Miracles Happen!

A Slow week. And a week (again) of Sister Anitema and I switching off between being ill and/or in pain. Ha.  But all is well :) I promise. Nothing a little sleep, ice packs, and hot water bottles couldn't fix!

But, the THEME of the week is this:  PRAYER WORKS :)

MONDAY was simple - Zone Devotional, P-day, shopping, nap time, and visiting potentials and families around our area. :) Oh - and we met a nice man on the street named Chino! He told us he'd bring us Kebab's sometime. Haha. [Like our Shish Kebabs.) Hopefully we catch him again and exchange kebabs for a lesson ;)

TUESDAY we had ZONE CONFERENCE. I love Zone Conference.  Even though it's kind of a long time of sitting and listening - it's good. It gives us guidance, and helps us to figure out how we can be better teachers :)   We had MCM Tuesday night, and we're just so grateful for a Ward Mission Leader. He keeps us even MORE organised, and helps us figure out ways we can work more effectively in this area.

WEDNESDAY we had a comp study with Elders Hunter and Raymer - they're just hilarious. Elder Raymer is a very....straight-faced and somewhat emotion-less Elder. Which makes things funny. He also has much more of a deep and rustic voice than you'd expect would come out of him. Anyhoo.  They're both wonderful and we had a nice comp study - talking about things we learned from our Zone Conference, and how we've decided to "up" our game! The rest of the morning was spent visiting a lovely old lady named Crysta Bell - who I probably said a bit about last week. Ha. She, sadly, was still locked in her house and couldn't let us in...but we still said hello and left her a little note and passalong card in the door for when her daughter got home. One day we'll catch her when the key is in the house!

After lunch, we were off biking! And finding new ways to get to the opposite side of our area. And through Henderson Valley Park. Adventures :) I love it. But...this also resulted in us realising there's different trails on different sides of the river....so the trail we THOUGHT would lead to Rhinevale Close, definitely did not. And we ended up in a part of the park just under Garelja. Ha. So Sister Anitema collapsed on the ground to look at the map. I parked my bike and joined her. And then - we learned that miracles come from exhaustion as well! Haha. As we sat looking at the map, trying to figure out the best way to get to where we were going, a man named Raymond came walking up the path.  We said "hello," he said "hello" back, and walked over to the benches not too far away from us, to put his groceries down. He asked what we were up to - so we told him we were just trying to figure out the best way to get to a street we were going to. He came over and asked who we were - so we introduced ourselves as the missionaries, and he said, "Ooh! I'll come over here and we can have a chat." He came over, and we talked about LOTS of things. We got to know him a bit - and we had mini lessons with him about... many things. Haha. We talked a bit about Joseph Smith, about Christ and His teachings, and what we do as missionaries. We gave him a Restoration pamphlet, and he told us we could come around to his house "anytime!!" He also told us that we were especially to come over if we were ever in trouble.  And we definitely felt he would beat up whoever bothered us. So...it's nice to have friends like that. Ha. Not that I've ever needed that kind of help....but ya know. Not bad to have ;)  So...he was a little LIGHT in our afternoon.

We continued around, visiting a few people and sharing messages to go with Easter.  (Because Easter is Brilliant.) We returned to the flat for dinner, slept - because, I think I was killing Sister Anitema with the biking life a bit... and then we were off again! —On the bikes :) Ha.

We tried to visit a family we've been given as a referral, but sadly...they weren't home. But there was another little miracle of a kitten at their home for us to cuddle for a minute and feel better about life. Tender mercies :)
We visited the Taumafai's, and after a little message, they took pitty on us, shoved our bikes into the back of one of their cars, and drove us home :) LOVE. Also because Sister Anitema was just...exhausted.

THURSDAY! Happy St. Patricks day! ...Mine was spent in the flat. Ha.  Sister Anitema woke up around 6 having a petite seizure. (So.... we didn't go out, for many reasons.) She slept for...the majority of the day. Really, all but about 3 hours. 1 hour in the morning when she and I talked a bit so I could know how to best help her, and 2 hours in the afternoon when she came out to eat something and whatnot. But she really doesn't remember much of that 2 hours. Haha. Ooooh my dear Sister. I love her :) But by the end of her sleep day she felt better. I was a little worried I'd just killed her off with the amount of biking we did.  I also throughout the day sat staring at her to make sure she was breathing. Because... man. I've NEVER met anyone who breathes SO SLOWLY when they sleep. And also never moves. There was parts of me that wanted to be like Ashley when Acacia was a baby and kick her bed to make her wake up! Or at least move! Hahaha. But no worries. She's alive and well ;)

FRIDAY we had a comp study with the Zone Leaders—Elders Saulo and Nielsen—weekly planning, andddd Lunch with the Gaitau's :) Sister Gaitau is our Relief Society president, and her daughter, Alisha, just got back from her mission, and Grace - who is Sister Gaitau's niece and Alisha's cousin (obviously), came along as well. Grace is our MIRACLE of miracles for the week :) —Why? To come :) But we had a lovely time getting to know her a bit better, and a lovely time with our dear members. Members who are KEEN for the missionary work life. We've just gotta find ways of how to better involve them.  And it's going to be grand :)

The rest of the afternoon was spent meeting a few new people, along with a less-active who is one of the sweetest people I've ever met.  I've met her husband once before - who's apparently "anti" mormon. But with Sister Hobbs and me, he seemed rather nice! — Reason why I bring this up, is because as Sister Anitema and I were standing at the door talking to Coralie, her sister drove up to drop something off to her.  We waved and she gave us a somewhat disapproving look, beckoned for us to come to her and then told us how "Coralie wouldn't tell us, but her husband is anti and wouldn't be happy that we were there, and would probably be rather abusive to her later for us being there." .... Her sister is an active member. Where is your FAITH, my dear? And where is this coming from?  we wondered. Because... last time, when we met Coralie's husband, he actually told us how Elders used to come around to teach his son, and see Coralie.  And he told us that we were welcome to come back and visit them - just that he would never be interested. So.... we left, with a realization of how grateful we are to have members in our ward that are supportive of missionary work and not just trying to scare people away.... or at least, that's how it felt.

Anyhoo. That night we had a member lesson with the Leato family, and I just love them. Forever and always :) So sweet. But...sadly, their house, which they've been renting, has just been sold. And the buyer doesn't want to rent it out to people, but instead is moving in. So.... they have to find a new home, hopefully still in our area!!!

SATURDAY morning we got out, attempted to visit a few people, but only one was home. Our dear Abou. One day he'll come back to church.  ;) That afternoon I ....was in pain. Sick. Whatever you want to call it. Basically I've never had to deal with monthly pain in my entire life, right? Right. Even when living with different girls in University —but I think the CONSTANT changing between companions that DO.... has thrown me off! And so I couldn't move. And I hated it. Ha. So I slept that afternoon. We still made it out for dinner at the Pattersons, we talked with people on the street as we walked home, and then.... I just couldn't stand anymore. Thus: The Hot Water Bottle life, and it's comforting qualities :) Happiness :) But: Brilliant miracle of that night, was actually getting to meet one of our neighbors. From what we can tell she doesn't live there all of the time, but sometimes. She brought us into her house to meet her boys, and it was nice to make another friend right next to us :)

SUNDAY was the main day of MIRACLES. I got to see my dear AUNTY KATHY. As in: Kathy from Matauri Bay Kathy. She has a son and her dad who live here in our ward boundaries, and she's been up here again helping her dad who's been in and out of hospital (sad face). But I caught her this time, and then she came to our ward which was just lovely. She even came to our Gospel Principles class with Sister Samuelu, which we were grateful for, otherwise it would have just been Sister Tuatonga teaching with us and Ivan there. Haha. Following church we had a "linger longer" with soup and bread, which was lovely. We tried to get a few people to come, but alas. However, Julie - the lady we met who makes Mosaic pots for plants - called us! We had left a note on her door saying we missed her and that Sister Anitema wanted to meet her. She called and politely declined coming to eat soup and bread - but she's wonderful.

During church there was also this sad moment of us finding out that Grace could no longer come with us to the Come and See Fireside. ("Come and See" is basically a musical fireside for investigators and less-actives where they have people sharing their conversion stories and lots of music to invite the Spirit and happiness. I've never been to one yet because in Kaikohe you're too far away to go, and the last 2 that have happened we didn't have anyone to bring.... or they couldn't come at the last minute :P ) Now: Let me tell you just a bit about Grace. She's brilliant. She's 16, she's not a member, but SO IN TUNE. When Sister Gaitau was on her trip in Euorpe to pick up Alisha from her mission, Grace was staying with Sister Gaitau Sr. so Sister Gaitau's mother wouldn't be alone. Grace started going to SEMINARY (aka: early morning seminary, because we're not in Utah Valley where you have it in school.... haha). She's been coming to our ward for probably about a month now, and loves everyone in the ward. Last Sunday she even came up to Ssiter Anitema and me after church saying, "What did YOU learn today? I learned about the Atonement and..." etc etc. She's just.... perfect. But....the stumbling block: Her parents are kind of anti. So - Sunday, regardless of how KEEN Grace is to learn about the gospel and all the excitement, her parents told her she was to come home straight from church.  :( So... Sister Anitema prayed, we scrambled calling a bunch of others to find someone else to come - but, alas. No one else was answering their phones... or available to come. But: Prayer works :)  At 5:30, when we were supposed to leave, we got a text from Sister Gaitau saying that Grace could come now!! We still don't know WHY or HOW she was able to come, but.... The Lord softens hearts I suppose :) And Prayer is wonderful. We all went to Come and See, and there were beautiful experiences and songs shared that touched all of us. Grace was able to meet some of the other missionaries, some of Sister Anitema's converts, and President and Sister Balli. And not only did she meet these people — all night she was talking to us and telling everyone "when I get baptised...." or "when I joined the church....ok...when I started coming to church"  hahaha. She's talking as if she's already a member! So...MIRACLES. BLESSINGS.  HAPPINESS. HOPE and FAITH result in great things my friends!

We've already planned our lesson with her on Tuesday night, and we're just ecstatic! So...stay in tune for next week when we have the date set ;)

I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK. It's just ...brilliant. And, I've officially had the "half way" dream that most missionaries have about being back home.... so that's weird. Ha. I still can't really believe It's been 9-months. I've also come across those moments of wondering what I've done and if it's been enough and what more I can do.... And that's also why Come and See was wonderful....'cause I had a peace, that as long as I continue learning and moving forward and helping in the best way I know — everything will go how it needs to :)

Our Gospel is just brilliant. I'm the luckiest girl in the world to get to serve and share things I love with other people, even when it's hard because people reject the things that make you happy. But it just makes you realise the amount of love our Father in Heaven and our Saviour truly have for us. Because...we all deserve a kingdom better than what we experience in this life, and for that I'm grateful. But... I do also want all my brothers and sisters in the Celestial kingdom with me ;)

And to answer your question, my new companion, Sister Anitema, does speaks a little Tongan....but only things she's learned on the mission ;) Haha. She DEFINITELY sings. She actually studied MUSIC in school before she came out, and has taught a bit of piano, violin, and voice.  So she's got a brialliant voice :) She's 22, 23 in June :)

I'm not going to say Sister Anitema's my favourite companion, 'cause...I don't choose favourites. And ALL my companions are my favourite for different reasons. But... she's wonderful. And it feels lovely to laugh as much as we do together.

New Zealand is beautiful, although I'm also worried it's made me a little wussy....'cause it's just warm. And I'm terrified to come back to winter in Utah. Ha. But it's okay. I've still got 9 months ;)

LOVE AND MISS YOU ALL...and I hope you have a beautiful and miracle-filled week :)

Sister Mckenzie Ann Ottley
"Never give up on anyone. And that includes not giving up on yourself." —President Dieter F. Uchtdorf