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!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment