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.

Sometime in May

After being away in Whakatane, New Zealand for seven months, Elder Davenport is back in Auckland area.Our week, Intense. We had so many good things, so many blessings. It was amazing.

My first D.M. I was just stressing out so hard about it. I was so nervous and scared. Because I know what missionaries do and what they feel when a dl leaves and a new one comes in. I've done it. But I was really just hoping for the support of them all and everything. It turned out really good. I felt good about it and one of the Elders in the district said that it was the first really spiritual dm that he's been to in a really long time. That made me feel good.

The next day we had a district leader zone leader council with President Porter. It was amazing. He was teaching us all about how to be a better leader and we did a lot of activities that were team building and stuff. It was really cool. I was really glad that I got to go to it.

The next day I was on trade off with E. Heinitz (ZL) It was fun. Most of our day was spent at the office and in front of a computer. We received nearly 200 referrals that we had to sort out. It was not any fun. But in the evening we were able to teach 3 lessons so that was good.

We had a baptism on Sunday! It was a lady called Charmaine. She used to be taught a little bit when I as here last year. Do you remember Alana and Waiora? Well, it's her cousin. So that was really cool . It was E. Davidison's first baptism to do the ordinance. But it was really good.

We have now 5 people set with dates in our area and there's about 15 or 17 in our district with 27 in our zone. There's a lot of people and a lot of really good things going on right now. It's really neat.

Not too much else has happened. Things are going well and I'm doing good. I've calmed down a lot and chilled out and relaxed a bit. So that's always good.

We are having our zone conference tomorrow and I'm really excited for it. Becuase we are having it down in Hamilton! And we are going to the Temple! I'm so super excited for that. We are going tomorrow and then most likely at the end of the winter. So that's going to be pretty special. I just remember what it was like the last time and how exciting it was.

First of March

Well what a week! We just had the best week! We found 6 new investigators! Huge blessing! There's a family in there too! A mother and father and then a 1 year old! I'm really excited for them.

We had ZC this week and President Hilbig of the Area Presidency was here. It was really good. It was all about teaching about the Holy Ghost.

Well that's it for me today. Thanks for all your love, prayers and support! I really enjoy it and appreciate it. I love you all and hope you all have a sweet week!

February Transfers

My new companion's from Adelaide. His name is Elder Whitrod. He says he might have met Travis Nelson. But this is his first area and I'm his first companion. Minus the MTC in Hamilton. It's been really crazy. Last week was nuts. E. Bridge is in Mt Roskill with E. Maneha. I told him he'd like him but he's just concerned for his KFC intake. The islanders eat it a lot up there. haha. I had to drive us up to transfers. I was pulling a trailer and apparently the speed limit for pulling a trailer isn't 100 km/hr. I got pulled over and got a 80$ (NZ) ticket. I wasn't aware. So sorry. But we left for Auckland at 6 in the morning and got there at 10:30. Then we left at about 1:00 and we didn't get back to Whakatane until about 5:30-6:00. Long day of driving.

Thank you for the letters and the support. I really appreciate it. The one that Jason sent was actually one of my week goals that I set last week. To come what may and love it. I had a feeling that I'd be training and so I guess I was just trying to prepare myself. But it's going to be a really good transfer. He's just full of faith and excitement to do the work. We had 2 really good days in a row where we didnt teach as much as we planned but we found a lot of potentials. Yesterday was kind of a bummer day. Our appointments fell through and not very many other people were home. But it was still good. S. Hughes from Utah organized a musical program for last night. I sang in it and it was really good. It was for anyone who wanted to come. It was the Celebrate Christ one. It was really good. We had 3 investigators there. Alisha spoke and she did really well. She bore really good testimony on her conversion story and it was just amazing. the spirit was so strong.

It sounds like things are just going really great back home and that makes me just so happy. I really enjoy coming to the computer on Monday and seeing positive e-mails. I don't know how I'd re-act to things if they weren't so sweet. But I definately know it's not just coincidence. I know it partly is because I'm here, you are housing missionaries and that you are all living the gospel. It's so true that when we obey the commandments the Lord will make us prosper. I've seen that a lot lately!

My studies have been really good lately. I've gotten a lot out of the scriptures and it's just been very rewarding you could say. I just started Jacob yesterday and I've started a new thing where I read one chapter a day but I read it and then I re-read it. And the last couple of days of doing that have just been so good. I've gotten a lot out of it the 2nd time around then I did the first time. So I'm glad that I'm doing that.

Well, I'm not sure of what else I can write about. Not much has happened that I haven't written about and this has been a long one. Guess I'm done.

I love you all and thank you so much for everything you do for me and the Lord!