First: Ponderise. Because I've been failing at actually for real ponderising a scripture a week for a couple weeks now. But we're coming back again!
"And to LOVE him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." —Mark 12:33
So. MONDAY - simple p-day, but also crazy. And then chaotic trying to find a way to get to the Papali'i's quickly for our FHE with the family! But, luckily our dear Donnaldson's saved us and gave us a ride - 'cause...there wasn't any way we would have made it to their house in the amount of time we had to get there...on foot OR bike! HaHa. So - blessings. We had a wonderful time getting to know Bishop, his wife, and most of their boys a bit better, and teaching the restoration to their family. They're wonderful, so fun, and just brightened our day. Oh - and Sister Papali'i helped us out by giving us a recipe for Banana bread....'cause we had a million bananas that NEEDED to be used. (Really though. Like 12 bananas.) Oh, and also for P-day activities, I started teaching Sister Anitema how to crochet. At first she was convinced she would never get it and was frustrated because things usually just come extremely easy to her... And now... she's pro. Ha. Patience ;) And I also don't know what I've created by teaching her this skill. Ha. More examples of what I mean by that to come. ;)
TUESDAY was District Meeting! And we prepared for and taught Grace. GRACE! She's definitely our little SHINING LIGHT. She was our main happiness of Tuesday. We went to the Gaitau's for dinner, and then taught a lesson before we had MCM (Missionary Committee Meeting) and Grace had youth at the chapel. How do we know Grace is ready? She started crying before we even officially started into the lesson.... She's just... so in tune with the Spirit and beautiful and we're so lucky to be teaching her and to be friends with her :) We shared the message of the Restoration, and then invited her to be baptised. Both Sister Anitema and i were SO sure before this moment that she would just say "yes, yes, yes!" But we were talking about it after, and even though we were SO SURE about it before the lesson, we both felt that something was different now. So - when we invited, she said "probably" and neither of us were surprised. Her parents ....aren't very supportive of the gospel, as far as we've heard, we've never actually personally met them. But they're also fine with her talking with us and going to seminary and to church. Grace said she had mentioned baptism to her mum — who instantly just said "No" and, well, obviously she needs that support being 16. But - it's okay. Because she still wants to learn. She still is so excited about everything within the gospel, and she's already started realizing all the different miracles that come from living in this new way ... ie: grades going up, even though she's getting up EARLIER to go to seminary every day. We love her. She just brings so much joy to us.
Also: Soon to come: The "Cupstoration." Sister Anitema and I haven't recorded it yet - due to the fact that I haven't practiced it enough yet.....but picture the Cups song (like in the movie, Pitch Perfect) but - Restoration style! Ha. It's great. All the excitement. Next week :)
And - the Elders (well, a few of them) have started a "biggest loser" for the remainder of their missions. —And it so happens to be some of the elders that will be returning home at the same time as me! So I'll get to see the full results. But - thing is: They have a money pot, and whoever loses the most - gets the money, obvi. Ha. So....we're helping out some of the elders to get healthier and it's grand fun :) We're going shopping with them today to teach them about healthy foods.
WEDNESDAY. The day of the "happiest news" of all time, and the "sorest arm" of all time!! Wednesday morning we called Elder Garth because.... last week our washing machine ....spazzed. And got water everywhere. So...the little portion of carpet that got wet was....still wet. And turning a funny color.#ExcitingThings #Mold #Bad But - he helped us figure out ways to help it dry better (we had tried many, many, many things) AND my dear Sister Anitema also mentioned, while we were on the phone, that we didn't have a car and our area was big..... He said, "There's still no cars right now...but I'll let you know."
Welp!! — About 10 minutes later, as we were getting ready to leave the flat, we got a call from Elder Garth again. "YOU GET A CAR!" (Picture this moment with Oprah's voice—YOU get a car, and you...) Haha. And he said he would be dropping it off to us that night! :) Whaaaaa? #SisterHobbsWouldDie #SheDoesn'tKnow
#ProbablyShouldn'tFindOut But.... until then, we went out on foot. Visiting VALE and actually catching her at home. (Fun fact, that's the first time I've walked to her house - on Bedford Road - and..... it takes like 4 times the amount of time to get there on foot as it does to bike it..... ha. Seriously. 10 minutes vs. 40.) But we got to share a little Easter message with her and it was exciting :) She's still keen to learn, we just have to figure out better ways to get her to open up more and explain to us what we can do to make our teaching more applicable to her learning. Slowly but surely. Gonna be great :)
And then - that afternoon, we had a Dr. appointment for Sister Anitema down in Manukau, ...but no car, so... our STL's came and pickd us up! (Well, Sister O'Reilly.... they were on tradeoffs, so she was with Sister Owhiler for the day.) And then....we spent most of the rest of the day at the doctor. Waiting, and waiting..... and also: the fun thing when we all arrived, there was Sister Bath also there saying "You're all getting your flu shot while you're here!" ...Sigh. And my arm did not agree with whatever was in this year's vaccine here. Ha. It kept twitching for the rest of the day.....fun times! But it's fine. And now I won't get sick....hopefully Faith. We'll just have faith.
Oh. And there was a lot of crocheting in mine and Sister Anitema's life while we waited for the doctor. (I'm making a scarf.) :) But we still got home in time to grab a bite to eat before rushing off to ward council with Sister Gaitau. Brilliant. Love our ward. And they're all getting more into missionary work. So.... baby steps :)
And then. That night. After we had planned.....what showed up at our door? Sister and Elder Garth! With our NEW CAR!! It's a 2013 blue Holden Cruze, and we love her. Sorry - no pictures of her.... nor do we have a name for her yet. But that's 'cause she's not beautifully clean yet, due to whatever set of Elders last had her in Whangarei... All goods though. We're cleaning her up today and I'll give you a further update as to what we decide to name her. #Excitement. Love it!
THURSDAY. We got to see Ivan! It's been much too long. We put together little Easter presents for him and Grace, and went to visit for a bit. Also for Sister Anitema to get to know him. And... sports are a blessing. Bet you never would have seen that statement coming from me! Ha. But...Ivan connected with Sister Anitema instantly - via them, both having strong loves for AFL (Australian Football League). It's different from American football.... kind of like football, soccer and basketball all mixed in one....sort of. Ha. But it was exciting. And Ivan's just wonderful.
This is the night where stress hit me hard, 'cause....I started feeling like a failure, and like I knew nothing.... because our numbers for the week were just struggling. And I couldnt' figure it out. I just wanted to see miracles and teach and all the things again. But I felt like it wasn't happening. And ....I was just frustrated. So....after our plans for the night didn't work, we ended up going to visit the Masiasomua's ... because we had a car and we could! :) And it made all the things better. Not all the family was home, but President talked with us for a bit, asking about the people we're working with and whatnot.....and it made me realise how grateful I am for the people that we have met, and the blessing that the people we are working with ARE. And I felt better. 'Cause.... President seems to always have a way of sharing things that make everything better. #Parents #Best
FRIDAY. Weekly planning! And then TRADEOFFS! Ha. I still think back to the first time I went on tradeoffs and I was terrified! Now I love them. :) And..... I got to go to PANMURE. (Aka: SOUTH AUCKLAND!) And WITH MY MUM. I've missed being with Sister O'Reilly. How lucky am I that I get her as an STL now!?? Love. All the love. We had an appointment at a resthome to visit some people - yes, I got to go to a resthome again with Sister O'Reilly. And it was exciting. 'Cause we also got to sing a bit again together. I'VE MISSED IT. For some reason I have more confidence singing and harmonizing with her than other people. It's just....comfortable. Love.
We also taught one of her investigators that night named Ronald. MAN, I wish my investigators had as many questiosn as he did! Haha. He's hilarious, and it was just an exciting time to teach with Sister O'Reilly again.
SATURDAY. The tradeoff continued, tracting a bit, finding some less-actives, and just trying to find people on the streets. When we came up to a little couple cleaning up a tree that had snapped and fallen down in the recent (CRAZY) windstorm, we offered and were able to help them in cleaning up branches and whatnot. So....we also got to tell them a bit about what we do as missionaries, and invite them to church. They said they'd try to come sometime, or at least for a chapel tour to see what it was like. ...After we left, I told Sister O'Reilly she had to keep me updated on them. Because.....golden potentials, right there :) Service softens hearts, and it's brilliant.
After tradeoffs we were able to go out a bit, have some dinner, and visit the Butlers. A beautiful night and exciting to see the Butler's beautiful faces again. Love them, HEAPS. Forever and always.
EASTER SUNDAY! Miracles!! We visited a less-active, and continued down her street to visit some others from our "potentials" list. And then....we were walking past a house of a lady named Angel. I've stopped by her house.....many times. And she's never been in. But this time, she was! We talked to her a bit and invited her to Easter Sunday services. Aaaaaand.... more on her later :)
We continued on down the road, finding not many home - but still loving our time out. And: We found FEJOIAS. Aka: A New Zealand fruit that I've been DYING to try. They're nearly ripe, and you can find trees... a lot of places. Happiness. We met some lovely people, then made it back to the car to get some lunch at home and to the chapel for church. As we drove up to the chapel and parked, who did we see getting out of her car? ANGEL!! She came! :) Easter Miracles! She came to sacrament meeting, sang songs, and asked questions about the sacrament. Sadly, part way through she started not feeling too well, so she left a bit early, but...we're excited to go back and visit her again. :)
And then the blessings of having a car came in handy again. Because in between church, instead of just scrambling to find a way to our dinner appointment, we went to visit Dora and Sia. And they were HOME. And another plot twist: THE FATHER OF THE HOME IS A MEMBER. Less-active, but a member. Whaaaa? So - we invited Dora and Sia to the Women's Broadcast next week, and told them about conference the following week. [NZ sees everything a week later than the US.] #Beautiful. Love.
We had a beautiful and ....FILLING (Samoan) dinner at the Tailiavao's, and then found a miracle in NOT finding someone to go with us to a Family History Fireside....
'Cause, see, in order to go to firesides and things like that in the stake, we have to have someone with us. But... no one was available. So instead, we stopped by Birgette's. She's a less-active in the ward, and ...just brilliant. She came to church a couple weeks ago, along with her partner, kids and their exchange student. Her partner and student aren't members....nor is her 9-year-old daughter baptised. And what did we do after getting to know them all a bit this night? Set up appointments to teach the family :)
Another fun thing? Birgette is a HAIRDRESSER. And so....hipster. Haha. LOVE. And so excited to get to know them all better :)
And, of course, the nightly crocheting obsession "best quote ever" that took place after I took Sister Anitema's crocheting from her to help her finish off her hair band was:
"Wait. But now I can't crochet... No, wait. Watch. I bet I can crochet this electrical cord." *Then she picks up the phone charger cord* "Look! See?! CROCHET!" She's obsessed. Haha.
And then further evidence of the psycho I've created - This morning:
"I'm making boxes for my scriptures. ... WAIT. I could CROCHET A CASE—and there could be a cute little button flap." (Her word choice, not mine, as we all know how I feel about the word flap.) Yes, yes she has actually started crocheting a case for her scriptures! This is why I'm not sure what I've created by teaching her to crochet. Hahahaha. Love her.
So.... Life is grand. I can't even believe it's been 9 months!! What? I don't even know how that happened. And that RIAH IS HOME!! OH MY RIAH. I listened to the song and testimony Leesh sent, and she's just a beautiful shining light of happiness and joy! I can't even believe she's home. It's amazing how QUICKLY a year and a half goes! And only 9 more months until I get to see my cute little girl again too ;) Ha. Little. My spiritually GIANT little girl ;) WELCOME HOME MY DEAREST RIAH!! I'LL SEE YOU IN ANOTHER 9!
I hope you're all having a most brilliant Easter weekend back home. I know that Heavenly Father and our Saviour watches over each and every one of us each day. They help us in every possible way they can — all we have to do is BELIEVE in them and TURN to them. They help us through struggles and joys, and always will :) I love Easter. It's just exciting. Oh - and my dear whanau, thank you for the package :) I love little bits of home. Happiness.
Have a most splendid week, and I hope to see all the pranks that go on now that we're going into April! ;) ...Weird, right?
Arohanui,
Sister Mckenzie Ann Ottley
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