2010 - A Brand New Year

Michael is still in Rotorua. He loves the area.

"I love the gospel! It's amazing! How's the Feast going with the Book of Mormon? I'm starting Alma 7 today. I've been flying through it and I've gotten so much out of it. I love it! ... I love this mission!
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Turei's baptism went well. It was in the river because the chapel in Murupara doesn't have a font. Most chapels in the mission do though. But it was good! Elder Williams in Tauranga called us that day and needed us to go up there for a baptism interview. So I got to drive through my old stomping grounds of Te Teko and Edgecumbe to get there! It was fun and cool to drive through my old area but at the same time it wasn't as cool as I thought it would be."

Testimony

I'm grateful for the experience of a mission. I'm grateful that I've grown as much as I have. My only regret is that I could have done a lot more growing in the earlier stages of the mission. I'm glad that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me enough to listen to me and answer my prayers. It seems that I've been doing a lot more of that lately too. I'm grateful to know that I have a Savior who not only died for me but also lived a perfect life and example for me to pattern my life after. I've been searching the scriptures for more Christlike Attributes and it's been an awesome process. I know they live. I know they love. I know the Book of Mormon is true and that it's a foundation to our lives. I know that as we apply the principles taught inside that we will gain a greater relationship with The Father and The Son. Once again thank you for everything! Love you!

Catching up....

We had a feed with one of the members in another ward since we are in a threesome right now. There was a girl there who served in our ward. Her name is Sister Na'a. She was there when Troy was still bishop. I think she was there when I went to a lesson with the Ferro's because she asked about them. It was really cool. She said she served in Idaho then I got excited. Then asked what mission and she said Poky so I got more excited. Then I asked what stake and she said Chubbuck and then the 6th ward and you can only imagine how excited I got then. She thinks she ate with us once or twice too. Crazy eh!

Testimony

I'm grateful for the atoning sacrifice of the Savior. I'm grateful that He was willing and prepared from the beginning to do the will of the Father. I really like the verse in Mosiah 15 v 7. It's really what we need to do. No matter how painful or unpleasent. The Son of Man hath descended below them all and He knows exactly how to help. I've been able to feel that enabling power and it's one that I'm truly greatful for. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that Thomas S. Monson is His prophet now in this day and age. I know that He answers us when we call for him in anything. I love him for it.

Change....

I got shifted to the Mt.Roskill and Waterview stakes. It seriously has been probably my favorite transfer. It's just going to be a transfer of Miracles! My new companion is Elder Brady. He's from Holiday Utah. He was my DL in Panmure. I really like him and we get along really well.

We're meant to get our calls from President Porter when he calls us to have a leadership position. He didn't call this time and man was I surprised Wednesday morning when Elder Daley called to tell me. I was very nervous and scared, felt very inadequate. But those are good things. He's just amazing and loves this mission and is very excited about everything so it makes the change really easy. As for our zone, we have 3 districts of 6 missionaries each. So in all there's 20 missionaries in our zone.... quite a fair few. They are all wonderful though so it makes it good. No problems yet.

ZL's have so much responsibility. It's amazing. We've really only had time to teach about 5 lessons since Thursday. There's so many things to do for the zone and making sure things are in order. I really enjoy doing them though. It's good to know that we're helping the other missionaries in the zone. I kind of get sick of being in the car driving around though. I think I'd rather be out finding and teaching. But it's all good because it's for a good cause.

Well things are sweet. I'm really enjoying myself and I know that that's only going to continue. and I also know that it's only going to go faster. We have 11 scheduled trade-offs this transfer and those really make a transfer go fast. So I'm really excited it's going to be really fun and a very good time and chance for me to grow and improve!

I'm learning so much from E. Brady. Not only about how to be a ZL but just in general about life and the gospel. He has probably one of the strongest testimonies I've heard from a missionary. Also he has a very strong desire and will to be obedient. So that helps heaps too! We're just going to experience so many wonderful miracles this transfer and see so many blessings come!

Thanks for everything! I love you all and am grateful for everything you've done for me and are doing for me!

Under the Weather

Our week was pretty good. It was put on hold for about 2 days almost. I got sick. I've been fighting it for the past week or 2 but Friday morning I woke up and was just stuffed. So we stayed in the flat until about 3 and stayed out until 9. Luckily it wasn't raining. But then I felt better so we went out Saturday morning and was okay but we came back for lunch and then it hit me really hard so we just stayed and slept until our dinner at 5. I felt a lot better after and now I feel pretty much 100% so that's really good.

We still got to teach a lot though. We've been really struggling to get new investigators the past couple of weeks. But this week we already have 22 set lessons and about 6-7 of them are with new people. So hopefully that will be really good for us.

We are hoping for 5 baptisms this month for our ward. Not too sure of who but that's how many we feel we can get. We have one couple that's married that has been taught for the past 7 months or so. They are really good and have been set for baptism about 5 times. Each time they find some excuse to not have it happen. But this week we've made a lot of progress with them. We really feel that this week they are just going to tell us that they are going to be baptized this week. It's a great big hope and wish but with what's going on it's not far from reality.

The weather has been cold as here. I'm normally wearing my sweater and my scarf. I've started to wear my gloves when we ride so my hands don't freeze. Especially since I've been not feeling good. The wind can be quite nasty sometimes but for the most part it's pretty calm. We've been really lucky and it hasn't been raining too much. But it's still only June. Winter really sets in next month. So yea. Hopefully not too much rain will come.

Back to where I started

Our week was pretty different. The Temple was amazing as always. I really enjoyed it and felt very uplifted. I love going there. We are going to be going again at the end of winter which means in 3 months...

Charmaine was confirmed yesterday and that went really well.

Rachel and Kennith had their wedding on Friday! They are going to be baptized on the 30th! It's really neat, their love for the gospel and for each other. They are doing really well!...

We'll have another baptism at the same time as theirs. A boy named Makarou... He'll be baptized this week as well.

We have another little boy that's 10 who will be baptized next month sometime. His name is Carlo and he's a relative of a lady who we teach. He loves church and he's been heaps. He only needs to have the lessons and he'll be sweet...

There's a lot going on and stuff. It's really exciting! The trade-off into Lincoln ward was really fun. I got to teach Margaret and Tess. They are doing amazing. They have such stronger testimonies and they have heaps of scriptures memorized. So amazing. I also got to teach Marearu. I'm not sure if you remember him so I'll send a picture... It was really strange to be roaming those streets again though.