Tough Work in Mornington

Hey,

Man that is sweet - Ashton looks bigger or older...it's a little weird (remarking on the photo that he was sent regarding his youngest brother Ashton's win at his Cub Scout Pinewood Derby - photo attached below for reference). That is cool that he won.  Looks like he did not have time paint it (as a side-note, it was red on the sides and gold on top - Iron Man colors...it's just difficult to see with the angle that he's holding it at).

Australia day was this weekend and we had a ward activity up at Arthur's Seat national park (http://www.visitmelbourne.com/Regions/Mornington-Peninsula/Things-to-do/Nature-and-wildlife/National-parks-and-reserves/Arthurs-Seat-State-Park.aspx). It was pretty awesome and I had an opportunity to play cricket, which was a bit interesting. 

That is awesome for Ryan Deakin and Matt Hebel (referring to the fact that they took 1st and 3rd, respectively, at the very tough Top of the Rockies wresting tournament last weekend).  Great to hear that Aaron had a good wrestle-off in Arizona as well - I know he will do well.  He hasn't written to me in a couple of weeks, but I look forward to hearing about how he's doing in the sport and at school.

Work is hard here. I apparently am in the ritzy part of Australia where everyone vacations for the summer. When I got here there were no investigators at all so we have been tracting (finding people, typically door-to-door) for most of the time. I put in 16 hours this week, which is a lot of hours. 

Last week I didn't write a letter because there wasn't a lot to talk about unfortunately.  The computers are really slow here.  It takes 30 minutes to log in, so I'm sorry - no pictures.

I love all of you

Put 100 percent into the Lord!

Elder Otterson

Adam's youngest brother Ashton - wins the 2015 Pinewood Derby!

First Report from the Mornington Ward

Hi everyone.

So this week has been a little bit more productive. We have really been striving to go tracting for two hours everyday, but the area is pretty big and sometimes we are bad about calculating travel time into the actual door knocking. The members are super great here and the youth are super cool. They recently took a trip to the beach and did a slip and slide. They made a video that is on YouTube. I don't know what it is called, but it should be like "world's best slip and slide" or something like that. 

The ward I serve in is the Mornington ward if that means anything. The second counselor in the stake presidency served a mission in Colorado North mission in 1995. His name is Hope but he said he served in Boulder and Northglen, which is pretty cool (small world). I guess the biggest thing that I've learned is that even though it sometimes doesn't feel like you are accomplishing much (with less effective methods - e.g., tracting), you are still doing what the Lord has asked you to do. I guess that even though we don't have an active investigators right now, as long as we are going out and doing what we are commanded to do, we will be able to plant seeds and hopefully down the road something will happen. 

The members are really good about feeding us, so that's pretty great. On Wednesday night it started to rain while we were at missionary correlation at the church, which is like 20 minutes from the flat. We wanted to get back by 9, so we put on some trash bags we made into ponchos and headed home. that must have looked so funny! On Thursday it was raining again, but we got on our bikes and got to work. Hopefully someone sees how crazy dedicated we are and will let us in: - ) 

I'm sorry to hear about Ryan Deakin's loss - that stinks! I know he will be better. It seems like Huff does well during the season and then at state he blows chunks; whereas Ryan seems to just get better. No doubt Ryan will be the man. 

Miss you all, but time goes by too quickly!

Love,

Elder Otterson

PS - we just got a couple of pictures from when Adam first arrived in Melbourne.  The photos have been added to the posting from his first report from Australia.

1st Transfer - Mornington

Hello.

So this week was pretty crazy. I got transferred out of the city and am now in the Mornington ward. The area I serve in is on the peninsula on the right hand side of Port Phillip. So there are beaches galore. I was also introduced to the highly ineffective practice of tracting (i.e., door-to-door in neighborhoods). It is easy to see how so many missionaries become disobedient and stop working. I am just so grateful that I had the trainer I did and also that I was able to be raised/trained in the city where it is fast-paced. 

Most people we talk to on the doorsteps are pretty content with where they are and do not like to listen to us when we come knocking. It is hard to get a real conversation going as they are really stand-offish. It is okay, though, and recently while tracting I have been focusing on just testifying of the Book of Mormon while holding it and giving a really brief testimony. That way they will hopefully feel the Spirit, We can give them the Book of Mormon, and we don't make them too irritated. I don't understand why people get so angry when we come by their homes. We are super friendly, not in their face, and only take 5 minutes out of their day, yet they always seem like we are such a nuisance. Oh well, the work must go on. 

The ward here is super friendly and strong. The members are good about feeding us, and are fun to talk too. Mostly, we just spend the days updating the ward list based on our visits of less active members of the church. It is crazy how many people get baptized and then leave the church. It is sad really. 

The computers here are super slow so I'm sorry I could not send a longer e-mail. Hopefully all is well back home. Next week I expect to have more to talk about and more people to teach. Oh yeah...and biking is not all that fun either. With that being said, we are trying to do all that we can to move the work forward and use our time in the best way possible.

 

Love,

Elder Otterson