G'day Everyone,
Well, how to start this? To be honest I don't have very much to say. This week has been really hard. Australia is not Tennessee. We get rejected quite often, and in more-than-rude manners. We ask people how they're doing and they get nasty: "What're you all about? What's your problem? Why're you asking me that?" We've gotten the "Not interested" act so many times this week. It's frustrating- they don't even know what we're all about and they're telling us to get off their property, stop harassing them, things of the sort. To be honest I'm a little down- this week has been REALLY hard. Elder Lacanivalu is doing his best to teach me, and I'm doing my best to apply what I'm learning (as it is easy to learn but difficult to apply), but it just feels like I'm not getting anywhere. It is difficult to teach when no one will listen, and it is even more difficult to teach to those who wish only to argue and fight. Many people claim that they aren't nasty about rejecting religion or the persons thereof, but I would beg to differ. People get nasty, and they get nasty very quickly, and it makes it very difficult to love them.
Well, it's not all that bad I suppose. The work here is harder than anything Tennessee had to offer, but as my companion and I have been saying: "This is Australia" and Australia is a much more bitter battleground than Tennessee. At least we're eating well: sausage and eggs and toast for lunch almost everyday, we've always got more than one dinner appointment (oh yeah, any missionary who says they've got it bad with Latinos feeding them so much clearly does not know how much islanders like to eat... stop complaining XD), and flavored drinks are extremely cheap. I never thought I would be saying this but I'm actually starting to miss bottled water. They don't drink water here... sad day.
My Preparation Days are Mondays, I wrote on Tuesday last week because Monday was Zone/District Meeting, so anyone who writes emails to me should do so on Sunday or even Saturday just to be sure that I read it. We email at around 10-11AM here, but we're 15 and a half hours ahead of all of you back home. Something that I discovered is that ultimate rugby is very fun- it's like ultimate frisbee but with a rugby ball. I prefer playing ultimate rugby as opposed to basketball, but that's only because Elder Villierm and Elder Lacanivalu are exceptional ballers, and scoring against them is sort of like trying to teach someone who's already said "Get off my lawn"- it's virtually impossible.
I'm sorry I don't have very much to say this week. I'm learning a lot as a missionary, and I really am doing well- this week has just been difficult. You can literally feel yourself slugging through the spiritual battleground. At least the biking in Darwin is easier than Lebanon. Speaking of which, I've gained twenty pounds over the course of two months- I'm not any rounder or taller, everything that was in my thighs has just converted to muscle.
Anyway, I'd best be off now. Keep on keeping on, and stay strong in the faith. Sometimes the Lord tests our faith through trials, and sometimes they just happen and He's as bummed about it as we are. Just stay strong, and stick to what you know, and you'll be alright :)
-Elder Schomburg
[I have included a link to a very well written article which may shed a different light upon what Elder Schomburg is doing as a missionary. It's a tad lengthy, but worth the time and effort: Time For Some Mormon Myth Busting ]
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