Far Out!

Wow time is flying!
Its already been a week here in Cairns! And yes... this is Great Barrier Reef central. We can't go anywhere near the coast so I'm always flipped around thinking East is West and back and forth. But just so ya know- My area is in the middle of Cairns and south all the way to Townsville- which is a long way away. Its been really stressful being whitewashed into this area with Elder Tietjen. Using maps trying to figure out where everything is... but I love it so much. There are thousands of bats in the air at night... and the mountains look so beautiful! Whenever I get stressed or frustrated, I look at the mountains and I realize I'm in CAIRNS!!!
Elder Tietjen drove this week. Wow-- he is bad... but luckily I'm driving this week. And I know I'll be fine.
In our flat- Elder Nelson and Tohoro cover the northern Cairns ...basically the whole northern Australia. They are Studs! Good Good guys and Elder Nelson is the District leader.
There have been a lot of floods here lately .. but nothing while I've been here. I guess we had a cyclone here, but it passed Cairns. We have been getting a lot of rain though. Wow. I guess its a lot like Hawaii here.
This week has been full with great experiences and miracles! We have no progressing investigators so we have been doing a lot of tracting and finding lately. Just like Elder Winder said.. finding can be so fun! Last night we went to the Hood and played street basketball to get referrals. Hardly worked though. But we got in with all the players and got an appointment with a less active member there.
Elder Tietjen and I went street contacting our first night here.. and that night, we saw a Aboriginel woman beat up a white guy and prayed for a couple that were fighting. So we thought this area was going to be Crazy! But its been normal the rest of the nights.
This branch works a lot with less actives so Elder Tietjen and I had a lot lessons with un-promising people. We tried our 100 percent best.
This Branch is so amazing though. Great missionary- minded people. They had us get up and bear our testimony on Sunday. I really feel good about this area and mostly about this branch! I really feel like I love them already. We had a less active there on Sunday so they asked us to teach Gospel Principles. So I just whispered- lets talk about the restoration- to Elder Teitjen and we started this amazing discussion. I guess they don't have a Gospel Principles class yet. So we hope to see her next Sunday. Her name is Patricia.
We had a Ward Activity on Friday night for the Millers. They are the senior couple here. Amazing people. They both know the scriptures SO WELL! They leave on the 22nd.
As of right now we are getting a lot of potentials. I got my tracting approach down perfect now. I don't get nervous one bit anymore. Its nice.
We do have one baptism coming up. Her name is Teresa- and she is an old Aboriginal. Personally I don't know about her accountability. She is very slow. Her daughter got baptized a month ago and she felt the spirit very strong! She was crying and everything. I wasn't there.. but thats what I heard. So we try to teach VERY SIMPLE. President said to baptize her. But her daughter isn't much help. Almost inactive now. We are working with her.
We had zone conference yesterday. :) Just Elder Tohoro, Nelson, Tietjen, the Millers, President and Sister Richards and I. Great training! They taught us more about commiting someone. Commitments are telling people to repent. And the sooner they repent, the sooner they receive blessings! It was very good. We had lunch and then President did stewardships (interviews)
President told me that he trusts Elder Tietjen and I and that is why we were sent up here. But Elder Tietjen and I both feel like we are supposed to be here.

Thanks for the prayers. Pray for Teresa!
Love you all
God Speed

Elder Adam Hales