Moving Forward May25, 2008

So to tell you about the week. We had our trade-off and that went really well. It was a preview of what it'll be like for me at transfers since I'll be holding the area. It was really good we found 2 new investigators that are really good and we've taught since and it went really well. It was just a good day.

Friday during our weekly planning our water broke. (no we aren't pregnant) Since we live in a basement flat our water drains by pump. That broke and now we don't have water. Our sink, toilet, and our shower doesnt' work. So we've stayed at Pinati's flat for the past 3 nights. Man I haven't slept so horrible for a really long time. Him and Auapaau snore really bad. And their flat is just really cold too so that doesn't help much either.

We had a Luau on Saturday which included some talents by some islanders and then a chapel tour and then a feed. It was really good. We didn't have any of our investigators show up but it was still really good. It was a stake thing so there were a lot of people still. The baptism went really well and there was some good ward support and it was just really good.

On Sunday we had two of our investigators come to church and Kukama tought the Gospel Principles class with the mum while I taught Primary because the daughter wanted to go to primary. We also had an awesome fireside! We sang from "Greater Than Us All" I'm pretty sure it's by Kenneth Cope. But it was really good. It was a missionary fireside, and the sisters organized it and all and it was really good. We all sang and there was a projector that was doing a slide-show of pictures of Christ. It was really powerful. The same investigators that came to church came to listen to the fireside. They were both crying at the end of the night with the last song and the pictures. Called He Comes/Alleluia. Frankly I can't blame them for crying cuz I was trying very hard not to. But it was a really good week and we taught a lot and we have people that are getting really close to baptism. We are hoping to set 3 people for baptism this week and there are about 3-4 others who could be baptised in the next 2 months.

The work is booming here in our area. Its wonderful. You couldn't ask for a better ward either. They all just have the right attitude and are willing to help out in anyway they can. On Sunday's we're starting something nice. We are gonna do a trade-off for 2 hours with the ward members so we can see more people. It'll be sweet!

But the work is awesome and it's just so right! I know it is and the people can feel of the Spirit through us. I think that's the coolest thing. That they are feeling His love through me. Crazy. It's such an awesome feeling to see people progress and change!

Growing....

We had a really great week. It was long too so it meant we were working mucho. We found a family to teach that is really keen and we went to their house fairly late in the evening assuming we'd just set a time up to go visit another night but they accepted us just like any member would. They were all, "oh come in have a seat and we'll get some drink and we can talk." We just looked at each other like oh sweet as man! We taught them basically what missionaries are and all our background and everything about a mission and some about the Book of Mormon and it went really well. So they are a family of 5 and so it'll be really neat to see what happens with them.

We had a pretty neat experience yesterday too. We were up the peninsula going to contact a referral and we were riding by a farmer's house. They usually aren't home so that was why we dropped them. When we rode by there were about 10 cars there, so we decided to stop really quick to say hi since they are never home. Well it was the lady's birthday and they just got done eating and stuff and they ended up inviting us in for food so we ate and talked with everyone and there were like 16 people there and we ended up giving away a Book of Mormon and it was just really neat. We then went to the address of the referral and it was a ref from a member and he gave us an address and after talking with the guy we found out it was a wrong address and he said to try next door. So we did and we found out that it was still not the right person but they were interested and so we'll be going back to teach that family as well!
This transfer is going to be making me grow up really quick. We had our interviews with Pres. Cook and when kukama was in he basically told him that he was leaving at transfer and that I'd be holding the area. Kinda scary but it won't be to bad. The work is booming and there's always people to see and the ward is really good too. I'm going to be on a trade-off this Wednesday with Elder Aauppaau. He's from Samoa and doesn't really understand much English so it'll be interesting to see how it goes. He's just gotten here this last transfer and he's in the samoan program so it'll be his first trade-off and my first trade-off in my area. Kinda nervous about that too. But it'll all be good.

Well that's basically an update about what's going on and this past week! The work is amazing and I know its so true and that the Lord is so involved with what happens with it. I know this is the true church of Christ and that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon and that it'll help us with any problem we have. I love you all so much

A Trip to the Beach

Elder Davenport's district went to the beach last P-day. Had fun, but Michael got sick on "a rotten feijoa". A feijoa is a fruit that has a pulpy center. From Wikipedia: "The fruit (of the feijoa) matures in autumn and is green, ellipsoid-shaped and the size of a chicken egg. It has a sweet, aromatic flavor. The flesh is juicy and is divided into a clear jelly-like seed pulp and a firmer, slightly gritty opaque flesh nearer the skin. The fruit drops when ripe, but can be picked from the tree prior to the drop to prevent bruising. This plant is monotypic in its genus. Like the closely-related guava, the fruit pulp has a gritty texture which is utilized in some natural cosmetic products as an exfoliant. Feijoa fruit have a distinctive smell. "

Then he got the flu.

He is loving his mission and is working hard.

Now, isn't this Michael we all know and love?

A Wonderful Day for Elder Davenport

Keith wanted me to baptize him ... AND I DID!!! It was amazing. All three baptisms in one day and we had more people at the baptism including non-members than we do at church! The spirit was so strong after the baptism.. IT was amazing. I knew I did right!
So then I was asked to do a baby blessing! WOW! What a Sunday! We had 3 confirmations (which I stood in on all of them) and 2 baby blessings. I did the one for Mose (2) and Kukama did the other for Auro (9 months) and to top it all off it was fast Sunday and Eliza bore her's and it was amazing. And to top it off more, Pres and Sis Cook were there and also Elder Roberts.. Interesting story about him and his wife.. Look in the March Ensign the one all about Christ, the very last page of the magazine. Written by Christine Roberts, New Zealand! She's in my ward! and Elder Roberts (formally brother, before conference, he was called to be an area 70)@!! so they were all there and they both bore their testimonies! What a great day.
Since Thursday morning I've felt so much better about everything. About being here ... I've found out that that is what needs to happen and it's what I want now!

Our Teaching Pool

Eliza, Keith and Michelle:
They are on schedule to be baptized this Saturday the 19th! They are such a tight group of siblings.. They are cool. Michelle and I had an ice cream eating contest the other day.. I won.. Well Kukama and I won. We went and bought 2, 2 litter tubs of ice cream and just ate.. I got about 1/2 way through mine and she was about 1/4 through and Eliza and Keith jumped in.. So Kukama grabbed a spoon and finished off mine.. We got done and they still had about 1 litter left.. After that we went to a feed and had heaps of food and ice cream and we had an appointment after that but luckily they weren't home and so we went home and relieved our stomachs for the rest of the night.. We got So sick haha.. it was fun though.
Tana and Cheryl:


We haven't had a lesson with them for about 3 weeks. Tana got sick and than since then his g-ma is dying so we haven't taught them but we've taken them cookies and called them and invited him to play basketball and stuff. Its sad too because we were planning on teaching them the plan of salvation next and so it's perfect for what's going on but we just cant get in to teach.. They are doing there reading though and she's told us many times that they aren't trying to avoid us but they've just been super busy.
Alana and Waiora:
She was taught a lot before I got here and then Waiora just sat at the couche playing xbox and not being apart of lessons but still listening.. He one day decided that he want's to listen and do stuff.. he's way keen.. They are both understanding and everything. Alana has a smoking issue that she's been trying to cess out for a while now and she's doing fairly well.. We had a lesson yesterday and Anthony and Vai came with us because they had to quit drinking and smoking also.. That went really well..
Those are basically the people who we are teaching that are doing well.. Everyone else just kind of has something that holds them back.

It's been raining all day today. It rains kind of hard and then it pours harder than I've ever seen in my life for about 5 minutes and then it slows down. Than it just pours like crazy. But it's a pretty nice rain. Its not cold but it's not really refreshing either. It gets really cold during the night and I sleep under the window and so I had to switch ends of the bed so I didnt freeze my face off.
Thanks for all of your letters of support it's been so nice to read them. Most of them I can't read with out tearing up some. I know you guys care about me and love me.
I have come to known from doing the work and persevering that I had only a lack of faith at the time. I know that I do have faith and all that. It's just a matter of applying it I guess.

Talofa

Talofa is tongan for hello..
Sounds like things are going pretty well there..
We had our wedding and baptism on the 29th. It was really neat. Kukama baptized her and gave a talk at her wedding. I got to say the prayer at the end of the baptism. All the investigators we invited forgot that it was all on Saturday, they thought it was on Sunday. He confirmed her yesterday too.
Something else that is pretty exciting, we set 3 people with dates to be baptized! Eliza (15 year old girl) her brother Keith (11) and her sister Michelle (10). They've been going to church for like 2 years and have listened to discussions and everything. Eliza actually gave a talk yesterday in sacrament. She had to ask Bishop Fitisemanu if it was ok if a non member gave a talk in sac. meeting. And when she did that we all found out she wasn't a member. She's an amazing girl who knows all of what she is supposed to know and more before baptism. And she does a great job of keeping her siblings involved and they are all ready. That'll happen on the 19th!

A Letter from President Cook

Elder Davenport's mission president wrote and sent a couple of pictures. He said, "I was impressed by his testimony and enthusiasm. He is a credit to his parents and we appreciate the privilege of having him here in the mission." He went on to add that Elder Cunningham, Michael's trainer, "is an excellent missionary who will set a good example and help your son adjust to mission life...I am confident they will labor diligently together to carry out the will of the Lord and that the Lord will bless them in accordance with their faithfulness."