Elder Matua has arrived safely in New Zealand

Elder Matua arrived in New Zealand today (their Wednesday) and here is an email that his mission president sent along with a couple of pictures.

13th November 2013

Dear Brother and Sister Matua,
It was a great pleasure to welcome your son, Elder Matua, to the New Zealand Auckland Mission.  He arrived in good health, ready to begin his missionary labours with a people who are full of faith and love.  He is a credit to you both and I appreciate the privilege of having him here in the mission.
Elder Matua’s new companion is Elder Gaga, his trainer who will help your son adjust to missionary life.  They have been assigned to work in the Tamaki area.  We are confident that as they work diligently together that the Lord will bless them and they will experience the joy of seeing our Heavenly Father’s children progress towards baptism in His church.
Your son will look forward to your weekly letters of encouragement and support.  Monday is his preparation day and the time allocated to him to write emails home to you.  All mailed letters should be sent to the Mission Office.
Thank you for all you have done to prepare your son for his mission.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.  Sister Lekias and I will do everything in our power to help him have a wonderful and productive mission.  We pray the Lord will bless and sustain you in his absence.
Sincerely yours,

President Paul N. Lekias

New Zealand Auckland Mission

LAST FEW DAYS IN THE MTC

MTC LIFE COMES TO AN END :( ON TO NZ.....YEAAAHHHH!!!

Well this week has been great! Much has gone on this week Elder Merideth just got a reassignment to Ft. Collins, Colorado. Sister Camilletti got reassinged to Gilbert, Arizona where Braden Bennett is at!!  Hopefully she gets to meet him.
This week we lost Sis Lasike she's in Hawaii right now. We as a companionship wanted to say goodbye to her before she left on Tuesday morning @ 4:45 IN THE MORNING. We got up but it just took forever to get going. We finally got to the bus stop as we got there....a bus was leaving.... We wanted to see if she'd come later we waited 30 minutes and nothing happened so we went back to our room and went to bed for about a hour. Well in short we went to breakfast that morning and found out it was the travel office fault. They told her to come to the travel office at 6:50 am WE MISSED HER BY 20 MINUTES!!!! Shucks! I wish we could have said bye to her.

I've been great! The days are going by really fast and I can't wait to Get to New Zealand. And I'm hoping I don't get reassigned. Please no!! haha

The language is coming but I'm still trying to figure out sentence structures. Kind of stressful when I don't know when to use them. But I'm slowly figuring it out. I wish it were easier but I just need to be patient and talk and talk and talk  to EVERYONE! I'm doing a lot better than I was last week A LOT BETTER!!! I've been in the best mood for the most part.

I AM SO EXCITED TO GET OUT OF HERE!!!! You have no Idea!

I got a haircut today. Iese wrote me about the mission. So awesome! So good the hear about the Mission ahhhhhhhhhhhh I can't wait to get there. I leave here on Monday and won't get there 'til Wednesday....Tuesday doesn't exist for me. So weird to me how that works.

And I can't wait to talk to you all when I get to the Airport!!!

Love you all so much!

LOVE YOU ALLL AND CAN'T WAIT TO TALK TO YOU ON MONDAY!!

Tofa soifua ma ia manuia.

Elder Wilson Matua

It's Official..Elder Matua has received travel itinerary

Had to get this out because Elder Matua was so excited he sent us a picture of his travel itinerary!!! He will fly out of Salt Lake International Airport on November 11(it will actually be Nov. 12 in New Zealand), first stop is LAX. He has a 4 hour layover there and then he'll board a flight for Auckland, New Zealand. He should arrive in Auckland around 7:15 am (NZ time) on November 13. Any guesses which Samoan ward he'll be assigned to first? Anyways, wanted to pass that along because he has been looking forward to leaving and getting on with the work.

NZ bound in one and a half weeks

Hello my Dear Family and Friends!!

Well to start off, this week had it's ups and downs like any missionary would have. Kind of sucks how I'm on spiritual lows and spiritual highs, so weird to me how that works. But I guess I've got to be looking for the spirit ALWAYS!

I can't tell you how amazing it has been here.  I've only got a week and a half  left. I really want this next week to fly by so I can get to Niu Sila!! I want to be there so badly so I can share my testimony of this Gospel. My love grows more and more everyday for New Zealand. The amazing blessing of being on a mission are uncountable, my testimony grows more and more everyday. And as time goes on I'll be able to share all that I have to say in Samoan! Thank you so much for your love I can't express to you how much that helps.

The Lord said I will never give you anything you can't overcome. I love the packages and letters also. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Like Nike says, "Just DO IT!
Tell Grandma and Aaron THANKS for the package. I'm really happy to have gotten something!! Tell Aaron Happy belated Birthday for me. How's Jen doing ?? The baby okay??

 

I officially leave on the 11th of November! I can't wait to leave!!!!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE YOU ALL!  Love you so much, SEND THE FAM my love!

Love, Elder Wilson Matua:)

ONLY TWO WEEKS LEFT!!!!!!

Well here we are again.  Everyone is waiting anxiously to hear what has happened this week. The Spirit has been so strong this week. Stronger than usual. I believe that it's because my head is always buried in the Scriptures, all this week its been like that and I can't tell you how happy, and elated I have been! My district and I were assigned to read some scriptures on How the Holy Ghost helps in Conversion. I read some great scriptures. (D&C 8:2-3, Alma 17:2-3, D&C 4:5-7, D&C 84:85; 100:5-8, D&C 42:11-17, D&C 50:13-22, 2 Nephi 33:1-2, Alma chapters 11-12, John 14:26-27, Alma 32:26-37) If you want to feel the spirit in abundance read and follow the instructions that we must apply to our lives to have the spirit at all times. I know that by doing that assignment I have had those blessings bestowed upon me.

I can tell you this, I love the Lord so much more since I've been here!

I'm doing my best to do all that I can to learn the language and study my scriptures. I feel I that I am making progress, I really do!!! I think it's because I'm using my time effectively! Study study study until it's time for bed, and then do it all over again. It's actually not that bad I love it!                              Love you all!!!

3 down, 3 to go!!!

Sorry for the late email, been so busy. Cleaned my clothes, went to the temple, and yeah here I am finally. It's been so awesome learning the language. At times I've been discouraged but I have felt the love of the many prayers that have been offered on my behalf being a missionary. It's been a little crappy on the weather side but all is well here. So many experiences, I love it here!

I can't believe it's been three weeks already, imagine how fast it will be when I'm actually out in the field! I want to get out of here and be in New Zealand. Visa status, I can't track it here they won't let us and if  I do get reassigned I'll know a week before I leave if so and my travel plans will be listed in them.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks spoke at our Devo on Tuesday, so sweet. He spoke on the Plan of Salvation, holy crap it was good. Just the way he words things, wow. It's so easy to understand. I don't know how else to explain it. How are things at home? Steven and Jen and the Baby announcement?!!! So exciting!

Tell the family I love them so much I love all the letters from EVERYONE!!!

I LOVE YOU  SO MUCH AND I LOVED THE PACKAGE!! 

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

Some Random Pics from MTC

Cousin Iona Prichard and Elder Matua

Our nephew, Iona (pictured) ran into Elder Matua at the MTC. He served his mission in the Marshall Islands so he volunteers on Saturdays with the Marshalleese(?) program. Wilson was so excited to see him. And as you can tell there is no shortage of treats. We've sent him 2 care packages and of course Mom has to have sayings for each treat.

Care Package(s) full of junk...oh yeah!!!

Head Shot

I LOVE YOUS

MTC....Week Two

MTC 

Hello Family!
It's been two weeks!! Time flies around here at the MTC. I can't tell you how exciting it is to be apart of the 80,000 Missionaries! Missionary Life has been good, I've been sick with a cold for about a week but I'm getting over it. Tuesday of this week I was on the verge of throwing up. Feeling dizzy and having a sore throat and fearing that I could very well get my district sick. Me and one of my companions stayed in the room and rested, I took some medicine and was out til about 11:00 o' clock!! The most sleep I've gotten in a long time:) I felt refreshed and was ready to finish my day strong. Then a thought came into my mind, being sick made me think of home, being in my bed, having all the meds I needed. It was a struggle the first part of this week. I constantly asked Heavenly Father why I was sick and why it was me that had to get it first. It's amazing how long my prayers have gotten and the pouring out of my soul. My prayers are answered everyday.

Wednesday, a sister in my district was feeling the effects of a migraine during class. She left the class with her companions and not soon after she had left, they came back. Sis. Camilletti peeked her head into the doorway and asked " Elder Matua, Sis. Lasike needs blessing can you give her one?" Of course I said yes! My companion Elder Meridith anointed the oil and I gave the blessing. The spirit was so strong. The spirit flowed through my soul, I began saying things that I'd never said before but it all made sense. She immediately felt better. I was astonished! The Priesthood is so amazing and the blessings we receive are absolutely true and from our Heavenly Father!

I said my first prayer in SAMOAN!!!!!!!!! ahhhhh I can't believe I did it. It was hard but I learned it so fast. I guess memorizing is easy for me. It was Friday of last week I offered it in our companionship prayer right before I went to bed. It was bad but I did it I've never felt so accomplished in my life!
But everything else language wise has been tough the whole sentence structure stuff, I can get the form right. I think with time it'll come easier. The teachers had a one on one meeting with each member of our district asking what they could do better to help us learn the language. Hopefully they will strive to make it progressively easier for us to create, and express how we are feeling in Samoan. I'll get there and I know that I will. I have faith that Heavenly Father will help me through this. Like it said in my blessing that I would have the Gift of Tongues, I fully believe that I WILL SPEAK SAMOAN!!!

Stay true to this Gospel and never fall away. Pray everyday to help someone in need and the Lord will help 
you.

THINK OF OTHERS BEFORE YOURSELF. FORGET ABOUT YOURSELF!

     Love you all and hope to hear from you soon!

         Love,  Elder Wilson Spencer Matua

The latest from the first week in the MTC

There was some confusion about my actual P-Day, but it is on Thursdays while I'm at the MTC.  A lot has happened in this first week: We had a mission conference where the MTC Presidency spoke to us. They talked about our purpose and challenged us to pray and give an accounting of our day, and to ask the Lord what His will is for me to fulfill, by doing this we would be more in tune with the Spirit. I am having fun learning the language. We also had a devotional where Pres. and Sis. Daines (Provo Temple President) spoke about remembering the covenants we made in the temple and how that will help us to be better missionaries. I could really feel the Savior's love for ME.
The food is awesome, very tasty, in fact I've actually lost weight..4 pounds, ha!
Thanks so much for the letters, the words of support and encouragement help me to overcome some of my feelings of homesickness. Being here has made me realize that I need to be more responsible, especially making sure I clean up after myself. I was so sad to hear the news of AG's passing. I loved to talked to him every Sunday, he will be missed. My sincere condolences to the Raiford family.
And a quick happy birthday shout out to Jaycee!!!
I have met some of the missionaries I know from school and also Sis. Oler.
LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!

First MTC P-day and Email

Talofa Friends and Family,

Much anticipation has built up to this First P-day, I'll begin by saying that there's good and there's bad that happens here at the MTC. The Drop off was hard to deal with and As soon as I walked into my Classroom we were off to work.  Everything happened so fast and I was feeling so much confusion in my mind. I had the feeling of do I belong here?? I was very worried. But my Dear Companion Elder Rawle was there to give me boost,  he said, " It's normal to feel this way don't think about it and you will be okay." I took his advice to heart and I'm still here!! I've been gone a week and it has flown by. The time I have spent in the MTC has been spent well. Studying has been a big benefit to me being able to find things out for myself and really thinking how can I apply this to my Life.
My (old) Companion, it's sad to say that my companion has decided to not serve a Mission due to an illness. He left yesterday afternoon. I cried many tears.  I'd only known him for a week and I have never felt so much Love for a Companion before   He is a great kid and has a lot ahead of him! He gave me some ties, food that he received, money, and a New Zealand Greenstone necklace to remember him by. When he left I cried but I was prompted to forget about it and then a peaceful feeling came over me. A prayer was answered. Now that he has chosen his path I can now focus on Mine!
Blessings come in the strangest of way.

I am now in a Trio with Elder Pulido and Merideth. We are the Three Amigos!!! lol I love these two they are Some very Spiritual Elders! I can't wait to see what is in Store for us in NEW ZEALAND!!!! Five weeks away from Monday ahhhh! I can't tell you how excited I am to get out there!

I got a Slap in the face on Sunday watching a movie When Elder Bednar spoke on the Character of Christ. I fasted for strength and Wisdom. Sure enough I was told to Forget yourself and Get Lost in the Work. Just what I needed. Well it's not fun to get a slap to the face but it was nice to get some more knowledge on what my purpose is as a Missionary.

I love this Gospel and Love everything that it has done for me Alofas for the Emails from Jessica, Kassy, Bailee, Keith, and of Course Mom and Dad LOVE YOU ALL!!

Please Send me your Address so I can write you letters please!!:)

P.S. I forgot mention that I am a DISTRICT LEADER!!!!!!!