LETTER MAIL:
Sister Mckenzie Ann Ottley
PO Box 33-840
Takapuna 0740
Auckland
New Zealand
MY WHANAU! [Family]
Hello! I miss your faces, and hope you're having a wonderful day! And also: Happy Birthday to little Daxton! (In your time, that is!)
The weeks just keep FLYING by. I can't even believe it's Monday again! It feels like I was just emailing yesterday. The ups and downs of this week have been intense in all honesty. But – before I get into it, I want you to know that I truly am wonderful. Because I've grown closer to my Father in Heaven and Saviour. And because they have blessed me through all trials, emotions and PHYSICAL STRUGGLES this week.
Ha. I'm making it sound worse than it is. I just had a mini breakdown again. It's fine. :)
Ah: Also, BIG news of the week: I've finished my first journal. I don't know if I've mentioned this – but I made a goal from the very beginning that I was going to write in my journal EVERY DAY of my ENTIRE mission. #goingstrong. And I'm loving it. It helps me to reflect at the end of each day, and it's lovely. So yes. I've made it through an entire journal thus far. And I've added pictures in it, which is kind of fun. :) ....And also makes it a little difficult to close. But whatevs. #happymemories.
The week started with a BANG though. We got to teach Kayla! :) Kayla's a young mum with a partner and 2 boys. And they're adorable. She's SO ready to hear the gospel, and the Lord's timing is brilliant. We were able to teach the first lesson to her this last week, and we have another appointment set with her tomorrow! Woooooo! PARTY! Total excitement! :)
Wednesday we were able to sing at BayCare (as we do every Wednesday morning), and it was wonderful. There's an old man there who's one of our constants – always there, engaged in our singing, and always makes us feel just grand about ourselves. His name is Arthur. And this week his son, Bruce, was there with him. After a couple songs, Bruce asked if he could record us... Haha. Weird things. But we said yes. And sang "Be Still My Soul" – because I'm a little more confident in the alto of that song (being my favourite and whatnot!). He was a lovely man, and made us very happy. Bruce then left, and we continued singing. Arthur this week seemed to be more engaged than normal, listening and always smiling when I looked at him. But then, there was a moment as we sang our last song, "God Be With You Till We Meet Again" (its tradition at the end of each week now), that he was very focused, and almost sad. And it almost made me tear up. And then as I went to tell him goodbye – he actually started tearing up and crying. This man has the Spirit so strongly about him, and I don't even know if he knows it! But I felt it that morning. All the residents there are just so loving and happy to see us, and watching him in this moment just made singing there that much more special. :) I'm always excited to go back and see our dear Arthur. :)
We were also able to help one of our members in Paihia in their adventure of moving to Whangarei – and helped to clean their little house they're moving out of. Because, we love them, and we're going to miss them DEARLY. And also because Marie is very pregnant. It was exciting to get to pitch in a bit. And I MISS CLEANING – I mean, we clean our flat every Monday, but it's different when it's for someone else.
And then – James and Taylar Hartley, and their daughter Sophie. They're recent converts who just moved to Waitangi from Whangarei, so we stop in to visit with them every so often, and we're hoping to make Peach Cobbler with them soon! (Ha. James has heard about it and is DYING to try it!)
Exciting thing this week is that I became GREAT friends with Sophie. She's almost 3, and has seemed a bit shy until now.... so I was excited when playing catch with her pink Disney princess ball pulled us together a bit more! Visits are always exciting with them. Love them dearly!
Following these days of being in the CLOUDS where we were so happy – came the day of Sister Ottley finally crashing. I'm honestly still not entirely sure why (this seems to be a trend among my mini breakdowns), but Thursday I was just ridiculously emotional. All. Day. #soannoying. I was tired of my stupid bug bites/rash thing and I think I was just straight up tired.
And then – by the end of the day, I admited to myself that I think I was just a little homesick. So we ended up going to the flat a bit early, I slept forever, and talked with Sister Bath and Sister Balli that night. All is well. And it led to the next day of a doctor appointment.... I swear, I've been to the doctor more in the last 4 months than in the last 4 years of my life!! #newplaceprobs
Oh. Also: Sister Pointer shared with me that my "release of emotions" could have possibly been due to the fact that I was using Lavender so much... because apparently it does that to you? I was putting it on my rash on my legs, cause it was helping to calm it.... but I think it may have been too much too? Who knows.
Anyhoo. Friday resulted in finally perking up a bit, planning for the upcoming week, and then – Sister Bath called. She had a doctor appointment for me. So we went. I told the doctor about my back. They had me take a urine test ('cause it's apparently protocol here? ....first time I've done that), and what do they find out? Apparently I have a UTI.... ? Still not entirely sure that's true, because: there were/still are no symptoms of it. Other than apparently the rash on my legs could be linked to it? And the lower back pain? What? So.... now I'm on a perscription for that! And it makes me ill. #nosurprise! All medication makes me ill. But – all is well. We're trying new things. I do think the rash might be starting to go away? A little? ....Or I"m just getting used to it. Like everything else. (Haha.... my life.)
So – life moves on. Friday we also finally got to catch up with one of our Less Actives who's NEVER HOME. So that was exciting. She's lovely. Aunty Kahe is her name, and she showed us a bunch of books her daughter had brought back for her from Salt Lake when she visited. And she had us sign in the one with temple pictures next to our temple! Ha. She's so cute. Also: She had a hymn book that had pictures in it. GORGEOUS THINGS.
And Saturday was spent in Russell. :) We love Russell. And we met some lovely people there this week. We also met with one of Clive's friends (Clive = member in Paihia Branch). Her name is Helen. (See picture in my dropbox of me and her.) Can't miss her! She's got BRIGHT RED HAIR! :) ) She's an artist, and wonderful and SO lovely. She shared some of her art with us, as well as her daughters/sons – they're all artists in their family. Ha. — You should also see if you can look them up! Helen Pick and Seraphine Pick. Some fun stuff. Helen did a chair series that's actually kind of fun, and has some cool stories behind the paintings...
Sunday is always lovely, and testimony meeting makes it even lovlier.
And this morning we had Zone Devotional, as it's the end of the transfer (what??!) and our dear Elder Crane is leaving us. Coming back home to the Utah land! — It's really true that Utah's just taking over the NZ Auckland Mission! Haha.
Life is beautiful, the work keeps moving on, and I learn HEAPS each and every week — even if sometimes I don't realize it until I write out this email. Sometimes I just feel inadequate, and like I don't know what I'm doing. But: I do. I just have to gain that faith and confidence in myself that I know my Saviour has in me. "I can do hard things!" — As our dear Bishop Fitzgerald told me to repeat to myself as we were beginning the mission papers process. That came to me this last week, and in a moment of truly needing it too! Because, I can!! We can ALL do hard things — and what is does is makes us all stronger, and to become the people that our Father and Saviour want us to be. Life is grand, the work continues, and I learn more and more each day about how this experience is helping me more than I realize at times.
This gospel is true, folks. It will ALWAYS be true, and we learn that by having FAITH. By reading the SCRIPTURES – The Book of Mormon – and by listening to the counsel given to us by our prophets and apostles that lead and guide us all in this Church today. Joseph Smith gave his ALL to help in the restoration of this Church, and we need to help in CONTINUING IT ON! Life is beautiful. :) Keep on keepin' on!
I hope you have a most lovely week, and that all continues in greatness and happiness!
Arohanui,
Sister Mckenzie Ann Ottley
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