Dear Shanell,

My new position keeps me busy serving the other members of the zone. President Gray and his assistants went out of Adelaide to the Northern Territory to visit the other missionaries and he left my companion and I in charge of the 3 city zones. It was a big responsibility! Do you know what I find hardest about being in a leadership position? You can't always have the zone members like you and still tell them to obey. Some elders in our zone are upset with me because we told them to get rid of a TV set that they had in their flat! Oh well. We did what we were supposed to do. It was hard, but I guess it was right.

On Saturday we met a guy and his wife that came to the door and said, "Are you Mormons?" We said, "Yes". He then said, "We want nothing to do with you! I've seen how you wreck families!" We ten just smiled--which was hard to do--and told him to have a nice day--that was even tougher! He then came out and said, "I will have a nice day because I have God with me" and his wife said, "You boys are bad news." They were such jerks about it and it got me so mad that it almost ruined my whole day. We then tracted out a man who smiled and said, "Come in". We were shocked! His wife just died recently and he is interested in the pioneers. We are going to get him a book about it and he said we could come back. It would be so neat to baptize him so he could be with his wife forever.

There are times on my mission that I would give it all up for $.10. And there are other times that I wouldn't sell a moment for a million dollars! My mission has not always been the happiest time of my life, but it has always been the most rewarding time of my life up to this time. I love my mission! It scares me to think about leaving the gits I have received specially for my mission. I love these gifts! Only the gospel of Jesus Christ could turn a selfish boy to a man who wants to serve others! I know that I have grown so much out here!

The work is going better and better! We are teaching a family of four and also a couple and two single mothers. It is excellent o be teaching again! One of the single mothers wrote my name in the Bangoli language. It looked cool! We are helping her learn English. It is fun!

Thank you for your letters and support.

Love,
Elder Wallentine

A Poem for Shanell

Some nights I lay in bed

just staring into space.

And then a special thought

comes to me,

your sweet and loving face!

So sweet and so beautiful

gentle, loving and kind,

You are so very dear to me

and you're often on my mind!

All the love that you have shown me,

through all the strife we've had,

you're always by my side,

whether times are good or bad!

My mission is near to closing,

I've grown a lot out here.

In just a few short weeks,

we shall once again be near!

Dear Shanell,

We have been so busy lately running around being Zone Leaders! It is a very demanding calling. It gets hectic out here, but the only times I really remember are the good ones.

On Tuesday we had a transfer meeting. It was sad! It was hard to say good-bye to Elder Dalrymple and Elder Pass! I love them both like brothers. Elders Selwyn and White and Sister Cetner are all going home. After the meeting, we went and picked up 5 bicycles from the bus depot and delivered them. We also visited the companionships Speas/Young and James/Douglass and welcomed them. I also got a bed, so I'm not sleeping on 2 mattresses now.

We have a sister missionary in our zone who was transferred to the mission from Melbourne. She is so frustrating to talk to at times! She asks questions and then when I answer them, she argues and argues the point with me. It drives me nuts! She can be a pain in the neck.

We have zone leader meeting tonight and it should be interesting. They are pretty fun. President Gray is really down-to-earth. We were tracting yesterday and we met a family named the Brownswords. They are cool! We are going to start teaching them on the 15th of September.

I love the Lord and this great work!

Elder Wallentine