29 Sept 2019

We have been assigned to a small branch in Raglan. It has about 25 active members. I brought a key board home to learn some hymns. I've been called as the pianist. What. A. Joke. They will be lucky if I can play two fingers at a time. Somebody is really stretching me here...

We call these oreo cows. A perfect white stripe down the middle.

The eggs here are on a shelf not a cooler. Complete with feathers. I love it. 

This sweet lady walked in the office one day with flowers, muffins and a card addressed to Celeste Knight's parents. She lives right by us and is in Celeste's Pathway class! Michele is a lovely lady. (Give her an A, Celeste)

One of the benefits of being the car guy is that you get the new car with 378 Kilometers on it. (234 Miles)

I just had to add this picture. Only in the toilets in New Zealand. 

Here's a challenge for you. Find the Toilet handle to flush. (On the recessed wall) I stood there a long time trying to find it ad had to ask the lady next to me how to flush. I'm sure she was rolling her eyes...

Going to church 44 kilometers away has it's benefits. Raglan is right on the Pacific ocean. The beach was amazing. Black sand from the volcanoes. 

What more can I say, We are in New Zealand!

Because the ocean has mountains right up the beach, we had to walk. A very long way

We had to walk down the mountains to get to the beach. We thought we would die. 

After the ocean we went to Waireinonga. It is a water fall. It. Was. Breathtaking. 

I can't believe another week has passed. Once again, we find ourselves looking at each other and whispering, "We are in New Zealand!" (Just in case this is a dream and we might wake up) We are in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Each day we become more confident in our work responsibilities. The work is never caught up and some days we are at the office 10 hours. We have 185 missionaries (mostly still teenagers) that we keep track of. Some days we shake our headands, roll our eyes and say "what were they thinking!" but most days we are in complete awe of their successes, dedication and desire to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with anyone that will listen. 

There is so much joy, yet there always has to be the bitter with the sweet. Today we had a mission fast for one of our Elders who was having problems with one of his eyes. He went to the doctor and found out he has a fast growing cancerous tumor behind his eye and starts chemo tomorrow. Our hearts were so heavy. But,Miracles still happen on the earth. If it's the will of the Lord, he can be healed and continue his mission. 

In Mormon 9:15 it states: 
15 And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do ^ano miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.
We are hoping for a miracle recovery.

On a lighter side, The ice cream here is so lovely. We bought some mango passion. It had little black passion fruit seeds in it! We had doughnuts the other day with the same filling, and little crunchy black seeds. They grow on you. (And you grow larger. I heard this is a 20k mission. Easily gain 20 kilo's before you go home...) That = 44 lbs...

This week is intake, (15 new missionaries coming in, and outtake 9 missionaries going home and transfers.) Elder Clayton has to finagle the cars, gas cards, telephones, and food cards. Elder Folland has to figure out which flats they will live in and exchange keys. We have 4 Zone conferences the next week and we get to cook four days straight, four times for 1/4 of the missionaries at a time. I'm tired just thinking about it all. Well, until I get another chance to write, I wish you enough. Love you all and miss you more!