ALOHA!

Hey existing readers and hey new readers, I have 2 friendly reminders. First and foremost, this is Megan who posted Elder Wehi's MTC updates and MTC photos.

I also have been posting Elder Wehi's mission updates and mission photos on behalf of Elder Wehi during his mission until I leave for my mission. the photos will be posted under "Mission Photos" section of this blog. Elder Wehi sent 10 photos today.

"ALOHA!

So its been a pretty great week! much different to the tropical weather down in barmy Australia, for suuuuuure! It was so cold the other day that Elder Strong...who is from Alberta and is used to the cold...said he couldnt feel his hands and feet. I went to take my hands out of my gloves and it felt like I didnt have hands too...yeahhh...it was preeety cold haha. Its been a beautiful winter though. cant complain, especially when you are walking! no quiet days for us, especially on the buses.

This weeks miracle was being able to attend the Temple in Toronto. What a beautiful place it is! wow. words cannot describe the supreme peace that radiates those walls. I have now been in all the rooms there inside because when I first started the mission there was a recent convert who went there, from China. and now because we are in training, we had the privilege of going again! I would invite each and every one of you to make the necessary steps to go to these holy Temples. What a blessing it is to have most Temples so close by!

This week we saw plenty of miracles! from being almost arrested to sharing the Gospel with full buses. Its been a beautiful experience with Elder Strong. He lives up to his name! He is a very strong hearted and willed missionary. He is doing great and we love serving together and to serve with "one heart, and one mind"....its Weh-strong in Zion ;)

So I thought the whole idea of a picture tells a million words would suffice for todays email since we thought we had figured out this whole pictures on the computer thingamajigggy. So here are the pictures!

Oh and transfer news! Elder Strong and I will be staying in Scarborough! This will make it serving in Scarborough for nearly 8 months and Elder Strong to finish his training here. I will be District Leader again...WOOHOO! Parties with the missionaries! hahahaha.

In the Canada toronto Mission, we TEACH REPENTANCE and BAPTIZE Converts! :) its going to be a great transfer.

I love you all, and thank you again for all of your prayers and kindness. We cannot do this without the prayers which are offered in our behalf.

Much love From the Scarberia Missionaries!

Elders Strong and Wehi"

Quick Update for this week!

A day late because it was a public holiday yesterday.

"Elder Strong and I are doing great! We have had so many good times this week so far its been wonderful. Elder Strong has his birthday last Monday and we held a surprise birthday party for him! He is now a big 20 years old eh! We are in a district of missionaries that all speak Chinese except for us and another two elders..so it was also Chinese new year and so we celebrated it all at the same time. The Zone Leaders brought pizza and a member brought a cake and Elder Strong had no idea muhahaha. Many times trying to secretly call the missionaries...secret combinations right? It turned out to be a Hugh success and we played some games and Elder Strong seemed pretty ecstatic about it all so it was awesome. okay...whos birthday next? ;)

This week we taught heaps, walked heaps, ate heaps, froze heaps, and felt the Spirit heaps. It was a really great week and Elder Strong went bus soapboxing (which is when you talk to a large group of people at the same time) needless to say, the bus was pretty quiet after, but Elder Strongs buzz for sharing the Gospel was so alive and excited that he would just invite peole randomly on the street to be baptized! hahahaha I remember those days...now I'm old...and we oldies tend to do it differently...but his energy and excitement to share the Gospel humbles me and make me want to work hard too. I love my companion and I am grateful for his hard work. P.S thank you for all those who sent birthday wishes to him too. Much appreciated it. He was asking me where on earth they came from and I couldn't help but smile and laugh a little to myself because I still haven't told him hahahaha

Family day was yesterday and It makes me reflect on the lessons I have learnt about how God truly cares for the family. So many things are taking away from the sanctity of marriage and family today, but Gods Son Jesus Christ and His Gospel do really make a difference. I love this Gospel with all my heart and know that families really can be together forever. The Book of Mormon is a tool of repentance. We are led by a Living Prophet who speak truth today. I love the members here and they do a wonderful job at reaching out the the lost, lonely and sad. We love this place with all our hearts and are happy to be missionaries here.

Hope you all have a wonderful week and please keep safe. I love you. happy valentines day and family day too!

From your favorite Scarborough missionaries,

Elders Strong and Wehi

P.s The photos are coming ;)"

HAAAAAAPPY BIIIIIIIRTHDAAAAAY!

Hey Readers, I will mention some of the email and not all of the email as first part of the email considered not advisable to share on the blog.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ELDER STRONG!

so this week we saw miracles after miracles after miracles. what a blessed week!

Dominguez Familia! 

So this week we had the privilege of meeting again with this returning member family and they are doing great! They are returning into activity because of their love for the Savior. We taught about how the Lord always keeps his promises and as I shared how my mother had loved a scripture which mentioned: "I the Lord am bound when you do what I say..." it helped the mother of the family to open up and share an experience about how she also had difficult times and go through them because of the Savior ad his love through prayer. they came to church this week! awesome!!

John (the beloved?)

Had a pretty neat experience...we have been counseled from our leaders to contact about 15 people in an area if the person we had originally planned to visit is not home...so we did! we then knocked on one door and we were let in super super quick...now in my experience...when that happens..its either really really bad, or really really good. in this case it was really really GOOD! :) The man told us he hadt seen missionaries had his door in ages. he was 29 and from Haiti. He lived in florida where he was baptized at 19. he fell away and hadnt come back to church in a long time. We talked with him and committed him to return to activity. We have a time to see him again this week! so hoping for good news!

Banaag family Po!

I love Filipino people with all my heart! they are just the best. a good friend of mine once said: "if you are having a hard day...just find a Filipino person and it will brighten your day for sure" :) So we have this family in the ward where the daughter and her fiance have just arrived from off their missions not too long and they are wanting us to help them with their parents who are less active...so we went by this week and shared testimonies with each other and sang some songs with them as a family. The Son of the family had a severe accident with his allergies which left him in a hosptial bed an it has been hard on the parents...we sang together some songs while I played the guitar and the feeling in the room was so happy and light and it was beautiful. Its small moments like those that I recognize Gods love. He may not take away our burdens, but he can make them lighter...I KNOW that is true :)

FOR THE BRANCH AT HOME:


So I thought I would send an email for the ward to hear during Sacrament or another time during church....so for my dad who is reading this...and also mum...however you can get this to be read during sacrament of what not...im sure you can make it work! :)

Good morning!! (from over here in the evening in Canada) haha, what an amazing experience it is to know you are waking up when we are going to bed haha...and all the while the church is still true wherever you go, even on the other side of the world. Its a testament to me that Canadians love the Gospel as much as Aussies do! its great!

My companions name is Elder Strong and I love him. He is a trooper..literally...Im sure they pulled him out of the stripling warriors because he is always on fire with his faith and he pushes through even though he has difficulties with his health at times.

Being here in Ontario Canada means you MUST say eh, be familiar with Hockey, know how to speak atleast 72 different languages, and drive on the wrong side of the road. I am thoroughly convinced that every bus driver I talk to thinks Im a survivor of the Jurassic age.. they think that Australia has 500 pound 10 legged three headed dragons everywhere. Its okay with me because it makes me giggle every now and then hahaha

We walk...Alot. I think Elder Strong and I are going to qualify for a body building contest soon with the amount of leg exercise we have. plus the members here feed us like crazy, which is awesome! I think I must have put on atleast 50 pounds hahaha...oh and eating balut? yeah, Ive done it twice! hahaha for those who dont know what balut is....its a good thing hahaha

The work is really great! Because people here in Canada are actually really really nice, we get to teach quiet often! we have had the privilege of teaching many special people over the course of the mission. Many lives have been touched and changed because of the atonement...and mine as well.

Some of the highlights for the mission for me have been: walking beside the CN tower, getting lost in a forest in the middle of a city, eating at atleast 100 different asian buffets, training new missionaries, chasing after buses and trains to the next appointment, eating with members, the Baptisms, sliding down a snowy mountain on nothing but our freeze burned stomachs, all the prayers on the streets, handing out atleast 1000 book of Mormons, the Zone conferences, musical numbers, Christmas times, exchanges, the train rides and tram rides, knocking on doors in -40 degree weather...the many many Many times we have been asked to leave apartment buildings because the Gospel was true, the counsel of President Clayton, walking through golden forests in Autumn, having a bear walk past your house, all the priesthood blessings, all the tears and the fears amongst the triumphs and the faith. There are countless things I am grateful for because of my mission.

I know that I am not the same as I used to be when I first came to Canada. I have come to understand more deeply the Atonement and how missions really do prepare you for family. I know that God desires for families to be happy now and throughout eternity. I have witnessed it time and time again.

over the course of 5 areas, 10 companions, and 12 transfers..I can testify of a certain truth:
the most happiness in life can be had as we center of lives on the Savior. as we make his teachings and Atonement a part of our life, it can lift us, move us, and change us for the better. I know that God respects agency and is just waiting and willing to bless us, all we need to do is open the door to it. God works according to faith and changes our hearts as we repent and turn back to Him.

I pray for you, and I love you. today, show kindness to someone who may have wronged you or you wronged them. forgive. forgive.forgive. I testify that the Atonement will immediately place its role in your life :) I love you all! really I do!

The mission was the best decision I ever made. It has blessed my life more than I know. I promise you, whatever your circumstance, that God does not call the qualified, but he qualifies the called. Serve a mission, full time or not, and the Lord will bless you for your loving efforts in His vineyard. I am called of god to declare His truths to the world and I do so in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.


have an amazing week!

Elders Strong and Wehi"

Another fantastic week in Scarborough!

"Our companionship team name is Weh-strong...like 'way strong'...because we are way strong together. Its a great team name! :D

What a blessing this week has been. Something you come to learn about being a missionary is that this really is the work of God. God is in control, he understand all his children, and he loves them all so much, more than I could ever express. I know these things are true for I witness it every day. God places people prepared in our path and as long as we are kind and willing to serve these people, they become interested in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. which reminds me of the quote: "people don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." I have seen the hardest of hearts softened instantly when you go out of your way to, as Christ did, "give your life." in their service. The pure love of Christ, it never fails.

It just makes me even more grateful for the great women of the church both young and old. Like last weeks email, my apprecaition for the righteous examples of women has increased ten fold since serving the people of Ontario. What a sacrifice you make, what little recognition you receive. Oh how important you are to our Father in Heaven. Its just...true haha.

This week was pretty awesome! Elder Strong has been dealing with some challenges with his legs and stomach, and so we have been in and out of the doctors office a couple of times this week, but he is still smiling and doing great. We don't really run much anymore because of this...but God is good to us and is providing interested investigators and members for us to teach.

This Sunday Elder strong gave a great talk on missionary work for the Ward. The Ward loves him and he is getting used to the people here. Being only here for a couple of weeks, he has been a fast learner and his teaching skills are improving. I feel humbled to lead him, because I often feel that I need to improve so much in all that I do. I a m grateful that the Lord has promised (and when he promises, he always fulfills) that if we humble ourselves before him and have faith in him, he will make weak things become strong unto him. Also makes more sense since my companions name is Strong hahaha. He is still very strong haha

So we saw a pretty neat miracle this week!

We were sitting in the doctors office when we felt impressed to call some names on the phone. We called a referral which had been sent to us a couple of day prior. As we called a lady answered and said they were busy and had no time. sighing we continued to call others, until the phone began to ring. It was the same lady. she told us we could come by that sunday. So we did, and the visit was lovely. The family, about 5 of them...mother, father, 2 brothers and 1 sister, all less active were waiting for us. We taught the about repentance and invited them to church...they agreed and it was a great lesson. A spanish member also came with us and he really enjoyed the visit and he said a prayer for their home also.

It has been a great week and we are looking forward to what is to come!

also, as always...thank you for what YOU do. For your prayers, for your kindness, for your great efforts in your families and towards those around you, wether at work or school, at home or abroad...Thank you for what you have done for me...wether great or small...all of you have in some way or another helped me to be where I am today, and I couldnt be here without that.

If there is anything we can do for you this week...please let us know! :)

Your Missionaries,

Elders Strong and Wehi"