Finally arrives in the mission field

It's all systems go now.  he has hit the mission field running.  it's been an exciting time for us over the last week to see if he made it and where he would be serving.  as mum I was hoping he would call me from Melbourne airport as he had a stop over there - but of course he didn't, so then hoped he would be able to call when he reached the mission home - again nope!!

but we have heard from him and he is safe and sound and very excited.  hope you enjoy

Email 1

Hi Mum And Dad!!

This is the last day in the MTC and I have loved every bit of it !! Feels like only yesterday i said goodbye and hopped on the plane, but at the same time it feels like I've known all these people for ages. It was hard saying goodbye to a few that had to go home and wait for their visas so I don't know how I'm going to be after a companion! or 2 years!!

We had scales to weigh our bags so everyone decided to way themselves as well. I've put on 3 1/2 Kilos since being here :(   

You two working together? Just make sure you are still married by the time i get home! (Jene - Scott has started his new job in the same office - and floor level - as me!!)

I haven't really been bothered learning Spanish because I know it won't help me so there wasn't really any point. (Jene - I had asked him if he was picking up any words from his MTC companion). And yes Marina did come! she bought about 4 kilos of lollies and chocolates for me so that was good hahah. tell her i said thanks! And i met her brother, and we talked for a bit.

Yer we did hear Elder Groberg, he was good to listen to. He just talked about his mission and the stuff that wasn't on the movie (the other side of heaven) and how us as missionaries can greatly affect people's lives. he told a story of a investigator he had that the ward didn't approve of but he kept at it and baptised her, she moved away and had 12 children. All of them served missions and now her grandchildren are starting to serve. It made me realise the chain reaction you can have in people's lives.

We had a few people come (Church Leaders), but the people that matt got to see were the Quorum of the 12 but it is still good to hear from General Authorities.

It's crazy!! everyone is going all over the world on their missions, tell them all I said congratulations!! I told all the Melbourne elders to look out for Elder Wood.  It's good to hear that he is going so well on his mission!!

Have fun at the wedding. Tell them that I love them and hope the day goes well.

Before I go I have some requests! Can you please put some money into my account? and the Camera is broken. I charge it for hours then I take one photo and before the photo is processed it says battery low then turns off, but when I turn it back on it says full battery! and I can't take any photos, and when I could there the photos were blurry and I couldn't fix it. Feel free to send the SLR camera :)

I love and miss you and everyone else. Tell them to love me back... and send letters!! (Jene - sounds so like Matt on his mission!!)

 

Love Elder Duffus

Letter from mission home

Dear Parents of Elder Brendan Scott Duffus,

Thank you for sending your wonderful son to the Australia Adelaide Mission. He will be a wonderful missionary. He arrived safely on Wednesday, 9 January. His new companion is Elder Vanisi and he will be serving in the Malak area of the Darwin Zone in the Northern Territory.

Email 2

HELLO MUM AND DAD!! thanks for emailing me!!

This week has been crazy, being shipped to Adelaide then straight up to Darwin the next day!! And for dad (I know he wants a specific place) I'm in Malak! it has been good and the work has been pretty productive! We have a few baptisms coming up in the only branch here in Darwin. there are 5 missionary companionships in the branch and I think there are about 5 scheduled baptism over the next 6 or 7 weeks! Everyone is so friendly up here, everyone talks to you!! I'm loving it so much!

My Companion, Elder Vanisi from Tonga, and he is the man! Matthew served in his ward so he already knew of me before I got here. He is a good trainer and we have been stopping everyone and talking to them, because that is the only way to get new investigators because every house here in Darwin has a massive fence with massive locks or dogs so it is hard to get in them. All the missionaries up here are so loving, everybody loves everybody and the members are all nice. the only thing is during sacrament, no one sings so it is really quiet and sad :( haha. But I'll change that :).

The humidity is slowly getting easier to handle. Every time you walk outside you start sweating straight away! it's crazy, but everyone gives you drinks. the storms here are better than down in Sydney, lots of lightening, wind and rain.  there was a  big one that hit in Saturday night while we were at an appointment and so we got to ride home in it!!  it was so much fun and then we pretty much just showered in the rain.

Man Darwin is so much fun and I'm glad I got to be here to train. Hopefully I stay up here for a while, because even the non members and less actives feed us. Nanna Sue and Mary (less actives) always feed us and always give us heaps of food to take home.

I don't know what else to write about because I've only been here for 4 days but I'm sure I'll have more to talk about next week!! I'm thankful for the example that dad and matt set for me in serving a mission and I'm grateful to you, mum and dad, for bringing us all up in the gospel. I know that the message we share is true and can improve the lives of all those around us. I use our family when teaching and tell people how happy we are together and that the gospel can do that for them.

I love you all heaps!!!!!!!

Elder Duffus

Now I have to say in our defence, we thought his p-day was Wednesday lol.  luckily he was still on line and we were able to email back and forth for a little while.

His Trek Ma, Alyssa Carroll, is over in Adelaide and was hoping that he would be around for her to see him.  She took a bag of clothes that we couldn’t fit into his case over to him and took them to the mission home.  She was able to find out that he had been sent to the Northern Territory before we heard from the mission home. 

there are lots of people that both she and I know up there, including the Branch Presidents who said she freaked him out on Sunday, as she knew so much about him lol.  when Alyssa went to the mission home they said that they took everyone passports, except for Brendan's and told him the mission president will speak to him.  he then got a huge smile on his face and said ''you know I really want to go to Darwin while I'm here''.  he knew that he would be sent there.  it's so nice to know how he is being looked after.

till next week

Scott and Jene