This MISSIONARY of ours, turns 20 today!!! WOW!!! We send our love and best wishes to Elder Wilson Matua on this very special day. We LOVE YOU and hope that today was the best birthday ever. As you can see by the picture below, someone gave him an awesome gift. Much thanks to the saints in New Zealand who take such great care of him and all the other missionaries. Alofa tele!

HAPPY "20TH" BIRTHDAY, ELDER MATUA

Decorate the tree with....ELDERS???

Hello again on yet another Sunday (my Monday) from New Zealand! Oh my goodness has this been a great week. It's been more apparent with this time of year that Heavenly Father's love is being radiated to the hearts of His children here in Papatoetoe. It's been a blessing to serve here during Christmas. Being able to really spread forth God's love to those that are honest seekers of truth in Papatoetoe! Being a representative of Christ, I LOVE THIS WORK! Christmas brings out the best in all of us, especially the Gift of Love. In remembering Him, God will bless us with Love. The simple request God gives us is to spread forth the same love we have received to our brothers and sisters. The joy it brings to be able to do that each an everyday is indescribable, and especially during this Christmas time!

"A time for Gratitude and Forgiveness" -President Ucthdorf.

I love Christmas and I love this time of year! Being here on the Lord's errand, the feeling of love is more prevalent and more easily felt! I love the scripture that says "Fear not: For behold, I bring you  glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all men, for unto is born in the City of David, a Saviour who is Christ the Lord." HE is the first and most precious gift of the season. MERRY CHRISTMAS! Can't wait to hear your voices on Christmas Day, So EXCITED!!!

Love you all ! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS from Elder Grinch

Hello! Here's the week oh yeah  Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas!

Monday-  We had a very simple P-day. We had to print some pictures just in case either of us shifted. We walked around Hunter Plaza until they were done then decided to get lunch. But lucky for us we got spotted by this tall, blonde surfer haired Maori! Talked to him for a bit then went to email home and spent a little too long so we had to jog from the email shop on St. George Street to our flat on Station Rd...I was so winded. Had sport...it was kind of boring...but made the most of it until we went to work again.

Learned an important lesson. We worryry that here in New Zealand some interesting things are seen here. Almost all our plans had fallen through except for one. Tila Hunt and Grand Greig (recent converts). We showed them the "He is the Gift" video (I hope you've all seen it, look it up on Christmas.Mormon.Org).  

 

Tuesday- Sisters are crazy drivers, they were late to District meeting and Sister Kata made the tires squeal so loud coming into the car park. We made a Zone video and Sisters Tuneti, Solia, and Pe'a wanted the video so I copied it to there USB. I love this area, so many humble people here. We met a man named Junior Tepara, one of the most humble men I've met here. He invited us back on Saturday this week. I love the members in this area! They love the missionaries and they know how to cook some really good food! The Iorangi's made burgers for us and they were SO good! Following dinner we had BYC. Brother Lavea asked us if we would do some role plays on contacting less-active members. Elder Burns explained the process and I would demonstrate. We had the 2nd Counselor Brother Haiane be the less-active member.

Wednesday- For the beginning of companionship study Elder Lee, Ward and I had a yelling competition..I think I won..I think. We also did some service setting up a swing set. We had a drive with the Zone leaders to drop off a car for the Sisters for transfer meeting! Oh and yeah Elder Burns and I staying here in Papatoetoe for another transfer! Made some new house rules because a couple of the missionaries in our flat don't clean at all! 

Thursday- Ran into a less-active recent convert and chatted for few minutes. Viarn and her non-member friend Eden. We also helped out one of our investigators set up for her son's birthday party. Moving a grill cleaning it for her. Marion noted "I was trying to figure out who I was going to call to help me out." We were meant to be there the help her. We gave a blessing to Shirley and Uasi to help them calm down and also to help with quitting smoking. Had dinner with the Parkers (Joseph Parker world famous boxers parents)

Friday-  We did service with Irvines pruning an apple tree. We did push-ups for all our numbers this week, at least 150 we did one hundred each and Elder Burns did the other 50. Had dinner with the Stake President.

Saturday- Mini Mission Day with the Stake, had an interesting talk with a Muslim man about the word "Begotten".

Sunday- Afternoon with the Irvines. Elder. Irvine ran over a rubbish bin and also a rubbish bag...His wife almost killed him.

 

 

 

Talk again soon. Be humble, share your testimony of the Savior and His Atonement and do something nice for someone this week. LOVE YOU!!

I feel pretty, oh so PRETTY

Hello, Talofa and Kia Ora from New Zealand!!!

Sorry I didn't have anything last week, we had a ZONE p-day and things were super busy so we didn't get a chance to email. But here's the rundown of the past week.

Riding in the car with Irvines

Lunch at the flat

Monday- Zone Devotional sharing our thoughts and feelings on Christ-like attributes. I had Virtue and Knowledge. I had the impression to use Alma 46. King Moroni and the Title of Liberty. A great story illustrating who Christ is and how virtuous we need to be when Satan stares us in the face. I bore my testimony that if we know who Christ is we should not be ashamed of who is and what he is capable of. We had Zone P-day. It was so fun! We had a bunch of different relays. Some really fun games.

THE ZONE....P-day games!!! What a blast

Tuesday- No District Meeting! We worked all day and had a cool miracle in this morning. Having received a referral from the Busby Family, we felt impressed to go and make contact. We ended up meeting with Mary and Matthew (a brother and sister) and had a powerful lesson concerning the Restoration. We invited them to read the Book of Mormon and to pray.  I said "There's many misconceptions about the Church. But what are you going to believe? Internet websites or God? That's why we invite people to pray to know if these things are true." He later said Okay, I understand I want to find out more. To conclude our lesson Matthew and I said a Prayer. I said mine first and then Matthew. Matthew said Lord, Father about fifty times in his prayer. Following this awesome lesson we had another lesson with Samuel, whom we hadn't seen for quite some time. We explained to him who God was (he had no belief in God) But we taught it in such a way that left him thinking. To finish the day we attended a funeral service for the Crichton Family. His mother had passed away. It was a reassuring feeling that the gospel IS true that families are eternal and will never END.

Elder Burns "wrapped up" for his BIRTHDAY

Wednesday- Companionship Study with Sister Kata and Kelly. We helped them practice teaching the Law of Chastity for one of their Investigators. Then we went to the Funeral of Fialupe Shoebridge. It was a great service! President Fitisemanu lightened the mood, by cracking some jokes about our weight, he was just kidding. Following the service, lunch was held at the Crichton's SOOO much food! We got a ride from President Fitisemanu to our next appointment with Leonda. Leonda (recent convert) has a learning disability so we have to teach very simply. Sister Irvine got him a "Book of Mormon Stories" book (much easier to read). He had read half the book when we met with him today! We were shocked but impressed and encourage him to keep going! Instead of using our bikes we rode in the car with the Irvines. We visited with Shirley (shared a Mormon Message with her about a loving father, Heavenly Father). Then off to Inamata's. Her father is in prison:( It's quite sad. I offered a prayer to close our meeting and her eyes were full of tears. Then before dinner we met with Ema. We also shared the same video with her. Elder Irvine is the best at talking with people! Elder Burns calls him "The Master." LONG DAY!!

Elder Minion, ha ha!

Thursday- Specialized Training. Oh how I love these trainings! The spirit is always so strong! We had much instruction about studies and making them effective, and well I have a lot of work to do! Then we had the awesome chance to have a new tool introduced. "HE IS THE GIFT". Look it up on lds.org, it is the best video! Then President Balli showed us Elder Holland's talk "Do you love me?" Then asked us to insert out names into it. It meant so much to say "Yea Lord, thou knowest I love thee." So much personal revelation was gained just from one inspired talk from a member of the Quorum of the Twelve! Coming off a powerful meeting makes you hungry so Elder Burns and I made a sweet lunch! (much better than ones in the past). Work continued and it was an inspiring day. We had a lot of chances to talk with everyone (TWE), caught up with Jordan (investigator) Gave Jane (recent convert) a blessing and went to the chapel for a Youth Cook-Off. 

Thanksgiving with the Busbys and Irvines

Friday- hmmmm, guess nothing really sticks out, but I'm sure it was a great day. Out here on the mission the days seem to just blend together.

Saturday- This morning during studies I tried to tackle a grizzly bear...oh I mean Elder Vave. Had a great morning talking to Lisa (investigator) she offered us some cheesecake, boysenberry? Her kids insisted that we should play with them so we threw around a frisbee until it was time for us to go. Also we did the same at another investigators house with kids jumping all over us. I talked to their mother Ana (Samoan lady) while Elder Burns was being attacked by these kids.

Sunday- Emergency drill in church! It was a blast and had heaps of fun, checking emergency packs (72 hour kits) Lunch with the Stake President. Kept working and had a blast talking to our 1st Counselor, Brother Haiane about his mission.What a great week, so much work and still so much FUN!!!

Picture with Stake President & Sister Broederlow and the Irvines

 

I love you all, til next time!