July 15, 2012 Kia Ora!

Hi everybody!!! :) Another week down!! Can't believe it!! They're just gone in a blink of the eye!! Well I miss you all heaps!! It's been far too long!! Thank you for everything that you do in my behalf and for your support and prayers! I'm very grateful for it all! It has been incredible support and encouragement throughout my entire mission and for that I will be forever thankful so thank you so much!! :) Well what can I say?! Another wonderful week that's for sure!! Monday was super fun!! I would send ya pictures of the festivities but I forgot my cord today. But we changed things up a bit and we went to the driving range close to the airport. It was super fun! Almost been two years since I swung a golf club! But what can I say? I still got it! haha actually I don't know if I ever had it whatever it is! But it was super fun that's for sure! :) Somethin a bit different and exciting to change things up! Every pday has been basically the same so it was good to do something different! That evening was quite fun in our area as well! We definately were put in the right place at the right time! So a little background on some stories that have occured in this area is that at the beginning of my mission I actually was in this area for about 3 weeks and than right before Niue I stayed here as well for a weekend. The airport is in our area so that's why! But in those times I met heaps of the people in our area. Even got to see some baptized but now that I've been back we've had some success in re-activating a few of these families that were baptized prior that I met as they were investigating. We had a special moment on monday night with the Culham family who clearly needed us. Gave a priesthood blessing as well. Now they are doing so awesome! :) So that was a miracle and was wonderful to see and we were grateful to go and help them! The Lord always puts us right in the right place at the right time it's amazing! So that was a fun monday night I really love all those guys in that house! Tuesday was really good as well! We had another tradeoff as always! Those are starting to wear me out that's for sure! Oh well gotta keep going! :) We had a super busy day! Mowin more lawns in our proselytin clothes cuz we don't got time to change yo!! haha and I like it that way because heaps of people see us and notice! For example it was funny that day when we were doing that the Jehovah Witnesses were door knocking that very same street. And there were quite a few people around and we seemed to catch their attention. It's just a thing of pride thinking to myself, which looks like the true church? I'm sure those whom would be serving as the Savior would:) Who better than the missionaries!!! We're in our suits with a wead wacker and mower gettin dirty but loving it!! We've had heaps of spontanious service projects since the Whipster has been here, he's born for that stuff!! So it's been way fun!! :) We had meetings with our stake presidents this week as well which was pretty exciting as always I suppose!! :) On Wednesday we also had interviews with President!! Yay!! haha It was really good!! During the entire zone getting interviewed we gave a training the whole time. So that was even more exciting! lol it was pretty fun I guess! Interviews were awesome! I've really come to love our mission President, he's amazing!! Than on thursday we did more trade offs!! The weeks are just so similar and go by so fast! Yet so many memorable things occur and such wonderful experiences as well!! Feels like not much has happened but also feels like it was just jam packed with stuff ya know what I'm sayin?! :) Got to go to my old area in Papatoetoe 1st again!! I love going back to old areas it's so much fun!! :) This saturday was another high baptizing saturday where we lived off of baptism feeds! ha Just going around to all the baptisms all day! Than at the end of the night we got in a hard out bible bash with this guy that has been investigating for years! Not sounding prideful but we confounded him on every angle! haha quite an intelligent guy, but all you need is the bible and you can set anyone straight which we did! lol usually we don't waste our time with stuff like that cuz there's to many souls out there! But the guys brother was very keen and sincere so we were trying to help him and focus on him! And this other guy was just trying to lay into us so we were like alright let's go brotha! haha It's fun testin your knowledge, the scriptures and of course most importantly your testimony is what gets anyone who is trying to put the church down to be silenced:) haha Throughout my mission I've met some pretty crazy and interesting people.. It's so sad to see how they've been misled and deceived. And it's such fundamental doctrines and principles that they're confused upon! It's like come on people!! Open up those eyes and see the truth! It's obvious!! There is so many churches here it's ridiculous! I've taught ministers, priests, you name it! Some whom have just created their church weeks prior! It's ridiculous I tell ya! But I do love how believing the people are and how strong their faith is in Christ. When the restoration is taught properly and understood and the spirit is present wow miracles happen here!! We see it everyday and I love it more than anything!! :) Sunday was a great Sabbath day! That was a special sacrament meeting for me..:) We also had a fireside that evening which was really good!! So ya things are going great here as always!! Elder Whipple and I have set quite a goal.. So before Sept 1, assuming we're still together in a week, we want to baptize 20 more souls before I go home!!! Whhhooooweeee!!! Quite a lofty goal but we know it can be done!! We have about 8 people set for baptism right now so we've been working harder than we ever have before!! This is for the purpose of getting me to finish strong and also to bring more of our brothers and sisters into the fold of the good Shepherd!! So we'll see how that goes!!! So please pray for us!! We hope to bring as many as possible unto Christ!!! Well I love you all very much and hope you have another wonderful week! And may the Lord watch over you in all that you do and may he pour out abundantly his blessings unto you! I love you all very much!!! :) OFA LAHI ATU!!!! :) Elder Devey