June 27, 2010

G'day Family,


Sorry in advance but this email is gonna be tiny. litterall tiny. we basically just got rained on this whole week. and i've been fill with a godd dose of trunk thinking about mikey beinig home in two days. but all is well this week was once again really slow, we did almost nop work cause of our hindering Bipedalysis (walking) but We still found a lot of joy in the work, so no big worries on our end. SOmething kind of sad this week is we Had our farewell for President and sister Lee, we had a big frieside for them on thrusday. it was a bit sad i'm gonna miss those two like crazy, they were like our mom and Dad out here. but the best part about it was i got to hug sister Lee, alright!!! my only leagal hug on the mission, it was way funny cause i've been hyping up this hug for the last five or six months with her. so we get our new Mission President on thurday and that will be so crazy not having the Lee's around. but i'll Deal. I hit 18 months this week!!! how nuts my skip day pretty insane.i might burn a suit ya probably. um thats about it for me thanks for only a few email this week. nut i still love you all... HEAPs i promise, be good and Always trying a better yourself.

June 20, 2010

G'day Family.


Ok so this week was Alright, so it was a carbon copy of last week, int he fact that we still have no car or bikes and it takes Ages to get from appoinment to appointment. and we have to gap it from everything early. But we did have our very last Zone confernece with President and Sister Lee. Kind of sad but we have a farewell for them this week that should be grouse. oh cool thing that happened this week is two of our Recent converts Danial and Shelly, they both received the priesthood and thay were so pumped it's pretty exciting those were my first RC's to recieve the Priesthood. um nnot much else happend this week other than trying to get kill by the city council setting boobie traps for me to die in. ok so here's the happening of the event. so Elder Pullman and I just had finished contacting this one lady and we were on our way back to our flat, when we decided to cut through a Reserve (park/nature thing, but more nature than park) and we were just walking me a little in front of elder Pullman, when i Took one step then Disappeared, i stepped onto a manhole gutter sort of the and the top of it just flipped up and down i went in an instant. the second i rested my foot on it i knew it was a bad idea but it happened to fast to do anyhting about it. down i went with a thud!! I just about cracked my ribs on the conrete slab that flipped up and javelined itself into my abdomine. and there were sharp bits of cement that took there toll on my Shins. and half in the hole and half out all i could yell is "What the Hell!!" over and over and over. and Instead of being a careing loving companion Elder Pullman just Laughed until he pee'd himslef and snapped photo's of the horrific Scene (Photo's attached) i servived and i'll be fine, but i totally wish it wasn't me that fell in cause i needed a good laugh hahahah. well thats it family. i Lvoe you all and Say Hi the Mikey for me next week.


-Love Elder Ballard

June 15, 2010

G'day Family,

This week was Pretty good, but a bit trying but nothing that is too big. We just got Elder Pullman Settled into my area, it has taken some time due to the fact that we don't have a car and we have to walk everywhere because elder Pullman is to big for a bike. because before elder Bennetts and i could do so mush work on the bikes almost as well as a car but now we have to rely on our feet and dumb busses that come three minutes early and leave us who got there two minutes early ughhh! hahaha but it's all good i'm Still smiles. We have been blessed from being on our feet though, because we get to talk to everyone on the street, and have been able to find a few prospects in our area for the coming months. I hope to get twice the amount of work done. my time is dwindeling and i don't really want to waste any of it. hey Mikey is home in two weeks thats insane. give him a kiss on the lips for me hahahaha. Hmm the mission will be combining into one mission in twoo weeks as well thats super exciting on new mission president and 85 new missionaries, oh boi it'll be the best. well i got no love from you all this week except wayne that why he's my favorite. hahah but i still love you all and be sure you be good and pray always.

-Elder Ballard

June 8, 2010

G'day Family,

This week has been one of a few trials, but I'll be fine i always take then with a smile and a brighter look for the future. OK so this week was business as usual and we were doing our normal thing, it was going really good because our recent Convert Shelly is so pumped up and he wants to just hang out and teach with us all day it's so fun, we just drive him around to everyone with him. until thready... on Thursday we were driving and i was taking a right turn (left turn for you guys, the kind were i have to yield) so i stop and the on coming car is turning right so we are both stopped to yield oncoming traffic and so i see nobody is moving and she gives me the go ahead and so i look and then go. then Wham!!! we get basically T-boned (well L-boned they hit our back tire and door) by a car that was flying around the opposite cars. she spun us around in a 180 and we came to a stop, every body was alright. and the hit happened right on the door where Shelly was sitting but he's right. the police came and so did one of the office missionaries to help us out, no i don't think it was my fault cause she was flying and didn't even hit the brakes at all. but the police said minus the circumstances, the cut and dry definition it was my fault. so lame i have to pay some fine so lame, so now our Car is gone as well. it makes our work a lot different we Ride our bikes everywhere the first day was way strange, but i got used to the trains and buses and bikes and now i love it. we don't as much work done but i really enjoy it. we have a nice video of us a Shelly on the bikes you'll enjoi it. hahaha I've had a really good time on the bikes. and we're just truggin along. but now transfers came, and I've been here six months now and i was kinda of expecting to leave but the calls have come and i Am staying in the Glenroy ward. but Elder Jacob Bennetts is leaving to Tasmania. yup so at the moment i have a new Comp here his name is Jared Pullman from New Zealand and he is a Big boy. he's like 6'9" and massive i think I've talked about him before, he was down in tazzy with me and we went on a lot of exchanges, I'm excited to work with him but the only thing is he is too big for bike so I'm super bummed about that, we don't have a car for the next four weeks. man!! but it's good I'm excited. and also only three more weeks until the mission combine it's getting intense now. but I'm still pushing along being a foot soldier here on the front lines trying my hardest to pull my weight in the mission. I love you all and Be good.

Elder Ballard

May 30, 2010 Ewlda Baillod( Aussie Way)

G'day Family,

This week was a little better, no luck with any of my stolen goods but I'll be OK, Really sad thing though is we had president interviews with President Lee for the very last time in four weeks him and sister Lee will be going home, sad day. it's weird i don't want to say goodbye but i'm sure the new president will be great the merger of mission is coming faster and faster it's gonna be quite crazy. I'm sure my life won't melo down anytime soon. also this Thursday i got my new set of scriptures. my old ones were one size bigger than normal ones and these ones are the little kind. and man it's so hard to teach with out all my links and notes and stuff, i can barely navigate these one, i can even find the bible in it ahahah, my other ones i could put then on my head think about a scripture and nod my head they would fall into my lap opened to right scripture (that's an exaggeration) I'm kind of excited though new set i can be more organised. so i just have to go on... Good story of the week, Shelly our investigator he got Baptized this saturday, he was so pumped about it. he Told us mid week his parents said if he gets baptized that he will no longer be their son. but he said he didn't care he knew this was true and good, and also his girlfriend from india called me told me he is stupid and said i should not let him get baptized he was so funny about the whole this, he just laughed and made us promise him that the ward will become his family, and of course we would thats our baptismal covenant "mourn with those that Mourn" (mosiah), Elder bennets baptised him and he shouted thank you to all those who came to the Bap. then yesterday i confirmed him a member of the church and gave hime the holy ghost. other than that my week was way good found a bunch of people to teach and just had a good time. i love it here. Transfers are next week, i'm 80% i'll saty and next transfer is a nine week transfer for the merger, so if i stay thats 7 months in this area. i like it. i love the work, thanks for the love and i can't wait for you're packages yeeee!! lov you all!!

-Ewlda Baillod (aussie way)

May 23, 2010 Wilt Thou Rob God?

G'day Family

This week was so bad but at the same time it was way way good, so do you want the bad news first or second?.... ok i'll give you the bad news first if you really want. So on thursday night we met at anohyter missionaries flat for exchanges. we got out of the car and went inside for five minutes and came out. i noticed some stuff moved around the car, but didn't anythign of it. until the morning i put the pieces together. we had been broken into. they honestly took everything. they took Elder Bennetts' GPS, our Mobile, Ipod, Ipod Dock, My missionary bag, My other leather bag which had my camera in it, Our petrol credit card, and i don't really care that i lost any of this but the worst thing they got in my sciptures. my life and Brain as a missionary. i feel like i lost my child, it's sucks so bad to not have it, man i put so many notes and study into that and now it's gone. I've got another brand new set already but man, i was just telling Elder Page how they were gonna be my big family scriptures that my kids read out of every night. i guess not anymroe :(. oh well you can't let this slow yiou down. And now for the good part of the week. We met this man named shelly, he'd been previously taught in India and already knew everythnig he was gonna get Baptized over ther but had to come here so he is so excited for his baptism which is this saturday, and also we got heaps of our investigators to this special meeting with Elder Callister (first quorrum on the 70) and Area President. it was such a cool meeting and our recent converts and investigators loved it. i'm excited for next week it's gonna be a good one. thanks family for your prayers, i'm doing way good. i love it here and the people i may never come home. hahaha. i lvoe you all

-Elder Ballard

May 16, 2010

G'day family,

This week was really exciting we worked really hard and a few really cool and really disappointing things happened to us. ok so i guess I'll tell you about this guy we met named Abdule Raheem. So last Monday he Flagged us down on the Corner and talked to us, he is Austrailian but has changed his name cause he has converted to Islam. We think the lesson isn't gonna be that great we think he just wants to tell us all about Islam. So we go over there and teach him and it was going really well he's really smart, and understands ever thing, we relate the First vision and we ask him how he felt, and all he said is, it reminds him of a dream he had a year back. he told us all about his dream and what happened a lot of really interesting things, and then he said right before his dream closed he heard "Isaiah 28" and so he searched through all of that in Isaiah 28 and 29 and 30, and he searched for ages and found the only scripture that was pulling him in was Isaiah 29:11, and so i opened to that scripture and it was one prophecying of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and it was also written in 2Nephi 27:9 or somthing and man, the excitment that filled the room was palpable, and so when we shared this with Abdule he was shocked he had never expected us to pull something like that off. and the reason he had converted to Islam recently is that scripture matches up with he story of Mohammad, but he was really willing to pray about it and i knew he'd get his answer if he prayed. so in two days we saw him and we brought president lee to help us teach. but at the end he told us a few weeks ago he dreamed about Joseph Smith and he was a little boy and just said "i'm a Mason" thats it and so Abdule looked online and Found out joseph smith was a mason, and for some reason he has this deep deep deep hatred for masons, so he politely gae us the book back and refused to read it, i was so dissappointed. but i have no hatred towards him, we figure the he's just had something happen in his life but he'll hopefully find that islam is hullabaloo and he'll come our way, but as for that we taught quite a bit of other people. these people are wonerfull i lvoe serving and in order to keep some of these new people in the gospel and for anyone they just gotta read pray everyday and come to church it's simple easy, and with bring the most happiness. Love you family, be good, take care and go to church.

Elder Ballard

May 9, 2010

G'day Family,

So I just Got to Talk to Most of you on the Phone like an Hour ago, That was really good and really cool to think thats the last ohone call and the next step is to come home hahaha really exciting and scary at the same time, i don't want to leave really so i'll just be sure to work really hard the next few months i won't get trunkie till December and i'll give me a week to be in the words of Mikey Trunk-a-licious. hahaha, i've got ages to go so lets not think about it to much. So this Week, First off i Want to tell you this super cool expirience i had this last Friday. We saw on this list of poeple there was a brazillian family that had shown some insterest a few months back and seeing that brazillians are pretty prepared people, we wanted to go and see them, we get to there house and i knock on the door an older lady comes to the door, and when she see;s us she says, "oh, no ingles" now this happens to us a lot when were at the door but it's usually greek or italian people, and we can't do anything about that, but i knew this lady was Brazillian, and so she could understand me if i spoke spanish, i Before she Shut the Door i Blurted " Por Favor, aprendes espanol, conosco eres Brazillian pero hablo espanol" then she opened the door and i started to ask here questions in spannish she understood well but when she responed i couldn't understand a word of Portugues. it was still cool and we were able to find out the answers we needed, and hopefully this weekend we'll get to teach her and her family or neighbor i don't know all the details. that was a coll this that happend, other than that a sad thing is Fiona our Chinese Baptismal Date she doesn't want us aound and we went by with a Chinese speaking missionary abd it was so cool to see a american just spout off chinese so well. but she has been anti'd or something but man it's a little bit sad, were also teaching lots of indians hopefully one of them will be ready for baptism soon. I miss Elder Zabriskie me and Him taught like champions nobody could say no, but it's gonna take a bit longer to get teaching well with my comp, but i gotta be patient, he's awesome we get along great, just working hard waiting for some blessings. thanks for the phone calls it was great, happy Mothers Day to all you mothers, love you guys.

May 2, 2010- Parable of the Legos

G'day Family,

This week was a good one, we worked really hard, so it's a bit different not having Zabriskie around because he has Cronick fatigue syndrom, so we napped and took the work really easy but still baptised like crazy. we did so well but never got overwhelmed by anything, i thought it was a pretty good system, because we were the most effective. but this Chooseday (tuesday the way an Aussie says it) I got my New Companion Elder Jacob Bennetts, he is from a place in Western Australia called Bunbry. he has a thick accent and is helping me out with some word at a time, and soon i'll be pro at it. he's pretty new only been out 4 months but he works pretty hard but isn't serious all the time which calls for a fun time, we can't be serious always or we'll go crazy. But this week we wroked really hard, and got a lot of stuff done this week, exciting news is Fiona has accepted the Baptismal Invite and will be dunked in the next few weeks. we also have found quite a few indian investigators that we'll have our new convert Priyanker come around and help us out. it's looking like the success will continue to come but also i'm concerned, so there are many missionaries who go out and try and get as many people as possible andevery time they take on board more name they know what to do with, here's my analogy, " It's like your sitting in a room up to your neck in Legos, there is no way you'll ever be able to make anything cool because you'll never find the right peices, the peices are there but there are so many peices you don't want that it'll take way more than six weeks to do anything great" thats my parable of the Legos, thats i hope to continue the work here, organized, orderly, and simpley. Elder Bennetts and i have had a great first week, our first day even was exciting, because i got introuble for... well we all know what, i was made junior comp and not driver anymore, and the first day Elder Bennetts side swipped two cars, ahahaha it was crazy, so i took the keys off him for the sake of mine and his life, and i think we all feel a lot safer with me behind the wheel. I've been out 16 months now, prettty crazy, the missions are getting combine in two months, i'm so pumped for that, i guess i'll talk to you all on mothers day, love you all and thanks Christy for the only email this week. haha

-Elder Ballard