Kiwi Life!

Kia Ora from your (adorable) Kiwi Missionary! —Ha, so humble, I know ;) 

You are all beautiful. And I love your messages and happiness and QUOTES. ALL the quotes you've found and that others have found are WONDERFUL.  I love them all so much! I'm also laughing at the amount of people that were searching for this little quote for me! Haha. So much love ;) 

The Kiwi life is splendid. Though - I think I forgot to mention to you last week that my dreams of ever seeing an actual Kiwi Bird were shattered when Elder Blandford (who is from New Zealand) said to me, "Ha! Yeah right! I've even only seen like 5 in my lifetime!" ...So - this resulted in the true hunt of "finding a Kiwi" - a stuffed one that is. So, you now get to meet "Kaikohe" the Kiwi Bird! - Yes, named after my Zone :) I found him on Saturday in a super tourist-y shop during our lunch break.  Good times :) And he now sits on my bed and keeps me company :)

Has it truly really already been another week though? Each week I'm amazed by how fast time flies, and how much more we wish we could do each day! But the Lord's timing is the right timing, and He leads us where we need to be.

This week, while yes- fast, was also kind of slow... I know. Oxymoron-ish. But Sister O'Reilly and I have struggled a bit in both of our areas in trying to find people, having the faith to walk up to people on the street and just talk (Yes. This is definitely still a difficult concept in my mind.), and finding things to do as it gets later in the night. "Why later in the night," you ask? Because people here actually sleep! — I know, a super foreign (Ha. Haha.... I'm funny) concept to our family. But not only do they sleep, but a lot of people go to bed WITH THE SUN. Aka: 6pm it gets dark, which is the end of our Dinner break. ....Struggles. But! All is well. We're going to be looking for more people that are available at night - other than members (cause we know they're open to us coming) - but hopefully some less actives.

Which brings me to things I've come to realize this week.
There's actually kind of a lot of people in our Branches - but, they're mostly less actives. Thus, our wards only being 20-40 people. And this makes me sad. So: Question time for ya'lls. What are the best ways you can think of to help us get MEMBERS INVOLVED in ACTIVATING THE LESS ACTIVE?? Other hard things this week:  Daniel has been gone, so we haven't been able to see him this week. (But THANK YOU for prayers - I KNOW they help, and hopefully we'll get to see him this week to catch up and see how he's doing.) And then - another one of our investigators, Nazarene, is now moving :( She's moving to Auckland with her mum so she has some help with the baby that's on it's way. This is...another reason why I think this week has been a struggle. They were kind of our main progressing people we were teaching.  And now there's been times when we feel a bit like we've lost them. But - I can feel that it's going to be okay. I know it. The Lord has planted us here to plant seeds, and that's what we're going to do for now.
Lets see.... what else.
MONDAY. (Last week) ZONE Nerf war.  Hahaha... so many good times, and our district is the BEST - playing in onesies.  Cause we're adorable.

Nerf War District Onesies

Another great thing this week was going to the "2$ shop" as Sister O'Reilly calls it - to find costume pieces for the Cultural Night the Stake Relief Society put on this weekend. Each ward/branch represented a different country/place of the world - our Branches did Japan (Paihia branch) and Brazil (Matauri Branch) - so, we found chopsticks and fans for Paihia, and masks and beads for Brazil! This resulted in much excitement and joy for the two of us!
Thursday - we had Zone Training. Have I mentioned how much I love my zone?  "Choose This Day" - I think that may be the title of the talk our meeting was based off of? It's a talk by President Eyring. And it's wonderful. And... something I think we can all put a little more into practice. I KNOW I can!

ART PROJECT.  Yessssss. Win win. Thursday night I got to relive a little of how my life used to be spent. Staying up late to do an ART PROJECT. One of the sisters in our district (Sister Johnson) left is this morning for home after a beautiful 18 months was served on her part :). Therefore, this past Friday morning we had a "district companion study" — aka: a farewell for our dear sister. And a Sister O'Reilly and I put together a little book for her that all of us signed and put pictures in and happiness - because, clearly we're her favorite district ;) But really. All the happiness. I miss art life. So much!
And last, but not least - of course - a miracle moment of the week: JEMMEKA CAME TO CHURCH. Sister O'Reilly and I had to walk from the church to go pick her up — but she CAME.  Jemmeka is a recent convert in the Matauri Bay branch who turned into a "less-active" not too long after being baptized.  She's 12 years old and truly does understand things of faith, and we know she sees the blessings the Church has brought into her life. It's just hard for her to get to church. - Cause, ya know, all the peer pressure and whatnot at that age.  But she came. And sat with us, and she's wonderful. We're also fortunate enough to get to do Personal Progress with her when we visit in the week — which makes me want to do it all over again. (Something I probably never would have said before. But definitely true now.) There's some great things in this program.
QUESTIONS:
1. Is there any way that maybe someone would want to find me a Plan of Salvation print out that I could color and cut out and laminate to share with people? Sister O'Reilly has a little kit and I'm going to be sad the day that I dont' have a visual.... one thing her kit has that I especially like is a spirit and a human body that goes on top, to show how/when our spirit and bodies are separated...
2. Can someone tell me more about the Anglican religion (and others...)?
3. Is there some sort of chart that shows the "genealogy" of Nephi/his family/book of Mormon peeps in general?
I CAN'T BELIEVE I FORGOT THIS LAST WEEK. And..... the fact that I still haven't taken a picture of it.  (That's just pathetic.)  But BROTHER TUA (the member family that feeds us SO WELL in the Matauri Branch) MADE ME A NECKLACE. Did I tell you about the one he made Sister O'Reilly?? Well- they're beautiful. And mine is made out of a cow bone. It's the shape of a hook, representing me as a "provider" - for now on the mission, as well in my future life in my family he said.  And then within the hook there are four little circles of energy shell. One to represent each of the four Standard Works.  IT'S BEAUTIFUL. And I'm obsessed.

I thought about you all on the 24th as I told Sister O'Reilly that it was another holiday for me! And thank you for saving my poor neglected little bike! I'm sure it'll be much more comfortable at your house where it may at least be moved around a bit, making it seem a little less dusty!

Anyhoo. Life is beautiful. The gospel is true. And it's been interesting for me throughout the different teaching I've been doing, as well as the personal study I've had each morning to realize the simpleness of this gospel. I've started breaking it down more in my study - doing lesson plans - because that's all people need in the beginning. Main points and not a ton of detail. But our Gospel really is simple. If we follow the Lord, keep his commandments, and show our faith in Him, He will guide us home. How could it get any more simple than that????  STRENGTH comes from the SCRIPTURES. And not just reading them - but truly STUDYING.  And PONDERING. And PRAYING before and after. I am honestly understanding and getting more out of the Book of Mormon this time through, than I ever have in my life. PRAYER IS ESSENTIAL - none of us should ever forget that!
Life is wonderful - and I hope you all have beautiful weeks of joy and happiness!!
And I HOPE YOU HAVE A FANTASTICAL WEEK!!!!
MUCH LOVE!!!

Our District—Haruru Falls

Cool Tree Pic

Love, 

Sister Mckenzie Ottley

Life is BEAUTIFUL

Mom, you are SO right. LOVE is DEFINITELY the answer. Something I have learned a lot about this week. And it all begins with the love our Heavenly Father and Saviour have for us. A love that I don't think I'll ever be able to comprehend, but I know is there.

One of the things the Church has given us as missionaries is a booklet called, the "12 Week Program,"  using different ways to study and whatnot during your first 12 weeks in the field. It follows along with Preach My Gospel and eight main principles. One of the video clips Sister O'Reilly and I watched this week was of Elder Holland, and a quote he gave to "teach with love."  It's really a true testimony to me that the only way we can truly teach is through the spirit. As missionaries, WE are not the teachers — the SPIRIT is. He is what guides us on what to say, 

and we have to have faith that He will put those words into our mouths. Therefore, by having love and charity for all those around us, we are able to teach with that spirit, and fill them with the things they need to hear.

Paihia and Matauri Bay are truly the places I NEEDED to begin my mission.  While it is difficult because there really aren't a ton of people out here - which makes it difficult to find people - it's helped me to realize how important the work is, that we have to love the people we do have, to help them along.

LIFE MOVES TOO FAST!! How has it already been a month?? I don't even know! (Well, over a month now... technically. crazy things!) 17 months left! Wha?

LAST Monday. P-Day.  What did Sister O'Reilly and I do with our district you ask??  We went to HARURU FALLS. (OH THE BEAUTY) and then....

NERF WARS!! With little tiny guns like these...  Haha.

My District (composed of myself, Sister O'Reilly, 3 other sisters, and 2 elders), is literally the best ever. Truly. And even more so after this day.  Not only was it exciting - it gave us a chance to get to know one another a bit better, as well as excite us for the week ahead. Oh- and exercise. It was DEFINITELY a workout. Sister O'Reilly and I were sore the next day and the day after that! Just from playing different games involving shooting each other!

And what are we doing today now? Nerf War with the ZONE! Yup. All of the Kaikohe Zone (our two zone leaders and two districts combined). And my district has all purchased "onesies" to wear together. We're pretty cute!

Anyhoo. Moving onto more important things...

DANIEL. Will you all pray for Daniel? He has so much WANT for learning of the gospel, AND to be baptized - but we just don't know how to truly help him with kicking this smoking habit. It's a struggle.  But it's also okay, because we know that as we keep contact with him that he will gain more of a knowledge of his Father and Saviour that are here to help him and guide him - whenever he may be ready to make the next step into the gate of baptism.

Have I mentioned that Sister O'Reilly is wonderful? And that we "sing" at a resthome each Wednesday in Paihia? How are these two things related you ask? -Well, Sister O'Reilly is always wonderful, but she has helped me SO much in gaining confidence - one of the ways being with my singing voice. We all know that Kenzie -- er, Sister Ottley - doesn't like to be heard. But, when there's only 2 of you......well, clearly I will be heard. And not only that, but it's helped me in developing my ALTO SINGING. Oh it's lovely, and makes me so happy and feel so accomplished.  Because acapellla has never been my strong suit - but it's getting there more and more each day! ;)

This week we also had the lovely opportunity to meet with President and Sister Balli for interviews. They are wonderful. And I truly know that I was sent to this mission at this time to be under their direction specifically. They have so much insight into the things this mission needs, as well as what we need as individuals. Sister Balli shared with me the word "assurance" — And I want to challenge you all to go study more on it.  It's a great word, and has much more of a meaning than I've thought before. It also pops up at GREAT times in the scriptures, (i.e. 1 John 3:19-24). All about assurance and looking to God, because he will never let us down - EVEN WHEN WE FEEL LIKE OUR HEART HAS. He will NEVER let us go.

I would also like to announce that Aunty Lydia has invited me *and my spouse* to one day come back and live with her while I *and my spouse* build a house there in Paihia. Hahaha. She is the cutest. And I'll definitely have to get a picture with her one day to show you how sweet of a lady she is. ;)

Sister O'Reilly and I were also the luckiest of luckies (slight sarcasm) to give talks in the Paihia branch this week (last week Matauri Bay, this week Paihia!). But - our wonderful Branch President told us we could speak on the same topic... cause he's great. Ha. But I was able to learn even more. Our talks were on our "Favorite Book of Mormon Missionaries" - I chose Lehi. Because, he's wonderful. And had SO MUCH FAITH.  And had the beautiful vision of the Tree of Life, which I have studied so many different times in my life, and done multiple art projects on. But I came to know more, because when you ask - you receive! And I found/Sister Balli was inspired in sharing a bit of this talk with me — Elder Pearson from this last General Conference, called, "Stay by the Tree" Beautiful. You should read it. ;)

Anyhoo. Life IS beautiful. The work IS hastening - we just have to look to the Lord and ACCEPT the strength and confidence He willingly gives to us. —Something I'm definitely working on.  Cause, well - confidence in talking to people has never been a super strong point in my life (ha).   But it's getting better each and every day.  And even with the doors we get shut in our face - it just makes the ones that don't, that much more precious and special.  (Yes, yes, there have been many doors slowly but SURELY closed in our faces.) But life is beautiful, the GOSPEL IS TRUE.  Sometimes - the people within our church say things that may confuse, offend, or bring about doubt - but the thing we have to realize is this: Our Heavenly Father LOVES us. And what He needs from us is to continuously go back to what we KNOW.

I love you all!! I can't believe it's already been a MONTH that I've been in this BEAUTIFUL land of New Zealand. ISN'T IT INSANE!!!??? On the 14th I was thinking "weird, I gave my farewell talk a month ago..." It seems like yesterday! And also.... a long time ago at the same time. Weird how that happens. It's insane how fast life goes when you're on the Lord's time.  ...Something to think about! ;)

Thank you for your prayers — I definitely feel them each and every day. I pray for you all at home as well! I know that it is at this time that the Lord wanted me to be here - and specifically in this mission as well. Life is just...interesting that way, isn't it?

And last — but never least: The other morning I was listening to my music and stumbled upon a BEAUTIFUL rendition of "Goodnight Sweetheart!" :) Basically — you all are the cutest ever.  And I'm so crazy lucky to have a family that puts little "treasures" on my iPod like that for me to find! ;)

LOVE YOU ALL!

Much love!!!
Sister Mckenzie Ann Ottley

Other Pictures: