Long Week!

PONDERIZE for the week: Alma 26:27. "He will grant us success." :) It's grand! :)

It's still amazing to me how certain days—or WEEKS, in this case—can seem long. But.... the mission still is just flying by. 13 months? What? Where did that time go? Was it not just January 2015 yesterday? Weird.

Anyhoo. Regardless of how long the week has been, it's still been good. Just chaotic with transfers and moving people and saying GOODBYE to people, and alllll the things! "Killing" missionaries [saying goodbye] is still the hardest of things for me I think. But it's part of life :) And it's all good. And if you haven't already guessed by now, Sister Lemalu and I have not been transferred.

Last MONDAY we went BOWLING. I'm still really bad at it, but I enjoy it :) It's always nice to just get out and do something to shake things up a bit. It was also the wish of Sister Taylor to DO something for her last P-day :) Saying goodbye is....always hard. Especially with Gila, and now Rarawa and Taylor. But, we have pictures. So that's all okay :) And... it just means that I'll have to go to Melbourne and Fiji one day now, so..... #WorldTravels

TUESDAY we picked up my dear Sister Boiteux from the Sunset Sister's flat as she was dropping her companion (my granddaughter, Sister Fonua) there to be picked up by Elder Garth. Because... Sister Fonua finally got her Visa to go to Mississippi! Wooooo Visa's! So, my posterity is officially being continued on in a new mission :) Exciting things! So we were lucky enough to have Sister Boiteux with us for the day, until she got her new companion at transfers. We all went to District Meeting - to find.... Sister Anitema!!!  (She was companions with Sister Hoiesi for the day, since Sister Taylor and Rarawa were at orientation at the Mission Home before leaving.) So... Anitema and Hoiesi decided to come to our district meeting instead of chancing missing Anitema's in Henderson. We also said our goodbyes to the elders leaving the zone... specifically our district.... Chatwin and Murdock. Gonna miss them!

Then we had lunch after district meeting, and I got to catch up with Sister Anitema on the Hendo life, before they were off to their crazy lives, of moving flats!

Tuesday afternoon.  NEW INVESTIGATOR!  Brendon :) Yes, as in New Zealand's "Brendon Thomas and the Vibes!" [Look them up.] Hahaha...... We've been dropping in to say hi, and last time we stated our real purpose and he said it was "cool" and that we could totally come around and share things! We haven't actually met his mum yet, but his dad is lovely and we're hoping to meet all of them :) They're South African like so many in this area.  He's actually the most CHILL person you'll ever meet, but he's also keen to LEARNING - so power to him!! And there will be interesting things in the future. He's already brought up the Word of Wisdom thing so we'll see how continuing things go! :) Ha. He invited us into his house (and since there were THREE of us that day, we could, even though his mum didn't seem to be home). And then he invited us into his part of the house - aka: his bedroom. He told us to "make ourselves comfortable" (in his super chill surfer-dude type voice).  Haha.. He's hilarious. And so... we awkwardly sat on the floor. But he's good. And he's understanding more now what our purpose of missionaries actually is. So that's all good too :)

Tuesday night....we had to say our LAST GOODBYE to our dear Sister Taylor.  Gonna miss that one! But she's served a brilliant mission, and it's her turn to go about the new adventures back home in Melbourne now ;)

WEDNESDAY.  Transfers! And all the confusion thereof. Dropping Sister Boiteux off, picking up new sisters — originally thinking we would end up having to drive back to Panmure to pick up MORE sisters after driving out to Waterview.... but no worries. It all got sorted out and we only had to do a little bit of crazy running around. It was a bit sad in the sense of "I didn't get to bring my baby (Sister Boiteux) to the bus stop to pick up her new companion" — aka: Sister HOBBS.  But it's all good :)  Ha. I love how all my companions have been companions with each other for the most part now. It's great.

Later we had volleyball in Hibiscus with a couple of the potential investigator non-members, and ....they even got me to play this week. Haaaaa. Struggle is real. Haven't played in AGES. But, they were all very supportive and loving and cheered me on, even though....well...me and sports. Enough said! Ha.

THURSDAY... struggle. Sickness.  It's fine. No worries. And to answer the question you asked last week — no, no aches or pains anymore, just get itchy still :) Ish. A little. No worries. It's nothing the clear pills you sent aren't taking care of for me :)

FRIDAY! Planning. Saw Philip, and Sister Lemalu's family – Hahahaha. And with Sister Lemalu's parents "waltzing in," as you put it, no, it's definitely still not allowed. It's just a thing with Islander families "happening to be in the right place at the right time" Haaaa..  But it's all good :) If I somehow do run into the Ostenson's when they come, then, ya know - power to it! Haha. Aaaand... We had a sort of appointment with our NOW, NEW INVESTIGATOR. Her name is Linda. She called us about a week ago, asking if we would have any use for an air hockey table at our church.  We asked around and found someone to take it (Sister Lemalu's family) so -we all went to pick it up :) We were able to stay a bit after and get to know her a bit. She said we should come by again soon for a "cup of coffee or something" (hot chocolate? ha.) But, apparently neither of us felt prompted to actually set a for real appointment.... But it was a blessing in disguise, because later that night she texted us asking if we "could come over tomorrow for some takeaways or something, and to chat" .... :) The Lord's timing. It's the best when people get to act for themselves, instead of us just prying into their lives. (Okay, not prying, but sometimes prying.) A lovely member lesson with our dear Sister Erin Matla followed :) And it was just grand. Love her to pieces.

SATURDAY our lunch date with Linda — and this is how prepared her heart is. We went out to Pita Pit, and her first sentence to us as we sat down to eat was, "So.... tell me about your faith."  :)  She's brilliant, and we're just so excited to keep working with her.  :)  Miracles always abound. It's true. And they keep us going and going :)
Oh. And Torbay Ward activity. I learned to check the oil and change the tyre of a car. Haaaa.  It was good :) (The whole activity was based on self-reliance with little workshops on education, health, car maintenance, food storage, etc. complete with a bit of zumba and a potluck at the end!)

SUNDAY. President Balli came to the Hibiscus Ward to speak :) And it was exciting and brilliant and according to Brother Maire, he's already seen a bit of change in excitement to get into the life of missionary work from some of the members. So.... all the excitement :) There was also a brilliant talk given by one of our members (Sister Greening) in which she mentioned a portion of this quote....and it's just one of those things that you NEED sometimes.

"You are LOVED. You are dear to your heavenly parents.
The infinite and eternal Creator of light and life knows you! ... He is not waiting to love you until you have overcome your weaknesses and bad habits. He loves you TODAY with a full understanding of your struggles. He is aware that you reach up to Him in heartfelt and hopeful prayer. He knows of the times you have held onto the fading light and believed—even in the midst of growing darkness. He knows of your sufferings. He knows of your remorse for the times you have fallen short or failed. AND STILL HE LOVES YOU." —President Uchtdorf, Ensign November 2014

Brilliant. Isn't it? We are LOVED, no matter what. And that's what He needs us to know. Through His servants and apostles. So - Sunday was good. We also had a brilliant dinner with our dear Elli Duncan :) (less-active, with many-a-goals in coming back), a brilliant meal (but also with a lot of dairy, which resulted in Sister Lemalu being...rather ill, regardless of the tablet she took. Ha. Sad things. But also not surprised). And... it was just good getting to know her and her needs even more.

One of the main things I would say I've learned on this mission is just how IMPORTANT the LITTLE THINGS are.  It's not the big things we do that keep us strongly standing within this gospel—I mean, no doubt that the big things are what help us grow and gain the most—but it's the LITTLE THINGS that keep us grounded in order to gain that little bit of strength that we need each day. CHURCH. PRAY. READ. Our SPIRITUAL CPR. Church: for us to renew our covenants, and to uplift and strengthen us each week. Pray: to always have that connection with our Heavenly Father and to learn through personal revelation.  And Read: Well - 'cause we need that knowledge and revelation through the scriptures DAILY, for our testimony and foundation in Christ to be strengthened. It's so simple. And I KNOW that these are the things that our Heavenly Father needs us to do to return to him. I still have yet to figure out/remember/go back through my notes to figure out what apostle said this - but, "If you read the Book of Mormon EVERYDAY, you will never go less active." (I'm fairly sure it was shared at either a mission conference, or the regional conference...or some sort of conference we had.) But I DEFINITELY have gained a testimony of that.  It's there for us for a reason, and we need to STUDY it's brilliant words.

Anyhoo. You're all lovely, and wonderful and I love you and miss you heaps. I hope your upcoming week is filled with joy and happiness, and that all your wildest wishes come true ;)

Alofa Tele Atu, (This one's Samoan for "I love you all heaps!") #SamoanCompanion

Sister Mckenzie Ann Ottley