Free resources about the Australia Melbourne Mission:
- Mission address and phone number
- Mission map
- Missionary blogs
- Facebook groups
- LDS Mission t-shirts and gifts
- List of past mission presidents
- Cultural articles written by returned missionaries
- Survey with RMs
*Other Mission Pages: Australia LDS Missions.
Australia Melbourne Mission Address
Here’s a recent address for the Australia Melbourne Mission. We try to keep this information up to date, but it’s a good idea to check the mission address with several sources, including your mission packet or the mission office.
Australia Melbourne Mission
76 Cathies Lane
Wantirna South, VIC 3152
Australia
Phone Number: 61-3-9801-5980
Mission President: President Peter G. Vidmar
Australia Melbourne Mission Map
Here’s a link to the mission map for the Melbourne Mission (LDS). To access the official, up-to-date LDS.org map for the Melbourne Mission
Australia Melbourne Missionary Blogs
Here’s a list of LDS missionary blogs for the Melbourne Mission. This blog list includes the missionary’s name, URL and when their mission blog was updated.
Australia Melbourne Mission Groups
Here are Melbourne Mission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni of the mission.
- Melbourne Mission- Pres. & Sis. Hodson Group (362 members)
- Australia Melbourne Mission Alumni Group (336 members)
- Australia Melbourne Mission Maxwell Group Group (150 members)
- Melbourne Mission – President Anderson Group (129 members)
- Melbourne Reunion Newbold Era, 1988-91 Group (84 members)
- Melbourne Mission Facebook Group (16 members)
- Australia Melbourne Mission Alumni 1995-1998 Group (7 members)
- Melbourne Mission Moms and Friends (LDS) Group (7 members)
Australia Melbourne Mission T-Shirts
Here are T-shirts for the Australia Melbourne Mission!
Shirt designs include Australia Melbourne Mission logo/emblem shirts and Called to Serve shirts. The shirts make great gifts for pre-missionaries, returned missionaries and missionaries currently serving. LDS Mission shirts come in all sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, up to 4XL. The mission designs are printed on white shirts and are shipped to you.
*Simply click on a shirt design to view the details and submit an order. The designs on mission t-shirts may also be printed on other LDS mission gifts, including: Australia Melbourne missionary aprons, Christmas stockings, ties, pillow cases, teddy bears and Christmas ornaments.
*Click here to browse Melbourne Mission gifts
Melbourne Mission Presidents
Here’s a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the Melbourne LDS Mission.
- 2016-2019, Peter G. Vidmar
- 2013-2016, Cory H. Maxwell
- 2010-2013, Dennis R. Lifferth
- 2004-2007, Paul R. Coward
- 2001-2004, Glen Allen Overton
- 1998-2001, Dean R. Hodson
- 1995-1998, Paul R. Anderson
- 1994-1995, D. Earl Hurst
- 1991-1994, John Bailey Stohlton
- 1988-1991, Dale G. Newbold
- 1986-1988, Boyd F. Henderson
- 1986-1986, Philip T. Sonntag
- 1983-1986, Robert K. Thomas
- 1980-1983, Christian F. Sanders
- 1977-1980, P. Bruce Mitchell
- 1975-1977, John M. R. Covey
Australia LDS Statistics (2015)
- Church Membership: 143,891
- Missions: 6
- Temples: 5
- Congregations: 303
- Family History Centers: 145
Helpful Articles about Australia
Melbourne Missionary Survey
Here are survey responses from Australia Melbourne RMs, to give you a snapshot into what it’s like to live in the mission.
*Click here to take a survey to help pre-missionaries going to your mission.
When did you serve?
- 2013-2014 (Emalee)
- 2012-2014 (Malava)
- 2012-2014 (AJ)
- February 2013 (Sarahnitta)
- 1996-1998 (Kathy)
- 1993-1995 (Pam)
- 1992-1993 (Agnes)
- 1989-1991 (Ngahuia)
- 1988-1990 (Jeffery)
- 1986-1988 (James)
- 1985-1987 (Raana)
- 1985-1987 (Dean)
- 1985-1986 (Angella)
- 1978 -1981 (Suzette)
What areas did you serve in?
- Point Cook and Hillside. (Emalee)
- Mornington, Waverly, Hill Side, Cranbourne, and Finley. (Malava)
- Bendigo, Launceston, Glenroy, Ballarat, Chelsea, mission home, and Knox. (Jeffery)
- Balarat 6 months…Traralgon 5 months…Tasmania 7 months…Croydon 6 months. (James)
- Fairfield, Dandenong, Frankston, Heidelberg, Springvale, Horsham, Morrabin, Moe, Caulfield. (Raana)
- Hobart, Geelong, Frankston, Wonthaggi, Glenroy, Mission home. (Dean)
- Frankston, Caulfield, Aubery, Horsham, Blackburn. (Suzette)
What were some favorite foods?
- Sushi, Fish and chips, Kangaroo. (Emalee)
- I like eating Lasagna and potato salads. I love Australian food a lot. (Malava)
- KFC, pasta. (AJ)
- Kentucky Fried Chicken. Island food. (Sarahnitta)
- Pumpkin soup. Ravioli. Figs. Christmas lunch. Any meal with the whole family. (Kathy)
- Most food was similar to food I was used to in the U.S. but I loved pumpkin soup, pavlova, Aussie burgers, and fish and chips. (Pam)
- Pork. (Agnes)
- Souvlaki. (Ngahuia)
- Meat pies, snags. (Dean)
- 4 & 20 Meat Pies, Truck stop meat pies, Steak Pies, Stake and Potato Pies, Souvlaki, Fish n chips, Kangaroo stake, Pavlova, and ANZAC biscuits. (Jeffery)
- Souvelaki, Melbourne. (James)
- All the different food from around the culture in Melbourne. (Raana)
- Fish & chips, pies, pasties, black current drinks, pastries..so many! Pavlova, salads, cherry ripe. (Angella)
- Custard tarts. (Suzette)
What was a funny experience?
- I set the fire alarms off in the flat to wake up all of the sisters one morning. (Emalee)
- I was in my third area and there was this guy who worked at the funeral services, so he invited us to have a lesson there. After the lesson, he wanted us to go inside and have a look. When he opened the door, I saw a dead body. I was screamed and ran outside. My companion was following me and asked me if I was ok. I told her my heart was beating so quickly when I saw a dead body. (Malava)
- When my companion and I got lost trying to find our investigator’s house but end up in another area. (Sarahnitta)
- Every day provided something to laugh about. When you are as tired as missionaries are pretty much anything becomes funny from your skirt flying open as you run for the bus to somebody telling a children’s joke, such as why did the chicken cross the road? He was confused. (Kathy)
- Tracting one day, and a cat was following us from door to door. We get to one house and it bolts inside. We assumed it lived there until we heard a scream “WHO LET A CAT IN THIS HOUSE?!!!” We quickly apologized and left the poor girl to catch the cat and calm her mom down. (Pam)
- My uncle and cousin driving past my companion and I then stopping to give us a drink and some food as they’d just been shopping. (Agnes)
- Finding Elders had left pigs head in our toilet. Tracking and finding an investigator that was built and looked like Nephi. When I said I had a book with a picture that looked like him in it, he asked to see it. He carefully looked at the picture of Nephi rebuking his brothers and said it was close but his arms were bigger. Had to hand this one to the Elders. Way to hard for a Sister to concentrate. (Ngahuia)
- The speed in which Australians and Americans speak especially when you are new to one or the other can make things confusing. One such experience was on my first P-Day and we where shopping for groceries. First we hit the Butcher… I had no idea how much a Kilo was so when asked how many snags ( like a hotdog or sausage link ) I wanted I said kilo. I was eating snags for breakfast lunch and dinner for weeks. But the real embarrassing moment was when I went to pay for my groceries. The Cashier asked me, “Wouldyoulikeadocketwiththat?” I just heard a long string of words all put together. So I asked if she could please repeat the question. Again, a fast rattle of words came out of her mouth. One more time I said, “Could you please repeat that again?” “Would you like a docket with that?” came her reply. Still confused I asked, “Could you repeat that slower?” “I can’t say it any slower… Would… you… like… a… docket… with… that…? Seeing my confusion and the frustration on the cashier’s face my companion finally jumped in and said, “She means a receipt, do you want a receipt?” I figured after all that I should have something to remind me what a docket was. (Jeffery)
- Guy Fawkes night in Tasmania…4 man flat and my companion had an annoying habit of separating fire crackers and throwing them at us. We all got sick of it so when he went to the toilet, we lit up a whole line of crackers and shoved it in the toilet with him. Funny! (James)
- Missionary being evicted from rental flats. (Raana)
- A girl we taught pretended to pray in tongues…it was just gibberish. (Angella)
- Seeing the Huntsman Spiders crawl on the wall during Sacrament meeting. (Suzette)
What was a crazy experience?
- A forty year old man stalked me. I ended up getting an emergency transfer out of the area. (Emalee)
- We were knocking on doors and we knocked a door. He came out with the gun and asked us what we wanted. We told him we were missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we came to share a message about God’s plan for us. (Malava)
- When a group of drunk teenagers try to stop me and my companion because they wanted to have a party. (Sarahnitta)
- We once knocked on a door and immediately the drunk occupant began screaming at us to get off his porch or he’ll shoot us. Without a moment to let us leave, he then yelled for his gun. As we started to leave though, he slammed the door so hard that it popped back open. The crazy/dangerous suddenly became an experience that left us laughing for hours (when we got out of sight of course). (Kathy)
- We missed the last bus and had to walk miles after hours. Tried to call our DL’s who had a car, but they weren’t home when they should have been…*ahem*. Two sister missionaries can walk pretty fast through sketchy bits of town when they need too. (Pam)
- Delivering a Book of Mormon to a farm where a loaded pistol was on the coffee table. I prayed we would be safe and heard a voice saying”I made the phone ring, get out”. I dragged my companion out and got in the car. She was worried we might have offended him. (Ngahuia)
- President Ezra Taft Benson encouraged us to flood the world with the Book of Mormon. Towards the end of my mission I had the opportunity to return to my first area several times to participate in a program where in two days a good portion of our mission would split off with other elders to tract the entire city of Bendigo, Victoria. Each visit there would be a different tract with the last visit a Book of Mormon in Gold wrapping. It was like going home. This was where I was trained. The first visit back we distributed a flier I think it was one called, “How to be a ‘dinkum Dad”. The second visit we distributed a flier called, “How to be a True Blue Mum.” The third visit was a flier for the kids… Can’t remember the name… Each flier had testimonies from members in the area and many prominent figures in politics and entertainment who where members. The who campaign was advertised in the newspaper and on the TV. The forth and last visit we where given boxes of Book of Mormons that where wrapped in gold wrapping and the inside cover had a testimony from a local member/family. I was paired up with a Big Strong Kiwi Elder. He was a formidable sight for sure. It was getting late in the day and we had just a few houses left to see. It was great and we had a lot of houses where people where excited and even waiting to get their copy of the Book of Mormon. As with a lot of houses in this area the lots where long and narrow so people would build another house in the back. They where often tucked away and at night it could get dark. This one particular house had made sure the porch light was left on. My companion and I saw the light and went down the long driveway behind the house in front. We knocked on the door and immediately a large intimidating man with a full body of tattoos answered the door. “The missionaries!” he exclaimed in delight, “Do you have my Book of Mormon?” We stayed and talked to him for a time, got his information for the local missionaries to return back… I don’t know what came of him. It was getting late when we met him but we had one more house to visit. This house was an older victorian style home where the kitchen typically sat in the back of the house at the end of a hall way that led to the various rooms of the house. Residence in the summer would leave the front door open with a screen to keep the bugs and critters out allowing the cool evening breast to flow through. The front porch light was off and two male silhouettes could be seen sitting in the kitchen. We stepped up onto the porch and knocked. instantly the shorter of the two men got ups and like electricity came buzzing all sorts of obscenities as he moved down the hall to us. He flung the screen door and proceeded to see me as less than a threat so he started to shoved me off his porch. Grabbing me with one hand and the assaulter with the other my companion saved me from landing in a mess of rose bushes and kept the man off me until his friend from the back could pull him off. Embarrassed for his friend’s behavior he apologized. We didn’t leave a Book of Mormon with them but we where able to leave unscathed. (Jeffery)
- Riding my bike between Traralgon and Morwell in the east. No cycle track and huge trucks made it a very hairy experience. One day on that road, I got a McDonald’s thick shake (strawberry) all over my back from a passing car. Gotta respect the guy that threw it. It was a top shot. (James)
- Companion crashing the car. (Raana)
- Our mission had highest car wreck rate in the world…I witnessed a set of elders roll their car passing drinks to another mission car while both were driving. So glad they raised the bar. (Angella)
- When a man came to the door and threatened us with a shotgun. (Suzette)
What was a spiritual experience?
- When I prayed to God to bring me people to teach, He fulfilled His promise. More people approached me that day and some of those people became investigators. (Emalee)
- My spiritual experience was to see how people change there lives and how I’ve change a lot after my mission. (Malava)
- Is seeing the Atonement change in people lives. (Sarahnitta)
- When my companion and I prayed about a street to tract, we both received the same street name. We had never heard of it before so we looked it up on the map and it was just around the corner from where we were sitting. As we started tracking, we encountered some of our greatest opposition; mean dogs, very rude and aggressive people and anything else you could imagine. We kept going! On the last house, we found a home with the door open. This was strange since Melbourne was extremely cold in the winter. As we knocked, we heard a voice from another room ask us to come in. As we entered, we were greeted by a man and his mother who told us God had told him we were coming today so that is why he left the door open. After several months, he was baptized. You never know who is ready. Never allow the difficult homes stop you from reaching the one that is ready. (Kathy)
- I enjoyed coming to recognize the subtle ways the Holy Spirit whispers to us, as we were blessed by following the nearly silent promptings to go one way, or talk to this person, etc. (Pam)
- Seeing the scriptures literally coming to life as I really studied them. (Agnes)
- Teaching a wee boy after he had been involved in a car accident. When we showed him the picture of Christ in his red robe, he said that this was the man who looked after him until it was time to come back. (Ngahuia)
- Prayed to find an investigator…was led to a particular street. We had some fierce opposition and aggressive people. Last house on the street, met John whose conversion was a miracle. Baptized him in 2 weeks. It was a great privilege to be involved in his awakening. (James)
- Investigators conversion to the gospel. (Raana)
- The baptism of Grace Gent. (Dean)
- I was healed from food poisoning after a baptism we had. (Angella)
- Seeing someone feel the spirit and wanting baptism after a Baptismal discussion. (Suzette)
What are some interesting facts about the Melbourne Mission?
- There is an LDS movie about basketball that includes my mission. It’s one of the colder places in Australia. A lot of Kiwis love there. The middle of Australia is called “the bush”. (Emalee)
- I love the people. I served and taught them the truth of the gospel. When I finished my mission it was hard to say goodbye to my investigators and the people in all the areas I served in. (Malava)
- Is that the mission becomes your family and you feel so much love when YOU put others first. (Sarahnitta)
- The mission increased to roughly 350 missionaries with 35 sisters over my time of service. The month following my release it was split into two missions. (Kathy)
- Most people are pretty friendly as long as you are making idle chat, but take a long time to warm up to where they feel comfortable talking to you about serious, private subjects such as religion. As an American, a lot of time I just needed to make a comment about anything, and someone would pick up on the accent and ask why I was visiting. It made it easy to bring up the subject. (Pam)
- As you truly give yourself to the Lords work it becomes easier to bear. (Agnes)
- Sisters were not allowed to serve in Tasmania Chinese Branch which had started. (Ngahuia)
- More cars per capita than any other mission (at the time). (James)
- A large number of kiwis living in Melbourne. (Raana)
- Very few sisters. 199 missionaries. Only temple was Sydney. I put a sign in Waverly ward stating “We want a temple in Melbourne! ” Robert Thomas was the President. Tazmania was my best baptising area. (Angella)
- There was a huge article written about Donny and Marie in the Australian Post. We had one girl convert because of Donny. (Suzette)
What was the weather like?
- Hot in the summer. Lots of rain in the winter. (Emalee)
- Cold, sunny, and rainy. (Malava)
- Cold and hot. (Sarahnitta)
- Boiling hot – about 45 C sometimes for days in a row in summer. Then freezing cold – about 2C some days through winter. Sometimes it may be 45C in the morning and 20C in the afternoon just to give you a little surprise. (Kathy)
- I was near the coast most of the time, and while it was very changeable, it didn’t get too extreme one way or the other. It could sure downpour suddenly though. (Pam)
- 4 seasons in 1 day. (Agnes)
- Typical Melbourne…all four seasons in one day. (Ngahuia)
- Good, Just remember if you are coming from the US as I did, your first area’s weather will be a shock because your body will not be ready for the instant change… I went from the dead of winter to the heat of mid summer. What a shock. (Jeffery)
- 3 seasons in one day…very weird weather…raining and cold in the morning…hot and sunny at lunch…fog comes in as the sun goes down. (James)
- All the four weather patterns in one day. (Raana)
- warm and balmy..got to 40 once…winter was mostly wet..I didn’t seem to feel the weather extremes…I seemed to just love all of it. (Angella)
- Both extremes. Birds falling dead out of the sky because of heat. (Suzette)
Any things you really like about the area/people?
- Everyone is very kind and respectful. They were willing to listen to what we had to say. (Emalee)
- I loved all my areas. The people are so friendly and I feel welcome everyday when I served around them. (Malava)
- The members and the people because they always looked after their missionaries in their area. (Sarahnitta)
- I served in a lot of places with very poor people or refugees. In some cases, I found the less people had, the more they opened their hearts to our Heavenly Father and served others. The more people had, the less they opened their hearts to Heavenly Father and served others. I guess we read about that in the scriptures over and over but it was strange to see that in real life. I loved serving in the poorer areas as they allowed you to serve and teach them and in the end that is what we are there to do. (Kathy)
- The people are like people everywhere, I made some life-long friends, and some I wish I’d been able to keep in touch with. My favorite place I served was Hobart, it was a beautiful area, with lovely beaches and temperate rain forest nearby. (Pam)
- Such a beautiful state so green and rich in culture. (Agnes)
- The language was easy to learn. (Jeffery)
- Nothing stands out…as I’m Australian myself, the people are much like the people at home the only thing is that as a missionary representing the Savior, you get in deeper to peoples lives and it was pretty special….. I loved the neurofibromas churches around Ballarat and the Raw beauty of Tasmania wilderness. (James)
- They welcome you as family. (Raana)
- I loved the culture…people were interested in everything American. They loved our accent. Aussies are very real..they don’t like salesmen. Those we taught were really wanting truth. (Angella)
- The people were real and didn’t act fake. (Suzette)
Any packing/clothing advice?
- Warm sweaters and tights. Umbrella and rain coat. Garments that won’t get domed from sweating. (Emalee)
- Oh you never leave your stuff when you transfer out of the area. Don’t write your name anywhere of the department. (Malava)
- Melbourne’s weather is from one extreme to the other. Just pack neutral colors that can be mixed and matched. You’ll need a very warm jacket and gloves, but you will also need cool clothes that don’t show sweat marks. (Kathy)
- Don’t overpack, you can get most anything you need there. (Pam)
- Lots of white shirts, socks and two good pair of walking dress shoes, a comfortable pair of dress shoes and a pare of athletic shoes that you can work in. Use the space in your shoes to pack your ties, socks and other small items. This helps protect these items but also keeps your shoes from being squashed and creating cracks and creases in the finish. Gotta look good, you are representing the Lord. (Jeffery)
- Pack light as Melbourne has awesome shops with great suits. Buy the best quality shoes you can afford as it’s your most important item…there’s a lot of walking. (James)
- Plenty of socks and white shirts. (Raana)
- Pack light…you can find inexpensive stuff to wear out and leave there ..then more space for Aussie souvenirs to bring home. (Angella)
What blessings did you receive from serving a mission?
- An amazing husband when I got home. My dad got a promotion and my mom got a raise. I gained a stronger testimony and was able to know how it felt like to look at people through Christ’s eyes. (Emalee)
- I found out after my mission that my dad and mom were going back to church. (Malava)
- Is that I’m able to see things as my Heavenly Father would see them. Callings in the church and serving in the youth. (Sarahnitta)
- They are without number…as indicated in a blessing I received as a missionary. My life since the mission has contained some of the most unexpected challenges including my non member family turning their backs, to a divorce and raising our children alone. Through it all, I have been extremely blessed. The spiritual strength gained as a missionary has blessed me with the spiritual strength to stay active. I can’t say I have sailed through these experiences but our Heavenly Father had blessed us greatly and I attribute that recognition of our blessings and the strength from the strong foundation built as a faithful missionary. (Kathy)
- I don’t think I’ve fully recognized all the blessings that came from serving a mission. I felt like I grew spiritually in ways that would not have been possible without spending time on a mission with my focus completely on serving God. (Pam)
- It set me on a steady path and to remaining active in the gospel. (Agnes)
- A husband and twin boys. (Ngahuia)
- I got to witness the converting power of many people when they listen to the spirit. (Jeffery)
- To numerous to list but the top five are: A feeling of self worth. Friendships that last forever. Learned to love people in spite of their weakness or wackiness. Learned doctrine. Power of the spirit. (James)
- Too many to count, ongoing. Two years to serve and the rest of your life to reflect on. (Raana)
- A love for souls..an acute sense of humor, seeing miracles every day and joy in everything. (Angella)
- It helped me in ALL aspects of my life, especially being a mother. (Suzette)
What are some skills you gained?
- Communication skills. Organization skills. Study skills. Cooking. Laundry. Cleaning. Exercise. (Emalee)
- I learned how to baked a cake and sew a blanket. (Malava)
- Confidence, testimony and being diligent. Faith. (Sarahnitta)
- Talking to people, compassion, love for others, understanding the scriptures. So many more!! (Kathy)
- My mission was like a MTC for the rest of my life. It taught me how to better recognize spiritual promptings, and what true service to God and his children is. (Pam)
- How to endure Studying the scriptures diligently Packing only essentials. (Agnes)
- Communication skills. (Ngahuia)
- I learned public speaking, teaching, sales, promotion, how to love others, how to be part of a companionship of two different people with the same goal, to really on the spirit and how to recognize and react to it’s promptings. (Jeffery)
- Speaking in public. Getting along with others. The fact that God is mindful of me personally and that I am special. I found my true self. (James)
- More about the members and the area they all resided in. (Raana)
- How to discern what people really need to help them progress. (Angella)
- Much more confident speaking. (Suzette)
What do you wish you knew/did at the beginning of your mission?
- I wish I knew it was going to be a hard 18 months. I wish I knew the scriptures better as well. (Emalee)
- When I beginning my mission I wanted to learn all the scriptures and quote them. (Malava)
- Be able to wake up early. (Sarahnitta)
- I wish I understood that the missionaries are just people trying to do their best. I had missionaries on a pedestal and became upset when they swore or broke the rules. I wish I knew that no matter what, our Heavenly Father will strengthen us as we allow him fully into our lives as this is his work. I was only a member for 15 months when I went on a mission so I guess I learned many things as I served. (Kathy)
- That rules are important and need to be followed, but I was so focused on following the rules I was too stressed to have fun and enjoy the complete experience until later in my mission. (Pam)
- That I should’ve prepared myself both spiritually and physically earlier than I did. (Agnes)
- I wish I had saved more so as to release the burden of financial support from my parents. (Jeffery)
- Know when to lighten up and realize the great power that comes along with a badge. Most important of all is to leave home (truly leave) and be motivated by a love of the people of your mission area. (James)
- More about the members and the area they all resided in. (Raana)
- How to sift those that are ready from those who are not…don’t try to baptize every person we meet. More courage to report lazy or rebellious companions. (Angella)
- About rejection. (Suzette)
Any advice/testimony for pre-missionaries going to Melbourne?
- Study the scriptures. Gain a firm testimony. And get excited for an amazing mission! (Emalee)
- My advice to all pre-missionaries is to loved the work, put your strength into the work, have the faith to serve your Heavenly Father, and to love the people you serve and trust them with all your heart. (Malava)
- It is to going to be hard but enjoy the mission. (Sarahnitta)
- Be humble and know this work does not rely upon your knowledge or skills. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and your mission will be greater than your strength alone could achieve. Serve, love the people and you will see people through spiritual eyes and you will love them. You are never alone, although it may feel like that at times, especially if you have a challenging or disobedient companion but know that our Heavenly Father loves you and has chosen you for this work in the very place you are called. (Kathy)
- The best preparation is to pray often and read and re-read the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon. The closer you are to the Spirit, and the better you know the scriptures, the easier it will be for the Spirit to bring things to your mind that you need to say. Don’t worry about memorizing everything, just soak it up like a sponge and it will be there when you really need it. (Pam)
- Prepare early to live like a missionary, in mind, body and spirit. (Agnes)
- Two years is not a long time. serve with the knowledge that it will be over fast so you need to make every moment count. There will be time for romance, jobs, family, and stuff real soon. (Jeffery)
- Like President Hinckley’s father told him…Be prepared to “Forget yourself and go to work”. (James)
- Study the scriptures for spiritual guidance. (Raana)
- Feel love for everything and everyone. ..don’t be a robot…use your personality as a spiritual gift. See others through God’s eyes. (Angella)
- Theres nothing romantic about a mission. It’s tough, but worth it. (Suzette)
What was a funny language mistake?
- When they swear in your language (Tongan) but they didn’t know. (Sarahnitta)
- I thought I was English speaking going to an English speaking mission. It took me a while to catch on to the accent-especially when talking on the phone. Early on, the missionaries tried to play a joke on greenie me, but it went right over my head because I couldn’t understand what the guy on the phone was saying. (Pam)
- Oh I had a companion from Alabama and it was an eye opener trying to understand one another so hilarious as we both spoke English. (Agnes)
- My companion and I where at a member’s house for dinner and after wards we asked to share a spiritual message before we left. No sooner than the words came out of my companions mouth, the member’s young son took my name badge to which I replied in a playful manner, “oh… now I am gonna have to kick your fanny.” With a gasp from the mother, a giggle from my comp and a whisper in my ear from the father I soon found out what “fanny” meant in Australia. So much for a spiritual message…. (Jeffery)
- The first Samoan branch created with Samoa missionaries. (Raana)
- The first Aussie I met at church, had to repeat her name four times as I couldn’t understand her accent. (Angella)
Chelsea (Australia Melbourne Mission)
–Paraphrased from Chelsea’s mission interview–
The Mission
We had 12 stakes and 12 zones and 1 district as well. The variety of sizes of wards was really surprising. I served in branches with 30 people coming each week and a ward with over 200 people coming each week. It was really cool going door to door because I made a list of all of the different countries that people were from that I met. One week I met people from 40 different countries. I met a lot of Buddhists, Catholics, and Atheists people as well. The atheists people were the nicest to us. The Catholics and Jehovah’s Witnesses were really mean to us.
The Church in Australia
In Australia the Church is pretty small. All of the members know each other. Everyone there is either a first or second generation member. That was really cool. I found out later that one of my ancestors was in Tasmania. Everyone was new to the gospel. It was nothing like Utah. We had to help people overcome drinking a lot.