AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

Hey everybody!!

 Hope you all had a wonderful week and a merry christmas!! :) I wish that you were all able to feel the spirit of Christmas and have reflections on our Savior Jesus Christ.. I thank you all for your support and all that you have done for me and the gifts!! Loved em! Well this week was another exciting one and a whole lot more surprises lately! That's just how the mission's been as of late! But earlier this week my companion Elder Baraniko got in a really bad accident.. We were heading home from a baptismal interview for Ollie and her two kids.  We were going down a hill on the motorway.  Baraniko's breaks weren't working, so this was an error in our part, we shoulda fixed them! But he was braking his front tire with his feet.  When his feet got stuck in the wheel and he was thrown over the handle bars.  He face planted into the ground.  I was in front of him and wouldn't have known that he crashed, but he's got this little dorky horn on the front of his bike that squeaked when he crashed.  So I looked back and saw him on the ground.  So I jumped off of my bike and ran to him.  He didn't look to good, his mouth was bleeding and he could barely move.  So I did what I knew to do and just checked out all the basic vital things to make sure the injury wasn't really serious.  But it still looked really bad and definantely was an emergency.  He wanted to say a prayer, so I started saying a prayer.  And on this sidewalk there wasn't anyone walking on it up and down the length of the sidewalk.  And it was a really big sidewalk.  When we said amen to the prayer there was a third amen with us.  It truly was a miracle! It was a member from another ward.  So he gave us a ride, we called sister Porter and the zone leaders.  Well the rest of the night was a long night.  The first clinic they took xrays and found out that he broke both of his arms, he also lost a tooth too!! Bad huh?! So we were at the hospital in Auckland til like 4 in the morning.  The next day he just slept all day and rested, our apartment has never been so clean! haha Poor guy.. So I've been doin all I can to help carry his burdens with him.  And since then we've been struggling.  We've had to walk our area this whole week and it's extremely inefficient! Our area's suffering right now.  But we're not complaining, we're gonna just have faith and continue to serve with all that we've got no matter what circumstances and have that faith, than the Lord will take care of the rest.  He'll lead us to those who need us and are prepared.  So we're excited to have this trial of our faith at this time! But it's been pretty hard for us that's for sure! And he needs help with everything because both arms are broken!! But that happened Tuesday! But we were still able to have Ollie and her kids baptized on Christmas Eve.  Right after I called home! So Christmas was a lot of fun for us! We had a "white christmas" yay!! :) The first family baptism I've been able to be a part of, all at once.  It was wonderful.  And since Baraniko's arms are broken he couldn't baptize or confirm.  So I baptized the 3 and confirmed the mom.  Kaufusi and bishop confirmed the kids. It was amazing to see a family on christmas be baptized.  It was such a wonderful experience.. The lord just keeps pouring out his blessings on this mission through his love and mercy! But now this coming week we're gonna have to excercise a whole lot more faith.  They're still trying to figure out if we'll get a car or if he'll go to a different area.  So we'll see what happens! So more fun coming our way!! haha But ya Christmas was wonderful! I hope you all had a wonderful and merry Christmas!! And congratulations Brooke on another one coming our way!! Especially on my bday!!!! :) Dad says it looks like I can be replaced!! haha But I'm so happy for you and Steve and Peypey!! :) All my love to ya!! Hurray!! Just so exciting!! And you to Ben and Krystal with Brittlyn's birth last week!!!! Just so many blessings from our father in heaven it's incredible!! Enjoy all of this and cherish this love that our Lord freely gives us.. I can't wait to come home and see all these new faces everywhere!! How amazing!!! :) I love you all sosoooo much and I'm so grateful for you all and all that you do!!!! :) have a wonderful week and a happy new year!!!!! :) Be safe and have fun!! ps in the ensign, the general conference one on pg 47 is Elder Baraniko.  On pg 118 there's some sisters in our mission to! Just throwin that out there! I'm with a celebrity! Love ya all!!! :)
With Love Elder Devey

Merry Christmas

Aloha everyone!!! :) Merry Christmas to one and all!!

May the thoughts of our Savior Jesus Christ be fruitful the Christmas. It's such a beautiful time of year! Well here it is! At least you're all truly having a white Christmas! It doesn't even feel like Christmas! It's so weird! But it's finally kicking in because we've had some Christmas events.  Hopefully my "white Christmas" is with baptisms!! Haha Now that's the white Christmas I want! :) We have planned a baptism for Ollie and her children James and Lora.  That's on Christmas Eve so that will be wonderful! :) So ya I'll email about the last two weeks since no one knows what happened last week.  Neither do I! Haha But ya basically as I said I got a random call and I've been in Mangere in Papatoetoe for the last two weeks with Elder Smith the Zone leader up there.  It was an awesome experience! Being able to see all the different missionaries and be with them all and learn from them all and their individual teaching styles.  I grew so much in that little time.  So I loved it all very much.  But I missed my area here in Manurewa, I missed the wonderful people here. Being with Elder Smith was awesome though.  Elder Falepapalangi is in that zone so it was great to see him again.  Everyone thought I was already going Zone Leader it was pretty funny! Not even close! But it was fun doing all the Zone Leader tasks and just being with all the different missionaries.  It just was rough being pulled out of my area with so much big stuff going on.  And I thought I was gone for good.  I felt so strongly that there was so much more stuff that I needed to see through.  So much left undone here.  I know I still have a lot more I need to do in Manurewa. 

But that's part of the good news! I'm still here! I went back at transfers! And I'm still with my little islander Elder Baraniko! We were so excited! :) Elder Jibas is being trained elsewhere so he won't be with us anymore.  So now things are back to normal and we can just continue in thrusting in our sickle with all our might! It was fun because we got to pick up the elders coming in from Niue at the airport and they stayed with us for a week until transfers.  They were a lot of fun.  We also got to go pick up a missionary that was getting sent from the mission in the West Indies in the Caribbean to our mission.  He's been serving for about a year.  He's an awesome missionary to.  We got to also go to the mission office and mission home a lot which I haven't seen since I came out here.  So that was a lot of fun, I was able to talk to President Porter more.  So there were a lot of fun things about this whole crazy transfer thing they did.  They did it because Elder Smith's comp is going AP so I came to fill in for him for a couple of weeks until our transfers which was also our Christmas conference.  At mission conference it was fun to talk and hang out with all the missionaries.  I love the men that are serving here.  There are some awesome guys.  I talked to Elder Atkin a lot.  And he was just completely shocked that Paora had been baptized.  Because when he left Pa hadn't even gone to church and was still addicted to a lot of things.  What a huge change he made!

 But speaking of Pa… I've never seen a bigger miracle in my life! If you all knew him when we first met him. He was about as far away as you can get!!! Now he's got the priesthood and he's coming out with us all the time and he says that he's having thoughts of serving a mission.  So we've shared our thoughts with him a lot about that as well.  How cool is that?! Man!! This truly is the mission of miracles!!! :) For the year so far to this point the mission has about 1,550ish baptisms.  It just truly is the Promised Land out here in the pacific.  Such humble believing blood here in the islands.  The prophecies are coming true of the Lamanite descendants flocking to the gospel! I'm so lucky to be a part of the glorious work especially in this part of the Lord's vineyard!!! :) It's amazing I'm telling ya!! This year the goal for the mission was baptizing multiple souls monthly, doubling the mission’s baptisms.  And the mission only needs 20 more this week and then they would literally double their baptisms from last year.  (i only know that number because I heard it in the office.) But that's what big miracles are going one! That's amazing for a mission to double the numbers in a year! So this next week is huge!!! This next year, with raising the mission's faith, our goal is to baptize WEEKLY!!! So you can see how much faith that's going to require!! So we'll see what I got! haha I'm excited!!! :)

But Mission conference was just wonderful!! Elder McAllister came again, whose over all the missions in the Pacific.  It was so uplifting and inspiring, especially uniting as a mission together.. Spirit was so strong and powerful.. It was a great Christmas celebration.  And we had a talent show with the mission and all the different nationalities performed.  It was so cool; the Samoans did some amazing songs and dances.  And then the Tongans did their thing to and of course did the Haka.  Than the Samoans answered back with theirs and they just fed off of each other and went nuts.  It was so cool to see!! Such strong cultures and people out here it's so beautiful.. There truly is no better mission than this!! Haha But now I'm back in South Auckland in the rough parts! But I love it!! My 3rd transfer here, but I wanted to come back so I don't mind!! Just excited to get back to work!! Sorry about last week just was so busy had no time for anything!! But I'm glad I have an opportunity now to have more time!! I love you all very much and I'm so grateful for your support and prayers in my behalf. I hope you all truly have a 'Mauri" Christmas!! haha :) I wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS and send my love to you all!!!!!!!! :)

Kia Ora U.S. of A.

Aloha everyone!! :)

 Feliz Navidad!! I don't have too much time this week so it's gonna have to be a quick one! But next week I'll send one of my big ones. So basically this week had heaps of surprises again.  Tuesday morning I got a call from the APs and they asked if i was ready for an adventure.  I said of course I am! So they said pack up your things we'll be picking you up in 30 minutes.  So I was only able to pack up some of my things and I was sent to be with a zone leader Elder Smith in Mangere, Manukau Papatoetoe zone.  I'm not a zone leader or anything.  But his companions gonna be the new AP so I'm here to be his companion for two weeks.  And every day almost since I got here I've been on trade offs with all sorts of different missionaries.So it's been a great experience but =I've been gone for two weeks and all my stuff is in Manurewa. It's far away, sio hopefully I can get it all at transfers.  But now I can't send stuff to people cuz I've been gone. So everything has to hold off for a little while. It's all just been crazy lately!! I've been thrown all over the place doing all sorts of different stuff! We even picked up the elders who came back from Niue island and they've been staying with us.  But ya it's been awesome but crazy! I don't have a home just going all over right now! So we'll see what happens at transfers this friday and where I'll finally settle in.  This transfers we have a big xmas conference so we're very excited!! I'll update everyone up on everything next pday.  SOOO much stuff has happened but I've been playing ZL;) this week and next week in a car and everything so it's been fun! Pa was finally baptized so we traveled back to see that! But I'll give all the info next week, gotta run I'm so sorry! I love you all!! Merry Christmas love you!!! :)

Meri Kiritimatti!!

Merry Christmas!! 

That was merry christmas in Kiribati.  Now that I'm basically C3PO with languages! haha not really.  But Kia Ora to all of you in America!  Thank you once again for your support! And I'm excited for these packages that will soon be here... I'm expecting heaps! haha just messin all goods.  It's so weird, of course I feel that Christmas spirit and everything.  But with how the weather is and just working hard day in and out it doesn't feel a thing like christmas is close at all.  It's really weird!  Guess when we get to go to the temple we'll see their Christmas lights and it may feel more like Christmas.  Even though the lights are on palm trees haha. :) I'm livin the life here that's for sure!  I've been on my mission now for over 3 months i think... Time has just flown by, it's unreal.. I almost don't like it!  I don't want the mission to go too fast! I wanna be able to cherish all the amazing experiences here..The mission is truly the most incredible thing that us young men can be a part of. It really is life changing and just the most amazing thing ever.. I truly don't now how to describe how much the mission has meant to me so far.. It's been so incredible.. I love it all so much.. Being able to help the Lord's children and bring them to the truth and light in the restored gospel.  Not only serving others but what it does to me, my heart, and my testimony myself.. I've already made such a dramatic change in these few months.  I can't beleive the stupid "boy" I used to be!! I now see what life is really about.. I mean I already knew, but wow there's so much more!!! So ya I've been loving every moment of the mission so far.  It's ups and downs, It's all been the best thing that has ever happened to me.  This week was good!  We had quite the surprise on Tuesday!! :)  One part of the day we were going out with a prospective missionary in our ward and some appointments fell through and I just had this impression to head back to our flat.  So we threw our bikes in Nuatua's massive van and drove back.  There were 3 missionaries outside our flat waiting, we had no word of anything happening this day.  But we got out and they told us here's your new companion!  haha His name is Elder Jibas (seebus).  He's from the Marshall Islands.  That was his very first day of the mission.  He never went to the MTC, I guess he was stuck in Hawaii a little but now he's with us! So the last couple weeks of this transfer were in a 3man companionship.  And I'm starting to train already I guess! That's what Pres said!  So it's gonna be a fun opportunity! Me and Baraniko are gonna be his MTC!  It's been fun! We had no warning and so we've had to scramble to make it so all could work, we ran out of food and it's been a fun experience.  They're both wonderful guys, they're both so fascinated with America though.  They haven't heard to much coming from small islands.  But ya so that was a great blessing and experience!  With the added faith from this new missionary we were able to have a great week.  We set a family for baptism on Christmas Eve, and Solomon on Christmas.  Paora finally got answers to his prayers... It was one of my fondest memories thus far..  Ever since I've been here me and Elder Atkin started workin on Pa.  We've grown a great friendship with him but he just wouldn't change.  Every time we're there I really feel like I just pour out my soul to him.. And he has improved a whole lot because he 'feels' its all true but he doesn't 'know'.  So he has changed a lot but he's still addicted to a whole lot of different things.  He's tried, but he can't fight them off.  And this Sunday we held a fast with him.  Saturday night we went out and got a whole lot of fish n' chips.  (Which is fish and fries, they call fries chips.)  And we had a feed with him.  Than we opened a fast where he wouldn't take anything at all.  On Sunday he came to church and than to a Marai fireside with us at night.  The fireside was soo powerful.. It was about the Maori culture and how they're direct descendants of the lamanites.  Hettueta Jones spoke, whose a famous Maori and is a member of our church.  And Spencer W. Kimball prophesied that in the last days the lamanites would flock to the gospel.. And that's what's happening in this mission! How awesome is that!? I get to be a part of bringing the descendants of the lamanites into the Lord's church, part of that prophecy! But anyways it was a strong cultural presentation and the spirit was very powerful.  Many people bore testimony of their heritage and what the Book of Mormon means to them.  Because it's actually an account of their ancestors, the ones who traveled here.  And Pa's Maori and he just loved it.. With the testimonies at the end ALL of it related to him, and he felt it.. After it was over I walked over to Pa to chat with the man to see how he liked it and he just hugged me.. He usually sees us as some of the bros so it's definantly not like him to hug! But he just started thanking me for my persistance and all I've said.. He said he finally got the answer he's been looking for and that last cigarette the other day is his last one.  He said without a doubt I'm getting baptized THIS next weekend!  It was incredible.. How the Lord gives answers.. Pa has had faith at the beginning, He had that trial of his faith and through it was able to finally receive the answer he was seeking.  The Lord answered him in his time.  But now Pa says he's all in! When we were leaving the sunset was just absolutely stunning as they always are here and he turned to me and said "that's the setting sun of my old life, now begins a new life."  It was just SSOOOO incredible! Because I've really grown close and fond of Pa.  We have a strong friendship and it's been so hard, and I've done everything I could possibly think of for this guy. Seriously though we've done so much for him and finally our labors are being harvested.  Last night when I was talkin with my companions about it I just started crying. Because I really love Pa and I've tried so hard and I know he finally received his answer.. So that was the highlight this week! :) So everyone pray for him and add to the efforts so he can enter in by that gate of the waters of baptism this next weekend.  That would be much appreciated! :)  But ya this week was a great one! A lot of surprises and opportunites to grow.  And of course funny moments as well.  Like this old lady we see EVERY single day who just absolutely hates missionaries.  The other day we rode by her house and started talking to her son and she was washing her car and she started trying to spray us with water and yelling at us in her little voice.  it was hilarious! Poor little old lady! If only she knew! haha But ya so things are good here! I love hearing from you all and love the support!! I love you all very much and pray that the Lord will  be with you every step of the way this coming week! Happy Holidays and I love you all very much!!! :) as always Ofa Atu from Aeotorea!! Kia Kaha!! :)
With love Elder Devey

November 28, 2010

Well hello there everybody! It's that time you've all been waiting for as always! My emails! yay! ha just messing! But thank you all for your support and love!  The saying really is true it takes a village to raise a man. I couldn't have had a better background or area where I lived to prepare me for this devoted service to our Lord.  So thank you all for everything you've done and the effect you've had in my life to get me where I am today.  To get me rolling into my mission with this mission.  So thank you all and I love you all very much!!! :)  I miss you all very much but am definitely not missing the weather that's for sure! Its beautiful here, if anything to hot! But i guess they say there's a hole in the ozone here over New Zealand and other areas in the Pacific so the sun burns a lot more.  So I haven't been getting tan or anything just mostly burnt if you notice from my pictures! Everyone else doesn't have to worry about that because they're all islanders!  But it's beautiful here. 

I can't believe Thanksgiving just happened back home.. Doesn't feel a thing like it's anywhere close to any of those holidays.  It's so strange! Almost like I'm in a dream!  Sis. Turner, Bishop's wife made me and my comp some pumpkin pie to give us a piece of home.  Nobody here has a clue what that is.  I brought some to Eddie's family and they've never heard of it but were so excited for something from America they loved it! haha This week was a wonderful one! Some trials, as expected but it went great and we got to see a lot of miracles.  We baptized and confirmed Casarni, Eddie's daughter.  I wanted SSSOOOO bad to see Eddie do it, but he just kept insisting i perform the ordinance.  We tried to get him to do it but he really wanted me to because I’ve been there for all of this change with their family.  So I was honored to do it but I wish that he would have! He has the Aaronic so he joined in on the confirmation and he gave a talk at the baptism so that was awesome!  I still can't get over how amazing it is to see people change their lives and the happiness that comes from allowing the Savior in their life.  They're family is completely different from when we first met them.  It's so wonderful! It's definitely choice! :) 

So ya this month I and Elder Baraniko have been working well together.  He's a funny guy, sometimes hard to talk to each other but it's all good.  He's teaching me some Kirabiti. I love hearing from you all! It just pushes me to serve with everything I have.  The support gives me ambition and determination and I thank you all!  This truly is the Lord's work. Nothing and I mean NOTHING is more rewarding than serving our master, our Father in Heaven. If you really just get lost in the work and just give all of yourself and serve you truly do feel happiness you've never felt before as you see the gospel come into people's lives.  I know the Lord is taking care of everything and everyone back home. I completely trust in his hands and have faith in him and all things. So I'll do my part and finally give back to the Lord and give him everything I've got and more. This is his time and there's nothing I want to do than serve him with all my heart, mind and strength. I love you all very much and I'm so grateful for all you have done!!! I miss you and hope you have an AWESOME week!!! OfalaAtu!! I love you all!!! :) PS yes that's a lavalava I'm wearing at the baptism. It's elder Baraniko's. Luv ya'll!!!

Kirana!!

Aloha family!! :)

 It's Elder Devey from the "real down under"! The land of the long white cloud here in the beautiful pacific in paradise!! I've seen a picture of what it looks like back home! Man oh man! I'm here in paradise in the Summer where if you get up a little bit there's ocean everywhere.  Lucky I know, except I'm in South Auckland where it's pretty rough and not so pretty.  But the weather's awesome though.  I feel bad for all of yous.  Sounds like everyone's being doing good! I'm glad! I miss you all very much and hope and pray the best for all of you.  This week was nothing short of a wonderful week, it was just awesome all around.  We had a baptism this week! 2 souls saved! Hurray!! And next week we have Eddie's daughter Casarni.  The baptism was for Ardel and Susan.  I'll attach pics.  It was beautiful.. I got to be there for her from the beginning until now.  It was so amazing to see and experience all of the process as she changed her life and found true happiness.. I baptized Susan and Baraniko baptized Ardel.  On Sunday they both wanted me to confirm both of them so I did.  It was just a beautiful weekend.  Ardel was so emotional with it all as she usually is.  It was an amazing experience and wonderful opportunity to be able to be a part of it all and to confirm them both.  Feeling the Spirit this strong out here in incredible.  There's nothing like missionary work and spreading the Lord's love to all.  You really just start to love serving with all your heart!  It's addicting!  We got a good number of investigators to church again.  We had a fireside Sunday night with Elder Nielson from the quorum of the seventy, he's over the Pacific areas.  They had a lot of musical numbers and it was amazing.  It was also Elder Baraniko's bday yesterday!  So it was just a great weekend!  Got to see a lot of blessings and witness miracles!  I love the people here.  I have a lot of fun with them.  Now that Elder Atkin's gone they act like I've been here forever, especially the little kids!  Everyone is just so friendly and loving and I've drawn really close to a lot of them.  Especially Eddie and his family.  I'm so blessed to be able to have these people that I've been able to draw close to and build relationship's with.  Or else it could be pretty lonely! But of course we always have our Heavenly Father there with us, but I love the people here.  It's been a lot of fun I've enjoyed it very much.  This mission truly is the best mission in the world!  Last month we broke our record with baptisms and got about 186 i think!  So busisness is just booming here in the Lord's work!  This month our companionship will have 3 hopefully 4, but, like Elder Atkin would say, Don't count your eggs before they hatch!  But we've had that two this last weekend and we're having Casarni this next weekend and hopefully Paora.  All the people that I've been able to be part of their baptisms so far have been Maori.  If you're wondering what they look like!  Haha i love their accents, especially the South Auckland version of it with their slang.  It's hilarious!  So we've been working hard and I've been doing my best to have as many christlike attributes as I can.  It's gonna take a long time but I know how much I've already grown so far.  I'm trying my best and hopefully I can become the man our Lord wants me to be and become that instrument in his hands that will do his will.  The mission's just an incredible experience! I can't beleive I'm out here still!  And time's just cruising by!! It's insane!!!  But I hope everything is going wonderful with everyone and I wish you all the best!  Until next week! OfalaAtu!! (Samoan for I love you.)  I love you all very much and I'm praying for you all!! Luv ya!! ps mom the dog at the end looks just like lucky! colors a little different, but acts just like her too! When her tail wags her whole body follows! haha love ya!!! :)

Elder Devey

November 15, 2010

We had mission conference yesterday in Panmura! So the whole mission came and it was an all-day thing.  Only the two lone missionaries on Niue Island didn't go haha but it was so good! 3 General Authorities came.  Elder Hinckley, President Hinckley's son came and two others from the first quorum of the seventy.  This last month our mission has been breaking records.  It was such a fun, motivating experience all yesterday.  But things are still going great here!  I miss you all very much and can’t wait for these Christmas gifts haha.

This week is going to be a big week.  Ardel and Susan's baptism are this weekend.  It's been incredible to see her life change.  We really have done everything we can for her.  I've given her things that will help her, like a picture of Jesus and books and such.  We teach her every day.  She truly was a miracle; we do service for her a lot to.  It was amazing how we were an answer to her prayer, and now she's completely changed and her life has flipped around for the good.  It makes everything so worth it to see someone change their life by allowing Christ to come in their lives.  She's been doing so well.  We had her baptismal interview last week and when she came out she was crying and she ran to us and hugged us. (yes i know we can’t hug girls but we couldn't stop it.) And she just said thank you for everything.. It was amazing to see.  So we're defiantly excited for this weekend!! She can't wait either. 

The next week we have Paora and Casarni set for baptism.  Eddie's brother and daughter.  Casarni's good to go but we're having troubles with Pa.  He can't get over smoking.  We've been helping him in everywhere we can but it's really hard for him.  He truly does have a strong testimony and strong faith but Satan has him in his grasps.  So we're doing our best to get him outta there! But Sunday went good again.  Poor elder Atkin, that was our biggest challenge getting everyone to church and now I and Baraniko are having heaps of success.  We got 7 this time.  It was stake conference and President Porter was there to talk so we got to have stake conference with him and than mission conference the next day.  It's so great to listen to our President speak.  He's such a great president i love him very much.  The ward's finally starting to give us good fellowship for the people we're teaching.  When I told Elder Atkin all of this at the mission conference he was very upset.  Because the whole 7 months he was here he had troubles with these things and now we're being blessed by our merciful Lord.  It was way funny.  Good guy I miss him a lot.  But Elder Baraniko has been out for about a year and seven months.  It must be because of him and his faith why we're having all these blessings.  Good guy! I've been learning Kiribati from him crazy language! It can be hard to talk to him at times but it's mostly just pretty funny.  I love being with him.

 Eddie asked me to baptize Casarni because he says it will mean a lot to him.  I love Eddie and his family I have a lot of fun when we're over there.  Even though that little area is possibly the worst area in south Auckland.  We're seeing Eddies seed of faith growing and affecting his family and those around him.  That area has a bunch of punk kids who even claim to be members of the Krips and Blood gangs and stuff, it's ridiculous.  But anyways they used to always say dumb stuff to us but now they know our names and they're nice to us because we've had them come play touch with us.  So it's just cool to see how even if we're not teaching people, our presence and other's faith starts to affect others.

 I love everything about missionary work! It's been great! I've learned so much and I've grown so much as a person as well.  Just in these 2 and a half months.  I can't believe it's already been that much.  Feels just like yesterday when I opened my call.  Time fly’s by so fast it's unreal.  But I'm loving every second of it.  Being able to serve the Lord in this great cause and wonderful work.  I couldn't be more blessed than I am right now.  Sunday night 4 missionaries who traveled a long way stayed at our flat for mission conference the next day.  That was a fun night we played games and I got to get to know them.  There's such wonderful people out here in this mission and especially here in New Zealand.  I love serving these people.  They're love, belief, culture, accents, and food, all of it!! It's just so awesome!!  The legit Maoris are probably my favorite.  Eddie and his Fam are Maori.  Some are big but they’re not, but their accents awesome.  The Maori slang is hilarious though.  How all the kids talk its way funny!  But I've gotten good at it; I can pretty much tell where people are from just how they look.  Whether Fiji, cook islands, Tongan, Samoan, i can pretty much get it.  I know hello, thank you all that in some of the languages just when I'm getting to know someone.  It's so fun just getting to know other people and just to be and instrument in the Lord's hands.  It's truly amazing!! I miss and love you all very much!!!

November 7, 2010

That was hello in Kiribiti! Don't know if you ever heard of that island, i sure havent! My new companion is Elder Baraniko, he's from there!  He's pretty FOB(fresh off the boat) meaning he can speak english but not that good! haha so there's a bit of a language barrier between us.  But it's fun! He's a great guy!  I hate to see Elder Atkin go, we grew very close and had a lot of fun.  We had a lot in common.  We'd always do jokes from the office or nacho and stuff like that, great guy!  But he went to be a district leader in Whangerei.  Up north, one of the most beautiful areas you can serve in lucky guy!  But I'm definantely looking forward to this next transfer with elder Baraniko.  It was fun having to hold the fort down and teach him the area and keep the work moving forward.  I guess transfer week is usually slow because of the changes, but we actually did really good!  And the bane of mine and elder Atkin's existence with church attendance all of the sudden was a miracle this week.  We'd been getting 1s and 3s to church and all of the sudden we had 11 this sunday!  All of our sets came and more! It was wonderful, I've never seen our chapel that full either.  There were heaps of people there it was a miracle!  Good stuff! 

Things have been really fun, it's so much fun when you work really hard.  I've been lovin it! And i didn't mean to freak everyone out with my last email.  That's not what I meant at all with sacrificing like crazy.  That was just our zone focus and it was like little things! ha I'm working hard im not starvin myself people! haha But this week was really a good one.  President Porter called me just to see how all the new elders were doing and how the transfer went so that was a nice surprise.  That first transfer went by so fast it was unreal!  It's crazy how fast time is here out on the mission.  I've already been out for two months it feels like i just got my call a week ago.  But no there weren't any baptisms this last weekend and this next week is stake conference so we can't than either.  But we have 4 people set right now and they all look really solid.  I'm very excited for everything that's coming up, this area is wonderful!  Probably the most beat up part of New Zealand, I'm not getting the beauty like other missionaries are right now but the people are just so wonderful here i love it!! 

Every day here is very hot now, perfect beautiful tropical weather.  And you are all in snow now am i right?  Feel bad for ya! haha I'm gonna have Christmas in the middle of a hot summer in the Pacific! That's so crazy!  I'd rather have this than snow though that's for sure!  The days here are very busy, were on bikes all the time.  Missionary work is so much fun.  It's honestly like the call letter states when it says as you serve with all your heart, mind and strength you will receive happiness that you have never known.  It really is true.  There's nothing like serving the Lord's children. I miss you all very much and loving hearing from all of you.  This mission experience so far has been really unique.  I've taught and met so many different people from different places.  It's been a lot of fun I love it.  The culture is so beautiful here too.  There really is nothing to complain about here, everything has just been going really good.  I've been learning so much and have been having such wonderful experiences and memories.  I'm growing so much as a person, every young man should truly go on a mission as the prophet implores.  I really beleive this is when a boy becomes a man.  In just these few months i have learned more than any other time of my life.  This short time has already changed my life forever.  So ya things are going great here and i miss and love you all very much! Kia Kora! Be strong and have a wonderful week! I love you all!  I Tangariko!

Oct 31, 2010

This last month we had 6 people set for baptism at one time but they all fell through except for Eddie so we only had the one soul saved.  We've been repenting for our lack of qualifying for these successes and these souls lost.  It's really amazing how you come to love the people here.  Last night Eddie had a horrible relapse. It was so hard to see.  The Lord and his timing though is always perfect and we were there to help him.  But we had a lot of stuff planned this weekend with him and his brother Pa and the kids.  They were gone all weekend, Pa and them were at a Maori cultural weekend thing.  But Eddie totally fell off the boat and was gone all weekend living the life he used to live.  It was so hard to see, but we're going to try our best to continue to show our love for him and help him to come back.  We know how great of a guy he is and the potential he has.  We've seen him grow so much so it was very difficult to see, but we know he'll realize how what he was doing didn't bring him happiness like what he's been receiving. 

But besides that one event everything else went really good this week.  We were very blessed.  We've been sacrificing more and more and are starting to see the blessings as we fight to help others.  We set more people for baptism!  We have 4 set for this upcoming month and they all look very promising.  Some of these sets are people we found this last week and already set for baptism.  One lady, her name is Ardel, said that her life was just horribly going downhill and she was feeling disgusting about her life.  And she said all day she was hoping for a miracle and was praying to have someone come and help save her life.  After her prayer we showed up! All thanks to our mate bro Watene.  He's our old ward mission leader and he's the man! But anyways and so she knew we were the answer to her prayer.  We had a long discussion with her and helped best we can and taught her.  She than asked me to give her a blessing to help overcome all these trials, after the blessing we set her for baptism.  Just like that in the first meeting with her.  We were definitely blessed.  That was the beginning of the week and she just has been progressing like nothing I've ever seen.  She's started the book of Mormon and is already past Nephi I think, and is just eating everything up.  She's completely turned cold turkey on everything and has the strongest desires to change her life and keep progressing.  It's amazing, and she tells us to come and give her day to day contact! Amazing huh?! The lord truly does lead us to his elect. 

Yesterday we taught her and had a great conversation and we moved her and her daughter's baptism to this upcoming Saturday!  So we found her this last week and she wants to be baptized this Saturday!  Incredible!  Every time we’re over there she's so emotional too.  She needs this and she knows it.  So that was one of the amazing miracles this week.  We had heaps of lessons this week.  We have found heaps of new investigators too. The trials we went through the last few weeks feel like we received the blessings this week.  We had a lot of success.  It was a great week except for at the end with Eddie.  We even had investigators come to church! That's been our problem lately and finally we saw some success there! Things are looking very promising this next month but we got to work so much harder to make sure these blessings don't fall through on us.  This Thursday is transfers.  Elder Atkin has been here in this area for 7 months now.  So he's defiantly most likely out of here, so I'll have to keep the wheels moving and get a new companion.  I'm excited but a little nervous to though.  But when we struggle we grow!  So I'm excited for this opportunity to continue to grow as a missionary.  So it'll all be good!  I love the opportunity to be here in such a blessed land serving the Lord.  It's incredible seeing what this gospel really can do!  I love it here! But of course I miss you all very much!!  And sorry about that pic with the kids! I didn't notice that little girl in the back was doing that! My mistake! Haha the kids have a pretty rough world to grow up in here, so a lot of them are pretty much like that! Haha sorry!  But things have been going good here! 

 I miss you all very much and love hearing from ya!  God be with you all! I love you all very much!!  Have a wonderful week!! Ofa Atu!! :)

Oct 24, 2010

I'm excited for P-day today.  P-days are always so fun! Rugby is everything here so we always play touch at Jellicoe Park, its beautiful there.  There are palm trees everywhere! New Zealand honestly is the most amazing place I have ever seen! But we have heaps of people coming today it's going to be way fun.  All the investigators that ever come usually get baptized.  That's usually what we do all P-day after we do all our errands and stuff.  But things have been going great here.  We had a lot of tradeoffs this week again.  I wasn't at our flat like at all i was all over Manurewa.  It's so fun, I learn so much from other missionaries and I get to see more of our area.  I'm blessed to be able to go on so much tradeoff because of my companion being the district leader and all.  I learn so much from other missionaries and am growing for myself.  It's been really good, our areas been having lots of success.  We're all falling under our goals though so we've all been fasting and have been sacrificing a lot so we can qualify for the Lord's blessings. 

But it is sooo much fun being a missionary!! I love everything about it.  All the ups and downs so far and the experiences and memories I'm having are incredible.  You really do fall in love with serving the Lord.  It has so many blessings.  It really is true like it says in the call letter, as you serve the Lord with all your strength you will have happiness that you have never known.  It's true! Nothing better than the restored gospel on the Earth today!! :)

 But this week had a lot of fun events.  We got to have interviews with the President this week.  It was after District Meeting and I and Elder Atkin were first so I got to talk a lot with Sister Porter.  She asked me all about home and mom and my favorite things mom makes so I told her all about the pumpkin cookies and how to properly make them! I think she said she's going to make me some! haha but she is such a nice lady.  The Porter's are just incredible, loving people.  No wonder they're serving for one of the most successful missions in the world.  The interview with President went amazing!  He told me of things he has in store for me and why he sent me to the city right off the bat, unlike the country where he usually sends new missionaries.  He wants me to learn and experience things as fast I can so he can start using me in the field.  It was really cool all the stuff he said.  It meant a lot to me.  But it also got me excited because he made it sound like a lot of big things may be coming my way if I keep my head on straight so we'll see what the future holds.  Elder Atkin has been in this same area for 5 transfers, 7 months.  So Pres. Porter says he's most likely leaving.  So this second transfer I'll probably have to take over Rowendale ward! Haha little nervous about that! We'll see how that goes!

 The transfer's already almost over I can't believe it.  Time goes so fast it's so unreal!  I can't believe how fast everything has been going I kind of don't like it.  This week we also had a temple trip!!!! hurray!!  We had a Stake Investigator trip and we took investigators to Hamilton.  It was like an hour and a half ride.  It was so beautiful…I got to see a lot of New Zealand.  It's rolling hills, and it is so green and so stunning.  The trees and everything, it really is incredible here.  The temple was beautiful.  I'll put some of those pictures on.  It's an older temple but it still was beautiful.  The weather here has been perfect lately.  Not a cloud in the sky and just the perfect temperatures.  The summer weather is perfect here.  Feel bad for you guys getting into winter!! Haha while I'm here in paradise! ;) ha just messing! But a week ago it was raining every day and was bitter cold! So the weather's really random but the last week it's been just amazing...perfect conditions.  The temple trip we just got to walk around the temple and look in the visitor center and watch the Joseph Smith movie.  It was such a spiritual experience.  My testimony just keeps building and building each and every day.  The day of the Interviews we had lessons with Pa, Eddie's brother.  Eddie we just baptized.  And then a guy named Chey.  We set them both for baptism!  More blessings from the Lord's hands.  I definitely don't deserve any of this.  Atkin gave me the honor of setting them both.  It was a lot of fun.  Some great men with real good desires and beliefs.  So this week was another great one!  Things have been going good.  I miss you all very much and wish you the best week! And yes they celebrate Halloween here, they have most of our holidays just not like thanksgiving and independence day and stuff of course.  But this weekend we have a fireside with Justin Williams, some guy from American Idol, I guess he's a member and we all get to go with investigators.  So that should be good. 

 I wish you all the best! You're all in my prayers! Thank you for the support I love you all very much!!! Ofa Atu!!:)

Oct 17, 2010

But ya this week was wonderful!! We baptized Eddie Etu Eta! He's such a cool guy! Great guy, it was amazing to see his faith in Christ and his progression towards baptism.  He's continually doing great things, it's amazing to see a souls heart change and come back to the truth.  I was so grateful to be a part of it all.  I had the privilege to baptize him.  It was an amazing feeling and it all went so wonderful.  It was such a great experience.  It made it all worth it.  Atkin confirmed him on Sunday and he got the priesthood too.  He's just cruisin and he's loving it all!  Church has still been a struggle for us, we've been pretty successful but we just can't get people to dang church!  So our sets have been falling out until next month. :( But a lot of big things have been happening lately.  Yesterday we got to have a missionary fireside where we had to all get a ride from our investigators and take investigators with us.  It was all the missionaries in the city areas.  We drove with bro Wittihera and took Eddie and his son and his brother Pauro.  It went great, President Porter is such an inspired man.  Pa loved it and even started clapping at the end he was so into it! haha but we have a temple trip this Saturday!! And than some fireside coming up with Justin williams? Some American Idol singer guy, he's a member apparently and he's gonna do some concert thing that we all get to go to.  So it's all good!  We have interviews with President this Tuesday.  I'm excited for that.  But everything's been going great.  South Auckland is pretty rough but it's so amazing at the same time.  When we went to the fireside it was pretty far away so we got to see more of New Zealand.  And man it's beautiful! I forgot what it looks like since i've been in Manurewa.  I had 3 trade offs this week in a row.  So I was living all over the place here.  They all went great I learned so much from all of them, they're such great guys.  I saw a lot of scenic beautiful areas to since we were in cars with the Samoan and Tongan Elders.  The other one I was in my area.  But honestly from the two trade offs with Elder Fakahou and Elder TuuFunga I gained so much weight probably! We just drive around everywhere and I've never ate so much food in my life.  Some crazy delicious food though! Weird stuff too but their cultures are just all about the feeds and they love feeding the elders and they just didn't let back on us.  And since I'm a palangi they just watched me and kept telling me to keep going so I would.  Man oh man!! But it was fun though.  The lessons were interesting because if it was a person that could speak a little English too I'd just sit there listening to the language having no clue what's going on than randomly the elder would just be like, we're talking about baptism.  So I would just have to teach than.  It definantly kept me on my toes.  It's awesome because though I don't understand the languages I could still feel the spirit so strongly.  It's amazing what the spirit can do.  This week we have 3 trade offs in a row again so I have no clue where I'll be going.  But I'm excited.  Everything's been going great, we've been working very hard and have a lot of good stuff coming our way.  Here are some pics from this week and the one from the baptism.  And yes Ben I wore your baptismal suspenders as tradition.  They were quite the hit. Ha but everything's been going great! Hope you all are doing spectacular! I love hearing from you all thank you all for the support! I love and miss you all very much!!

Oct 10, 2010

Aloha family!! :) I miss you all very much! Hope this week goes great for everyone! Good luck especially to Pey Pey! Be strong Brooke and Steve everything will be okay! I love hearing from you all! I hope everything is going great with everybody! I love and miss you all very much!! This last week was a really good one! The weeks are starting to fly by now, I can't beleive that it has already been a week! It's almost going to fast than I'd like! I already had a couple of opportunities this week to feel what leadership feels like. 2 of the days we did trade offs and I stayed in my area so I had to be senior companion and plan everything out with guys who have been here for awhile.  But it went surprisingly good! I love bein in the driver seat of the work.  I honestly don't like being junior companion that much, I feel like he just assumes cause i'm a greenie that he needs to do most of the work.  So I have to shove myself in there and take over, cause i love teaching! I can just go on forever im surprised on how comfortable I am with it.  But I've been doing great! It's been a lot of fun! Don't get me wrong we teach great together I just wish I'd have more opportunities to start showing more of my potential!  This Saturday we have my first baptism! Eddie! He's such an awesome guy! I've been there since we've began teaching him and I think I'm doing the baptism.  We went to confference with him this last weekend and he comes plays rugby with us every monday.  He's so keen and he's one of those guys that just make it all worth it.  He gave me a suit jacket last time we were over.  Last time we taught him i was on a trade off with a kid that flew in with me elder Rehak so we're both newbies and it was an intense lesson!! He had all these questions and doubts about things and he told us if we couldn't answer them all and help him to see the truth his doubts would grow.  I've never bore testimony like that before.  It was such an incredible experience and at the end he told us "no doubts, i know it's true" it was awesome!! He's for sure this saturday.  A lot of other stuff has been falling through, but we have heaps of potentials and people who want to hear more.  It's awesome because people are so loving here, even if they're not too interested when you talk to them on the streets they'll still let ya come in their home and that's all you need, than that's where the spirit does his part as we testify!  This mission is very successful! Our zone has a goal of 50 baptisms this coming month.  Everyone is baptizing multiple monthly which is the standard of excellence.  I'm so lucky to be in such a successful area.  Though I don't get to really see the beauty of New Zealand here in South Auckland, the beauty lies within the people.  And if you go by that fact, this is the most beautiful place in New Zealand!!  I'm excited to continue to serve the lord and thrust in my sickle with all my might.  I've been growing and progressing so much every day.  I'm learning so much it's insane.  I feel like a completely different person already.  The lord's work really changes lives and it's changing mine most of all.  One thing I'm seeing everywhere is how the Lord's hands are in absolutely everything!! He provides ways for us missionaries to do his will and bring people to the truth and light.  It's amazing to be able to be an instrument in the Lord's hands.  I love it more than anything!!  It definantly is a completely different world out here, but i know it's where I'm meant to be.  I'm excited for all that lays ahead of me!  I pray for all of you back at home and wish the best for you all!  Cowboys need to step it up it sounds like! Must be because im not there! That must be weird watching games without the true number one fan actually being there.  Oh well somehow you'll manage! Not gonna lie i missed moms cinnamon rolls on conference morning! Sundays are so stressful on the mission biking to everyone trying to make sure they come.  The mission can be so devastating but it's so rewarding at the same time! A lot of our sets have been falling through and we've been working our buts off to have these people build their faith.  Conference definantly was the most amazing thing! You really take it for granted before the mission!  What a blessing to have the prophet and all these wonderful men of god speak to us and unveil scripture!! It was about the most awesome thing ive ever watched! Definantly missed the wingers race after priesthood! It was weird our priesthood was saturday morning cauz everything was this weekend.  These people in our ward and area are so amazing and loving.  Islanders are truly the elect i swear!! So it's been great, during one of my trade offs I did a preach by the way and the guy wanted to hear more there so we walked and talked and i taught him a lesson there and he ate it up! He said he'd been looking for the truth and he felt like this was it and i gave him a book of mormon and he just loved it! It can easily be like that here, everyone we talk to is so important.  God really is preparing these people and putting them in our path for a reason.  So I gotta do my part and be strictly obedient and faithful and serve with all my heart mind and strength!!
    And ya that is the best way to mail and do all packages and that stuff I'm pretty sure.  I'm worried on how often I can get them though! Because the zone leaders need to get them and they do that only every once in awhile or when we have some big event where we all get together.  So hopefully i can get things quit.  But President Porter and his wife did a specialized training with us not that long ago and i pulled the dad and just participated like crazy and volunteered to do stuff though I was new and he even said in front of everyone "this is a perfect example that being new means nothing, we're all missionaries, and this one is a heck of a missionary."  I wish you guys could meet this man.  He's such an incredible president, He's so loving and kind.  He is so inspired to i swear, he definantly is perfect for this mission.  But ya my trainer's awesome though, we get along great.  So is our district, it's been a lot of fun.  It can be hard but it's all so worth it.  I love hearing from you all and thank you so much for your support.  May god be with you at all times!! I miss you all very much.. I do get home sick at times i can't lie! Especially during conference and when Jeffrey R. Holland spoke of gratitude towards his parents it his me like a ton of bricks.  I take so much for granted what you mom and dad have done for me.. Thank you so much for everything.. But i know this is where I'm meant to be so I'm gonna give it all i got.  I love you so much and just wanted to express my gratitude to you for everything you've done for me.  You guys are truly the best parents this world had to offer and I somehow was lucky enough to be blessed to be your son.. Thank you!! :)  I'm glad the job stuff is going good and everyone else is good.  The lord truly does bless missionaries families!! Have an amazing week and I can't wait to hear from you all again!! I love you so much!!! Ofa Atu!! :)

Sunday Oct 3, 2010

Were so far ahead on time it's weird. And it's just warming up here turning to summer. It's very beautiful here. Even though I'm kind of in the ghetto of New Zealand. It's the poorest areas in New Zealand.  But the people are so humble.  Not saying it's all just love and bliss.  I've had some scary moments already where the spirit prompted me to leave when I felt that somebody may have caused me harm but i don't know! That’s why it's cool being a missionary the Lord protects me.  But things have been going great!  I've been working very hard and have been trying my best to become a better missionary each and every day.  I have already had many moments where I physically could see the spirit change someone's heart.  This one guy named Solomon, a big Maori guy who we set for baptism was changing his mind on the whole thing and one night we had an appointment he told us how he didn't want to go through it.  The spirit literally took over and i testified and poured my heart and soul out about the gospel.  He even got a little emotional.  At the end we had him pray, and I and Elder Atkin think that when you can truly see an investigator's heart is when you have them pray.  And he said some incredible things.  By what he said you could truly see that he wants to know the truth in this time of confusion.

 Other people are very keen here as well.  We have some great sets; we got 5 investigators to church this Sunday and a bunch of less active recent converts.  We've been pretty successful and it's been pretty fun.  I teach our gospel principles class and were holding a fhe at the Bishop's with a lot of investigators and members where were teaching.  I wish i could have known I was good at teaching before i came out because I’ve loved it out here!! For my month anniversary out here and Atkin's one year we got some KFC to celebrate.  That's like all of the islander’s favorite food! Haha I don't know why! But I’ve picked up on some Tongan and Samoan, just little phrases.  But were serving as Palangi's or white speaking English.  Me and Elder Atkin are like some of the few white people here! haha But our day we don't do much proselyting we usually have appointments set or we ride around and do preach by the ways and see less active members and investigators.  Just visiting all those that we see essential too.  Were always very busy and we never really just go door to door.  People are so nice here even if they're not really interested they let you in their home to teach them and their family which is a wonderful step.  Cause once your there and testifying the Lord will take care of the rest.  So that's some of the reason were so successful.

  Big dates coming up are the 16th and 23rd we have I think 6 people set for those dates.  Some are very keen, others not so much.  So please pray for those dates.  I miss you all and i miss all those things about being home dad!! haha my comp just has to put up with them!  I'll pray for Pey Pey, good luck and may god be with him.. I'll pray my heart out for the little guy.. He's strong he's got this. I love you all and miss you all very much!!! New Zealand is very beautiful and such an amazing place. Though I don't see too much of it cause I’m in this little area South Auckland in Manurewa.  It's lower poverty people here, but still the "flagship" of the mission president Porter says.  It's been doing record numbers lately and were hoping to keep that up.  I haven't been really nervous for anything lately; I've just been excited to be out here serving the Lord! You all are always in my prayers, may the Lord continue to pour out blessings to you all!! I love you all!! OFA ATU!!!!

I'm here, I'm finally here!

 Everything's been so wonderful!! It's so green here. The bush here is insane! The plants and trees are all so unique and crazy looking! My first area is Manurewa, It's south auckland and is basically the ghetto of the city. So not as nice here but the people are so humble and prepared for our message!! To be honest some of the first moments of things was pretty nerve racking but i got over it quickly. I feel very confident and determined to do my best. The weather here the first few days was really rainy and windy. Pretty dang cold! But it's gotten warmer. It's so cool how im going into the summer months! I tried to talk to everyone i could on the phone but those phone cards were a joke and i ran outta time! I thought id have heaps of time but i was wrong! The accents beautiful! Ive already had so many wonderful experiences and miracles! My very first lesson i set two girls to be baptized on the 16th! I was made for this! haha we have 6 people set now. My companion is a district leader and his name is elder Atkin! Hes been in this area for 6 months he's been out bout a year. So he's really good! We do great together especially when we're teaching. It's been a lot of fun! Not so scenic yet but the people make up for it. They say that the Auckland mission was the most successful in the world last year and my area broke records last month. They call all these areas around here the ring of fire. And we're the heart and soul of it cuz it baptizes like crazy!! Lucky huh!?  So we've already had many wonderful experiences! Heaps of food to eh?! This sunday i bore my testimony at the beginning of sacrament meeting it went great i love speaking now!! Something cool and i know it's of the Lord. So at my farewell with my last talk i had in sacrament all the young men sang army of helamen. Guess what happened after i spoke?! All the young men in the Rowendale ward sang army of helamen song!! It was definantly a wonderful moment! Made me think of home, got a bit emotional haha! I also said the closing prayer. But people are so loving here, theyve welcomed me like a son! It's been awesome! I know i'm where im supposed to be right now and im loving it!! And yes i did get all your boxes well two in the mtc unless there was more! haha but heres the addresses to send stuff!

packages and boxes:
New Zealand Auckland Mission
7A Auburn Street
Takapuna, North Shore City 0622
New Zealand

letters and padded mail:
New Zealand Auckland Mission
P.O. Box 33-840
Takapuna, North Shore City 0622
New Zealand

So there ya have it!! I love and miss you guys very much!! Hope all is going well and have fun on your trip!! I love you!! Ofa Atu!! :)

Mission President

23 September 2010

 

 

Dear Bro. and Sis. Devey,

 

It was a great pleasure to welcome your son, Elder Devey, to our mission.  He arrived in good health, ready to begin his missionary work here in the New Zealand Auckland Mission.  I have interviewed him carefully and find him well prepared, with a strong testimony.  He is a credit to his parents and we appreciate the privilege of having him here in the mission.  I feel honored to be his mission president and know that the Lord has prepared many people here to receive the testimony of the restoration he bears.

 

Elder Devey has been assigned Elder Atkin to be his first companion, his “trainer,” who will help your son adjust to missionary life.  They have been assigned to work in the Manurewa area.  We are confident that as they work diligently together that the lord will bless them in accordance with their faithfulness, 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 will be when he is able to check for and write emails.  All mailed letters should be sent to the Mission Office, which address is located in the letterhead above. 

 

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 Porter 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 Benson L. Porter

New Zealand Auckland Mission