WEEK 86---Days Feel Like Weeks, and Weeks Feel Like Days

Time is flying by.. The hot it getting hotter.. And everything just seems like a blur. So last Wednesday I got transferred from Queen Creek to South Gilbert of of Ocotillo and Higley. I live in a big red barn with another set if elders. Elder Reid and Francis. My new Comp is Elder Woods from Austin, Tejas. He's 6'3" and he swam for BUY for a year before coming out. He's a stud. And I am the 4th out of 8 Comps he has killed in the past year he's been out. This past week has been eventful haha a lot of things have happened that some might see as out of the ordinary. 1.) Austin.. 2.) The Barn 3.) Super Man 4.) Topher's Dunkage.

1.) Man I don't think I have ever ever EVER met anyone like Austin. He is one of our investigators and he is 1 in a million (in a crazy way). So first he lives with his parents, doesn't shower (He thinks the Gov. is polluting the waters for population control.), He doesn't shake anybody's hand unless it's family (He believes everyone is born with a disease that is triggered when hands joined with another's hand if you aren't blood related.) And last he doesn't wear shoes (He believes we get nutrients from the earth when our bare body is in contact with it.) And by him not wearing shoes in this blistering heat. He has blisters all over his feet.. He's a good though and very intelligent. He is so open yet closed. And he loves to listen and debate. He look like Matthew McConaughey. We met with him last Friday and as we were discussing about Adam and Eve he cut us off and began to tell us how he thought we, as humans, came from the ashes of the dinosaurs. Okay okay. I am done rambling about him. He's a Legend.

2.) The Barn... Okay it's not actually a barn it just looks like it and smells like it. But it's a nicely put together apartment equipt with 2 full bathrooms, a nice sized kitchen and 2 bedrooms. It is so sick here. The Elders I live with are goofy but we have fun. We all sleep in one room and study in the other. Not a whole lot gets done but hey at least we are having fun. I am glad this will be my last house.

3.) Okay the picture of my comp was taken just moments before he ran off the road and ate it. It was the funmniest thing. He was telling me that him and his last comp did it for aerodynamics haha and a split second layer he was on his back. Oh it was killed you had to be there.

4.) Here is a picture of me and the comp that taught Topher.
He is a Michael Jackson jumping, speed racing, one heck of a kid. I love him. He is so funny and as he was being dunked right before he went under he screamed "Oh Lord have mercy." EVERY ONE was laughing. He's the cutest kid. I had so much fun teaching Toph-a-loaf. Here is the post baptism pic.

WEEK 82----Golly Gee

This week has been a week of miracles and blessings. Elder Coutts and I have just been putting in work. Our main goal this week has been being urgent in everything we do, and talking to EVERYONE! So our mission statistics show that 1 in 3 people we have the first lesson with gets baptized and 1 in 2 that attends church one time gets baptized, so that been a huge goal of ours as well. So all week that is all we have done is talked to EVERYONE, and invite or commit them to coming to church. This week we picked up 7 new investigators, 8 of our investigators plus 2 part members we visited this past week came to church, and we have 3 people on date for baptism on the 12th of May! I get so excited seeing these people making this change in their lives! It has been a huge blessing to be witnessing all of this happen. We are told in "Preach My Gospel" that the progression of your investigators and their ability to understand increase and it is shown through your personal worthiness, and upon your willingness to obey. And I have a strong testimony of that especially after this week and seeing all of these miracles take place as Elder Coutts and I have done all that we can. We also came across a laday that had a signed baseball by Babe Ruth.But I have gotten in the past 3 days pink eye, sliced open my thumb, and caught a sore throat and cold. Haha but life's going amazing.

Well other than that there wasn't anything else that was cool haha but I will send some pictures of some other things haha. Love you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Talk to you next week!

Here's what we came across as we helped a less active move out of our area. And here is a pic of me in 3 sizes too small Lulu Lemon ABC pants.

WEEK 79----4 MONTHS LEFT??

Time has been flying by... I don't like it. Mainly because that means summer is coming, and seeing how it is only April and the temperature right now is in the mid 90's, it  doesn't look too promising to me..This past week has had some ups and some downs, but over all it was a pretty good week! Here are the Top 3 highlights. 1.) 50 ft. Cottonwood. 2.) FHA. 3.) Easter!

1.) This Wednesday we got a call by a member to come and help him take down not 1. Not 2. Not 3. But 4 Cottonwood Trees in his back yard.. It was a blast. We got to watch those things come crashing down and then the pick up was the fun part. We would cart them to the wood chipper. It was so cool mainly because I become a 5 year old when big loud yellow machines are at my disposal. It's weird to see cottonwood trees in AZ. Well you'd be right if you were to agree with me because 1 - I am always right and 2 - The cottonwoods dry out and rot, and become brittle, so limbs come falling down by winds that compare to a 2 yr old blowing out a birthday candle. So that was the reason The Lemieux's were getting rid of them. The video will show how cool it is. Because I do it no justice...

2.) FHA (Family Home Afternoon), So if you haven't heard of FHA don't worry. It is just a 2 hour activity put on by Senior couples in our mission to feed us, teach us, and let us relax, and get out of the heat. It happens every transfer. Well this last FHA was probably my most favorite one yet. There was ping pong, pool, mini golf, a tramp, corn hole, horse shoes, basketball, all in one yard!!! We had some dang good authentic street tacos and they were bombin! We also had a beautiful spiritual message that was all on becoming a better and a more true disciple of Christ. And as we were playing games all over the back yard it was just cool to see of immature we really are. Haha Especially me yelling at a stupid bean bag to get inside the hole. We may all look the part as we ride around and talk with people but deep down we all of our quirks and we all have that inner mischievous part about us. But here are some zone pics from FHA!

3.) I am writing about this now because I failed to send out an email last week! Anyway Easter was AMAZING! Conference was just jaw dropping. It was so amazing to stand and sustain President Nelson as our Prophet! But the best part about Easter Sunday was I didn't feel like I was away from home because of the Sparks family. The past 2 transfers I have gotten really close with them, and they treat me like their own. We spent the time in between sessions to hangout and play some games, and have lunch, and I felt right at home. And it just reminded me of my own family, and how grateful I am for them. Being out her on a mission has brought me to a bigger and better understanding of the importance of families. I am so grateful to know that we can be resurrected because of our Savior to be with our families for Eternity.

I am sad that my time here in AZ is becoming so short. I have hit a lot of bumps in the road while being here, but one thing for sure I am a better person because of the trials I have been through, because of the people I have had the opportunity to meet, and most of all because for once in my life I truly feel I have let the Atonement work in my life. These past 19 months have been the best 19 months for my life. I have learned so much. And all I can say is I wouldn't trade it for the world!

I love you all and I, again, am grateful for the love and support you all have shown me through out my life. I miss you all. I hope life is all goods in WJ! and wherever else you may be. I'll see you in a few!

Here is a picture of a friend I ran into the other day his name is Rolly!

Love,
Elder Tautai Matua

EASTER/CONFERENCE PICS APRIL 2018

Another P-day sunrise hike

No words.....

The Zone after Conference

WEEK 78--QUEENTUCKY

This week has been pretty eventful! It has been one of the shortest weeks on my mission. We have had a lot of lessons where we have seen progression in our investigators, and we have been able to see miracles through out the week. Here are some of the highlights of Elder Matua's week. 1. Spring into Queen Creek festival. 2. Food Truck Friday 3. Baby Goats

1.) So our zone got signed up for an event here for the city of Queen Creek, and it was a blast! We were supposed to play games with people and just be there to help out. Well me and Elder Neilson ended up playing corn hole with Downs Syndrome girls for like 2 1/2 hours! They were and absolute riot! We had a lot of fun. We also were able to be apart of the color splash. and we got demolished. We were caked in chalk.. I'll let the pictures do the talking. But needless to say we had a lot of fun on Saturday!

2.) Every Friday there is a lot like right next to our apartment where a bunch of food trucks, and we finally went. We showed up not knowing it was super over priced, but it was.. A member walked up to us and said wow Elders you have a budget for this? We were like no we don't haha we are just gonna go to Mcdonald's. He said oh don't do that and he handed each of us $20 and let us get whatever. It was lit. They have live music, food trucks, soda trucks, pretty much any food you can think of it was there. It was so cool.

3.) Last baby goats. I watched these little things enter this world. DISGUSTING! But they are cute so I don't care. Here are somepics.

Well  yall have a good week! I love you! I'll see you in a short 5 1/2 months!!

WEEK 77---Long Week

This week has been good just not a whole lot going on. Hopefully next week will pick up because we have found a few new investigators. But everything is going good. Just pressing forward doing the work. I love you guys I hope all is well! I miss you!

WEEK 75---"A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there."

This week has been a good week. Elder Lott and I have been able to see a lot of miracles and success. I found this quote the other day, and it's funny because I have kind of been in a comfort zone the past week. And here is what helped me get out of this funk. obviously seeing the quote helped,but we had a guy in our ward come up to us yesterday after sacrament meeting and he told us, "Elders I have written down EVER testimony given in this ward this year. 283 testimonies were born, and only 38 of those mentioned out Savior. That is roughly 13%. My brothers how sad.. Our Savior gave His life for us and we can't even acknowledge him in a simple testimony, but we are quick to give self praise for something we did, or how our kids made the school soccer team." I thought long and hard about that all day yesterday and all day today. And last night I got an amazing powerful test message from a good friend of mine named Steve Tenney, now if you haven't heard about Steve I'm sorry that's on me, but Steve was a less active member that came back into activity and is now working harder than ever to stay on the path to eternal life. Anyways here is what he texted me. "Hey Brother is Steve-O I was prompted to text you and to bear my testimony to you. The same testimony that I bore today verbatim, "I stand to bear witness to you all that one of the only things I have ever known, and will ever know whether I live for another 50 years or if I die right now is that Jesus IS THE CHRIST, and that I testifyand bear witness of in His Eternal and Sacred Name. Amen." He said Elder Matua I wasn't NOT going to church because I didn't want to I wasn't going because I got comfortable doing my own thing. I am proud of what you are doing keep pushing forward and finish strong. And I don't think I have ever felt the way I did last night as I read that. My Father in Heaven knew what I was going through whether I want to admit it or not, and he gave me exactly what I needed to keep pushing forward these last six months I have here in AZ. Anyways it's been a good week. Nothing extraordinary..I'll try to have some stories for next week, but until then I love you guys! Have a good week!

WEEK 74---PICS FROM THE WEEK

A massage

Not sure why they need a drone

Soccer skills

Oh MY!!! Study not study

In deep thought at church...more like a quiuck nap

WEEK 73-----How You Possa Understand Me If My Jaw Keep Locking

This week has been another slow one. The Elder that has his mouth wired shut, aka LOCKJAW, still can't be out working from the meds that he is on, so we have been taking turns with other Elders watching him, and we have drawn the short stick everyday... But I will still fill you in on the hgihlights of the week! 1. I just about threw my bike off out second story balcony.. 2. The Anti-Endrizzi staff. 3. Chocolate Poop.

1.) My bike has been acting up the past week, and it is sad because she's been so good to me. Now, she is just getting tired of lugging my fat butt around. She's seen better day. But I've been saving money to fix her up and I did! I switched her chain, got her new grips, new pedals, and a tune up. She is still a little muddy from the ride we took thre other day through the rain, but for the most part she is looking good. It took about 2 days becasue I have no idea how to work on a bike, and I wasn't about to pay a shop a fortune to do it. I was getting so frustrated with my bike (which is really stupid Iknow..) But I am a guy it happens haha. So as I was working on putting the new chain on the bike the tool I was using broke on me. and this was about and hour after working on this stupid thing.. I picked my bike up lifted it over my head and luckily an elder came out cause he grabbed my bike from me and set it down and told me to go to bed. I kind of feel dumb about it, but oh well. She is all fixed up pretty now.

2.) The Anti-Endrizzi Staff is a weadpon I created to keep Elder Endrizzi out of our room.. He always just walks into our room and just stands there while we are studying... It's so annoying, so instead of having him walk into our room for no apparent reason for like a good 3 solid minutes. We have trained him to not do so with this beautifully crafted bamboo spear. I split the end of the stick and stuck sticks in between them and wrapped some wire around it. and then sharpened the tips of the split end. So whenever he would walk in and stood behind us we would chase him out with the spear. This past week has been nothing but peace and quiet while studying.

3.) Oh my goodness this was the best part of my week! So Saturday night we had no one outside, no one answering so we decided to stop by some Relief Society Pesidents and Elder Quorum presidents to see if they had aNY body they wanted us to stop by. The first person we stopped by had us go to a part member family just to check in on them and share a message. Surprisingly we got in with the part member family. We shared a message and they gave us some chocolate to start well my comp didn't eat it right away and so it was sitting between his legs the whole message. We finished the messaged and the family asked Elder Lott to say the prayer and as he reached for his phone there was chocolate ALL over it. He lifted his leg and the Chocolate had melted everywhere. All over him, the couch, his phone. Everyone started dying laughing. It was so funny. So as we walked out all the kids started calling him poopy pants. Haha it was the best part of my week.

Anyways that's all for this week. Hope everything is going well. I live and miss you all. Have a good week!!

WEEK 72----4 More Transfers????

It is so crazy to think that I only have a few more months left and it makes me kinda sad. Arizona has been my home for the past year and some change. Time has been flying by. Anyways I am loving Queen Creek! The wards that I cover are awesome and we have a baptism coming up in a couple of weeks. I am loving every little bit of the work right now even though it has been slow lately. I kind of got used to just riding past people without stopping and talking with them, but since being with Elder Lott he has taught me to stop and say something even if it is just a "Hi , we are the missionaries!" I am grateful for what my companion has taught me.

 I am going to apologize. It has been a little slow this last week so there isn't going to be much, but here are some events from the week! 1. My companion is an Anti magnet!!!! 2. Quickest service EVER. 3. Joe Torrez.

1.) I don't know if I have told you guys in past emails or not, but my comp has a gift for finding/ running into Anti's, and it is so annoying. Literally the past transfer, so 5 weeks. I have been anit'd more than I have my whole mission... From magical underwear to brain washed, from multiple wives to the mental state of Joseph Smith (insane). And oh man does it fire up Elder Lott. Most the time I have to intervene, so we don't start making a scene. My favorite thing I have heard this paat transfer is that Jesus was a women. Elder Lott and I just sat there and laughed. Not the best thing we could have done.We asked the guy if he rmembers the baptism of Jesus Christ. and he said of course. And so we asked him what The Father said as he came out of the water. And he responded with, "Yes, He said this is my Beloved Son in whome I am well pleased." And proceeded to ask him what that was supposed to mean if Jesus was a woman? And he blow a fuse, and told us to leave, and stop trying to confuse him. It was a riot. we have fun with these guys we come in contact with. It crask me up so bad!

2.) Alright so here we go. So we have been doing this service for our sisters for a part member family.. This family just sees us as free help and doesn't have any interest with joining the church.We have tried telling the sisters that it isn't the best use of our time because she has not interest. We love being a service, but there is being a help and then being slaves. So we go to this house for no reason.. Well Elder Lott and I built these 24 ft by 6 ft. raised beds in a bout 30 minutes.. And then the lady that isn't a member blew up cause one of the other Elders in our zone tried talking to her about the gospel and she tossed us out, so we will see if we go back. I don't think so. Oh well. Hahah the zone gets their wishes.

3.) Joe Torrez is a LEGEND! I love him. Every time we go over there he is always 3 sheets to the wind! Dunk off his butt. We go over there and teach him, but he remembers everything. He loves is alcohol, but I thik he can change. Well this last time we went over he gave Elder Lott a drone and the next time we go over he said he'll give me a guitar. He is awesome. and when he is sober he's even better, but druck Joe is rad. I'll keep y'all updated on his progression!

But that is about it. We  are working hard and seeing miracles! Love you all and I hope all is better! I will talk to you all next week!

Love,
Elder Matua

WEEK 71--Well Golly... What Was That For?

This week hasn't been to crazy, but we have been doing work. So by the end of this transfer I only have 6 1/2 months left and that freaks me out. Anyways this week we 1. Put good Ole' Al on date. 2. Baci's. And 3. I got to see one of my best friends.!!

1. We have an Investigator, Mr. Al Thomas, and this man is spectacular! We haven't taught him anything yet. We had only met him once before this lesson. He just sits there and answers everything like he already knows. He's honest and not embarrassed to ask questions when things don't make sense. We'll his baptismal date was in March on the 25th for his mom's birth date. But, as we sat with him we told him that he can have her work done on her birthday, if he moved his baptismal date up. So Al Thomas will be baptized February 24th, and we couldn't be more excited!! He is so ready all we have to do is teach him the things he already knows. It is so cool to see how people that are prepared by our Heavenly Father are placed in front of you when you're doing all you  can.

2. This is the second best thing that happened to me this week. Baci's is a very expensive restaurant, but Elder Lott and I did not know that going into it. We didn't want to just get back up and just walk out so we faith dined SO HARD!! There wasn't a plate there that was under $20. So ten minutes in of us staring at the menu  a member walked up to us and said, "Why are you here? Did you save up your money to come?" And we told them that we didn't know it was so expensive someone just referred it to us. This generous man looked at us and said Elders you get whatever you want and tell them to put it on Todd's tab. Our faith was sufficient. And we got a $65 dinner paid for. It was a miracle!!

3. I got to see my little brother this past week. Wow was it a freaking surprise. We were supposed to surprise him, but he got me good. We were getting anti'd by some dude trying to tell us what we believe in. And as we were leaving I here a whistle and a Hey! And as I turned around I see Garrett standing there and I couldn't hold it in I was bawling my eyes out. And I don't cry that's the thing. We got to talk for a second. And then Saturday we went out to dinner and spent some time together and just talked. Man did I miss him. It was good to see him and I'm just glad he still isn't taller than me. So thank the heavens for that.. It was the best day of my mission!

Honorable Mentions:
I got to go out to lunch with an Uncle I didn't even know. He went to high school with my dad ages ago.

I got my bike all tuned up and fixed!

My district is lit as heck. We know how to flex a cute little Corolla..

WEEK 70---2 Chinks Down and We're Still Chubby (I think he's referring to his belt??)

This last week has been awesome! Elder Lott and I have been putting in work. While still trying to have fun. Here are a few highlights of the week. 1. Sinus Cleansing. 2. Virus was baptized! 3. Road Tripping.

1.) This was the 2nd best thing that has happened to me this week! I love with Elder Kestner and he has this bottle that squirts saline through your sinuses and cleans them out. Oh boy was it freaking hilarious! I'll send the video but only watch if you have a strong enough stomach. It felt like I wanted to throw up, but it didn't even hit the gag reflects. It shoots out the other nostril and out your mouth. I'll just let you watch.

2.) We worked with Viri for about 8 months and last Friday she was baptized!! She is amazing. I remember 6 months ago when she was still going through some hardships and struggling to understand the gospel, but now she has entered the warmers of baptism and partaking of the blessing that come along with it. And a year from now hopefully I can see them be sealed as a family.

3. Today we have been everywhere. Now, our mission isn't too big but it takes forever to get around. We hit the most Western border, Northern border, and Eastern border. Just to go see some knives at sporting good stores... I am beat..

Well sorry it was much this week.. But thank you all for the love and support! T-minus 7 months!? God bless and have a good week fam! And I apologize the video won't load of us clearing our nostrils..

1st Picture: That's me with a 300 lb bear on my bac!!
2nd & 3rd pictures: Viri's Baptism.
4th Pic: our lit man's corner (out apartment is too small for a man cave...
5th Pic: A 57' Chevrolet Bel Air with a whopping 678 ponies under the hood!?
6th Pic: My New Zone!