Monday, September 3, 2012
Sept 2, 2012 Here at the end of all things....
KIA ORA!!! For one last time in Aotearoa!!! :):):) Before anything else.. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!!!! :)
well.... This is it!!! Can't believe we're here at the end!! What an absolute joy it has been to be in the Lord's service!!! I just can't believe it's over!! It still has not hit me yet!!! haha Well I hope you are all doing incredible as always and that everyone is all happy and dandy and such!!! How bout I tell ya about our week? Twas a very good one!! :)
Monday was fun! Went and played ball with the other Elders down at Sunset chapel. Always good hittin the hardwood and ballin it up! Good pday it was and that evening we had a FHE with a family in our ward from Scotland, the Young's. They are so hilarious!! Oh my goodness!! It was one of the funnest family home evenings I have been to on my mission!! So that was really good!!! :) That tuesday was the usual district meeting! President Lekias showed up randomly to our meeting so that was really fun!! Went on a trade off with Elder Lokotui that day and guess what? More miracles!!! I stayed in our area with him and we committed two more people for baptism right after I leave!! One named Tamsyn and our sweetheart Japanese investigator named Kea!! Her lessons are so much fun she doesn't speak a lick of English so we have had translators in there with us! She's so special!! :) Super excited for her!! It was a really fun trade off! Except we went through even more trials with ET who was to be baptized that weekend and married and daughter blessed all that jazz!! He finally announced it to all of his family over in South Africa of what he was to do. They freaked and mocked and persecuted him like crazy.. So he had a really hard time getting through all that. We know it was a device of Satan's trying to hedge up his way right before the ordinance were performed.. We almost lost him. It got to such a point that he stopped it all. Amazing to see how Satan was working to do such a thing at the peak of my service as well. But as always, light always prevails over darkness:) He overcame, got many more spiritual confirmations and reassurances and continued onward:) That was one of those moments in that lesson and the many phone calls following where I was being tested very much so.. Pushed in the corner and my faith was tried.. But God always fulfills his promises if we are faithful and thus it was with ET:)
Next day ET was interviewed and all was good for the upcoming weekend!! He overcame all concerns and was even more determined than before!!:) What a miracle it was by the Lord's hands. Nothing of our own that was all him!! Investigators like ET and his family make it all worth it.. The ones you work very hard for are so special. Not only because of the satisfaction of them taking that step and making that beautiful change. But also how you come to love them as you work with them. If you have not Charity you are nothing! That's true!! If we did not build the relationship we had with him and his family and that trust. He would have been gone. Amazing to see what Love can do:) That weekend was so special!! The dream came true!!! They were married, baptized and all that good stuff!!! They both were very emotional throughout as well! It was so special!! A beautiful gift from a loving Father in Heaven on my last weekend as a full-time servant in paradise.. It all went so great!! The ward helped out heaps and supported it like crazy!! The chapel was decorated hard-out and there was a massive feed after! The whole ward was there and heaps of their family as well!! It was so special!! SO SO much fun!!! :) After they were married by bishop we went to the font where I was honored to baptize my dear brother and friend. My last one... I got super emotional at that point!! After we embraced in the font he was pretty emotional as well. He was so prepared and ready.. When I went to the changing room like after most baptisms I fell to my knees and prayed. Emotions overtook me.. How grateful I am for the Lord allowing me to do this work and qualifying me to do as such as well.. How I love this work and church..
After that they had their little celebration in the hall with the feed!! To much fun!!! :) What a special weekend it was!! It got even better on Sunday!! His confirmation was so great!! That's when it really hit him:) As we sat in the congregation after it was performed he literally, not overexagerating, cried almost the whole hour!!! haha :) He was feeling the spirit so strongly and was full of love!!! He is the man and is loving it so much!! The Torbay ward is so good and has made him the center of attention! Just one big family and ET is so happy to be a part of it with his beautiful family!!! :) After many goodbyes from members that in this short time I've come to love dearly which was hard enough to say goodbye we than had our last lesson with ET and his family.. But I'll be seein him soon with the parents for sure!! But it was still tough that I'll soon perhaps never see them again..:( Ah it's gonna be hard to say goodbye to all these people I have to come to love quite dearly!! After that we had the "Last Supper" with the Ward Mission Leader Bro Rapata and his family!! One of my all-time favorites!!! That was so much fun and sealed everything off nicely!! How I love that family so so much as well!!! :) What a great last week it was...
I Love this work and my Savior with all my heart... I'll forever be grateful for him calling me to serve my brothers and sisters out here in the Pacific among New Zealand and the Islands. I will never forget my memories and experiences out here in his vineyard.. How grateful I am that he has labored alongside me each and every day.. He has supported and sustained me all throughout. Without him none of these miracles could have taken place, not only in others lives but in my own.. Upon my soul and heart.. What he has done for me is past my comprehension.. But I have felt it and know it's real.. He is our Saviour and Redeemer.. Heavenly Father does indeed love us all individually infinitely and eternally... He has a perfect plan and I am so thankful I was able to show that plan to my brothers and sisters and to stand as a witness that his one true church has been restored in it's fullness upon the Earth... Now we have hope, and we can forever hold onto that hope for the eternities.. As a representative of Jesus Christ I have labored for him and his divine purpose... I am yet another witness that testifies with all surety of his heart that this work and church is true... God lives and speaks.. He is the same God yesterday, today and forever and is unfolding his purposes as in times of old and will continue to do so.. He has not forsaken us and he wants all of his children to return back home.. It's up to us to be his instruments to fulfill that work and calling.. Come join the ranks! How great shall be our joy as we bring others to Christ... I love you all very much and want to thank you all for your support, encouragement, prayers, and sacrifices in my behalf.. Before the mission in preparation and all throughout.. I have felt them and am eternally grateful for your love..It has not gone unnoticed trust me.. May God be with you all and may the Redeeming light and Grace of our Saviour Jesus Christ continue to touch your hearts and lead you is my prayer.. In the name of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, Amen...
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