Mckenzie Ann: NO BUGS, TRADE-OFFS, DOGS, & NEWS!

Phew! It's definitely been a week! One of those kind where you look back and think, "That was last Monday? How did we fit ALL of THAT in just one week!?"

MONDAY. It started on Monday with Zone Devotional, which was going to be a beautiful testimony meeting, but instead turned into Sister Boiteux and I hurredly running back to Kerikeri from Kaikohe because our flat was being sprayed for bugs! So....exciting and frustrating. I probably told you about this before but - all is well! Haha. Our flat is officially clean and there shouldn't be anymore scabies attacking our poor little Utah selves. :) The rest of p-day was nice though, playing Volleyball with the District and ending the night visiting Aunty Lydia. (I truly need to get pictures with these members and people so I can show them to you.) They're just my heart and soul.

AND MONDAY NIGHT: BRIGHT ORANGE MOON! And it was GIANT TOO. There's pictures... but they only kind of-ish capture it. Not really actually. Hah... Ah - and another result of Monday: "RIP to our poor little phone." Sister Boiteux dropped it accidentally - and in spite of ALL the times it's been dropped before (MANY... that poor little thing went through a lot), this one single time resulted in it never again turning on.... Ha. So, we've been phone-less for the week. Unfortunate, yes - but also nice in some aspects.... :P

TUESDAY started off with District meeting (as usual) and should have gone straight into Trade-offs with the Sister Training Leaders (Sister Allen and Sister Paasi). However, Sister Pointer and Tapuala have been struggling as of late - so they ended up having a bit of a meeting with the STL's to figure out some things about their companionship. As a result - we had trade offs with them as well! So I spent the day with Sister Allen and Sister Tapuala. :) We went to Matauri Bay while Sister Boiteux covered Paihia with Sister Paasi and Pointer. And it was definitely a beautiful day - beginning our trade off with some Fish 'n Chips all together at Vinnie's in Paihia for lunch and a little bit of frozen yogurt from Kababulous ("kabobs" are definitely different here, by the way. haha). I was able to visit, find, and learn some more from being with Sister Allen and Tapuala for the day - and gained new "light" of how to tract.... Tracting is a struggle for me. Because - knocking doors is just difficult. However, it's easier than just talking to random people on the street I suppose. All things that I know will continue to come better in time!

I always love showing new people around Matauri Bay - just because their faces are priceless with joy as they see the beautiful Bay when we drive down. :) We spent our dinner break on the grassy side of the bay and enjoyed the breeze. I was also able to meet with our investigator Jemmeka that night - who is finally seeming to get over a bit of the girl drama she's been going through lately. YAY! AHHHHH! **Literal rejoices from the angel choirs above!** She also committed to me that she'd start doing her reading and whatnot - and I told her we'd plan a fun activity of making chocolate oreos to go along with the gospel of Jesus Christ. *Excitement!*

When WEDNESDAY came around, Sister Boiteux and I picked up our dry cleaning (coats are clean and definitely bug free!) and went back to our flat - which ended up being a good thing, because sister Tapuala and Paasi showed up, asking if we could go on a bit of an "extended trade offs" for the week with the sisters. So - Sister Boiteux packed up all her stuff and went over to the other Sister's flat to be with Sister Tapuala, and I took in Sister Pointer. Honestly - I get along with Sister Pointer really well. She's been struggling on the mission with some depression which she's never had to deal with before. And I guess her and Sister Tapuala have just been struggling with not the best companionship ever lately. Anyhoo — We traded for a bit. And I think it gave Sister Pointer a bit of time to re-focus. A bit of time to talk with me, and time for us to also get to know each other better. I actually came into this area with Sister Pointer - she's from Cedar City and technically in the Samoan speaking program - but has been in the English program for a while now. But she's wonderful - and we actually get along really well. We have a lot in common with theatre and happiness and joy. :) So that's lovely because I got to "nerd-out" a bit with her.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT we also caught Aunty Apiata (we were supposed to have a lunch date with her but she wasn't home... due to having to go to the dentist! sad things). But we caught her at night - and she taught us FLAX WEAVING. Flax plants... I failed at actually taking a picture of one for you. But look it up! And then they get turned into CRAZY COOL things! We learned how to make a a Sting Ray flower and a fish. :) And technically a headband too. But neither Sister Pointer nor I can remember how to actually start that one... so I'll have to relearn. :)

Anyhoo. THINGS I LEARNED from Sister Pointer: To not be scared. To just talk to people. Go up to their doors and say 'hello' and know that YOU ARE IN CONTROL. And if the Spirit says otherwise, then follow that instead - obviously. We taught really well together, and have the same level of patience with people - which was also nice. Ha. Random thing I learned from her: Vicks Vapor Rub TAKES AWAY THE ITCH OF BUGS. Whaaaa? Yeah. I know. But it's grand. Try it.

THURSDAY we were back in Matauri - Finding some people, and actually getting to know Eddie Jones for the first time. He's a somewhat new(ly activated) member who's been quite sick up until now, so he's been in Auckland for different treatments. But he's wonderful! We got to hear a bit of his story - and: *drum roll* he WENT TO THE TEMPLE THIS WEEKEND TO GET HIS ENDOWMENT. Definitely excited to hear how that went for him!

At the flat that night Sister Pointer and I had some herbal tea together - because, once again - we learned we're more of the same person than we knew before. And listened to music and had a relaxing night before bed.

Because... FRIDAY was a big day!

ETHAN IS SET FOR BAPTISM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ...I couldn't handle it anymore. We taught Ethan after their Mutual activity - Brother White and Sister White helped us set it up, because it's difficult to get President to be there with us. And I ASKED HIM IF HE WANTED TO GET BAPTIZED AND HE SAID, YES! Honestly: We already knew this before, but he's apparently been going to church for SIX MONTHS now. (I definitely didn't know it had been that long.) And he's just "GOLDEN." He's set for the 26th of this month. SWEET AS! RIGHT?? It was a great feeling. And it also felt so right to be teaching that lesson with Sister Pointer. We needed that moment of encouragement together - and it was grand! :)

SATURDAY we traded back to our normal companions. :) But not until AFTER Personal, and Companion Study, and .... "Language Study!" :) - Because Sister Pointer is in the Samoan program. And so she taught me some Samoan!! And it's wonderful! :) "Talofa" means hello! ...That's what I remember right now. But I can some-what read it a little now, so that's pretty "sweet as" too!

Then Sister Boiteux and I, having learned new things about ourselves, as well as new things to do... We tracted Turner Street in Kaeo, met a few new people - and found some potentials! Then we went to Aunty Luanas for dinner - good and sad thing. Ha. 1) I've learned I don't like muscles. Not a great food in my life. 2) The rest of the food was delicious! And she sent us home with more! 3) The bad part: Her dog ate my shoe. Favourite shoe. The grey, comfy, sketcher. :( But... It's just a shoe. And life will move on. Even though Skechers are INSANELY EXPENSIVE here. But: once again, I'll live. :)

After dinner we decided to continue on, to find a referral in the Te tii area. So we went to this house, knocked on the door - and DOGS came BARRELING to the door. Then the SLIDING GLASS DOOR started SLIDING OPEN - to which I said, "SISTER! THE DOOR!" and she pushed it shut. We immediately both didn't feel anything was right after standing there a few more seconds - and decided it was time to leave. The Spirit prompting you "where to go and what to do" is true!

On SUNDAY we arrived at church - and the first thing Sister White said to us is, "Hey! There's a family visiting and they're from Utah!" Small world? Yup. So we went over to talk to the Sister: "Oh, where are you from?" Sister Boiteux answers, "I'm from Herriman - where are you from?" "Highland!" Me: "What!? ME TOO!" And then there was rejoicing, and we talked with the Fackrell family for a bit and sat with them during Sacrament Meeting. :) They are on vacation, which started in Australia, and then they had to try out New Zealand as well! They take all their kids on vacation after they graduate and before university. :) We were also able to teach Ethan again - by teaching all the Young Men! Brother White had us come and teach the Ten Commandments, which went over really well. I actually came up with sign language things that helped me in the MTC, but have now switched it up a bit to make sense for other people. Ethan honestly taught and answered more than the others, because: once again - he's Golden! Haha.

The White's also invited us over for dinner - because they love us. And who else had they invited? The Fackrell family! All the joy! It truly was a blessing and MIRACLE to have them show up to our little Paihia branch - and the fact that we went to the Paihia branch this week as well! Had we kept with the "every-other-week" thing, we would have been in Matauri this week. But - it was inspired that Brother White asked us to teach their class. And it was nice to have a little piece of home, even though I didn't know them before! Their daughter, Serena Fackrell just graduated from Lone Peak High School and is heading to BYU-I where she'll be studying Nursing (Phew!) And she's wonderful. And adorable. And thinking about serving a mission!!! So we got to talk, and tell her stories about university and how to prepare for a mission and all the joys. And I say: "Watch out world! Serena's comin' your way!" Because she's Golden, and truly ready for whatever is coming her way next! ;)

Anyhoo. So... that's my week. In a nutshell. And it was grand.

Weird obsessive things in my life:
- I've started collecting shells. - That's actually not new. But it's exciting. (Big shells here!) And I've got the couple sister missionary, Sister Clements, who helped us with our massive wash issues last week, also helping me—since she's actually "allowed" on the beach itself... I just reach for shells and find them in places that aren't actually the beach! (Ha)
- And also... Dominoes obsession. There's a grocery store called Countdown - and they do promotional things to capture your heart and make you spend money. Currently: Dominoes. There's 50 of them. And they're DISNEY! So I currently have 4. So... we'll see how that continues on.

Scriptures and things I've found/learned this week:
Alma 17:13-14 - <3 Missionaries!

"They separated themselves and departed one from another, trusting in the Lord. ... Great was the work which they had undertaken. ... For they had undertaken to preach the word of God." —Alma 17:13-14

Alma 13:28 - Things to pray for.

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering." —Alma 13:28

Alma 14:26, 15:10 - Everything in life is "according to our faith which is in Christ." ... It's so true. And I'm continuously learning more and more about it every day!

"How long shall we suffer these great afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance." —Alma 14:26

"O Lord our God, have mercy on this man, and heal him according to his faith which is in Christ." —Alma 15:10

1 Cor. 13 - CHARITY. It's a beautiful chapter. And just... happy. Charity is definitely something that continuously comes up in my studies, and I'm grateful for it.

"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. ... is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil. ... rejoiceth in the truth. ... Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. ... Charity never faileth!" —1 Cor. 13

CHALLENGE: One more thing I want to share, that can be kind of a "challenge" for all "yous" at home. :) This week I've started writing in a little "gratitude" journal book 3 different things daily. 1) Something I was grateful for that day, 2) A miracle, no matter how small, that happened, and 3) Something I learned. It's helped me realize there are truly exciting things even in the smallest of moments! :) It's also helping me realize the things I learn everyday. Because each of us learn something new everyday. Plus it's also a nice way to make your mind work a bit!

Life is good. It's all about learning.

MUCH LOVE!!
Sister Mckenzie Ann Ottley