Farewell New Zealand...

Hey everybody!!! :) This is the encore! The official last email to be sent in regards to my missionary service. As you last heard my last weekend in the field we had that marriage and baptism of Etienne and his family:) What a miracle that was!! I'm excited to tell you of more miracles that have taken place even as my parents came to this beautiful country!! Two worlds met that's for sure! haha The mission life feels like a whole other life and to have my parents come all the way to New Zealand to pick me up and tour the country it was quite amazing! Great transition to go home:) I'll start from the top and try to recall the events that took place after! So after I last wrote ya that last pday i said some very hard goodbyes.. Elder Dyumthi and many other missionaries it was painful to depart with them. Also some investigators and members.. I finished up packing that day and that Tuesday morning I was gone just like that! Elder Falepapalangi in my same zone came with me and off to the mission home we went! We got there and had breakfast with President and Sister Lekias. The missionaries who departed with me were Elder Afa and Elder Losalu, two of my former companions that have become dear friends to me.. Also my mtc district Elders Falepapalangi, Sorenson, and my faithful mtc companion Beckstead!:) A few others that I did not know too well who came at different times. We went to the mission office and had some job and education trainings. Also our last interviews with President.. That was so special. What a wonderful experience that was to receive counsel and advice of where to go from here and what to do in order to enhance my life and to further progress. So that was really good and we had dinner as well signed in eachothers journals and flags and such and than we had our final testimonies. The dying testimony as they call it! :) It was very emotional and very very special to me.. Especially to hear from former companions that I perhaps would not hear from again.. It was really really hard to say goodbye!! I've never been good at it and get very emotional.. This was one of the worst.. Because the mission meant so much to me and same with these special people and friends of mine. So it was the beginning of my farewell to beautiful Aeotearoa and my incredible friends... but a wonderful hello took place as my parents came to the mission home!!! :):):) Of course we had to film everything!! They came to the door after all the other missionaries took off and mom knocked.. I ran to my mom and dad of course hugging mom first.. Ive never experienced anything like that in the world.. I now have a little taste of what it may be like to be reunited with our eternal families:) That was such an amazing experience to be reunited with my parents... I'll never forget it... From than on it was vacation time!!! How my body needed it!! I was destroyed!! haha that trip with mom and dad was SOOOO much fun!!! We got to do such amazing things!!! The first couple of nights we stayed in Auckland City right next to the famous Sky Tower itself!! So confusing getting in and out though!! Dad multiple times would end up driving on the wrong side of the road!! haha But it was way fun!!! We went out to a beach and some beautiful walkways close by.. It was just so much fun to be with mom and dad again. Just to spend time with them!! That was what was so great about that trip!! Just having them to myself!! :) We also went up in Sky Tower and overlooked my mission!! Awesome!! :) Except im terrified of heights! One thing that was super fun we went to a good ol FIAFIA!!! My Papatoetoe ward put together a party for me and my parents!! The Fatupaitos put it together and members of the ward came! Junior and Allison were there as well and same with Miriana and some other converts and less-actives I helped while serving there. It was so fun!! A massive islander feed!! I think my parents liked it! I was right at home and enjoyed it very much! They than all took time one at a time talking about me and my parents! haha cultural stuff! They also gave gifts as well:) That was very special to me... Especially hearing from Junior, Allison, and Miriana and what they said... Meant the world!!! Goodness I love missions!! We come out to find people specifically who need us!! I'm so grateful I was worthy and able to serve!!! So that was a lot of fun and my mom and dad loved it as well of course! What parent wouldn't! haha It was just weird for me having so many people talkin about me!! haha That was a great night!!! Each day on the trip was so jam packed with stuff to do!! People to visit and places to see! We were very busy and had so much fun with eachother!! After bein in Central Auckland for a bit we went to the beautiful North where I served for 6 months! We ran into a few converts but spent most of the time sight seeing!! We stayed in a beautiful location in a bay in a hotel called Pacific Rendezvous! Never seen anywhere more stunning I swear!!! It was close to my old area in Whangaruru so we drove through there and I showed my parents my areas! We went to a ton of waterfalls and beautiful hikes and walkways! Nothing like the North Island of New Zealand that country is just so beautiful I can't get over it! Absolutely incredible! I think my favorite of that whole trip was just driving around with mom and dad and talking and enjoying eachother's company:) We went to the famous bay of Islands which is absolutely stunning! The next day we had to pack up super early in the morning and take off all the way to Hamilton Temple. To go witness probably the greatest miracle of my entire mission.. That is to see Junior, Allison, and their boy Vincent sealed together for all time and eternity.. We made it in time and I can't get over what a tender mercy that was from the Lord. For my last weekend in the field with my parents alongside seeing probably my favorite converts of the whole 2 years be sealed to one another.. How amazing that was!!! :) For my last 4 weekends to go baptism, than my birthday baptism, than a wedding and baptism, than a sealing... What an amazing way to finish a mission I could not have asked for more.. And I know that that was not a coincidence for my parents to be there just that one weekend and it happens to be Junior and Allison's sealing. If they didn't come pick me up I would have missed it! What a miracle it was indeed:) Best day of my life I swear!! Right after that about an hour away we went to a Hobbiton tour!! Where we got to see the Shire!! haha Capped off a perfect day it did! That was so much fun! Mom and I are big LOTR nerds not so much dad so we loved every second of it and took heaps of pictures!! haha That night we stayed on this farm gettin the whole NZ experience! It was right next to a waterfall and of course was stunning like everything else! That next day was Sunday where we ran a bit late to a nearby church! haha later on we found out dad got a ticket for speeding to get there! But that's a side note! It was in Cambridge. We than went to Huka falls and drove around Lake Taupo and stayed in Turangi at a cozy Motel where me and dad watched an All Blacks game:) It was a beautiful nice relaxing Sunday! We than made the 5 hour drive all the way to Windy Wellington! An awesome city! We would stop and visit places along the way and go sight seeing. We stayed in the city in Abel Tasman hotel and went around the city quite a lot checking out the beauty of that famous city! We went to the botanic gardens, took a cable car around and just enjoyed ourselves! Since I had no clothes that fit me anymore we got me new jeans and stuff! haha so I could wear somethin around! The next day was a full on Lord of the Rings tour where we got to see where they filmed a lot of the movies there in Wellington and got to see the Weta workshop and other nerdy stuff! haha that was super cool! We had a super nice lunch in this bay on the shoreline which was really fun as well! After Wellington we drove 6 hours to the Waitomo Caves where we stayed at a Bed and Breakfast. We did some awesome bush walks and went to some really cool caves and saw the famous glow worms and such! That place was amazing! It was so beautiful and those caves were amazing! The next day we did a few more hikes and made our way to the airport! Finished packing everything up and getting rid of stuff i didn't need and off we went.. A very very emotional day for me, for all of us.. Junior, Allison, and Vincent came to the airport to see us off and brought some gifts! We said our last goodbyes to them and than we were off in the air for the long flight back home.. I'll never forget at night time watching out the window sitting inbetween my parents seeing the country and the people that I love disappear underneath us. I was quite emotional and said a very long prayer of gratitude for the Lord allowing me to serve him and his people. Especially those faithful souls out in the Pacific.. I'll forever miss it.. The flight home was terrifying though!!! We almost died I swear the turbulence was crazy! haha but after a long trip we made it back in one piece. I got dressed up in my gifts from the people. Wearing my Tupenu, Kava, and Taivala. (that dress lookin church stuff.) And all my Niuean necklaces and other necklaces from many other islanders. My parents wore some as well. Than came the famous escalator in Salt Lake City Utah with family below awaiting our arrival.. How much fun that was to be reunited.. Never thought that day would come yet it did.. What a joy that was!!! :) And now I am back home. Having gone there and back again. My adventure in the mission field has come to a close and this is my final entry.. I love that beautiful work with all my heart... I will forever cherish my experiences out there and hold my memories dear.. I will forever miss that beautiful country and the even more beautiful people.. But now the next chapter of my life begins.. I continue on hoping one day to see all my loved ones again with our Father in Heaven living in his presence for eternity.. I cannot wait for that day but I take joy in the day today.. I love my Savior, my Master Jesus Christ. I am so grateful to have served and to have consecrated 2 years of my life to that work.. I love you all and I'm grateful for the support you have been and for your love.. With all my love I express unto you with a heart of gratitude bearing witness to the end of time that this church is true.. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen... OFA LAHI ATU!!!!! Arohanui!!!! Parker Devey:)