November 27, 2011

Hey there everyone!!! :) Hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving! Besides that dinner with that one family there is no such thing as Thanksgiving out here so it was a bit of a bummer! They don't even really eat Turkey out here, only at Christmas time.  So Elder Spence and I did the next best thing! KFC!! As you know that's huge here in New Zealand.  So we got a massive feed there on Thanksgiving to celebrate.  That was a lot of fun:)


  Anyways not much new this week! We reset some people for December and more hiccups got in the way again.. Brownie has too many word of wisdom issues so he couldn't go in this weekend.  And also our man Clayton had a death in the family, so the whole family took off to the funeral.. Nothing we could really do about both of those so we didn't have any baptisms last weekend.  The whole mission in fact really struggled this month.  They hit a low in baptisms since Feb 2010. We got like 83 when we usually get 150-200s.  So there's a lot of repenting in the mission and rededication.. So we know December will be huge!


 But ya this month was rough for our zone as well!  On Tuesday we had a Zone Conference up here in Whangarei.  That was a lot of fun! Some wonderful inspiring trainings that I know will help the missionaries a lot in their efforts.  We made a big "title of liberty' flag for our zone and did a lot of other fun things!  There has been a companionship in the zone that has needed a lot of correcting as of late, so we have to keep trying to keep them in line! Frustrating! I just don't understand some things missionaries do it's pathetic.  Well anyways ya the conference was very good and it helped me out personally a lot as well:)


This saturday the Whangarei areas had a few baptisms though so we went to all of those and of course there's nothing better than watching a baptism! And this Sunday we did our usual sunday schedule and went out to our favorite Whangaruru! :) Love it out there! Had a massive lunch with the beloved Saddler family.  As some of you may know before the mission I hated seafood!! Well since Niue it's hands down my favorite!!! And on Niue you heard we did some pretty out of it stuff! Members would toss their catch straight from the sea and we'd pull the Gollum and just tear it apart and eat it right than and there! As fresh and raw as you can get it! Anyways so with the Maori's they have a lot of seafood that is their specialties and out in Whangaruru they feed it to us like crazy! Like the Kena(sea urchin) Pipi, Crayfish, etc etc! And there's heaps of sharks off the coast out there so we're hoping to get some shark soon!


 Heard some crazy stories from the members out there! It's a whole different world out there everyone is just barebacking horses ridin around on the beaches and it's just so laid back and beautiful! Never seen anything like it! By far the most beautiful area I have served in!! Like I've said before I love serving as a Zone Leader up here in the great Northland it has been so much fun!! We just got to all step up our game!! Besides all of that there's not much else to update you guys with!! Just love you all and hope you have an awesome week this next week!!! Love ya!!!! :)

November 20, 2011

November 20, 2011

Hey everybody!! How is everyone this wonderful week?!  I got the legit detailed story of Amber's engagement.  Russell the muscle that romantic guy! CONGRATULATIONS!!!! :) Too much fun!!! It's great to hear from you all and I'm so thankful for all your support and love in my behalf! I can feel it! It's the fuel to keep me moving no doubt about it!!! 

This last week was awesome!! So last pday was pretty lame.  We had to drive a new missionary to Wellsford, half of the way to Auckland so that took up most of the pday! :( So here in New Zealandreligion is very diverse you've got it all here.  So we get to hear and experience a lot of different things! haha sometimes pretty weird or hostile! On monday we had a dinner with this very loving family who is Christian.  The dad at the end was giving us a prayer and he pulled a Book of Mormon pass out onto the floor!! It was a bit different but turns out he was acting it all out as a "manifestation of the spirit".  Interesting stuff we get to see out here! 

This week we were able to get a couple of new sets! So we've got quite a lot with dates it's just little things keep getting in the way it's driving us insane and people get pushed back.  We're thinking of having a ward fast to help these investigators overcome those hiccups.  So miracles are on their way!! We did a massive service project at a member's house this week the Lilley's.  He owns his own radio station and to say the least is a wealthy man! ha He lives at the very highest point in Whangarei above the Buddhist temple!.  Just an awesome house but a bit worldly!  He has all these paddocks on hills with horses in them and we cut all the grass and took down fences and burnt things etc it took ages!!

 The young woman had a car wash this week so to support we let them was our car:) hehe! win win! Also a family in the ward does actually celebrate Thanksgiving every year because the have Whanau(family) in America! They get it on the wrong day but it's all good!! So we got to go have a New Zealand style thanksgiving feast! That was a lot of fun!! My favorite holiday!! So transfers did happen and we're both staying as Zone Leaders here! We were pumped!! I get to kill off ol Elder Spence!! So this transfer will be very fun!!! So glad I"m staying! This will tie my longest in an area, 4 and a half months, my greeenie area in South Aucks, Manurewa(also known as the hood).:) I've bounced around my entire mission it's been a lot of fun! Leaving the country, going North and South!! Been able to see it all!! Oh and guess what else?! Our mission just got the Cook Islands in it as well!!! Came off the Tonga mission and now we got them and Niue!! Who knows maybe if i'm lucky I'll got out to the Cooks!! Kiriana!!! I wish!! haha :) I was lucky once before so we'll see! 

We also set a man named Brownie for baptism and his daughter.  He's a very talented musician and is old and has seen a lot of trials.. So it's been special teaching him and seeing him making the changes he needs to in life! That's this weekend actually!! :) But his daughter's mom isn't allowing the daughter.. more hiccups!! But Brownie is still all good!! So this weekend should be Brownie and Clayton.  Roimata's parents said no because she's been christined.. But we'll see about that!! So there's a lot of people up in the air that can be baptized at any moment it's just gonna take us putting our bold pants on and getting it done!! :) The wards been a big help as of late!! We had a mean ward council where they're organizing things for one of our "dry members" Bertha who we have taught for a Coon's age to get married finally!! So they're attacking that! Hopefully we have a wedding and a baptism soon!! :) The wards, both of them, are absolutely awesome!!!!

Sunday we missed Hikurangi's completely because we had a baptism out in Punaruku again!!! They got to baptize last month and this month!! Miracles!! :) Her name is Kadis Snowden! A young girl who's just awesome! So many part member families out there! So that baptism was a lot of fun!! It was an awesome Sunday!! And another moment that I just love! The Lord and his timing!! Showed up right when someone needed us it was really special.. Kia, in her 20s, and her husband Sam whose a nonmember.  Kia was having a very rough time and we came right when we needed to.. Helped her and she was smiling by the end it was beautiful.  Sam's getting close to baptism!! The other day Bertha, that one investigator.  She had a miscarriage and we came right after she found out and were able to give her a blessing.. Another special one that helped her a lot it was very sad.. Than Brownie, broke up with his long time partner who has been holding him back from baptism.  We came right when he was at a very bad low.. Helped him, and now he's getting baptized..

 There has been miracles daily as of late and we contribute it all to the Lord and this magnificent work!! It's been amazing being able to be instruments in his hands.. If we are but willing, faithful, and obedient.. The Lord, through us, can truly move mountains.. No better place have I learned this than on the mission!!! :) God is a God of miracles and I love him with all my heart... Just as Joseph Smith once said regarding the gospel. "In it I'll live, and for it I'll die."  I hope one day that I may have faith as the great ones who have gone before.. But I do trust My God completely... He has control over all things and knows exactly how we feel.. He loves us unconditionally and is very mindful of us.. Of this I testify!!!  I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!!! May God be with you til we meet again!!!1 :) Arohanui!!! (I love you)1!!!!!!!

 

Love Elder Devey

Nov. 13, 2011

 

Hi everyone!! :) Well quick shout out to Amber and Russell first of all!! They're engaged! WOOO!!!! haha :) Congratulations! How awesome is that?!  Too much!! Devestated i'm not there for any of it!! Oh well I'm just excited anyways!! Well this week was another good one and they just get faster and faster I'm tellin ya!

There was a lot of hard things this week though.. Raiha and Narissamay are completely dropped now.. Narissa's mum is stopping her because she's too caught up in the things of the world and she's not "ready" for her daughter to be baptized.. Absolute joke! So we're still working on that! But for now the mom won't let her.. So that was really hard to swallow. Also Raiha completely just said no because she's to into the wrong stuff with all of her mates.. We're still working with her but it won't be any time soon. So out of nowhere our two sets just drop off the charts and it was really hard.. Things like this on the mission really suck! But oh well! Not complainin! The Lord's in control of all things and it's in his hands! We just do the best we can, qualify, and live worthy and I know that the Lord will provide!! It's his promise:)

 But on the other hand!! We got Cadice and Roimata for this next weekend!! So that's exciting!! :) They're both so awesome!! Also have our friend Clayton who we set a few nights ago for the end of this month!! So let the good times roll!! :) This last week we had Zone Leader council again.  Felt like we were just down there!! Monthly feels way to often! haha but it was wonderful.  I love those meetings so much! Receive so much revelation and learn so many wonderful things.  So that was really good! And they did it at a better time so we didn't have to drive down the night before and sleep somewhere.  We got to go in the morning so that was nice.  But ya besides that! Transfers is this week so we'll see what happens! We're pretty sure that we'll stay together and I'll kill Elder Spence off.  We're hoping so! I definantely am because I love it here and I love Elder Spence to bits!! :)

So we'll see what happens! Maybe change of plans and I'm off somewhere else who knows?! I want to stay in this area for a long time it wouldn't be enough just the 3 months.  It's the best zone ever here!!! :) Well I love you all and I miss you very much and hope you have a wonderful week!!! :)

Love Elder Devey

Nov. 6, 2011

Hey everybody!!! :)

I've never heard of this holiday until I got to New Zealand but guyfox is their July 4th apparently and that just happened Saturday  night! haha so some fireworks here and there but pathetic compared to back home! Well anyways how is everyone doing?!  I hope that you're all doing absolutely wonderful!

Things have been going awesome here! We've been working harder than ever and we're seeing the blessings pouring in so it has been a lot of fun!! :) This last week we did a lot of trade offs and things so that was fun! It's always fun working with our missionaries.  So things have been really awesome here! Nothing to new or exciting to report! Just that we've been working hard and we're having fun doing so! Transfers are already coming up very soon! :( Which is a joke! Time is just way too fast! But I better stay here!

Out of my whole mission this has been my favorite area and zone to serve in! It's just absolutely stunning out here.. Not only that but the work is great and the people are wonderful here! I just love it so much!! And I really enjoy being with Elder Spence.  So we hope that I'll be with him to his end! Hoping for it! But we'll see what happens! So besides that.. Well we have 3 baptisms this weekend so that's really fun!! 2 here in Hikurangi and 1 in Whangaruru:) So please pray for those!! Well I love you all very much!!! Have a wonderful week!!!

Love Elder Devey!

Ps pic of Halloween! Ibeneze and Demarsio 2 of our baptisms from last month in their costumes