Well hello there!

I'm doing well and I'm glad to say that it was the first solid week we've had to actually do work..I got sick, had to go to the hospital and spent three days stuck at home.
It's been an interesting week for me with heaps of emotions and a lot of time spent seeking for inspiration to help my District. They all have been sick and I've had to do my best to encourage them, it's been difficult. But looking for the positive has made a difference. My prayers are more sincere and rather than just asking I'm looking for understanding in all situations.

Last week I lost the phone and luckily we were able to get a new one.

Monday: First time in this area that we actually biked everywhere. I felt so free it made everything so much easier. Feeling a sense of  accomplishment we headed back to our flat..not having the phone was even more difficult. But we made it work anyway and spent the day cleaning and relaxing. We found a new investigator! Tevita son of a Pastor..so we will have to see how this goes. He had questions as to why there are so many churches. So we taught the Restoration and was keen for us to come back and teach.  Family Home Evening was with the Busby's! Alma 17 was the lesson:) We read the verses and talked about how we all need to be bold in our testimonies.

Tuesday- Instead of having District Meeting we were to have just a normal proselyting day. We talked to a very different man. He was a Rastafarin (Or belongs to the Bob Marley Church which I didn't know existed) with so very different beliefs. Then we had a really heated conversation about tithing. He ket saying " Well why do your leaders hide the funds?" What if they are using the money for their own needs." Elder Blanford remarked back with some power and said "We trust these men because they are called of God!" Our conversation led into discussions about prophets and apostles. It was kind of confrontational on his part but we remained calm. Later we had some other really powerful lessons with a less active on faith and then a even cooler experience with a member family The Fukofuka's. Shared a powerful Scripture 2 Nephi 25:6 speaking of the importance of teaching children of the judgments of God and how to avoid the temptations of Satan.

Wednesday- Mission Tour today with Elder S. Gifford Nielsen of the Seventy. He has such a powerful testimony. I was asked to bear my testimony so I bore my testimony on the Savior. "I can do all things through Christ."  I bore testimony of the power he has!

Thursday was a great day until...the nose bleeds happened, two of them. Yeah it was really bad! I was so light headed and couldn't really do much because of all the blood I had lost. For a good twenty minutes my nose bled leaving me really light-headed. I went to the Hospital because of the blood. Luckily it finally stopped right before they were going to fix it. They told me that all I needed to do was rest.

Friday- Sunday: Elder Blandford and I stayed home. I rested for a good portion of the days. It was difficult. I was so tried and my body was done with sleep. So I tried my best to study about faith and how to prepare for Elder David A. Bednar who is coming to the mission on Tuesday. It was a really trying time for me, so many prayers were offered and I received so much strength. I got a blessing from Elder Blandford on Sunday :)

I love the Savior, I love trials, and I love the Work!

Bird pooped on my head!

Sweet Az Week!

Hello! Well first and foremost I will let you know that I have been called to be a District Leader (again) in place of Elder Burns. I'm the "Relief Society President" only because the whole district is just sisters. Anyhow I have really enjoyed it so far. President Balli gave me a ring on Monday to ask me if I would accept the call to serve! I told President, "


Whatever you need me to do I will do it." It went into effect that night. My prayers have been so much more sincere and more heartfelt to my Heavenly Father, and He knows what we stand in need of at all times! And well I guess he saw that I needed to bring others up! I l can't wait to do this!

         With Elder Burns leaving, Monday was kind of crazy. Elder Burns frantically went around getting everything he needed before Tuesday. With all the craziness going on everything was rushed..even shopping. We shopped so fast, and the evening went even faster with saying goodbye to all the members.

Time to clean off the poop..

 My First District Meeting! It was interesting because with two of the District Leaders going home, I had to train two districts. Elder Masoe had to leave half way through the meeting to catch his plan to Fiji..It was hard to say goodbye but I didn't cry..I felt like I was supposed to see him later on in life so I wasn't too worried. I worked with Elder Bennett because I didn't have a comp! He had trade-offs with the Tongan Elders in his District so I had to go along with them, and Elder Lolohea was with us.

On Wednesday I worked with the Zone Leaders doing Zone Leader stuff and taking Elder Lee to the doctor's due to a boil on his face. It was super gross and Elder Lee was not happy. The nurse who was cleaning and re-dressing his face wasn't wearing the most appropriate clothes. Following all this we worked until about five. I had to go with Elder Bennett and Vave for dinner. Sad thing was that the members who were giving us a ride had a flat and we waited for AGES for another ride. We finally got to dinner and then I had to go back with the Zone Leaders. Elder Lee had to go back to the clinic so Elder Ward and I got everything ready for transfers.

Thursday- Waiting for our companions, Elder Bennett and I worked together until we got our new comps. We had a solid morning teaching Junior from the Book of Mormon and had a really cool visit with the Ah-Ching family who have three kids on missions in the Philippines. We left them with a prayer and asked for a blessing to be upon the mother and father. My new companion arrived! Elder Blandford. He was serving in Africa (Sierra Leone) but had to be re-assigned due to the Ebola virus outbreak. He is from Gisborne, NZ, South Island. He has been out about 8 months, and we're getting along well. So that night we had a solid lesson with our recent convert Stewart and taught a little bit more about the Restoration!

Friday- Weekly planning went well and we made it super effective planning specifically for investigators. Following planning, we went to work . A lot of hit and miss visits but had a really good evening following the spirit and showing the Lord that we would do our best to listen to what he would have us do. Sister Abba hadn't being coming for a while so we visited and shared with her the LOVE that Heavenly Father has for her. She cried and asked if we could come back and share a message.

All Clean, refreshing....

Saturday- We had an awesome experience with finding an in-active member of 30 years. Raymond lost two wives in tragic accidents and was still feeling remorse for what had happened. We shared Joshua 1:9 and a "Mormon Message" to uplift him and he seemed to be much happier because of it! He was so glad to have us there.

Sunday- It was so good at Church this week. I got a lot of encouragement from Sacrament meeting and from being able to teach both Gospel Principles and then Primary. I love Church! If you want to know what I learned read Ezekiel 34.

This is my week! LOVE YOU ALL!!!

My companion, Elder Burns, returns home this week and I will miss him greatly. We've enjoyed some great experiences together and I wish him all the best. See you in 7 months brother. KEEP THE FAITH!! I'm not sure if I will be transferred but I hope I can stay in Papatoetoe a while longer.

I wish to relay my email by way of some lessons I've learned this past transfer. One being the importance of being humble and reaping the abundant blessings of the Spirit. I have learned so much more about Heavenly Father and his ways. The message I wish to relay at this time is one of a fisherman who sought to catch a fish. So here we go.

There once was a fisherman who had a plan. The plan was to catch a fish when ever he possibly could. So he called his friend and relayed his plan to him. His friend stated that he would accompany him in his plan. With the plan set in stone and a mind centered on the goal, the fisherman began to prepare his lures. Fine tuning them and refining them to make them appealing to the fish. In his pursuit he came to realize "If I have the best lures that means that I need the best line". He did as he thought and found the best line. In finishing his preparations, the day had come to put his plan into action to achieve his goal.
 And so the journey began to travel to a pre-determined destination. Upon arrival the fisherman gathered his thoughts to decide which spot on the river would be best. After a while he made his decision. With the best line and best lure the first cast was thrown to a nearby eddy. "Patience is key." his friend exclaimed. And so he waited, and waited, and waited until suddenly a fish had risen from the bottom of the river. The fish waded around the lure but did not find it appealing and swam away. "Patience is key." the friend exclaimed again. And again he waited. Another fish came, waded around the lure but swam away.
Flustered the fisherman exclaimed, Why won't they bite? Did I not do all I needed? I bought and prepared all the essentials but nothing is working!" In reply to the disheartened fisherman, his friend yet again gave the same guidance, "Patience is key." So for the last and hopefully the last and final time to catch a fish, he cast again and waited. He waited and waited and waited and when he was about to call it a day, he snagged a fish.

THE LESSON: That friend was Christ encouraging us (fisherman) to never give up on the plans (Gospel). We are made to catch fish (or save a soul) and it is according to our lures (Testimony) and line (recognizing the Spirit) that allows catching (saving) possible. I've learned that those fish are the investigators, less-actives, recent converts, and in-actives. At times they don't see what the lures and lines can do for them. What once had seemed so appealing has somehow become dull and mundane and they swim away. That is why we are to be missionaries even if we don't have a BADGE.  They need those lures and lines to keep them hooked in the Gospel. That is OUR responsibility to cast our lines and make the lures sure to bring as many fish as we can into our basket. To have our Heavenly Father say "... thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father."-(Ether 12:37) I've learned so much of the great importance of the Spirit in this work, especially the worth of souls.

I love this work and I hope you all have a great week!

Beautiful Flowers in NZ

Christmas SOCKS!!! Stylin'...

I think my EYE is Broken

I'll just share a life lesson I discovered this week.

 I came to a conclusion in my studies this morning while studying agency in the Plan of Salvation.
The conclusion: God placed us in the best family he could in order to fulfill our purpose. But that's where agency comes into play. God gives us a "floor plan" and a "contractor", but we have to decide how to build the "house". That floor plan is the layout for the house. Before it can be built every wall, the ceiling, and baseboards, etc. have to be straight in order for the house to stand but sometimes those walls, ceilings, and baseboards have to be "corrected" by the contractor. (Hopefully this makes sense). That "plan" is the gospel and the house is us. It is all dependent upon our choices on what that house can become and the contractor is Jesus Christ.  It's the Atonement of Jesus Christ that corrects those faults in our lives to help us stand. Anything is possible with Christ but "we are saved by grace after all we can do."

Taumoko for Zone P-Day

I just wanted to share that with you this week and hope that it gives some insight into the majesty and beauty of the PLAN! God is SO GOOD!!!!

Sorry for the short email not enough time this week. Love You All!!

My receding hairline, ha ha ha