has past and that wasn't even that bad. But on thursday because we half the missionaries in the Area were sick we didn't get a lot of work done so Elder Mulitalo and I went out with a determination to make up for the lost time. it was so much fun we ran from person to person teaching and asking them if they want to learn, i met so many cool people most not interested but some of them were keen as on us coming over so next week should yeild some good results. Another cool thing we did this week is we toured a Siekh (seek... it's a religion, the ones who wear turbans) temple it was way weird they totally ahd a Ramiumptom (book of mormon look it up ) so hilarious and the gave us free food, kinda buh!, but they gave us free siekh jewelyry it was so awesome. but i think thats it for this week. i hope you warm weather is great, pray for me, i love you all.
Elder Ballard
Monday, July 5, 2010
July 5, 2010
G'day Family,
This week has been way good. so we started this week with really nobody to teach and we decided to take action and do things a whole new way. we set out plans and promised heavenly father that if we work hard to meet these goal that he would give us certain blessings. we had also made plans to talk to over 1000 people (outside of planned activities...like street contacting) over the next six week and a whole heap of other goals. we named this new plan of action "Wudonga" it's an aboriginal word meaning... i have no idea! but we say it to pump ourselves up and to go get these lost sheep. and it totally work we found like three families to teach and a few seem very promising. a few came to church yesterday and they are from Nepal. really awesome people and the people seem to just be piling up. also there was this one Family, they mostly members the mom and son are and we just recently baptised the daughter (Moorisha) the fijians. but the dad is a Jehovah Wittness and he is very nice but always leaves when we come over but this week he came out we taught him of the book of mormon and he accepted one (which JW's arn't allowed to do) it was way exciting and we taught him and built a good relationship of trust with him. i hope to be able t teach hm in the comming days. this is the begining of a new surge of baptism and i'm happy to be the driving force. Also our new Mission President came i havn't spoken with him yet but we meet him in two days and i'm excited. I't july Holy cow!! well Don't let seeing mikey make you think i'm arund the corner. i've got donkey yonks. but I love it. Be good family. seek to better yoursleves always. much love..
Elder ballard
P.S. the picture last week i was holding a Wholl fih on my plate, it mtches with one photo i got from mikey ask him about it.
This week has been way good. so we started this week with really nobody to teach and we decided to take action and do things a whole new way. we set out plans and promised heavenly father that if we work hard to meet these goal that he would give us certain blessings. we had also made plans to talk to over 1000 people (outside of planned activities...like street contacting) over the next six week and a whole heap of other goals. we named this new plan of action "Wudonga" it's an aboriginal word meaning... i have no idea! but we say it to pump ourselves up and to go get these lost sheep. and it totally work we found like three families to teach and a few seem very promising. a few came to church yesterday and they are from Nepal. really awesome people and the people seem to just be piling up. also there was this one Family, they mostly members the mom and son are and we just recently baptised the daughter (Moorisha) the fijians. but the dad is a Jehovah Wittness and he is very nice but always leaves when we come over but this week he came out we taught him of the book of mormon and he accepted one (which JW's arn't allowed to do) it was way exciting and we taught him and built a good relationship of trust with him. i hope to be able t teach hm in the comming days. this is the begining of a new surge of baptism and i'm happy to be the driving force. Also our new Mission President came i havn't spoken with him yet but we meet him in two days and i'm excited. I't july Holy cow!! well Don't let seeing mikey make you think i'm arund the corner. i've got donkey yonks. but I love it. Be good family. seek to better yoursleves always. much love..
Elder ballard
P.S. the picture last week i was holding a Wholl fih on my plate, it mtches with one photo i got from mikey ask him about it.
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