1st Group Date Ever!

Today was my first experience of Group Dating and it was also my sister Emma's first experience of Group Dating too. If you don't know what Group Dating means, Group Dating means that everyone in the group is paired up for an activity. Hanging out in a group means that you’re just a group of friends doing things together. It is involved more than 4 people. I wouldn't mentioned the whole story and I will just share the highlights.

It was so much fun! It was awesome walking around in the Zoo, and walking around in the Japanese Gardens and having great conversations. For lunch; we had 3 Pizzas that I ordered and we had Apple and Blackberry Turnovers that I have made last night. 11 out of 12 Turnovers was eaten before I got home.

At the start, there was 6 people, 3 girls and 3 guys. 2 girls which was Emma and I are Latter Day Saints, 2 guys which was Andrew B who was my date and Jarom C who was Emma's date are also Latter Day Saints. Emma invited 2 non-member friends to come along for the date. Unfortunately those 2 non-member friends didn't stay for the whole group date. It was great to have 4 Latter Day Saints going on a Group Date. I enjoyed it!

Emma with her date Jarom, her friend Talisha and I done some service by helping a woman by carrying some bags, tables and chairs for setting up a Party. It was lovely of us to do that. It was so unexpected to been asked if we could help and I am so glad that we did helped!

Above: Left to Right {Andrew B as for my date, Me, Emma as my sister and Jarom C as for her date}

If you would like to know what the guidelines or answers to questions about Group Dating that Latter Day Saints have, click on the link below. Enjoy reading that! Thank you Andrew, Emma, Jarom, Talisha, Shaun and a lady that we helped to make this day a wonderful time.

www.lds.org/new-era/2010/04/dating-faqs

The Story of My Last Date

One of my friends requested for me to have a blog post; that will explains about who I dated last, how him and I met, and about the last date. I'm sorry Elijah that you might read this post sometime when you come home on your mission.

I don't remember meeting Elijah during EFY 2012. He doesn't remember either. We didn't become "official" friends until after EFY 2012. I was texting some of my friends including Elijah to see who would be interested to go to the Temple because I was at the Temple in early June last year. Elijah and I stayed contact since then.

There was a Priest and Laurels Ball coming up in July last year and he ended up being my date for the night. 

2 days later after the date; he told me that he liked the photo that he took of just me out of all the photos. Which is the photo above. 

About 2 months later after he left to go on his mission; I decided to start emailing Elijah. It was one of good decisions that I ever decided to do! He emailed me and I was so happy. Out of all my other friends who emails me {other than Elder Pinyon, Elder Lawrence, Sister Bawden and some others with weekly emails},

The last time that I heard from him through emails was this week! He still has another 16 months left of his mission. He still have ages to go. Oh well.

I'm Sure We Can Do It

For the youth who has attended SMYC, do you remember we fasted for Sister Pitman so she can be well enough and her to able to serve a mission? Well for those youth didn't know, Elder Pitman isn't doing so well and he is in the Hospital at the moment. Belinda who was one of the SMYC Counsellors mentioned

"Hi guys! Our SMYC dad isn't doing so well in France. He is in hospital at the moment and is in need of our love, support and thoughts. Tomorrow, I am going to be fasting for the two most amazing missionaries out in the field. I would like to ask all who are able to fast with me tomorrow for the Pitmans. Thank you." on Brisbane 2014 SMYC/EFY Group.

I would like you to be mindful about that please; and if you are able to fast with Belinda tomorrow, it would be great. I know when we do fast, we receive blessings for the right reasons.

Sister Pitman mentioned "HELLO MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS ANOTHER TRIAL FOR US ! WELL IT IS TIME TO TELL YOU A BAD NEWS ! ELDER PITMAN HAS TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL WEDNESDAY ! THE DOCTORS FOUND THAT HIS LIVER IS NOT FUNCTIONING VERY WELL AND SOMETHING IS BLOCKED INSIDE AND ALSO HE HAS A BIG GALLSTONES TO REMOVE ! ONE THING THAT WE NEED IS OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO BE WITH US ! SO WE NEED ALL OF YOU WITH YOUR PRAYERS PLEASE ! FOR OUR FRIENDS WHO DO NOT BELIEVE IN PRAYERS JUST A GOOD THOUGHT WILL DO BECAUSE WE KNOW OUR FATHER IS LISTENING TO YOU TO I NEED HIM TO BE WELL QUICKLY BECAUSE IF ELDER PITMAN IS NOT WELL SISTER PITMAN CANNOT DO MUCH WITHOUT HIM BY HER SIDE ! THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL OF YOU! WE LOVE YOU AND KEEP YOU IN TOUCH IN THE FUTURE ! WE HAVE OUR SAVIOR AND YOU BEHIND US ! I REMEMBERS EVERY DAY THAT ALL THE YOUTH FASTED AND PRAYED FOR ME AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE ON OUR MISSION BECAUSE OF THEIR FAITH ! THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

LOVE SISTER PITMAN"

{Elder Pitman and Sister Pitman}

We Should Pray When We Fast; Prayer is a necessary part of fasting. Throughout the scriptures, prayer and fasting are mentioned together. Our fasting should be accompanied by sincere prayer, and we should begin and end our fasting with prayer

We Should Fast with a Purpose; Fasting can have many purposes. We can overcome weaknesses or problems by fasting and praying. Sometimes we may wish to fast and pray for help or guidance for others, such as a family member who is ill and needs a blessing (see Mosiah 27:22–23). Through fasting we can come to know the truth of things just as did the prophet Alma in the Book of Mormon. He said: “I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit” (Alma 5:46). We can fast to help others embrace the truth. Fasting can help comfort us in times of sorrow and mourning (see Alma 28:4–6).

In closing is a video, and if you don't see it; it's called "LDS (Mormon) Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin - Law of the Fast 2/2"

I Don't Always Prepare

I spoke with my Stake President to hear what he thinks about the decision of me serving a mission or not. I wasn't sure at the time. He said "Give it 8 to 9 months to decide about serving a mission or not." I was like "that is the month when my next Birthday is." I have been deciding a lot lately and thinking if the mission is really for me or not.

I like how the missions are optional for the girls, they can serve from 4 months as minimum to 18 months as maximum. I thought about serving a mission for around 6 to 8 months. I kept changing my mind and I will stick with 6 months at the moment. I said to a friend who is currently serving his mission, "I don't always prepare," which is true. I don't always go to Institute every week, I don't always go to Mission Prep every week and I don't study Preach My Gospel everyday. I love making a goal to go to the Temple as much as I can. 

I love looking out for opportunities to share the gospel. I love how I have been getting constantly asked by non-member friends about the gospel. I really liked how one of my non-member friends wants to become a member already, she has been to Young Women's a few times when I was in Young Women's and she haven't got discussions from the Missionaries yet.

Sometimes we may think when we talk to our non-member friends at school is going nowhere. I felt I have done as much as I can to be an example to my non-member friends. One of Church friends who is a convert to the Church, became a member by seeing my happiness that I have with the gospel and she attended SMYC. I told the Elder who she used to get discussions with, "She became a Church member last year and she got baptised last year in March." The look of his expression was priceless. It was like "is this real?" He was so happy.

If you have time, I suggest to you to have a look at www.onestoplds.com

Appreciation Matters

I'm so grateful when some of my friends who are currently serving their missions, appreciates their emails from me. I always try to keep them updated about what I was doing for the week, share any of my missionary opportunities and always try to share encouraging words that will help them to continue serving their missions. Sometimes, I get emails as replies that is totally not relevant of what I have said to them but nevertheless, I always happy to receive replies back from them. Sometimes, I don't realised of how much I can mean to someone until they tell me.

One of my friends who is currently serving her mission in Australia Melbourne Mission has emailed me two weeks ago and her email meant so much to me. It was an amazing email that I have received. She mentioned  through the email to me;

"hey Megan.

thank you so much for your uplifting emails I really really appreciate them :D.. thank you for your courage and your uplifting experiences :D..

you are such a wonderful example, especially to me. thank you for being someone that I can learn from and being a wonderful daughter of God.

take care. Sister Wirihana"

I thought it was nice for you to able to see it yourself of what she said to me. Well for 2 years of being friends with her, we haven't talked to each other much at all. It was so amazing for me to know that I am someone who can learn from and a wonderful example to a friend who is older than me. I really appreciated that email so much and it has bought me so much happiness!

If you have spare time; check out Anita Richter Photography please - here's the link below. If you do check it out; please like the Page and see the work Anita does. www.facebook.com/anitarichterphotography